The Demon Hunter's Romance

Good plot, good acting

The plot is fresh and engaging, with a touch of the old-school supernatural charm reminiscent of classic Liaozhai-inspired stories. The characters are well-developed, and even the supporting roles are portrayed with depth and conviction — each with their own compelling backstory.

Visually, the film is impressive, with strong investment in both art direction and special effects, creating an immersive and atmospheric world.

The only downside is the altered ending, which feels less impactful and leaves several early story elements unresolved. It’s a pity, as the film had built up so much momentum, only to lose some of its emotional payoff in the final act.

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Forget me or not?—Memory fades but feelings lingers | Bittersweet heartbreaking ending ㅠㅠ

Xingxian wasn't a bad person. It's just that, in her sufferings, she lost her kindness bit by bit. - Jiu Xuan Ye

I honestly don't know how to start my review...so shall I elaborate on how this drama completely wrecked me?

Let me start this by letting out a sigh of frustration and anguish...wow! Just, WOW! I picked this drama after watching #ThePrisonerOfBeauty and god was I so wrong for doing that—worst decision of my life this year.

The story started smoothly with a touch of intrigue and excitement that can encourage anyone to binge-watch It. However, as the story goes on the more it felt draggy. They tend to spend significant amount of time on specific plot events (namely Reunion Inn and Inside the Painting scenes) instead of producing more...which made the slow-paced development of the story feel even much dragged out rather than help it become more progressive (in terms of pacing). The main issue is that the plots and schemes were so unnecessarily detailed which makes the story too dragged out. They most probably wanna make sure that the narrative will be flawless but for the price of what? the story being seen as pedantic? I am sorry but that's just being overly perfectionist to me.

Plots, Twists and Pacing as described above are way too detailed—flawless—which I highly appreciate at the same time dislike, as it made the show feels short of action and events. Which if were altered could have given us more interaction and moments from the characters. Whenever I recollect about this drama, I only have 5 events in mind (Owl Demon, Mirror Demon, the slow and extremely detailed Reunion Inn, overly repetitive wedding loop scene and lastly, the Snake demon) which could have been more, given that they have 36 episodes.

Climax and falling action was handled nicely as it was action packed but it also felt hastily done in a way. It felt rushed as they literally unfolded it 4-5 episodes before the resolution of the conflict which is considerably too little for me as they still needed a couple of episodes to present the actual finale to conclude the story.

Ending is where it all started falling apart for me. The most heartbreaking part of this drama is when the director and writer decided to fvcking serve us with that sacrificial yet benevolent finale which is very much unnecessary and unwarrented. I detest such pretentious endings at it is a mask they often utilize to torture the viewers in all aspects. No matter what other people says, I can never tolerate anyone who romanticizes sad endings.

To top it all up, I even got to watch the Behind-the-scenes of the finale. The scene where the main leads are both crying their eyes out because of extreme agony. Ohmyghad! I was so mentally, emotionally and spiritually damaged that I began hating the director and writers of this show so much!

P.S. I got some personal beef on how many times they repeated the wedding scene inside the painting. That was truly irritating to the point where I even considered fastforwarding. I also got quite bored on how excruciatingly slow and dragged out the Reunion Inn event was. Almost lost my patience watching those parts.

Lastly, a comical line that turned grim.

"I'll marry you. You've tried to snatch me as a bride so many times, who else could I marry if not you?" - Duan Ban Xia

Story - 9.0 - Despite how sluggish and draggy it feels like, I still cannot disregard the writer and director for their flawless work of the plots and events. I still abhor them for the ending but it doesn't feel right to give this story a lower score then 9.0 just because of that.

Acting/Cast - 10, Song Zu Er & Ren Jia Lun are perfect for the role and they both delivered really well. The supporting roles were also remarkably good in portraying their given roles. Kudos to every single one of them.

Music - 10, When it comes to C-dramas, music is that one thing I am not very particular with (in comparison to K-dramas) as long as the music used are good and never bothered me, then it will be a 10 for me.

