Love Game in Eastern Fantasy

well done!

This drama is very well packaged, the story is very touching and gives moral values ​​in a unique way. The world system of the novel in this story is very funny and there are many cute and beautiful characters, their characters are very different and interesting so I felt comfortable watching it without feeling and felt that each episode was very fast.

The costumes, makeup, and visual effects were also excellent and pleasing to the eye. There was nothing lacking in the production. I was satisfied because I hadn't expected it to be this good at first.

The cast is also well chosen, I really like the chemistry of each character and the theme of friendship with a touch of humor makes me enjoy this story as a plus point for me

Make a list for great drama for me!

Read More

Comedic and Heartfelt-with a mixed feeling ending

LGIEF is a show that i watched for time pass initially that quickly became a show that I fell in love with. I'm familar with the acting of both lead actors so I knew that it would at least be a fun watch, but I wasn't expecting to actually like the characters as much as I did.
It has a strong and fun first half. and a kind of midling to week last half, with the final episodes feeling rushed. The 2nd leads being fairly bland didn't help also when the story shifted to them. I liked them sure but they felt underwritten. The last episode though i would say is great, in terms of the commentary about stories and writers and how fiction can help people get through some of their roughest times.
In a sense it lacking kissing scenes between the lead actors fits the overall story, with the ending message being the only way to love others is to truly love yourself. Also if you want to see them kiss they have in their previous drama together moonlight so its not the end of the world. Additionally the leads had a fun chemistry that ventured more on being cute than being especially intimate.
i think the acting prowess and ost remain to be a strong point of the drama, i hum the ost here and there because its very catchy. Ding yuxi plays mu sheng excellently and his layered acting made him a joy to watch. yu shuxin also won me over a bit too. while i never disliked her and her acting i could understand why other people did, her voice can be grating and she tends to be type casted into similar roles quite frequently, but here the cutesy and comedic character really works well, miao miao is an energetic character thats wonderful to watch, and her growth through the story felt pretty real. also her playing miao miao, lin yu, the possesed miao miao were all distinct which is a testement to her acting ability.
overall though id say the story in the final episodes being kinda mediorce and rushed is what makes me give it a lower rating, even though i was invested at first. the world also didnt fell that fleshed out(and while you could say its flat in reference to the complaints miao miao had of the story in the first place its somewhat true...but the point of the story was miao miao fixes it and brings the characters to life, which felt only true for the first half and then the second they introduced her losing her memory of the real world, which made her more npc like, doesnt work anymore)
i did have issues as well with the memory loss plotline here since it felt contrived to not have her know some plot twists before they happened.
but nonetheless, love game in eastern fantasy is a good watch thats more heartfelt than one might think
also keep an eye on ding yuxi, hes sure to get even better roles after this considering how wonderfully he played mu sheng

Read More

An Idol Drama That's Unexpectedly Enjoyable

I initially expected to drop this drama by the second episode since I'm not huge on romance, not to mention I'm not overly fond of Esther Yu. But color me surprised, I actually ended up enjoying it! Not only did I enjoy watching it, it was all I could watch for the past week! I'm still not a fan of Esther Yu's, but she did manage to convince me that she can act (unlike some of her peers) because of this drama. She can actually speak without her usual cutesy “aegyo” voice and knock her dramatic scenes out of the park. But even with her childish mannerisms and squeaky voice, I somehow became less annoyed with her as the drama went on.

The real revelation in this drama is Ding Yuxi, though. I tried to watch two of his other dramas, Love You Seven Times, which I dropped (I don't even know why I considered watching it), and White Cat Legend, which I put on hold. They didn't pique my interest and I thought he didn't quite have that leading man charisma. Boy was I wrong! Mu Sheng is definitely his breakout role and he even stole the spotlight from his co-stars. Let's just say that I'm totally giving White Cat Legend another go after this.

Storywise, Love Game In Eastern Fantasy is pretty much an isekai reminiscent of series like Re: Zero and The Rising of the Shield Hero. One of the reasons why I decided to check this out is because I do like this subgenre of fantasy. True enough, it did grab my attention from the get-go. It follows an ordinary girl named Ling Miaomiao who somehow finds herself inside a novel written by her favorite author. And in order to return to her world, she must play a game of love and win the heart of the crabby and standoffish, Mu Sheng. She must maneuver her way into this world, join the demon hunting team led by Mu Yao, and learn how to fight demons to survive. The story within this world is nothing new, though. I've seen a lot of xianxia and xuanhuan dramas and read fantasy books that follow similar plots. But I have to give credit to the writers for making it seem fresh and entertaining. For an idol drama, it's actually pretty good.

In terms of production value, I can't say it breaks new ground, though. It looks and feels like every other idol C-drama I've seen. Even the sets are the same. I know I saw those exact same sets in The Double and probably from other dramas I can't recall right now. The music, for the most part, is good. But again, the song choices are pretty much the same as other idol dramas I've seen. I feel like one of the reasons why people liked this is because it's familiar. It doesn't try to reinvent the wheel or do anything innovative. It relies solely on its well-established story, which was adapted from a popular novel, and the acting prowess and star power of its actors. I read somewhere that this is an S+ drama but I was disappointed to see the same production quality I normally find in other dramas of its kind. I expected it to actually have better CGI, costumes, cinematography, color grading, and set designs, but it doesn't.

