Love Game in Eastern Fantasy

A captivating drama

This drama belongs on a top-tier list, although I know some people will not agree. It has been a long time since a drama has enamored me to the point where the minutes in each episode just flew by. I loved Miaomiao and I loved the interactions between Miaomiao and Ziqi. This type of drama might not be your cup of tea, but if you like it, you will fall in love with it. The three big points are that Miaomiao is too cutesy with a high-pitched voice. I am not going to lie; I am not a big fan of cutesy characters, but I feel like she did it well. (Although you could say I am biased). Maybe your TV was too loud, and that made her voice ring, but it wasn't all that high-pitched. Next, some say Ziqi was too stiff. I don't think so. He was a one-dimensional character till Miaomiao gave him life, which is what happened in the real world. There are parallels that you have to catch. Lastly, some people feel like the plot dragged on, which is something I also feel happens in longer dramas, which is why I don't tend to watch them, but that was not the case in this drama. (Other than the bracelet plot that dragged on too long and wasn't necessary.) However, the side plots with the side characters gave the story depth and made the world seem real, and I fell in love with the side characters and wanted to know their story. I am not saying that the other reviews' opinions are wrong; I think that what they seem to hate is what makes the story better. There are many easter eggs in this drama that make it a great drama to rewatch, which I plan on doing in a couple of weeks. Now, I will say this drama is a 9.5 and not a 10 because of the ending and not because of what you think. Although don't get me wrong I would have loved to see them in the real world my real issue was that it felt a little rushed I think 2 more minutes to either pan to him looking at Miaomiao or to see him reflected in her eyes and see a tear fall would have made the ending better.

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Never laughed this much for a wuxia (in a good way)

When Ling Miao Miao's favorite author, Fu Zhou, publishes a new novel, she eagerly dives into it, but the book "Monster Hunting" ends up being a disappointment with nonsensical plot points, forced dramatic events and an unsatisfying ending. Just as she's writing a negative comment about it, Miao Miao is forcefully pulled inside the story and finds herself in the shoes of the female antagonist, Lin Yu. The mysterious voice of the system then informs her of the mission she must complete: make the male antagonist Mu Shen fall in love with her and make it to the end of the story.

As predictable as the premise might be, I had a lot of fun with this plot. The first few episodes show Miao Miao as she's gradually adapting to her new life as Lin Yu and works hard to make sure that nothing bad happens to any of the characters (or herself), which makes a much more hilarious experience than I had anticipated. I would say that roughly the first half of the drama is pure gold, with comedic and sentimental moments that blend well with each other. Unfortunately the second half (starting from the arc in the city) gets gradually worse as Miao Miao seems to lose her main role in favor of Zi Qi. The pace also gets worse, with many parts that feel draggy and with the last 3-4 episodes that feel terribly rushed.

The characters were all amazing and so was their acting. Esther Yu and Ding Yu Xi were the perfect cast for the main roles and their chemistry is undeniable - their bickering moments, their romantic moments, their heartbreaking moments were all so well done! I didn't have to wait long before feeling like Miao Miao, Mu Shen, Mu Yao and Fu Yi (and Cui Cui later on) truly cared about each other. Miao Miao is not the classic damsel in distress and is actually very proactive, despite being the only one in the group without strong powers to face enemies. I was half worried that the characters of the book would end up feeling cartoonish, but that wasn't the case at all, even for the villains. The supportive roles were well written and I appreciated it, although I wish they used some of the screentime for the main characters instead of exploring the lives of so many random people met along the way.
The fact that Miao Miao starts feeling less like the protagonist and more like a support character in the second half of the drama was disappointing for me. It wasn't as bad as it could have been, but I really wish they let her keep her autonomy all the way through, instead of moving her to the side.

The production quality is very good. I admit I haven't watched many Wuxia/Xianxia dramas before, but this one is definitely among the ones with better special effects I've ever watched. All the spells felt more vivid and weren't reduced to constant energy beams all around. The fighting scenes looked great too, with good choreographies that made them all look distinct from one another. I liked the OST for this drama and thought it fit all the scenes quite well, despite there not being any track that truly stood out to me.

If it wasn't for the last couple of episodes, this drama would have easily been a 9 out of 10 for me, if not more. I wish they gave the events of the last two episodes more build-up and more room to breathe, instead of cramping everything in 80 minutes or so. Despite this, I really enjoyed this drama and would recommend it to anyone who likes a good transmigration story.

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Ryan Ding in his Demon Era and Black costume is so hooottt!!!!