Rewatch Value - 6.0, I honestly don't think I will ever watch it again. I am giving it this score out of consideration entirely for the compact and detailed story.

Overall - 9.0 - This score feels right to me. Not too low and to high either. I still feel disappointed about the ending but all in all it was good. Although some parts of it became tiring at one point, they all still make sense at the end. Again, I can never discredit the work just because I hate some parts of it.

IF you find my review helpful please let me know.

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Great concept!

I really liked this drama, it was conceptually and visually impressive and unique, which I really appreciated since the premise isn’t all that new. Song Zu Er is an absolute gift that keeps on giving, she nailed every emotional scene - when she cries, I cry with her! The romance wasn’t my cup of tea to be honest, simply because the chemistry between the leads felt more platonic than romantic, however, I still enjoyed their dynamic! My favorite arcs were probably the puppet demon and the painting arc! The acting during the puppet arc was so well done, and I loved seeing Ban Xia kick ass while they were trapped in the painting! A nice switch-up since she usually physically depended on Xuan Ye to be protected. I understand why it ended the way it did, but the very last scene could have been different lol. Other than that, the show was decent, I just wish the storylines had been a little shorter as the show felt a little too drawn out! The OST was so beautiful as well btw!

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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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Missed Potential

I thought the story itself was solid, but the casting really didn’t work for me.

I found the female lead whiny and annoying, which made it hard to stay invested. As for the male lead, I’ve seen him in Love of Nirvana as well, and I have the same issue there: I just don’t find his romances believable. His acting feels very one-note—he’s constantly playing surprise that someone could like him. His emotional range seems stuck on “shocked,” and when his feelings change, there’s no buildup. One moment he doesn’t like the FL, and the next he suddenly does, without any visible emotional transition.

In contrast, I’m currently watching Liu Xue Yi, and the difference is striking. You can actually see him fall for the FL bit by bit—his expressions, body language, and emotional shifts make the romance feel earned and real. That gradual development is exactly what I felt was missing in Demon Hunters.

And then there’s the ending. Just… wow. The time travel conveniently resets everything, undoing all the emotional stakes. Having the ML follow the FL since childhood only to ultimately leave her made the conclusion feel pointless and unsatisfying. I wasn’t alone in feeling this way—other reviewers have said the same. For me, the ending completely undermined the journey and made the whole thing feel like a waste.

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An escape to magic, tears and genuine connections!

The drama that made me cry the most! It started off with very mysterious, serious and beautiful story, the one that keeps you hooked for the next 5 episodes. It's basically about a demon hunter and normal gov official's daughter who can see demons after an accident. She seeks his help regarding her father's disappearance and gradually they grow closer as they work on other demon cases, along with their friends crew, 'The Guanping City Squad' (my nickname to them). I loved watching the different demons' chaos and how they set up the whole story and our characters' movements against it like I would literally watch all 7-8 episodes at glance until that one demon's arc is completed. The stage designs were so good, the acting, the OSTs, the story and the implementation. More than romance, expect a whirlwind ride of demon hunting and friendship in making. It is a very heartwarming drama, where you can expect genuine laughs and anticipation.

At the start, I did not like FL's character that much, like she was too different from the other conventional FLs of Chinese historical dramas. She acted too much on her emotions, too reluctant and too afraid. But slowly, her character evolved into one of the best, balanced and quick-witted FLs I have ever witnessed. She is cute, too caring but at the same time, wise and brave. She never felt like a burden to the ML and slowly her character shined. She never gave up on her love or family or friends, an embodiment of true sincerity and loyalty. She will always speak her heart out in contrast to the ML. When he failed at words, she gave the words to their love. No toxicity, no crazy family drama, no stupid love triangle and no useless misunderstandings, just common lives seeking their purpose and outshining themselves.