I was also disappointed with the second couple. I'm sorry but they are sleep inducingly dull. Every time the main CP weren't on screen, I dozed off. Zhu Xudan is actually not bad as Mu Yao, but her partner is just plain meh. The actor who plays the second male lead looks half-dead throughout the drama. Sorry, but I think if they had gotten a more capable actor for that role, who actually has an ounce of chemistry with the second female lead, the second CP would've been far more interesting. I found myself getting bored every time the story focused on them. That rarely happens to me as I often find the second couple more engaging than the main couple. I just wasn't invested in them at all. The rest of the cast are great, though. The kid who plays Cuicui is so cute! And of course the veteran actors excelled in this.

Now for the ending. I can't say I liked it but I can't say I hated it either. I know many viewers complained that it ended abruptly with no real resolution or explanation. But I do get why they ended it the way they did. They don't need to show Miaomiao and Mu Sheng reuniting, it's already implied in that last scene. Of course we all want to see that happen, but the writers left the ending to our imagination. And in my book, they found each other again and they got their happy ending. That's what I choose to believe. I guess I'm used to open endings in Japanese stories that it didn't bother me one bit. I do understand the frustration of some of the viewers, though.

All in all, this is a cute romance drama that'll take you on an adventure in a magical world filled with demons and demon hunters. It'll make you laugh, cry, and fall in love with the first male lead. Oh wait, that's just me! Hahaha! I give this a solid 8 out of 10.

Read More

The only thing i’d change, is the ending

I definitely think this drama could have been the original 36 episodes and not 32. The ending of the last episode felt a little too rushed for me and I wish we’d gotten to see more of Ziqi in Miaomiaos real world. I sure hope we get a season 2 where they get to know eachother again, and do it all over again but for real but in modern day this time. One can only pray 🙏 The casting was incredible and the chemistry was through the roof. The gang of 5 were just so fun to watch, I loved little ciuciu sooo much and think he added so much to the drama in regards to the humour aspect. It was just an amazing drama, albeit a little hard to follow sometimes however that may be because i’ve only saw a couple sageuk (i’m sorry i only know the name for the korean version, not the chinese) dramas and I actually normally avoid this type of drama. I am a changed woman and am definitely going to watch more like this. I loved this drama so much.

Read More

hm

I had pretty high expectations on this show as this was gaining a lot of popularity and attention from the chinas media claiming it to be really good… overall I can say this was a good show to watch and enjoy and not drop mid way!! I think the story line and plot during the “game” fanesty was amazing and well put together.. not to mention the actors did amazing job w their acting!! my favorite part of the show was probably their each main leads character development as the show builds on! the only down slide to this show was the whole beginning of the FL getting sucked into the gaming fanstey and the LITERALLT ending… I think the last esposide was really rush on and could have give us a better ending other than some random author of the book calling her name… also I was really anticipated to see Mu Yao and Fuyi at the end of the ep since the bamboo little boy and his grandpa was showed at the book meeting… overall not bad was enjoying to watch just a little disappointed with the last episode 🤷🏻‍♀️

Read More

The feeling of falling in love for the first time (with yourself and someone else)

I decided to watch Love Game in Eastern Fantasy (LGIEF) on a whim, and while binge-watching this drama, I quickly became absorbed with adoration for it. From the beginning, it contains some of my favorite tropes and aspects of a story: transmigration, adorable yet touching romance/chemistry, emotional character development, and found family. I liked the fantasy elements as well.

What carried the drama for me was the acting, character development, and the main cast’s relationships with each other. The chemistry between the two main leads, Mu Zuqi and Ling Miaomiao, was my favorite. Seeing Zuqi start off by disliking and suspecting Miaomiao, then becoming increasingly curious about her, developing feelings for her, and eventually falling in love, made me feel as if I was falling in love for the first time too! Miaomiao is perfect for Zuqi/the group as she broke through Zuqi’s walls with selflessness, drove the group’s dynamic while inspiring them to believe in each other, constantly encouraged her loved ones, and was a strong pillar for all. Not only that, but the yearning between the two leads was to die for…My heart raced and ached for them. I constantly found myself wanting to see the two interact again when they were not on screen; when I did watch them interact, I couldn’t help but feel like gushing and squealing at their soft yet sweet gestures.

