Funny, cute and fun drama to watch!
Enjoyed watching this drama! Actors and actresses did amazing in capturing their each individual roles. Fun and enjoying to watch! chemistry on ML and FL are too cute! Hope to see more dramas with them together! Plot was great and it didnt feel like it was dragging, watching one episode made me want to watch the next!!Was this review helpful to you?
absolutely wonderful
this is my first Esther Yu drama and it absolutely didn't disappoint, now i want to watch more of her dramas, this drama is a wonderful introduction to all the artists in it cause it will make you want to watch more of their works.Story: the plot of this drama was wonderful, it was very interesting and fun watching it, there might be some flaws here and there but they are totally overlooked. the drama balanced between comedy and romance and sadness, i enjoyed watching it so much. it is the type of plot that anyone will like.
Acting: the acting of all the characters was perfect, especially the leads, they felt so genuine and real, they absolutely brought those characters to life, and their acting skills just made me want to watch more of their dramas, they know how to make us forget that we are watching a drama and that these are but characters they are playing, they felt absolutely real.
Music: i enjoyed listening to all the music in the drama, they put the right music at the right time and it just made the drama better and the watching experience better.
Production: the drama in a high end drama, it shows that the budget wasn't low, the special effect were so nice, they felt almost real, but what i liked the most is the fact that they change clothes and accessories and hairstyles quite a lot, which made watching the drama a better experience.
Was this review helpful to you?
Well written story, lovely characters
I am not a big fan of costume dramas but it seemed fun because of the transmigration plot and I was not disappointed! Enjoyed every second of the drama.All the characters are well written and the actors delivered. They all had depth and held some importance to the story.
I especially loved our ML, he is such a tsundere but also a soft ball who just wants to be loved. Not to mention how handsome the actor is!!
Overall really loved the drama except i wished they showed us more because why end it like that. The audience needed more of the romance part, I actually hoped they'd release a special episode or something but again I also heard it is because of chinese censorship (I have no idea why they want to make us suffer)😭😭😭
Was this review helpful to you?
one of the best comedy from China
I started watching this for Ding Yuxi and I stayed for Esther Yu , I just loved her body Language and mimics here , she was extremely funny here and convinced me that she is an amazing actress, and gained a new fan , Ding Yuxi was great as always , he never disappoints , i also really liked that little Bamboo Demon a lot , so cute .I liked the chemistry between them which most of the time watching Chinese dramas i feel it's forced between the lead actors, but here the great writing makes it so convincing, they built their relation by gaining each other trust in difficult moments , discovering each other secrets that no one els knows, seeing each other as trusted friends first and then falling for each other.
OSTs were all great , cinematography was on point.
I liked the visual effects
and I have to say Wen Zhengrong always slays. ✌️
Was this review helpful to you?
OVERHYPED
Great start, but fell off in the middle. It just became kind of boring and lost the charm. There was WAY TOO MANY scenes for the 2nd lead couple I ended up skipping so much of their parts. Zero chemistry. Their acting are soo wooden, like where are the facial expressions?? Esther's portrayal of Ling Miao Miao was basically the same as her character in Love Story Between Fairy & Devil, and Sword & Fairy. That cute, slightly dumb, naive, clumsy, wide-eyed leading girl it's just so exhausting to watch which is a shame cause she was good in the drama with Zhang Linghe. First time watching anything Ding Yuxi and he's actually not bad here. Overall i'd give it a 6.5/10Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ Love, Laughter, and Fantasy!
OverallLove Game in Eastern Fantasy is an engaging isekai drama with a strong narrative voice, diverse arcs, and compelling characters. Miaomiao's journey, her chemistry with Ziqi, and her standout performances make it a memorable experience.
Story
I really enjoyed the story. The isekai into a fantasy world with an occasional narrative voice makes the story so much better because you can relate to Miaomiao constantly. The arc and plotlines differed from each other as well as different characters' backstories and values were explored!
My least favorite arc was the Princess arc but that was solely because I don't enjoy Second MLs & FLs. On the other hand, my favorite arc is tied between the first and the last arcs! In the first, Miaomiao is constantly killed and disapproved by Ziqi but they still have lingering chemistry. The last arc was between Ziqi and Miaomiao because their love was tested by Ziqi's 'Aunt', then Again by the system in the last episode. I truly love Ziqi as a character, even when he was just a kid he remembered so many small details about Miaomiao and always kept looking for her.
Acting/Cast
Esther Yu. usually plays those cute high-pitched character voices and she completely embodied Miaomiao! From their mannerism to facial expressions she did a wonderful expressive job at Miaomiao.
Ding Yu Xi, was amazing! His subtle expression changes of sassy & pissed off was very pleasing to watch.
The chemistry between both Esther Yu and Ding Yu Zi was outstanding, Esther brings charm and depth to her role, while Ding Yu Zi adds a cool, calculated energy. Together, they create a captivating dynamic that makes the drama truly enjoyable. I hope to watch Moonlight after this because of how much I enjoyed their characters together.
