The Spirealm (2024)

this drama is so good!!

Oh my gosh, I've loved mystery genre dramas for a long time. and I found it!! yeaaay!! This is very nice! the story is good and unique, tense, full of puzzles, and made my heart flutter! Actually, I don't really like the action genre mixed with romantic stories, so this drama is perfect for me!! there is no romantic story in it. Even though there is a bromance relationship between the two main characters, they look cute together!! the actors and actresses are also very pleasing to the eye. Their visuals are like coming out of a novel, so handsome and beautiful! their acting is so good, oh my gosh, I'm surprised by the abilities of these actors. they are so great!! I really love this drama

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there are ghosts and mysteries in this drama

I have read the novel version entitled "kaleidoscope of death" and I am also a fan of this novel. This drama was adapted from the novel and I was surprised because the storyline and depiction of each character was exactly the same as what was written in the novel. What's different is that in the novel, this door always appears when someone is about to die. and in the drama, this door is a game world that must be completed. Apart from that, the story is very similar to the novel and I wasn't disappointed, I was very satisfied with the drama! The depiction of Ruan Nanzhu and Lin Qiushi (in the drama Ruan Lanzhu and Lin Jiushi) is also very accurate. the actors played them so great. I like it very much

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The world of doors and it’s unveiling mysteries to its players

Game of death. This has one of the best virtual-reality concepts out there, especially in how they featured several doors with their uniqueness and stories behind them. At first, I was intrigued by the BL theme from the original story, so I started to watch and read the novel simultaneously. However, due to the lack of available legal streaming platforms to binge-watch the show, I put a hold on it first because I believed that the drama's quality deserves to be supported legally. And finally, after months of waiting, I completed them today.

Chinese entertainment has always been a top tier for fantasy stories. Even though government censorship is taking huge restrictions and limitations, the chemistry is so overwhelming that it doesn’t seem to occur in a bromance drama. Lingling is so cute and handsome that I can’t stop staring at him. Ruan Zhu’s manliness is devouring my entirety. I somehow felt too sad at the ending, that they only reunited after 50 years with Lingling holding their memories alone from the real world.

As it was a game to determine the strongest among them, death is inevitable and occurs in each door. Li Dong Yuan, Tan Zao Zao, and Qian Li’s dying was too painful. It took me a while to recover from their deaths one after another. If there is one character I found annoying, it is not the antagonist but the MC’s best friend, Wu Qi. This boy was just a burden to the team and added no spice to the story.

There are loopholes but I tend to disregard them since I mostly enjoyed the overall aspects of the drama. Turning Ruan Lan Zhu into an AI character as a plot is not satisfying. I rather see him dying in the embrace of Lingling instead of bidding farewell to a virtual role. Nevertheless, the whole concept of the story is virtual reality so they give us a love story between an AI and a human.

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An Odd but Fun One

Initially, I gave it a 9.5 instead of 10. But after thinking for awhile and got the conclusion that there might not be another C-drama of similar type in the near future (a year or two), I gave it a 10. That being said, this drama is not flawless for me, but definitely worth a watch if you are up for some stories featuring adventures, mysteries and horror (slight, not a lot). It's best if you get into the drama blind (i.e. without knowing any spoilers), spoilers would really kill the fun watching this!

To put it simply, watching this is like watching Great Escape, the tv show, but in drama format. Or it's like another similar drama, 19th Floor (p.s. but way better 😅). Or if you didn't know about both mentioned shows, it's like watching a group of people playing multiple levels of escape rooms, but in this drama, they are escaping worlds (or what they called Doors in the drama) instead of rooms.

I really like how the characters were written in this, especially Ruan Lan Zhu. Easily one of my most favourite MLs of all time.

Castings were very well done too! I didn't know about Xia Zhi Guang before watching this, but he portrayed Ruan Lan Zhu perfectly. Lu Meng Lin as well, perfectly fits her role as Tan Zao Zao. And many other side characters, be it the players (Liu Xiao Bei as Li Dong Yuan) or the NPCs (Jia Xiao Han as Lu Zuo Zi, Jessie Yan as the nurse, Chen Xu as Lady in the Rain) just to name a few, they are all very memorable to me. The only minor complaint I have is that I wished Huang Jun Jie's acting was better. He wasn't too bad, but could be a little better.

Music and OSTs in this drama are good too, especially "I Know", the theme song that they play in almost every sad scenes. And the song in Zuo Zi's story.

I would definitely rewatch this again, but I think rewatching won't bring me as much surprises as when I first watched it. Hence, its score being the lowest among the 4 categories.

Thank you for reading this review. And lastly, if you haven't watch this, what are you waiting for? 😉

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A Phenomenal Blend of Horror and Logic

I must confess that I'm not typically a fan of horror movies. However, this series managed to captivate me despite my reservations. Let me break down my experience:

1. Logic and Fear:
- Horror movies often sacrifice logic for scares, but "The Spirealm" struck a perfect balance. While some episodes did get intense, the overall storyline remained grounded and engaging.
- Yes, I got scared, but it was the right kind of fear—the kind that keeps you on the edge of your seat without feeling overdone.

2. Perfectly Logical:
- The series wove together a beautifully logical narrative. Every twist, every door, and every revelation felt purposeful and exciting.
- I didn't experience any disappointments; the plot consistently delivered.

