The Legend of Shen Li

One of the best!

One of the best Wuxia dramas I’ve seen! To begin with, I love strong female leads and Shen Li, our FL, is the most formidable, brave and courageous person in the show. She is simply awe-inspiring! As for our ML, he is an epitome of straight faced humour, and despite of his status as the last living God, he is patient, emotional, contradicted by his own emotions, and burdened by responsibilities, but even with all this, he is so much fun when he is with the FL. As for the actors, I’d seen both leads before, though in separate shows and I must say their chemistry was over the roof, right from the start. All in all, the show was very very entertaining, with light hearted moments in each episode, even during very serious situations. It was interesting to see the growth of Lord Furong into what he became towards the end of the show, and I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Mofang, no matter whatever evil he did. I can go on and on about other characters, there were so many I loved, but seriously, every Chinese drama lover should watch and appreciate this show. Last but definitely not the least, the music and background score of this show was simply superb! I wish I could give more than 10 stars :)

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Finishes what Princess Agents (2017) started

I watched this drama purely for the sake of the FL and ML who most of us know from Princess Agents (PA). I was disappointed by what I saw as an unresolved ending to PA and so was very excited when the Legend of Shen Li popped up on my radar. On that point, I feel like the drama's creators had an easy job on their hands. For me at least, it seemed they could rely on the romantic chemistry pre-existing between the two lead characters (even if it was non-canon) and therefore develop a love story quickly and... weirdly?? The Chicken x Human romance gave me Bee Movie (2007) energy... Take that how you will!

In the end, I was incredibly satisfied with the romantic plotline. The rest of it, however, was pretty underwhelming. The side characters are poorly developed and the fantasy conflict elements are hodgepodge. Nonetheless, I still enjoyed it as an easy watch.

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Unique Relationship Dynamics with Crazy Chemistry

Story
Thought it was well paced. Appropriate amount of time was spent on each arc and I didn't feel any of the arcs being drawn out. Especially appreciated the start - never thought I would enjoy the relationship building between a man and his chicken that much! Some portions of the plot were of course slightly cliche and obvious but in general, felt that the writer kept enough mysteries for me to want more. Also loved the extra episode at the end just for viewers to enjoy the couple more! Thought the character building was great too as we can see Shen Li slowly becoming like Xing Zhi...

Acting
Amazing amazing performance by ZLY. Her apathetic gaze was integral to the show and she just looks absolutely stunning in her armor. LGX did a decent enough job for me as a supposedly cold and aloof god. Kind of wanted to see more cool sides of him.

Music
Loved all the OSTs added to my Spotify list

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I found the whole drama rather boring.  I like the first couple of epsoles with the bird. Then it gets boring for most parts of the show.  It only picked up after spesole 30, when Lady Jin and Fenglai appeared and the plot picked up. 

I would have stopped watching if not because of Lin gengxin. He is handsome and such a good actor. Contrary to most people's opinion about zhaoliying , I do not think her acting skill was that good. With a country girl as background, she has come a long way. But she does not have subtle expressions to show her emotions, 

Some said this was not a drama of plots, but is about character growth.  The only one that showed character growth was Fu Rong Jun. The ML and FL are not so much. Yes they discovered love, But they are basically the same person before and after. 
The last episode was a joke.  I don't know why they made it. It has nothing to do with the story. 

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A love story.

I loved this! It's just so perfect!

The acting is great. I dint understand why everyone keeps calling the actors too old and him too fat. It's beyond me. The man's a fine piece of man. They did such a good job. Their acting and chemistry was on point.

I love how above anything else, this is a love story. Most of it is focused on the interactions of our MC. There is a good backstory and plot that I really liked, but foremost it is a love story between 2 people who shoulder too much responsibility and who find understanding and unconditional love in each other.

Zing Zhi cracked me up. How can a however many thousands year old God be so silly? I loved how teasing he is. That man sure knows how to confuse someone though lol.

Shen Li is awesome. I loved her. Definitely not an annoying FL.

The story of Shen Li's parents was so tragic! I loved it though. I really wish Shen Li could have had a relationship with her dad. When he took her place in the end I cried my eyes out.

The line "I lost the 2 people I shouldn't have." 😭 I like to think she was meaning Zang Zhi and her father. I never really like Mo Feng.

Overall I definitely recommend this. It's just too sweet to miss.

