This review may contain spoilers
Censorship Doesn't Dim the Romance in this One!
Yes, indeed I did watch this phenomenal series and, while not a gamer nor understanding much about the intricacies of this series, I treasured its theme and ambition. This series is breathtaking in its presentation, cinematography, storytelling, and acting. I was completely mesmerized and astonishingly could pretty much follow the gist of the story minus the minutiae and detailed storylines. Being a Westerner, I also got hopelessly entangled by the names and relationships of individuals. None of that mattered to me, however. My focus was on the two main protagonists and the heart of their story.To say this series is unconventional would be an understatement. Interestingly, it was adapted from a BL, but it is NOT a BL. Is it romantic? Oh God! yes. It is beyond a bromance but certainly not a BL. It is in a category all by itself. The two leads, almost from the beginning, develop a strong and inseparable bond between each other that is unshakable. Early on there is a natural affinity between them and it does not take long for both to pledge fidelity to one other.
https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/10/11/the-spirealm-series-review-ep-1-to-78/
Was this review helpful to you?
A Thrilling Journey Through Virtual Reality and High-Stakes Drama
This series has captured my mind due to the excellence in weaving a storyline that is so exhilarating and engaging that you can’t help but to binge watch and hope to see more of it. Using the medium of virtual games (a term used loosely here) and multiple short plotlines while building a central mystery creates an intriguing and enjoyable viewing experience.The story centres around a virtual game that has manifested in the real world. Players are forced to engage in this sadistic, high-stakes game, where losing means death in the real world. Our protagonist, Lin Jui Shi, finds himself trapped in this world, and Ruan Lan Zhu comes to his rescue. Together, they work to unravel the mystery behind the game while trying to survive.
The game involves entering doors and encountering different scenarios each time, based on urban legends. The series excels in creating an atmosphere of dread and mystery, with each storyline being unique. It's fascinating to see the characters navigate the game, interact with NPCs, and decipher clues to escape safely. However, the series delivers a not-so-subtle message about the greed of capitalism. The game, designed by a Chinese developer in America, is manipulated by greedy capitalists to make more money. Our protagonists must solve the riddle, fix the game, and save the world from capitalism—a theme that is a bit on the nose.
What truly sets this series apart are the characters. Beyond the two main characters, the rest of the cast delivers outstanding performances. The story is rich with emotion, and viewers will often find themselves sympathizing with the characters, saddened by their predicaments, and moved by their losses. A compelling storyline is bolstered by exceptional acting.
However, the series is not without its faults. The game world is poorly explained, and viewers are expected to go with the flow. There is no clear understanding of how altering the game's code causes it to affect the real world. Questions arise, such as why players who die in the game die in real life, how the game can be corrected by simply winning all the doors, and why the game can't be re-released by the greedy capitalists even after it's been fixed, rendering the protagonists' efforts potentially futile.
In conclusion, despite many unanswered questions, "The Spirealm" is a great watch due to its amazing storyline and stellar acting. Additionally, the series contains very limited BL scenes or dialogues, primarily portraying the main characters as very good friends.
Was this review helpful to you?
One of the great bromances however...
I loved watching spirealm! I loved the bromance, the stories, the characters and the cast in general was great! Even though the show doesn't follow the novel ending, it is still a satisfying ending considering censorship.However, I have had one big problem with this show and it was Huang Junjie's acting. In my opinion, he failed to show some emotions and in some scenes his acting was pretty awkward. So while the bromance in general carried the show, the emotions were mostly seen from Xia ZhiGuang. Huang Junjie's ling ling had the same angry face, crying face, thinking face, he just squinted his eyes and that's it. And in some of the scenes where he was supposed to act surprised seemed exaggerated. This took out some fun from his character but otherwise the show was really good 👍
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
Interesting drama
I like the "get through levels" aspect of the drama (reminded me of the kdrama, Liar Game). Some of the levels I liked more than others. I also enjoyed the chemistry between the two leads. There is definitely space for improvement, but for this genre and how complicated the plot is: everyone did a good job.Was this review helpful to you?