*** Spoiler Alert (PERSONAL FEEDBACK)

LING MIAO MIAO / LIN YU / MU SHING QI - played by Esther Yu / Yu ShiXin

MU ZIQI / MU SHENG / FU ZHOU / BLACK LOTUS - played by Ryan Ding / Ding YuXi

I was very excited with this drama.. not because I know the story (I don't read novels or read the drama plots 😅) but because of my baobei Esther Yu and and the cutie patootie Ryan Ding..😍 I love Esther since LBFAD and I like Ryan since TROTAR.. They are the sole reason I renew my VIP on wetv!😅

LOVE GAME IN EASTERN FANTASY is a story of a typical office girl that is hooked on her favorite Author Fu Zhou.. She follows and read all his novels for 10 years even she read his interviews and know what type of Author he is.. When he release his latest novel.. She clearly didn't like the ending and left a comment on his page..

Then all of a sudden she got dragged or accidentally got inside his Novel as a supporting character LIN YU who is trying to kill the Main Character MU YAO sister of MU SHENG (a supporting character too) because of her obsession and love for LIU FUYI who likes MU YAO.

In able to be back to reality, MIAO MIAO have to do a different system task to level up and the main task is to get an affection rate of 100% from MU SHENG who is mysterious, aloof and very protective of his sister MU YAO.

LIN YU is supposed to be a villain character but because she is LING MIAO MIAO now, she couldnt bear to kill or hurt someone.. So she become very different from villain LIN YU.. In able to get a 100% affection from MU SHENG she joins them in traveling the world while hunting for demons and the Resentful Woman who massacred the Mu Family..

Initially I was hooked on this drama.. it is very cute.. very light.. it is not something you will be stressed about or be pissed because of some other characters.. but the second half of the drama is dragging and boring with a lot of side chacters popping.. I know it is part the drama but I want more or MIAO MIAO and ZIQI.. I was not even satisfied with the ending..😅 (Not because it doesn't have a kissing scene.. Esther and Ryan's chemistry and bickering are cute and satisfying enough that I am not bothered if they will kiss or not.)☺️

LING MIAO MIAO character is bubbly and charming and Ester portray it very well.. She is a natural.. I know that not everyone likes how she talks or find her voice annoying but that is how she is.. It is natural for her and the character itself fits her voice..

I like how the MIAO MIAO always insist that they should be a team and they should always understand each other.. It is because she already know what the story is and what going to happen.. She is like the rock of the group that holds them together.. And her love for Mu ZiQi is on another level coz she will keep on saving him and his world even on a million times..🤩😍❤️

MU SHENG / MU ZIQI character stood for me.. of all the character in this drama I like him best.. He is a Half Demon while hunting for demons.. He is aloof and mysterious thats because he is keeping a lot of secret alone.. He feels guilty and responsibile of what he did in the past thats why he is very protective of his sister.. I like how dominant and strong yet soft he is.. He is becoming marshmallow because of Miao Miao..😆😍

For me the story is a typical demon hunter xianxia drama.. They will travel the world in hunt for demon or revenge for killing there family.. The twist for me here is that this is not purely a lovestory of both ML and FL.. Its a story of sibling love and loyalty even if you are not a sibling by blood.. MU YAO as a decendant of powerful demon slayer who have a hard time coexisting with demons still accept and undertstand his HALF DEMON adoptive brother MU SHENG.. Eventhough he kept the truth from her while while growing up together.. She even blamed herself for neglecting him coz he cannot tell him the truth that he is HALF DEMON because he thought she will kill him or left him.. She also protected him after getting to know his that is half demon... that is 👏👏👏 for me..🥹🥹🥹

Over all it is a 8.5/10 for me.. It was light, romantic, and a happy drama about love, loyalty, forgiveness, friendship and self love.. Self Love due to Author Fu Zhou but still it felt short for me.. I actually don't like an open ending..😅 and I even didnt like that they didnt show Fu Zhou at the end.. But still kudos to the brillian actors and actress! The CGI's are outstanding.. 🤩🤩🤩 The costumes are perfect! They are very cute and handsome! I think black costumes suits Ryan Ding! He is very handsome here even on his Demon Aura / Black Lotus Aura! 😍😍😍
And their chemistry is cute! It may not be my favorite drama of them but still it is a must watch if you like Esther and Ryan!.❤️❤️❤️

FAV OST – SURGE by Esther Yu & STARE INTENTLY by Ryan Ding.❤️🖤

GENRE – Xianxia / Fantasy , Romantic , Comedy

*** If you like them as much as I do you can watch their episode in HELLO SATURDAY! They are so cute and funny! 😍

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It's Review time

Okay so let me get started ,this drama kept me hooked but i felt like last two episodes were rushed ,i was waiting for the MLs to have a proper interaction in modern world .