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Classic xianxia with some great humor and pathos

Legend of Shenli has been described as a classic xianxia, full of tropes. I guess I haven’t watched enough xianxias (<10) because I didn’t really notice.

First of all, I thought the humor for this show was pretty great (at least, right up my alley). Xingzhi, and Shenli’s interactions with him, are lowkey hilarious. There is a lot of random funny stuff. And that chicken is so cute!

Of course, there are also some really sad parts. And this show has an underlying pathos and nostalgic sadness that hits in a gnawing, existential way. But for the most part, I still think of it as a light-hearted show with great humor.

The two main characters dominate this show. For Shenli, the eponymous FL, I liked some things about her and not others, which I guess makes her realistic! I like that her head is screwed on straight and she’s sensible- no chasing after the ML after getting rejected, for example. I like less that she’s so hotheaded. She’s quick to fight and kill; she saves people, but doesn’t seem to have much kindness or compassion. So I wouldn’t say she’s always likeable, but I did really feel for her at times.

As for the ML, Xingzhi… ok, I loved him. It’s not that he doesn’t care about the world… he does. But he is also so full of crap. He is so bored and so cheeky and I found him hilarious. He’s kind of a troll sometimes, but it’s always harmless; he still takes care of things when push comes to shove.

Actually, underneath it all, Xingzhi’s situation is quite sad. But he holds his head high and has accepted it all long ago. It makes for a lovable and sympathetic character you want to root for, and I’m glad he met Shenli.

The show spends some time building up their relationship, which is cute to watch, although the plot pattern of Shenli getting hurt and Xingzhi saving her does repeat one too many times. They end up having a sweet and supportive relationship- mainly him supporting her. Classic, but it’s done well here, with proper character development and buildup.

There are several side characters, some of whom are quite loveable. However, none of them got enough development for me to really be invested in them. I wanted to see more of them, but it didn’t happen. Even the villain is a bit lame- although they do throw a (slightly predictable) wrench in there to make you feel more sad. The main conflict doesn’t win points for originality or interest. In this show, I was most invested in the relationship between the main leads.

In terms of acting, Zhao Liying as Shenli does the action scenes remarkably well. Her fight scenes are fast, crisp, and clean. They are a mix of CGI and choreography (I saw in the BTS that even her spear is CGI!), but still, some of the best I’ve seen. I saw her before in Legend of Fei and wasn’t too impressed (stopped watching, actually), but here she really stood out, even among all the other shows I’ve watched.

I was less enamored with her acting. I thought she was a bit stiff and wooden, which is great for the fight scenes but less great for everything else. After I read the book, I realized that sometimes she really is supposed to look blank. Still, I think she could rely less on looking cool and try to be more natural.

For Lin Gengxin as Xingzhi, I really liked his calm, casual delivery of all those hilarious lines. And once in awhile, a hint of a deeper sadness- I thought he did a good job. Unfortunately I wasn’t a huge fan of his styling… he looks better as himself than as Xingzhi. Many of the side characters looked great (both male and female) so I don’t think it’s general about the show, they just could have done a better job with him.

In terms of world-building, this is an imaginative xianxia world that, as typical, you can’t think too hard about lest you start uncovering holes. There is some beautiful CGI and imagery, highlighted by high-contrast vivid colors. The mortal world from the first arc in particular is so lovely, both Shenli and I look back nostalgically on her time spent there.

I do wish this world had more gender balance. Shenli is a woman in a man’s role, a total anomaly (which nobody seems to find odd); I would have liked better a world where women are just empowered, but I guess this is the author’s choice. There are a few other strong female characters (demon lord, the awesome snake serpent) but in general, despite the strong female lead, this is not quite a show for championing feminism.

Somebody’s critical analysis on reddit thought this show has a focus on gender and sexuality. I think this is because there are some bisexual characters in the book, but they were toned down for the show (censorship, I guess) so it’s harder to see. Actually in the book, Furong (the divine lord fiancée) kisses Mofang and has a thing for him, so in that context some things make more sense. In general this show sticks remarkably close to the book, and I think does an excellent job at adapting it to screen; of the changes I saw, the vast majority were improvements.

Finally, I liked the music… songs were great, really help to build the nostalgia for this beautiful world, and I really liked their fight BGMs too.

