The Demon Hunter's Romance (2025)

Started well but quickly turn bland

I came here hoping that I can find the magic with RJL again. He is my first C drama crush and I was so into everything about him. But after Glory of Tang Dynasty and Under The Power (his best works) NOTHING is impressive. In fact I think he has gone backwards in his acting as he gains fame. He has no more expression except an upset or cold face. Even worse, he has been so obsessed in real life about staying slim that he is looking gaunt and unimpressive as a hero. Lost his beautiful smile and face. In addition, he has become even more soulless and one dimensional as he starts to dub his own drama. OMG. He has zero intonation and everything is so boring when he is speaking. As for the FL, this is my first time watching her. Not bad and quite natural and sometimes cute too. But together there is zero chemistry. Not believable as RJL is like a walking zombie reciting his lines. Personally so disappointed because he was my biggest hero for a while.
As for the story it’s actually quite nice. But it got a bit draggy in some areas and this diluted the anticipation and plot. Music is not bad but due to the other factors I can’t remember them.

I decided to finish watching after investing up till Ep25. But I am considering skipping future RJL dramas. Can’t stand watching more one dimensional soulless acting. If you haven’t started I think you just skip this. Unless for some reason you still like RJL. As an update to my previous review 2 days ago I must say I am slightly happier watching RJL in the last 2 episodes. At least he smiles and largely stopped furrowing his eyebrows like he is pissed with the entire world. Everyone else even the big brother and the second male lead are more fun to watch and have more acting range than RJL.

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The serie is interesting but it's weak about love between leads so far as I watched

Well as I already said in title its definitely not giving any fluttery in love between leads for the 20 and maybe the whole drama is not giving any fluttery in love at all but I am only on 23th episode lol because I postponed it due to it not very much catching my investment into watching it so eagerly but I do love Ren Jialun in this one and love that he uses his own voice to act this time and loved this act with painting demon...it was somehow so much more interesting more than a puppet act but also gave some strong vibe where it actually felt like a real struggle and like a actual misery which are the kind of feelings in these series that I personally like to have a feeling about if that feeling really appear because it didn't appear in the mirror or the puppet act because the first two acts felt kinda still grounded and had less fear of dying and trapping lol but painting world felt like a doom for leads except female lead did not always appeared affected but even when she regained memories still she wasn't afraid and was not even made a weak character in this painting nor Ren Jialun was a weak character but he could there not fight like FL because FL in painting world was a trained fighter

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not bad but there’s room for improvement

I’ve waited for this show since last year.

because two reasons. one is Ren Jialun and another it’s about demon hunter and fantasy element. I had high expectations.

I was quite disappointed tbh. it was here and there. I expect more gritty and compact storyline and each arc.

my fav arc from this story definitely was the painting arc. it was the best out of all.

bring a fan of fighting scenes, this show fell short. terribly. RJL had a lot of still cuts after stunts and I thought that was a lazy editing. come on, show real fight. there’s not one memorable fight in here. even the choreography is slow at some parts.

being a demon hunter, I expect his character to be more fleshed out. in terms of his capabilities and personality. I know RJL’s strength and weaknesses, having watched his drama since Under the Power, this time he used his own voice, it was much better than his voice in burning flame BUT he still need to improve on his line delivery. there are times, he needs to work on his expression.

the problem of having a much fleshed out male character than the FL, is the FL stop growing and became stagnant. yes they love each other and such but I’m not feeling it deep. I have to thank Song Zuer’s acting that saved her character. this girl nailed it.

the problem of doing fantasy drama, the elements to play around is huge, yet I’m just seeing 30-40% in here. this is my 2nd time watching the director’s work (1st was eternal love and yes I skipped a lot at some scenes).

who was the standout character for me in this story?
Zi Kong.
every time he appeared on screen, it was magnetic. and his fighting scenes were solid.

this guy was a child actor whom i watched his some of his shows when i was a kid. and yes, he does practice martial arts irl so his fighting scene looked real.

while there’s lot of flaws and unpolished elements, this show wasn’t a total lost cause and there’s a room for improvement. I have to commend RJL for taking a DIFFERENT role rather than a Prince or king (he was the carefree Lin Jing and no nonsense Nalan Yue in A lifetime of love). it was a fresh air for me.

all in all not bad but can be better.