About Acting
as always esther yu has swayed it and i just love her bubbly nature ,her acting is versatile ,the way she portrayed 3 characters and you can still tell them apart just because of her acting ,the way master Mu,Lin Yu and MiaoMiao differ is visible and it's all the way esther acter..as for the male lead the development of his character ,traumas and overcoming past it was just awesome.

relationship development
the way ziqi and miaomiao's relationship developed with each episode was incredible ,the story line was perfect until it was in ancient time....

Story line
i was a lil disappointed when i saw that they kept the ending open instead of clearing it was showing a happy ending ,they kept all the characters hanging in the past ,i loved lil shoot cuiui he is adorable and the present one was just cherry on top..

overall it was better but could have been best if they didn't rushed it and showed a lil of modern era too..

Love you all..

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It's great! Go watch it!

The way the director, writer, producer, and actors approached the story of a character who transmigrates into a fictional novel is brilliantly executed. They truly did justice to the emotional and psychological complexity of being transported to an unknown land. In many previous dramas, leads are often shown as mildly confused but able to assimilate seamlessly into their surroundings within seconds. However, this drama takes a refreshing and more realistic approach. Ling Miao Miao’s immediate and desperate desire to escape her unfamiliar circumstances establishes her as a character who is self-aware and relatable. This quick, instinctive reaction defines her personality right from the start, and impressively, her growth throughout the story—particularly in the context of love—remains cohesive and believable without diminishing her initial characterization.

Speaking of love—despite the severe lack of kisses (lol)—the chemistry between the leads is nothing short of explosive. The drama doesn’t rely on overt displays of affection to convey their bond; instead, it is built through meaningful dialogue, their constant need to be near each other, and the intensity of their gazes. Mu Sheng’s unwavering looks toward Miao Miao, in particular, speak volumes about the depth of their connection, as though their very existence is intertwined. Their love feels almost fated, transcending the typical tropes of romance, and resonates deeply with viewers.

One of the drama’s standout elements is how the second leads, Mu Yao and Liu Fuyi, are given room to shine. Unlike many stories where secondary characters feel like mere backdrops, here they are well-developed and integral to the plot. Their struggles and relationships are treated with care and purpose, adding another layer of richness to the story.

I also want to highlight on the how they tie it to modern life of Ling Miao Miao and the author, it gave actual contrast to the world Miao Miao is transported into which added more depth to the story than a simple transmigration to a fantasy world.

There are some critiques:

1. Where are the kisses!!!! Lmao

2. The aunt of Mu Sheng, Luniang...was she necessary? Here acting wasn't as impressive but perhaps if the character had
shown more clinginess and affection towards the Goddess Mei, a more believable act of being close as kin to each other and the initial or eventual hate towards the father of Mu Sheng be more expressed more than spewed words that might be better for the plot, justifying her actions towards Mu Sheng.

3. Certain parts toward the end felt rushed, particularly as the drama tried to resolve major plot points. A slightly longer runtime or more thoughtful pacing could have helped provide a more satisfying conclusion.

4. While his decision to sacrifice himself was a pivotal moment, it lacked the emotional weight it could have had. A private, heartfelt conversation between Mu Sheng and Miao Miao before his decision would have beautifully showcased the depth of their understanding and love for each other. This could have made the moment even more impactful for viewers.

Overall, it was funny, romantic, heart-warming drama perfect for any day of relaxation or a break from life.

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a worthwhile watch -- some people expect everything to be a masterpiece but perfection is rare

I will be completely transparent and say that the only reason this drama is getting an 8 from me is because i'm petty lol

I have no problems with the casting or the acting, and the story's plot felt original and fresh to me. But this was one of those dramas where at the end the lead goes back to their original world not knowing what happened to her love and them getting together is implied. and i just hate that kind of ending. like, i would prefer them to have 2 more minutes of screen time showing them at least finding each other. heck i would even tolerate that they only stare at each other from a distance in the last shot and they don't even talk, much less kiss. but in this one, viewers like me don't get any closer T.T Also, affter reading some other reviews, a lot of people mention how the ending felt weird and rushed, and i completely get where they are coming from. there is this weird feel somewhere around episode 25 that is like "okay, the story somehow already feels concluded. everyone is being honest, we are learning to accept ourselves, and now we know and accept that not all demons are bad and that we can all be friends and maybe even lovers" after that point, it's like we ask ourselves as viewers, what more is there to this story?? what else can they say about our characters because it feels like we have conquered all? and then we get the seemingly looking side quests our characters go on. the FL and ML go find out about ML's mom and the second lead couple go to the second ML's village and get married and do some othr stuff. And after that weird turn, we get to the last 3 episodes and the pull a plot twist with the second FL........ like... we don't got time for this, we only have 3 episodes left to wrap this up. and then we get a plot twist (that i really wasn't expecting AT ALL) about the ML in the last episode..... so yeah, i understand the dissatisfaction with the last third of the drama.

but please DO NOT MISUNDERSTAND!!