ENDING – READ AHEAD ONLY IF YOU WANT TO KNOW, CONTAINS SPOILERS





There is a lot of sad stuff at the end- I saw a BTS where they said it was an entire day of crying- but it all turns around for an ultimate happy ending (minus some sacrifices).

In fact, this show has one of THE best endings, because they devote an *entire episode* to an epilogue from the book! Epilogue = watching them happily living their life after the main conflict is over. I don’t know why more Cdramas don’t do this; look how happy all the fans are. It is so great to get this kind of closure for the characters you get so attached to.

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Interesting drama but a bit cliche

This was the first drama that Lin GengXin and Zhao LiYing reconvened, years after Princess Agent which they co-acted and was a huge hit. The sequel of Princess Agent never saw the light of day after much talk - I suspect it was pretty much toast. This drama was very much like a compensation and definitely appealed to their fans.

ShenLi was bestowed the title of General Bi Cang and was a powerful God of War. When pressured into a political marriage, she ran away and was seriously injured. She fell to the mortal realm reverting to her phoenix body and was mistaken as a chicken. A human chicken seller picked her up and sold her to Xing Yun, a sickly human.

Strangely Xing Yun seemed to be able to tell that she was a phoenix, spoke to her in her language and treated her injuries. Shen Li was suspicious of his identity and distrusted him. Aside from her clan trying to capture her, they faced threats from a human lord who was out to get them. Back in the celestial world, trouble was brewing. Unknown forces were gathering strength to take over.

Of course, there were plenty of secrets to be uncovered?. Why was Xing Yun well-versed in celestial battle formation and yet had no celestial power? What was ShenLi's mentor and head of her clan hiding from her? Who was behind the trouble in the celestial world?

On the whole, the story was interesting. However, having watched as much Chinese dramas as I have (many of which are fairy tales / xianxia) the story was somewhat cliche and felt very much like more of the same. Additionally, the ending was somewhat lame.

A rating of 8.7 is very high on mydramalist. While waiting for the rest of the episodes to be released, I was distracted and went on to watch In Blossom, with Liu XueYi and Ju JingYi as leads. This had a much lower rating of 8.1. But I thought it was more interesting. I felt that the fan base had a lot to do with it. With Lin GengXin and Zhao LiYing as the lead actors, it definitely boosted the rating of the drama. It rated this drama 8.5 and In Blossom 9.5 (the opposite to their ratings on this portal).

Overall, it is a very good production and is worth watching. This is especially true if you had not watched much of Chinese fairy tale dramas. Otherwise you might just felt the same as I had - cliche.

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What a beautiful Xanxia

I just love everything about this drama. The episodes though 39 were very enjoyable I couldn't even skip. The Ost the beginning was very captivating, I loved it too. The comedy was also on point despite the seriousness surrounding the story. Oh! And the chemistry between Shen li and our ancient god was sizzling...I recommend this drama anyday, anytime even in my sleep.

Lest I forget the costumes and CGI were also on point. They didn't miss a beat at all.

Kudos to everyone who made such a masterpiece. I hope the drama bags awards because it deserves it.

Apart from the FL and Ml my favourite character was Ms Jin and she deserved the last episode that was dedicated partly/mostly to her. She's so selfless and kind.

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The Legend of CHICKEN!

The Legend of Shen Li

Genre: Romance, Fantasy
Episodes: 39
Streamed on: Viki

Plot Summary:

In order to escape an arranged marriage that she wants no part of, the Azure Sky King hides out in the mortal realm, where she finds herself under the care of a seemingly weak mortal. But with demons, immortals, old gods and monsters, not everything is as it seems. Action, magic and forbidden love shenanigans ensue.

Characters & Cast:

Main Characters:

Zhao Li Ying ⇒ Shen Li
Lin Geng Xin ⇒ Xing Zhi || Xing Yun

Villains: There is a bigger bad and more enemies and betrayal etc, but this is the main bad of the show.
Wei Zi Xin ⇒ Fu Sheng

Special Mentions:**
Fu Rong Slidey Boy

Best of OST:

This banger hits the spot…
https://youtu.be/qfLNcs3qWZw?si=HFcEipbsTjjOhn5M

This track… it’s almost there you know. I bet a live performance of this would go off.
https://youtu.be/hrP1y83US6g?si=SuS9lOzHSsBCOifv

This one however, best banger from a Cdrama I’ve seen so far.
https://youtu.be/XHF7EYL7hkU?si=68AtPvGfBfpQmVDH