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Strong story…

I really enjoyed this one. Wasn’t riddled with plot holes and was a well written story. The ending didn’t bother me. I’ve come to expect these sort of endings in Cdramas. As long as they make sense and in this case, it did. Jiu Xuanye had a duty to uphold as Man Ying and that wasn’t Duan Banxia’s world to live in. Probably not safe for a human. That was my take from it.

The Good

Strong plot with some mystery. This had decent world building and character building. Gave us good back stories for our two leads so you understand their character setting and personalities. Also had strong acting and I was able to connect with the characters due to this. The supporting cast was also interesting and had strong acting as well. Next, I did like the mysterious cases they came across. I appreciated that there weren’t too many cases and they focused on a set few that were able to build up a good story behind it. I really enjoyed Chilian and Xingxian’s story the most. Also, the romance between the leads was good enough. You could see their connection. Lastly, production value was decent as well. Had good costumes, sets, visuals and sound. Great OST as well.

The Bad

Not too much that I didn’t like about this drama. Kisses were terrible but to be expected from Ren Jialun. So didn’t have a huge expectation there. Would have liked to see our second leads advance a little more in their relationship. It was more implied they were going down the path of a relationship at the end but never really got over that hump.

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"I’m a demon. So what? Humans can be good or evil. So can demons."

The Demon Hunter’s Romance is an engaging fantasy drama that skillfully blends mystery, supernatural elements, and heartfelt romance. Set in the ancient city of Guangping, where demons live hidden among humans, the story begins with Ban Xia, a seemingly delicate young woman who possesses a rare ability: she can see through a demon’s human disguise.

Her life takes a turn when she crosses paths with the enigmatic demon hunter and physician, Xuan Ye. Together, they embark on a journey to uncover the truth behind Ban Xia’s father’s mysterious “death.” Along the way, they solve a series of captivating demon-related cases, each more intriguing than the last.

What makes this drama stand out is not just the rich fantasy world, but the balance between suspense, emotion, and humor. From the very first episode, the storytelling hooks you in. Each case feels fresh, well-crafted, and meaningful—not just filler but crucial to the character development and the overarching plot.

Ban Xia deserves special mention: while she may appear gentle on the surface, she’s intelligent, brave, and emotionally resilient. Her strength lies not in overpowering others, but in staying true to herself and those she loves. Xuan Ye, too, is far more than a typical cold-on-the-outside hero. His backstory, slowly revealed throughout the series, is both tragic and powerful.

The chemistry between the two leads is remarkable. Their relationship evolves naturally, rooted in trust, shared danger, and unspoken longing. It’s a slow burn, but deeply satisfying—until the very end.

And that’s where my biggest disappointment lies: the ending. Despite the brilliant buildup and emotional investment, the finale left me heartbroken. Especially knowing that the original novel had a happy ending, the drama's conclusion felt unnecessarily cruel. It left a bitter aftertaste to an otherwise beautifully told story.

The supporting characters also deserve credit—they’re well-written and memorable, each contributing to the narrative in meaningful ways.

Verdict:
If you enjoy fantasy dramas with depth, mystery, emotional storytelling, and a touch of the supernatural, The Demon Hunter’s Romance is absolutely worth watching. Just be emotionally prepared for the finale.

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Bittersweet

Lots of tender moments, character growth, redemption and a villain who is the epitome of radicalism. Each demon arc was separate but the story of the main leads led to one final story arc. It sill for me didn’t fully capture the reason for their fateful connection, but in the end it reflects some aspect of realism where sometimes love just doesn’t conquer all... or maybe it does just not in the way we hope or expect sometimes. Sometimes duty comes before personal wants and needs and leads to painful decisions and sacrifices.

I wouldn’t rewatch not because it was boring or not good but real life is hard enough.

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Drama’s emotional grip is good; it’s something that you just can’t stop watching

I was one of those who was eagerly waiting for this drama, but was immensely put off by iQIYI’s intervention that ultimately led the team to rewriting the conclusion into a sad ending, as advised by AI (I have so much to say on this subject, but that will be an entirely different discourse).

With that, I initially pushed this series further down my watch list, with no intention of picking it up at the moment. However, I noticed the good ratings steadily persisted despite the backlash it received. And I took that as a sign.

There’s nothing unique about the plot and the CGI and OST are decent at most.