Zhu Xu Dan and Yang Shi Ze deliver great performances in Love Game in Eastern Fantasy.!! Zhu Xu Dan brings a mix of grace and strength to her role and is a great sub-villain because of possession! Yang Shi Ze captures the charm and depth of his character, making their chemistry shine. To be honest, at first, I was worried they were going to be basic one-sided NPCs but I actually heavily enjoyed their characters and their facial expressions are in my sticker collections forever!
Other great characters were Cuicui (played by Lu Yu Hao), Guo Xiu (played by Shao Tong) & Lu Huai An (played by Morning Chang!)
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
One of My Favorite This Year!!
One man’s yearning to express his hidden desires to his loved one led to “the catastrophe of heaven”!“Love Game in Eastern Fantasy” premise boils down to one thing- authors can be pretty peculiar, as is Fu Zhou. Terminally sick, he wrote a novel in his childhood about his crush; in the current times, as a popular author, he published the same novel. The unexpected twist being that his supposed childhood crush, Ling Miaomiao is now his biggest fan and somehow she gets pulled into the novel where Fu Zhou himself acts as a supporting character paired opposite her. This show becomes a “revolving door” phenomenon, because of the said author’s vivid imagination; but it is by far the most entertaining transmigration story that I have watched in a long time. Esther Yu & Ding Yu Xi have a naturally affable chemistry, their romance is overrated or loud; their fights, arguments and bickering are epic. Not to be left behind, Zhu Xu Dan & Yang Shi Ze have their own somber romance that is mature and subtle.
Read the complete article here-
https://kcdramamusings.wordpress.com/2024/11/23/love-game-in-eastern-fantasy-series-review/
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Just like our main heroine we are whisked away into a fantasy story where she had to, through her sheer optimism to escape the game that she has found herself in. It’s a fun off-kilter way to introduce us to the world and the stakes there, although I wish the drama would have explored that a bit longer than it did. And with fun characters, quirky storytelling, gorgeous costumes and sets we do get whisked away into a fluffy fantasy that is easy to watch and delightfully entertaining – even if the drama starts of by warning us that the story ended badly, and she needs to change it if she can. The plot does carry with it this whimsical, easy-going and quest-like nature of a YA fantasy novel or a tv show where things get resolved quite quickly, without too much difficulty even of the problem feels like it's the greatest doom these characters have faced thus far. Nothing feels too serious and practical, but it is on purpose, and it works with the inner logic of that world relatively well.
That problem of the plot comes really apparent in the second half of the drama which is riddled with pacing issues as the plot ether meanders too much and drags or is resolved just a little too quickly which leaves very little buildup to things and for the characters to linger with the problem at hand making everything feel quite rushed and not too well thought out. It just became a bit directionless.
But the fun offbeat sense of humor of the show, the sort of charmingly off-kilter and cuteness of the main female lead manages to be not too annoying, the found family and the consistency of the characters who always feel earnest, realistic for the story that is being told to us and grounded in that particular reality, truly do carry the drama on their shoulders when the plot starts to truly show it's weaker side and make it a fun and entertaining watch despite it all.
But it's the main couple who are the true stars of the show and manage to portray the loveliest grumpy-sunshine dynamic where it makes sense and works for the angst and for the story and doesn't feel like it was shoehorned in for the trope alone. He is a feral, half-demon with an identity crisis and a truly tragic past who slowly starts to rely on this bumbling optimist that is so well equipped to deal with all his issues because while she is at times naive, she has a heart of gold that just wants the best for everyone. And it truly is heartwarming to watch.
You can tell both actors are giving it their all for their performances and you can also tell that they are having a lot of fun with this drama which truly does shine through when you are watching it on your screen. So, while the plot might lag at times it always manages to be entertaining at least, and each episode ends in a way that you kinda want to know what mess will be unfolding next.
Love Game in Eastern Fantasy was a light and earnest little fantasy show that tried so hard to deliver the theme of loving you for who you are and the people around you with so much heart and off-beat humor that it becomes so sweet and fluffy that it almost manages to mask the pacing issues and the lack of direction of the story in the later half.
Was this review helpful to you?
They never stick The Landing.
They never stick the landing anymore.Okay, I would like to start off with saying what I LOVED about this drama.
I really liked the main characters and their arcs. The ML does at lot of growing, the 2nd FL works through a lot of her problems and same can be said for the 2nd ML.
This show looks REALLY good. The effects and set are awesome.
The mysteries are all pretty unique and fun to watch. All the arcs had at least one good thing to offer…
The first 10-15 eps are really good. No notes.
Now the REST.
The costumes in this show are awful. They're almost as bad as Til the End of the Moon's. I know it's a web novel world but the color, cut and styles of some outfits just made me scratch my head. Also toooo many accessories on each person. They are supposed to be homeless traveling demon hunters who rely of the good will of the people they help for survival, yet they have so many dangling gold and silver bits and bobbles… It's ridiculous, but forgivable.