Did I mention these pipes go off?
https://youtu.be/Hqt_2l_Vo1I?si=IFblTvw_2wgYjObl

When all is said and done, from the BGM to the titled tracks, this was one banger of an OST.
https://youtu.be/XcVGpj_O3zU?si=qgbB8oKz4qjsdkcD

Gripes:

This show was pretty epic, and is one of my favourite Chinese drama’s so far. If I had one gripe, they could have cut the last 2 episodes and incorporated the important things from it in the last episode. Maybe by cutting down on the flashbacks, we didn’t need so much backstory. But if you were stressed and binging, the last 2 eps are relaxing and rewarding.

Re-watch:

**Would I watch it again?**
Yeah

**Would I watch it with my brother?**
I did, he was the one who found it.

**Would I watch it with my kid?**
I would when she’s older, but some of the scenes are a bit too adult.

Final Thoughts:

Probably the best Cdrama of 2024. The reed pipes hyped you up every episode. There was also that banger OST. And most importantly a happy ending. The couple took far too long to get together, but ultimately this drama had enough going on for you not to worry about it. There was action in almost every episode.

Rating:
9.2/10

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Strangely Captivating!

I watched the FL in "Our Glamorous Time" and that was it. Nonetheless, she left a positive impression on me - pretty and a good actress. I was stoked to see high ratings for this drama and decided to watch it without further ado.

What I Enjoyed A Lot:
- I love a strong FL and an endearing ML who is just oh-so-smitten-in-a-good-way about his lady love.
- The ML is so cute too.
- Acting for both ML and FL are top-notch. The supporting cast is great too.
- Drama is full of ups and downs which make it exciting and suspenseful.
- Music is dramatic and matches the different scenes well.
- The CG is actually nice to look at. The cartoon phoenix is cute.
- The plot, though (to me) at times really kind of bizarre and unbelievable, comes together in the end. I am amazed and delighted at how everything ties up nicely.
- The snake spirit is so cute. I like the camaraderie between the ladies in the show.
- I like Mo Fang before the weird transformation.
- The happy ending is wonderful. I like.

What I Did Not Enjoy So Much:
- Poor Mo Fang and his battle with that weirdo with a one-track mind.
- The fixated weirdos in the drama who want to rule everything and create ghouls.
- Some parts were a little strange and perhaps, too long and perhaps, not needed.

Nevertheless, this drama is exciting and dramatic. Everything is quite nicely tied up. Everything is explained quite well. I like such shows which do not leave the viewers hanging and wondering what is actually going on. I highly recommend this drama! I like it very much! Both leads are "da bomb"! <3

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Rapport

First of all, I must say that I enjoyed watching it very much. It was one of the rare good TV series I've watched recently. It was amazing. No. But the harmony between the actors was the first thing that attracted me. Zhao Li Ying and Ling Geng Xin were a very harmonious couple. We already knew this from the TV series Princess Agents. Their harmony was very good in this series too. Zhao Li Ying was also the producer of the series, so it seems that she added a lot to the series, so she even broke the rules. She got married and had a child. Left. I also think that if she had not left, she would not have played so easily.
There have been mistakes, they have neglected some things by calling it a fantastic series, but it is not worth writing about it here and affecting the beauty of the series. Overall it was a pretty good series. There are fantasy, drama, romantic and also action scenes. I even found it emotional in the last episodes. I had tears in my eyes while watching it. They tried to fit a lot into the last episodes and ended it as if there was going to be a second season.
Not just the lead actors. I also really liked the supporting roles. So CAST was perfect. The actors were very good. Especially Xin Yun Lai, He Yu, Zeng Li, Wang Yi Yao, Xuan Lu, Xu Hai Qiao were the actors that caught my attention, both with their images and acting. I also liked the little actors who portrayed the childhood of the leads. So the group of players was very good. This distinction does not mean that I do not like other players as well. However, I kept them separate, and I liked the image work done on them. Management was fine. The shots and scenes are beautifully arranged, so are the action scenes and editing. I think meticulous work has been done and care has been taken. I don't want to touch on the story because it's fantastic. Because I don't believe in polytheism. It's something I'm against. Actually, I am against telling these things like this, even if they are fantastic, but we are watching it as a spectacle. As per my belief, I believe in the existence and unity of the Almighty Creator. There is no God other than Him.

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