As for the acting: Ding Yuxi’s expressions, gazes, and body language while playing the role of Zuqi conveyed so many words and feelings without saying anything at all. With his expressions alone, I could easily feel his cockiness, contempt, hesitation, sadness, jealousy, affection, and so much more. Ding Yuxi clearly understood his role of Zuqi, showing that although Zuqi always put up an arrogant, stubborn, and cold front, he was actually self-loathing, burdened by worries and secrets, extremely loyal, protective, thoughtful, and treasured his close ones immensely. In fact, he feared losing his loved ones the most due to his belief that nobody could accept him fully or unconditionally, caused by the hostile environment/treatment he went through. It was very moving to watch Zuqi gradually realize he is loved, is deserving of love, and that only when he loves himself can he live to the fullest and give love to others. I am truly touched and impressed by Ding Yuxi’s acting; I hope to see him recognized further as well as perform in more works.

Similarly, Yu Shuxin embodied the role of Miaomiao flawlessly. She is the best counterpart to Zuqi with her naturally bubbly personality, strong will, and empathy. I agree with what Zuqi said: Miaomiao is like the sun. Her happiness and genuine care for everyone around her is warmly infectious. In contrast to her optimism, one of my favorite scenes of Miaomiao is when she shares her heartfelt feelings with Zuqi about missing her original world at first, but realizing she has become hesitant to leave the world she’s in now due to the fact that she has adapted and would never see the main group again. Yu Shuxin’s display of Miaomiao’s inner conflict along with growing sadness while she vented in this scene amazed me, especially because I have never seen a transmigrator express these feelings so sincerely eloquently. This was a beautifully vulnerable, realistic scene and sticks out to me because it is one of the moments where she puts her cheerful side away, certainly demonstrating Yu Shuxin’s range!

Some people dislike the openness of the ending, but to me, the ending is clear: It is a happy one. Some also dislike the lack of kiss scenes, and although a kiss scene would have been magical, I don’t doubt the main couple’s chemistry or affection without it. The subtle and tender displays of intimacy were more than enough to feel their love for each other, whether it was a glance, an uncontrollable smile, a subconscious touch, or gentle words…it was perfect.

Overall, going into LGIEF, I didn’t expect the message of it to be about self-love—but it is, and that is so special and important. Of course like any story, it has its imperfections. For instance, I didn’t feel as invested in the second leads, but I still enjoyed them; they had shining moments too. Furthermore, I pretend three of the episodes don’t exist because they hurt me too much for too long (iykyk) 😭…However, I love and accept LGIEF despite its flaws. The positives of this drama undoubtedly outweigh any of the negatives. This is an outstanding piece of work, and I’m struggling to move on from it! I have rewatched and still rewatch my favorite moments several times, yet my emotions are evoked as if it’s the first time. Even listening to the gorgeous soundtrack is enough to relive the scenes in which they were played. In the best way possible, I will never forget LGIEF. I encourage everyone to give it a chance to impact you the same way it impacted me.

Read More

In a most positive way possible, it's S+ after all

I remember one OP on twitter said it's interesting how people didn't have high expectation despite this drama is classified as S+. Well, i'm guilty, i'm part of those people.

I read the novel, drop it tho, but i read pass the halfway mark. I think part of the reason i didn't put high expectation is because as far as i know, transmigration trope is loosely banned. i said loosely since many mini dramas still have this trope. So because this drama rely heavily on transmigration trope, i just wanna keep my expectation on check in case of major change in the premise.

Plotwise, i actually like the pace. how everything reveal slowly and not dump everything at the end as an afterthought. Although the last 2 episodes could feels like that for some yet it doesn't seem forced, at least for me. It's true how every character including the minor one deserve to shine. The biggest plus imo is the heartwarming ending which in sync with how the drama been carrying on the lighter side from the star. Like i said, nothing seem forced and just go with the flow.

Acting department is good. Again, every character has chance to shine. Our leads shine brighter ofc duh, their chemistry casually overflowing and they served, despite no kissing scene 🤐

And yes, the budget spent wisely during post production. For high budget drama, i can see it result in many departments. Just like Miaomiao said at the beginning, it cost a lot lol.

In short, i love it, still it has so much more to improve. Although if the goal is light drama, i don't mind this ending.

Read More

One of the best series from 2024 <3

The chemistry between the main characters was great, especially at the beginning. It seemed like a kind of enemies to lovers, which I loved!
However, after they got together, they had fewer romantic moments.. But the 4 friends remained united in any obstacle they had to face, and Miaomiao, although she was not part of that fantasy world, gave everything to change the story and help the others. I really liked this aspect too.
Although the romance was not really present in the relationship between the two, it was very beautiful how he declared his love for her at the end. I was still sad because I didn't want the story to end like that.. but I feel fulfilled by the fact that the love between them remained.

Read More

Amazing

This is the third drama from Esther Yu that I've watched. And all three dramas were amazing. She is a great actress, and I love how she immerses herself in every story. If you want to see a strong character, you need to watch "My Journey to You"; if you want to see a cute character, you need to watch this drama or "Love Between Fairy and Devil." This drama made me feel sad, but I loved the ending. It made me reflect on my own life. I'm not a big fan about game dramas, but this history it's very beautiful. It left me hooked for 6 whole days without being able to stop watching it, I cried a lot and fell in love with the characters, just like the protagonist, the story started to feel real.

Read More