Just because the ending is not my preferred way of closing out a romance story (or the fact that the ending feels both dragged and rushed at the same time) doesn't mean the drama is bad. anyone who like romance and this style of fantasy Chinese drama can enjoy the show with no issues. both couples, the main and second leads, have super cute love arcs and are so entertaining to watch as they get together. there's also this supporting character who is a little bamboo shoot demon named CaiCai and he is soooo adorable!! i'm sure you'll have fun watching him too 😁

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it is an acquired taste, but if you have got that taste you will LOVE this

“WHEN DO PEOPLE LOVE ANOTHER ONE HUNDRED PERCENT? ITS NOT WHEN I LOVE YOU MORE THAN I LOVE MYSELF, BUT ONLY WHEN I TRULY LIKE MYSELFAND BELIEVE IN MYSELF CAN I LOVE YOU WHOLEHEARTEDLY AND TRULY.”- FU ZHAO
This is what the whole thing is. 32 episodes to teach us something beautiful meaningful and often ignored. But I totally understand the hate this kind of an open-ended approach can get. And truth be told that was a very risky move but that is the core behind the story. All stories stay with us when we connect with them on another level. We are all people who struggle with a common problem- difficulty in accepting who we are and loving ourself. And that is how this srtory won my heart. I was satisfied with the end and happy (though I wanted to see ziqi run to his miao miao). It is bitter sweet but it is beautiful.
Now the story was simple and easy to understand. It had few characters and they all had well defined relationships. The setting was beautiful and not usually seen in dramaland. Now don’t expect an ashes of love or eternal love level of romance. It is not just romance but the romance is natural and unexpectedly heartwarming. There is no explicit kiss (the last episodes end theme does have one and 2 in dreams) but there is one forhead kiss that was sooo sweet that I became diabetic at once. There was sense of comfort in the main couple’s relationship. we also explore many tropes through many couples- enimes to lover (miaomiao and ziqi), friend to lovers (mu yao and fuyi), stranger to lovers (mei nu and zhao haoye), found family (liu anut and mei nu), friendship (mu yao, miao miao), siblinghood (mu yao and ziqi) and many other.
The author in the drama (fu zhao) was also great. Idk why but fu zhao healing his childhood self and his teenage self was so satisfying to watch. And reminds us that every character in a book is a reflection of the author. It also reminds us how much a person can impact our lives. How much the presence of a certain person can bring happiness and hope to us. How love of someone or admirations helps us shape who we turn out to be. How one beloved courage makes us strong. How a certain person’s kindness can save the doomed lives we live. Through out the story we see that the ML hates who he is and thus can only love FL 99% but when he accepts who he is and embraces that he can finally love him 100%. The relationship between the second leads also was beautiful and more importantly ethereal.
The acting. Man, ding yuxi in historical dramas are just fire. Like he knows how to act and he understands his charcter. I think the amount of effort that went into understanding who his character is deserves an applause. Miao miao done by esther yu was also beautiful. The supporting cast was alo well done. The costume of miaomiao kinda doesn’t match the whole aesthetic but it implies how she is different from everyone else in the story. Her dressing changes in between during the moon bracelet arc and it is very symbolic. The set is minimalistic and the setting is not over whelming. The music was also great-songs like stare intently and surge were soulful.
Overall, it is an unusual drama. But I kinda liked that unusualness. There is an introspectional level in the drama which is not seen and from what I understood not really liked by the audience but the end didn’t fail to put a smile on my face. It is not cheesy romance with bridal carrying and kisses if that is what you are looking for. It is love in its purest form portrayed in a different manner (like the ML giggling and kicking his feet when he learns that the FL dreamt about him).
I would highly recommend this drama if you seek a meaning in what you see.

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The strength of many

This show is a delightful surprise in an overall lackluster year for Chinese dramas. Much more than an idol romance fantasy drama, this one invites you on a journey to re-examine what true love is - romantic love, familial love, friendship, and even a healthy love of oneself.