There is nothing groundbreaking about it at all, if I’m being honest, but as someone who has watched over a hundred of dramas, there’s a slim chance that I'd come across a new material anyway.

What’s good about this drama is that the writer didn’t undermine its audience and treat them as ping pong balls—the writer demonstrated authority and knew exactly where the direction is headed (except for the ending) and it shows in the script, pacing, and quality of writing in general.

In fact, Ren Jialun himself said that the script is well written that we can immerse in it.

Aside from the consistency and the overall good quality, the cast delivered so well, especially Ren Jialun.

What I like about his acting style is subtlety. He knows how to add just the right amount of emotion and nothing over the top. I could feel he is fully in control of what he is trying to deliver, which makes him a good actor.

Although I didn’t find the FL’s character enticing at first, her character grows on you. And as you watch further, you kind of start to realize that Song Zu Er also did a good job portraying her character, too.

There is a good chemistry between the leads as well.

There are still some lose ends, but personally, they're something not difficult to overlook for this drama. For the entirety of the series, I decided to turn off my brain and ended up having an amazing experience.

Despite the sad, frustrating, and unsatisfying ending, with controversies surrounding the use of AI, the series is actually good and an enjoyable watch—the good ratings on this one are reliable!

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Interesting Drama a break from usual CDrama tropes.

On the very first impression of the leads, ML is very good-looking. This look suits him so well. Nothing to comment all very well done. FL, the costume styling and hairstyle don't suit her at all, but I love the way she looks with her hair down. I really hate this drama FL costume. Even in other dramas, I do not like this clothing styling. Rarely a few look decent in this style to me.
The EP 1 OST with the mountain demons was so good; the very scene pulled me into continuing to watch this drama. Wow, I wish I could see more of them.
The Demon Cases:
1. Sister-in-Law Owl Demona good one, didn't you think? And she was not harmful to the leads.
2. Mirror Demon - Good case; I did accept this demon; it's kind of common.
3. The Inn & Doll Demon - Expected case, but man, the shoot and acting of everyone was just amazing, mainly the doll demon. She played the role very well and very impressively.
4. Cat Demon with Nine Lives was a nice play to connect many things.
5. The Snake Demon—Sad they were not given much importance and were sidelined because of the turning-on-leads story. He deserves more screentime, and I feel sad for him. Very good, demon.
The white bird was a nice play to the story.
6. Painting Demon Case—The demon case that took too much EP and dragging; it was kind of nice but dragged a lot and was given unnecessary importance. The guy playing the sand demon—man, I hate him now. I hated his role very much on Moonlight Mystique; with this role, I hate this guy.
7. The villain guy—boy, you were less interesting and made the story boring as well, very common power hunter.
The life stories of both leads were given less importance.
8. The half-brother: Thank God, man, you were not an evil person. Very happy to see that.
The ML demon arc and his demon world were almost forgotten. Why not have a story there and develop a connection because it was interesting but missing opportunity?
Overall good drama that breaks froml C-drama, which is refreshing to see.

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Although the beginning was a bit weak, the series later recovered and went well. It was a well-thought-out story. However, there were some mistakes while editing. Of course, I am skipping some things because they are fantastic. However, it did not seem convincing to me that a very weak and sickly uncle beat his brother for two episodes. Of course, he has been given hundreds of talents, he knocks him down if he blows. It did not work for me. Secondly, Ren Jia Lun looks very slumped at the beginning, I do not know if it is because of the clothes he wears or the weakness of the actor. His posture is hunched, weary and bored. Here he is supposedly playing a Demon Hunter and is a warrior. He beats up anyone who comes his way. But this posture did not work. The director should have paid attention to this and at least he should have been made to stand upright, if it is about the clothes, he should have been dressed in proper clothes that fit him, this actor has played in most of the series he has played in costume series and is an experienced actor. However, I could not see these here. He is a very good actor, he has lived and gained experience, I expect much better. I had watched a few dramas of our actress Song Zu Er before. She had played dynamic roles. I can say that she had a very exciting and lively performance. She was very good here too. However, it seemed to me that they had a bit of a hard time in the scenes with the male actor. However, she was much better in the scenes apart from him. In other words, no matter how much effort there was between the actors, some things are obvious. The only negative thing I would say about Song Zu Er in this drama is that her mouth is open, it does not suit a star actress. I think she has a problem with her nose and wants to breathe through her mouth, she always looks like her mouth is open. This spoils her image. This is very obvious in some places. Otherwise, the actress is a very good actress with her physique, height and appearance. Her dynamic acting did not suit the immobile male actor. But they still played well. Apart from that, Xuan Yan who played Chief Chu, our Judge Girl Fan Shuai Qi, Rabbit Demon Liu Ruo Gu, Servant Girl Liu Qi Qi, Vinnie Yao were very good. I liked our veteran actors very much. Congratulations to Hankiz Omar as the dancing girl, Zhang Zu Xin who plays the Puppet Demon, Sha Man Li Yu, Wu Chong Xuan as the Snake Demon, and Sun Tian Yu as BanXia's fiancée for adding value to their roles. I also liked these actors. In the end, everyone forgot each other. The girl remembered but they couldn't get together. So it was a sad ending. I didn't like it but it made the audience cry. I think there will be a second season.