All characters are so strongly developed and we can resonate with each one of them, even though the main trope is given the most importance. Every character is built on some value and personal conflict. The whole demon vs human and good vs bad concept are so powerfully depicted. Usually, such demon-human love stories have sad ending, and so thus this one. But I really hope for Season 2. The emotions that are portrayed with their every movement and facial expressions transcend words. Their longing, love and passion for each other is on next level, something pure and unconditional. Many a times, you will not see it evidently, the drama lacks romance scenes as such but its in those sad hugs, happy embrace or shared laughter and light humor. All comes out so beautifully balanced.

Don't expect so much focus on ML and FL romance trope, because the drama is much more than that and wants to convey something beyond that. only by the last 10 episodes, their love finally blooms and takes shape, where they realize they can't live without each other and keep coming back to each other, even if the end holds only parting in their fate. Like such a strong and different drama it was, had serious undertones and the ending just leaves us hanging in between like them for each other. No matter if their minds forget each other, their hearts will still beat for each other. The epic, dangerous love story of a demon turned demon hunter and a meek, underconfident turned fearless lady - XUANYE AND BANXIA.

Even I don't know when they truly felt for each other and truly wished for having more scenes of their love story depiction and those small memorable times spent together, in between those demon hunts. It felt like there was no breathing space or the main trope was not given that evident importance. So at times I do felt disconnected from their story, but their pure emotions for each other so subtle yet heart wrenching, always kept me rooting for more. If you seek light hearted, action, friendship and a little sparkle of pure romance i.e. originality and fun, then go for this! Can't expect more from such a drama, so simple yet so powerful. I guarantee you that you will never get bored while watching this. Watch this for story not romance.

And I really wanted to see more of second couple's love story, but it will somehow always be dropped in between, even till the last. Like none of them got a proper closing or beginning. Just telling us the unpredictability and the pain you have to endure, bravery that it demands, and a selfless heart, to truly witness it or be a part of it. The whole timer reverse or memory losing scene at the end, really left the viewers astray. Like all the previous episodes and scenes and memories felt fake, those strong connections and genuine friendships, but that was all the drama was teaching us - to give up, to move on and still carry a heart that follows its purpose.

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An interesting plot and a good watch. Kudos to Song ZuEr for her acting skills.

The Demon Hunter's Romance is a costume drama starring Allen Ren and Song Zu Er. The story revolves around the coexistence of humans and demons, where a human girl falls in love with a demon hunter who turns out to be a demon himself.

The plot was interesting, and the supporting cast was amusing. Allen Ren can't act; he maintains the same facial expression regardless of whether he is happy or sad. Song Zu Er carried this drama; her acting was so good. It was nice to see her back onscreen after the tax evasion mishaps. I am watching her in The Prisoner of Beauty with Liu Yi Ning, which is an awesome drama.

This drama doesn't have a happy ending, but I can understand. I know many netizens did not like the ending. I don't mind it because humans and demons cannot coexist.

Synopsis: In Guangping City, where humans and demons coexist, Ban Xia, a wealthy girl with the rare ability to see demons' true forms, is deemed delusional by her family. After exposing her cousin's bride as a demon, she's forced to flee and meets demon hunter Xuan Ye. He helps her see the hidden world more clearly and reveals that not all demons are evil. As they investigate her father's mysterious death and other strange events, their bond deepens. But Xuan Ye's buried past and a shocking truth about his identity threaten to tear them apart.

My Reviews:
1. Acting: 8
2. Script: 8
3. Music/OST: 7
4. Production Quality: 7
5. Cinematography: 7
6. Rewatchable: 8
7. Onscreen Chemistry: 7

Overall Rating: 7.5

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Disappointing

Let's just start with the ending was atrocious to say the least, they literally butchered it. Another thing the more you go on with the arc the more tedious they become.. Some arcs are just torture to watch, especially secondary characters arcs. The FL is very teenager like which highly icked me. The chemistry was just not there at all, again especially because she is so childish it felt weird and don't let me talk about the kiss scenes! Probably the worst kiss scenes I have seen in a while, a 36 yr old guy can't even kiss 🤷🏻‍♂️. With such a high budget Expected more but honestly this drama could be outperformed even by short dramas. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, a hard skip.

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