About 10/15 episodes in the pacing really starts to take a nosedive. Things take forever to resolve and they become predictable. It was around then that I guessed how everything would turn out…
The last arc was torture for me to get through.
The ending is also so unsatisfying. A quick tie up would have been ten times better than what we got.
This is a cute watch but don't expect it to be the most well put together.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Surprisingly enjoyable
The premise is nothing new, but the pacing is pretty good and keeps you engaged. The tone remains light from beginning until the end. I really enjoyed the first 23 episodes and have mixed feelings regarding ep 24-32. It's not a deal breaker though since this is what happen to literally 98% of drama these days. Episode 24-32 feels a bit choppy and childish but because of the revelation on last 2 episodes, it still makes sense on narrative side.Pros:
Characters & Cast -- I like all the leads and most side characters. Side characters have their own story and they actually serve a purpose to a certain degree.
Acting is pretty good and the actor's sync rate with their character is great, so I'm more immersed. Ding Yuxi is so charming as Mu Sheng / Mu Ziqi. I also like Zhu Xudan portrayal as Mu Yao, she really gives off that big sister energy.
DYX x YSX chemistry is amazing and the group dynamics of the bamboo masters are fun. I just really like all the leads when they're together 😊
Visual & Production -- styling, costume, and CGI are really good and everything fits together nicely, it's a better production than what I expected.
Attention to details and minimal loose ends
There are a lot of details in this drama through usage of motifs and dialogues, which I appreciate. I also like that the writer explains the thing that bugs me like why Miaomiao is the chosen one to enter the novel, why the main novel storyline feels more childish, why MiaoMiao got the protection period, etc.
Cons:
Development for episode 24-32 is kind of weak. It still makes sense and acceptable, but doesn't mean that I love it 🤔
Ending -- Unfortunately I read that CN govt ban time travel and altering reality implication... which is the underlying theme for drama in this genre. So I already have a lower expectation for the ending
Personally I like the ending because it explains the whole narrative and makes the story feels complete & cohesive.
I do agree that the execution can be better, so despite liking the ending, I still put it as a con because not everyone will be satisfied with the ending.
Overall rating 8.5
One of the better drama in this isekai / game fantasy genre. It was a fun watch and I enjoyed it a lot, so the rating is slightly higher 😊
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
almost perfect
promising start! up til ep20 it was reaaaally really good. but after that it was just like fillers which was very disappointing to me!! this drama was supposed to take the cake for the year 2024 but the last few eps were just disappointing :( cgi was not overbearing, chemistry between all characters were great ! but the plot just went down the drain towards the end ;-; really could have been better.Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
To be transported into a book is a Chinese curse
I'll be honest, I wasn't going to write an review initially but the later eps and the ending is worthy of a few choice words. So here goes . .The first half is actually quite good. A lot of that is attributed to the ML. His character is morally ambiguous and definitely dark and brooding. I think this type of role suits him better. The FL has mastered the cutesy, bubbly girl role. She plays it to perfection here. It helps that the script injects just enough modern references to milk the odd wink-wink jokes without labouring the point.
The A-plot is the usual good vs evil/save the world xianxia trope. Nothing new but totally serviceable. Everything fit nicely up to the point of the ultimate confrontation. If you were expecting a final push then you will be disappointed. The story did a detour and our two CP’s goes on separate grand tours to make peace with their inner demons. The pace and feel changed significantly for several eps. They did resolve their backstories but the amount of effort expended feels disproportionate.
Regardless, the A-team reassembles for the final confrontation. It was suitably epic but it feels rushed as so much time was spend on their backstories. If you think that is the signal for some decent fan service then you are wrong (again).
If anything, the last ep was a narrative mess. The show throws everything into the pot and prayed. It has fate, time traveling, fourth wall breaking and leaps between the book world and the real world.
It is not the first time this type of drama has to realigned with the real world because of censorship issues. We are basically told what we just enjoyed and immersed in for many hours are just a figment of our imagination and we need to get a (real) life. Nice.
Most writer will try to play the fate card so that our leads will still fall in love in RL. Usually within a couple of scenes. In this case, it was particularly ham-fisted. It links our leads all the way back to junior high. But this only confirmed that the ML has a crush on the FL for years but she was totally unaware. Even with all the dream state confessions, she woke up with only a vague hint of what transpired. We got the HEA ending but it felt contrived. It is the ending we have to have.
BTW, the skinship quota for the series is fairly low. The 2CP did all the heavy lifting but their interactions are a bit wooden. The OTP finally has a “kiss” in the final seconds of the end credit of the last ep. Is this a joke?
This is where the show left me scratching my head. The bulk of the show is decent and enjoyable. It does flag towards the end but the ending is an awkward scramble to make sense of their tenuous link. One time watch for me.
Was this review helpful to you?