Ling Miao Miao is our 21st century heroine who enjoys reading novels written by a certain Fu Zhou. She somehow ends up in the world of one of his novels and is tasked with various missions in order to return to the real world. As the story progresses, we learn about the various characters in the novel and particularly about the intense animosity between humans and demons (monsters) that pervades this world. This tension between races centers upon our male lead, Mu Sheng, who happens to be half demon and half human.

Love blooms between the two, but the story is not entirely focused on their romance. We also have our secondary leads, Mu Yao (Mu Sheng’s sister, though not by blood) and Liu Fu Yi, who have meaningful arcs to their characters as well. The fine line between love and hate, devotion and obsession, are explored throughout the show - and it is ultimately selfless, sacrificing love that saves the day.

If there is anything to nitpick, it would be that the female lead never really changes from the beginning to the end, making her story far less compelling than that of the male lead and even the secondary leads. Fortunately, the story is full of rich supporting characters and themes, making this far less a lead-centric tale and more of an ensemble piece, which, when considering the stirring climax where the entire world comes together to save itself, is a fitting characteristic of the show.

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perfect show with a horrible ending

like seriously what was that ending? aside from bringing the actors for cuicui and his grandpa back i hated almost everything about it.. no closure with yao or fuyi????
but ending aside, this show was perfect in the beginning!! it wasn’t until episode 25ish where i got a little bored because it was just that engaging. i think the casting was PERFECT and the music/audio engineering was amazing. i love love LOVE the concept but i really just wish they did the end justice because that “it was all just a dream” ending really made me mad. i wanted to know what happened with the rest of the four bamboo masters!!

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One of the most likeable Main Teams I've seen in a drama

I feel like I just started watching this drama , but in the blink of an eye it's I already finished watching the last episode.

This was one of those dramas that I anticipated the most, because I loved the novel and I really liked the cast. My expectations were high and this drama delivered. I absolutely LOVED it.

The cast did an amazing job with their characters. They were exactly what I expected. And above everything else, they were all likeable. The main five (yes, I'm including Cui Cui), are among the most likeable main 'teams' I've seen in dramas so far. I really loved their dynamic.

The story moves at a fast pace and there are almost no dull moments. The story itself is interesting and engaging. It's a nice blend of funny, cute and bright with emotional heavier themes. Love and affection in different forms is presented very nicely and it's definitely a thread connecting all the stories aside from the obvious connection to the overall mystery of the overarching plot.

This drama has made my rewatch list, which is probably the highest praise I can bestow on a drama.

I'm going to miss these characters until my next rewatch.

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Lighthearted drama with a modern twist

Lighthearted drama with a modern twist.
I really enjoyed this one despite some flaws.

First of all I appreciate the ending which makes it rewatchable. Second of all because of the amount of screentime our lotus demon was pure eye candy. Esther's performance was good but typical. She played the same role as in LBFAD which I liked but again the baby cry character gets annoying and didn't match her modern life personality which should have been more prevalent especially after her reveal. The arc flipping rollercoaster given to the master we meet at the end was horribly done.

There were also some pacing issues and major plot holes. Sometimes I even thought I must have skipped an episode but I didn't. The attention to the details for the minor support roles was refreshing. The special effects were extremely well done and gorgeous. The shop explosion was my favorite. However the fei CGI was so bad it was almost comical. The dust mushroom demons were cute. 🥰

Am I still dreaming about this magical realm? Yes.
Which is why I give it such a high rating despite the criticism.

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Loved it. Ding Yuxi and Yu Shuxin (Esther)'s chemistry tops the charts. Ding Yuxi encapsulates Mu Sheng's energy wonderfully, and Yu Shuxin also does really well with Ling Miaomiao. The main lead couple being great, while the secondary lead couple not falling far behind with Mu Yao (Zhu Xudan) and Liu Fuyi (Yang Shize). The whole thing was just amazing. Their travels together, Mu Sheng's love index rising, it finally reaching 100%, his sacrifice for Miaomiao in the end and the realization that he is Fu Zhou in the real world and that he liked Miaomiao since they were kids. There were funny moments and sad moments, and everything was just really good to me. Both couple's development, as well as the acting and the visuals were all top notch. The one little peeve I have is that I strongly dislike open endings. However, for this drama, it wasn't that much of a pain to watch it usually is for some reason. Kudos to the cast and directors. All in all, this is a really good drama, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND to anyone who is reading this. (p.s. ding yuxi is really fit, idk what yall r on about)

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