3. Production Quality:
- "The Spirealm" was impeccably made. The sets, costumes, and visual effects felt authentic and immersive.
- The attention to detail elevated the viewing experience.

4. Talented Cast:
- The actors deserve applause. Not just one or two, but the entire ensemble.
- Their performances were nuanced and genuine—no forced reactions here.

All in all, If you enjoy solving mysteries and appreciate high-quality storytelling, "The Spirealm" is a must-watch. It's a well-made, well-played series with a stunning story. I'd give it a solid 10 out of 10. "The Spirealm" combines horror, logic, and exceptional production values. Give it a try—you won't be disappointed!

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THE BEST CDRAMA I KNOW

I haven’t watched many cdramas but they are definitely my second favorite to kdramas. This particular one just wouldn’t get out of my head- and I realized I have a second favorite drama ever- and I started watching foreign dramas in 2022.

This is a masterpiece and I really wished China wasn’t as toxic or whatever to ban it. It would’ve done so good as a bl but I saw the love in Ruan’s eyes that he had for Jiushi.

That ending!! I was so so sad when they didn’t remember him and although I’m happy they are still alive- I’m team Ruan and Lingling. And as I end the series I can’t help but feel that if I was in Jiushi’s spot, I would know that this is a false reality now and no matter how much of wishing it wasn’t, a part of me would always know it’s fake and I wouldn’t be able to think otherwise.

I need another series like this one. I loved the bl/bromance and the gaming/virtual reality aspect. I wished they had done better promotions and it’s a shame it was taken down hours after it was put up. We need more Spirealm edits too because I swear they are in like limited supply.

Let me know if anyone knows any Chinese dramas like this one. To be honest I’m not into historical dramas and I prefer watching more modern-day ones like this one.

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PIECE OF ART

PIECE OF ART
I can't stop thinking bout this drama over and over. The Untamed was the 1st Chinese bl drama that I ever watched. It's been more than 3 years now since I started watching Bls. Every year few series tops my list and "The Spirealm " Is one of them. I didn't have high expectations when I started watching this drama but boy it got me hooked.. The chemistry was flowing the acting was actinging. Lan Jiu Shi & Ruan Lan Zhu stole my heart ❤🥺😭. I'm not a fan of the ending I understand the ending was bittersweet. I can't imagine how jiu shi spent his 50 years recreating the spiritual realm like this so heartbreaking 😭but in the end, jiu shi recreated EVERYTHING I think RUAN ZHU remembered JIUSHI 😭. They got me crying... I LOVE THEM, I LOVE THEM. Qiani Li, Tan Zao Zao and Li Dong Yuan (Thank you for your service guys) 😭 I cried my eyes out when you guys died. I'm probably gonna rewatch The Spirealm AGAIN 😭 I CAN'T LET THEM GO 😭

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NO REGRETT!!

One of the best horror mystery movies I have seen in 2024. The plot was amazing and the acting/chemistry was incredible. Throughout the show, there was no time for a dull moment. I felt very engaged as well as all the emotions the 2 main actors were portraying. I love this show so much and wish it would just last a little bit longer. But as for every joy ride, it must eventually come to a stop. The show was very fulfilling. Highly recommend anyone who is considering watching. Thank you for all your hard work. I look forward to the official release so I can support the show properly. As of now, I will miss you.

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I want to give 10 and 0 simultaneously for the rewatch value.

I want to give 10 and 0 simultaneously for the rewatch value.
Though I definitely want to re-rewatch, after that I know I’ll feel this nostalgia again and I don’t know what to do to overcome it anymore…

I usually do not write reviews, but after completing the drama I felt a huge nostalgia so now I think I got a glimpse of how the man without the heart may feel. To the pretense of fulfilling that blank hole after watching several bts, I finally took the pen to write this.

Anyone who watched this till end can’t give a score less than 10.

Story is very good, specially I think you have read the book it would be better since you could understand more accurately and enjoy too. But if you are someone like me, who haven’t read the book yet still you can enjoy it immensely without any spoils. And there’s a bonus point too, cz after reading the book you can enjoy the drama again.

Acting is good. Not only the main casts, but also others have done a good job. The acting was a team work in here, same as passing the doors. That’s make the beauty of this.

I watch a video of Xia Zhi Guang saying, after reading the script he read the book too. I remembered reading somewhere that Chen Fei Yu has also done the same after receiving the Immortality script.
It seems some actors, specially these young talents do not take these characters as merely as another role, but they try to give their whole dedication for the process. I think that’s what make these dramas specifically charismatic.
Also I was fascinated by finding that two most mesmerizing scenes caught my eye were ideas of XZG. The water dripping from the glass when Li dongyuan threw his gift at Ruan Lanzhu and the scene where Ruan lanzhu captured through the empty heart of the iron statue. ( He interpreted it bcz RLZ is an AI, he has to do what he was programmed for despite having emotions. Just like a man without a heart. )
So, when considering XZG not only his acting and singing skills, but again dedication to the work captured my heart. In that video he said what he did at that time was a gambling. I hope he’ll never encounter such situation in the future.

As for Huang Jun Jie, I have seen his works previously. I liked Dr. Cutie. Though I feel something amiss in his acting at some point, I’m not a judge of actors.

I love the Opening theme song sung by XZG and the song “I know”.

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