Peng Yuchang delivers a remarkable performance as Zhang Chulan, a protagonist who defies easy classification — witty yet burdened, brave yet uncertain. His evolution from a reluctant fighter to a man who understands the responsibility behind his power is both satisfying and deeply moving. Opposite him, Hou Minghao and Wang Yinglu bring energy and balance, their characters’ motivations intertwining in ways that challenge ideas of loyalty and justice.
The writing is sharp and layered. Each arc reveals not only hidden conspiracies but also timeless moral questions — about free will, legacy, and the cost of enlightenment. The dialogue is philosophical without being pretentious, and every battle carries emotional as well as physical weight.
Visually, “The Spirealm” is breathtaking. The choreography blends traditional martial arts with supernatural fluidity, turning each fight into a visual poem. The color palette — rich golds, shadows, and bursts of ethereal light — mirrors the show’s spiritual undertones. The soundtrack, filled with haunting strings and percussive energy, heightens every scene’s tension and transcendence.
What sets “The Spirealm” apart is its maturity. It doesn’t just ask who wins the fight — it asks why we fight at all.
Mysterious, profound, and beautifully constructed, “The Spirealm” is more than a fantasy drama — it’s a meditation on power, identity, and the eternal struggle between heaven and humanity. A truly exceptional work that stays with you long after the final strike.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Welcome to the world inside the doors...
(CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILER WARNING)Wow... after finishing this drama I genuinely had to stare at the wall for 10 minutes to process what just happened.
The Spirealm... a drama that left me in awe. Every world inside the door had amazing characters and storytelling, and not a single boring episode; the number of plot twists and tension during scenes had my full engagement throughout the show. Personally, my favourite door was the 5th door (Sako door), I loved the story behind everything that happened and how the horror elements were executed so well.
However, I thought that the ending was kind of unsatisfactory. Although it was an open-ending, I thought they could of cleared up some misunderstandings towards it (e.g. was it a dream or did it really happen in virtual reality?) but other than that, I love all the characters and the pacing of the drama. I think this is one of the few shows that will hold a special place in my heart, despite the minor flaws. I just loved this drama so much from start to finish.
Overall 9.5/10
Was this review helpful to you?
I love you spirealm
I lovveeeeee The Spirealm. Having watched it before there were proper subtitles and read the webnovel it's based on (Kaleidoscope of death) I think they were able to make an incredibly world come to life, with storytelling that went beyond even the need for language some times!To begin with, there were a lot of changes made between the original novel and the drama. Maybe controversial but I actually like The Spirealm better than KOD. There is a lot more elaboration in the drama on the stories in the doors, making them the focus rather than the character, and the ending is arguably more coherent. Though there were some doors I wish they had included, I think all the decision made in adapting it to a live-action made sense and were, for the most part, for the better. I understand that censorship forced it to be a "bromance" rather than a romance but mannnn there was a reason it was forced off 2 hours after it originally dropped.
Acting: The acting in the show was probably the weakest part of it, which is saying something because it was still very good. Xia Zhiguang was so good as Ruan Lanzhu it made me forget he is an enemy of mine (in r1se). He perfectly embodied the character as someone who is both mischievous but also clearly very powerful and smart. He nails the subtleties in switching between RLZ in-doors and RLZ out of doors. The chemistry between him and Huang Junjie as Ling Jiushi, read as romantic or platonic, was fantastic. They work seamlessly as partners and their emotional moments are deeply touching because you really believe how much they care for each other. While Huang Junjie is not the best in the show he plays LJS well, clearly getting better in the role as the show goes on and he is allowed to be more jaded and emotional. Most of the side characters hold up just as well against the main pair, with even the door NPCs doing a solid job. Liu Ruogu absolutely kills it in the dual role as 2 very different people and carries his emotional scenes.
Characters: I love you Ruan Lanzhu, one of the greatest to ever do it. A deeply complex character who has mysterious motivations and seemingly multiple personalities. He is a joy to watch and try to figure out and also is just really cool. LJS is a refreshing foil to him, much more straightforward of a character and much more reliable in who he is. Its a key point in his personality that he is essentially unchanging but how his character is able to subtly develop in the show adds to the depth. Almost every character is given a personality and motivation for why they are the way they are, even side characters that are killed off. It makes the world of the show so rich and really lets you connect with every character. The re-occuring characters are such a delight, there is someone for everyone as they are all very different and interesting (Tan Zaozao my love) and all serve a different purpose.