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Promising start, lame finish

To say that I have low expectations with xianxia dramas nowadays is an understatement. Sure, there are the odd superior shows. Unfortunately, most are formulaic and relied too much on CGI. I was pleasantly surprised by this series . . . up to a point.

Let's be honest, the basic concept is OG. Demons and humans are coexisting in this dramaverse but not happily. Not exactly mortal enemies but they are definitely eyeing each other with deep suspicion and taking potshots at each other. Hence the need of demon hunters. Some are righteous and just while others want to exterminate all demons with extreme prejudice.

The A-plot mostly focuses on the adventure of one particular demon hunter. It is a mixed bag. Most subplots are decent, the "Groundhog Day" one was derivative but entertaining. While the puppet one ends up being a bit draggy. Then we have the romance of the OTP. This is what sustains the show for me.

The fact that our leads are experienced actors helped. These roles are bread and butter for them nowadays. It does allow them to add some depth to their characters. Their romance is sweet and there is not a lot of push-pulls. Their love is rock solid once confirmed.

The build-up to the final confrontation was nicely done and it was fast and furious. What comes next left me dumbfounded.

>>> Spoiler Alert <<<
The show undid everything that happened in the preceding 34 eps with the swing of a magic sword. The result is so clunky it boggled my mind. Rather than ride the momentum to a sweet and rewarding ending, we have a really disjointed open ending that is deeply unrewarding.

In this alternative timeline, most wrongs were righted. The OTP reunites after 12 years apart. They are gifted a few days of bliss. Their "old" friends gathered for a meal so that the ML can catch-up and say farewell. They have no idea who he is but they rolled with it. It was nice because we knew what happened before but it doesn't feel earned. Then the OTP just parted ways while looking miserable. How is this an improvement?

I believe the writer actually wrote a happy ending originally but iQIYI management insisted on this version. What kind of stupid logic did they use to justify this?!

Just give us some straightforward fan service. We are easy to please. If we want torture porn, we would have watched a different show. There are no silver lining to a rug pull.

Baffling. Peace.

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One of my favorite action thrillers in 2025!!

A demon who is wise, diffident in his resolve and also a demon hunter, never heard before right!

The only way to spoil a good ending is being dependent on AI, because that’s what’s rumored to happen to this show. It seems like IQIYI decided to take advice from AI to choose the ending for the show, which led to endless debate and speculations. As for me, I wasn’t overtly disappointed with the ending because the fact that both of them are alive means the most to me. It’s quite possible that they met again when after twelve years, the realm gate reopens. As Jiu Xuanye, Ren Jia Lun remains at the centerfold of this thriller action; first as a resilient demon hunter who follows his father’s philosophy of never hunting the innocent, even demons. The latter half portrays his identity crisis when his demonic nature is revealed and yet he chooses to follow the principles instilled in him by his adoptive father. Xuanye had a character depth, unseen before in any protagonists. His struggles don’t change his basic nature, even though he fights back, battles for survival, Xuanye remains the same. His thoughts never stray from the path choosen by his father. Song Zu Er makes his charming love interest; initially timid, she grows strong and bold. Her caricature perfectly matches Xuanye’s thoughtful candor and they make a sweet couple.

Read the complete article here-

https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2025/04/30/the-demon-hunters-romance-series-review/#more-1776

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