Visuals: I think this show is near perfect in terms of visuals. The use of practical sets and props plays a massive role in this. They kept most of the doors very limited in their space but they were all so beautifully designed it didn't feel trapped. You could feel the wealth of these worlds in the set designs. Yes there was some cheesy CGI but I don't think there was any world in which there wasn't considering its a show with supernatural elements. The door masters were also really well done. Keeping them more visually simple meant that the little things that made them inhumane were striking. Directing was also spot on, there was nothing i noticed that stood out in a bad way which is very rare for such an elaborate show.
Storyline: Like I said, I actually like the drama better than the novel because the drama took more time to add to the stories in the doors. By giving more thought into the doors they were much more engaging and allowed the characters in them to develop in a way that showed, not told, us the audience they were developing. I also really liked the mysteries, they were fun and left hints along the way so you were able to start guessing the mystery along with the characters. The story gave the audience time to understand what was going on rather than forcing the plot too fast. While there were obviously things that could never be guessed by the audience I don't think there was any door you couldn't engage with even a little. There was also a good balance with the overall plot (beating the game/finding out why it involved LJS friend) and each of the subplots in the doors. For as much as it is an action/mystery show, the heart of the story is how the characters connect with one another. The emotional beats are strong and feel justified. Making the doors a game and some sort of Chinese national pride thing is pretty funny but it doesn't take anything away from the show in the end so its whatever.
I once said The Spirealm was a bad adaptation but a better show for it and I still believe that! I personally love this show and have rewatched multiple times so I cannot recommend it enough!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
WOW! The first bromance drama after Chinese government's ban.
After a year of hearing about the Chinese government's ban on bromance dramas or BL novel adaptations, I'm glad we finally got to see this beautiful bromance drama from mainland China in 2024.I still remember when this drama first aired—it had a rating of only 7.8. But now? It's 8.9! MDL ratings don't lie.
For me, if a drama has more than 8.5, it's enough to get me hooked & curious.
Ruan Lanzhu—he’s incredibly talented. Just because of his acting in this drama, I totally adore him now.
Every time I see him with Ling Jiushi, it makes me happy. Their chemistry reminds me of Lan Zhan and Wei Ying (The Untamed vibes!).
Sometimes I just wanted to slap Ling Jiushi—he’s so slow at picking up hints from Ruan Lanzhu. Haha!
Ruan Lanzhu’s gestures every time he looks at Ling Jiushi… they seriously made me feel shy!
Li Dong Yuan is also great—his acting is good and he’s hilarious. I want to see him in more bromance dramas too.
The OST is very good and easy to listen to.
But yes, this drama itself is a bit creepy and the songs make it even creepier! I watched it at midnight… still acceptable though. Haha!
Spoiler alert—what I didn’t like was finding out that Ruan Lanzhu isn’t human.
I’m sorry for spoiling it, but I really felt Ling Jiushi’s pain—his sadness and disappointment when he knew that Ruan Lanzhu was just a creation of a virtual world.
Their bond was so strong, but in the end, they had to say goodbye because they came from different worlds.
Thankfully, it still has a happy ending, even though the final episode felt a bit too short.
They met again after a decade—Ling Jiushi created a virtual world game just so he could see his friend, Ruan Lanzhu, again. And Ruan Lanzhu lives on in that virtual world.
I really hope there will be a Season 2 with the same cast. I still remember them so clearly.
Highly recommended!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
So amazing
Absolutely loved this drama finished within about 4 days. Episodes are short enough that you don’t get bored and long enough to feel like your actually watching an episode not a clip. Recommend to people who especially like supernatural elements and censored bl. Honestly one of the best chinese dramas i have watched (which is a lot) and is up there with the untamed, word of honour and killer and healer. It has no romance per say but the way the main leads act together is a chefs kiss. Definitely a tear jerker.Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
Ruan Nanzhu x Lin Jiushi ... my ship sailing XD
Story in the beginning very great. But the end of story made my heart so broken, seeing separation between Ruan Nanzhu and Lin Jiushi after they passed 12th door ... they meet again after Lin Jiushi already became old man. It's so sweet but felt so sad. I loved the way Ruan Nanzhu tease Lin Jiushi and ask him to protect him, seem so cuteyWas this review helpful to you?
