The Legend of Shen Li

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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Congratz!!!

Congratz to the director and all the crews in this drama, they use the right actresses and actors for these roles. Li Geng Xin and Zhao Li Ying are two senior actors in the field, they deliver their role amiably. Two thumbs UP!
ML and FL give their all for the roles, the production is also well spent, costumes and story line are very refreshing, not so similar compare with other drama with the same genre. At last, in this 1st quarter of 2024, there it is a first Chinese historical drama that gives me urge to write some review here.
Indeed a little bit slow pace from the first 10 episodes, we will confused where this plot going to be and what the conflict gonna be like. A love triangle? A heroic sad mellow-drama? But wait, this drama literally a comedic anyways. Surprise! Surprise! A 8.8-rating is not underrated, guys! You will never regret it after those 10 episodes.. and ofc! The ending!!!! OMG! New way to end a romantic story.. LOVE IT!

Hav Fun Watching!

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Domineering CEO in Female form

Shen li was the domineering one in actions in the beginning, its refreshing. i love BA DAO CEO genre in rom com MALE LEAD but refreshing to see it on the female here.
The beginning of the man acting weak and pretending here and there is really cute how the story goes.
The sad part is i hate it when they start with a who cannot have romance troupe is so sadddd.
Altho is a really good satisfying ending that i like.

Overpowered male lead show how no one can stop him when he decides its time for to till death split us apart, and the role swap now is the ML doing whatever he wants.
The Melo enters here- both FL and ML has huge responsibility of their own people/world and thats where the difficulty of their love comes from.. & also some other sad wholesome life story.
The comedic relief though is really cute, where everything serious going on everywhere, we have a cute fairy knocking out her relative almost everyday just to see ML & FL lovestory, & have to say the furong is REALLY SLOW on romance but also cute and funny how he always afraid the FL kill someone or gets in trouble.

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Kick Ass Female Lead!

The way this story unfolded was simply brilliant! I actually dropped it initially, but my newfound appreciation for Xin Yunlai after watching "The Glory" made me give it another try – purely for my Yunlai fix! I'm so glad I did, because I ended up absolutely loving it. The main leads' acting was superb, and the romance was utterly swoon-worthy.

Shen Li sets the standard for a strong female lead! Her unwavering courage in battle and the genuine loyalty and admiration she inspires in her army are central to her character. Zhao Liying's portrayal was absolutely spot on, bringing Shen Li to life in a way that made her leadership feel completely authentic. Lin Gengxin also delivered a spectacular performance, masterfully conveying his character's captivating internal conflict between his ultimate destiny and his love.

If you're a fan of costume dramas with an epic love story, and a kick ass female lead, this is definitely for you!

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If cottagecore and xianxia had a baby it would be The Legend of Shen Li ;D

This is an extract of my 2000-word review: https://dramatea88.wordpress.com/2024/04/29/the-legend-of-shen-li-review/

What I liked
- Lin Geng Xin isn't the typical delicate, elfin-like idol male lead xianxias typically have, but that's what I love - that he's a strapping, tall man with not-typical looks. Yay to diversity of looks and mature actors!
- OMG they filmed in actual locations! It felt weird to see these high beings wandering around real places.
- I love Shen Li's straight-talking ways, and that she doesn't suffer fools
- I totally adore the food porn. And all powerful ancient god and a great cook? Who can resist this man?
- Loved Lady Jin! What a sass madam! In fact, I love her so much that I'm so happy that she got her own side story in the last episode.

What I didn't like
- Seriously, the Heavenly Realm folks have got to be the most useless and lazidest Heavenly Realm folks in all of xianxia.
- I also don't quite get how this world works.
- I wish there was a better premise than they can't be together because "Natural Law won't permit it" and Xing Zhi losing emotional control.
- Overuse of internal monologue. There are better ways to convey this than internal monologues, really.

The ending
Oh dear lord, finally a good ending.

Was episode 39 necessary? Ending it at 38 would've been neat and tidy. But I love watching Xing Zhi and Shen Li enjoying their "retirement" from official heavenly duties and giving each other maximum skinship. They deserve it.

Final thoughts
I think the reason why The Legend of Shen Li spoke to me so much is because it touches the longing we have in our hearts as adults with heavy responsibilities.

Like our couple, most of us are weighed down by life's demands. So, there's a longing in us for a simpler life where we can just retreat to the green surroundings of the countryside, grow our food, cook, and just nourish our loved ones. This drama really spoke to that longing, at least for me.

Still, I'm giving it an 8.5/10 rather than the 9 I would've given if the storytelling and pacing had been better and the world better fleshed out.

It's still one of the best xianxias you can watch; a rare gem that caters to more mature viewers.

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An Emotional Rollercoaster

The drama was exceptional, excelling in plot, acting, and music. It stands out particularly for its realistic fighting scenes, a refreshing departure from other dramas with awkward CGI. The music, while great overall, occasionally veered into being overly loud during battle scenes, making it hard to hear dialogue without adjusting the volume frequently. Despite this, the acting was top-notch, which was expected given the talented lineup. Watching the main leads for the first time was a pleasant surprise, especially in how they conveyed emotions that many other dramas fail to capture. Both actors are seasoned professionals, adept at drawing out genuine feelings from their characters.

One minor critique is that at times, Mo Fang's acting felt slightly awkward, particularly towards the end of the series. Nevertheless, it didn't detract significantly from the overall experience. Another highlight was the portrayal of the female lead as a relatable character rather than an all-powerful figure constantly reliant on the male lead. The dynamic between the leads was well-written, showcasing effective communication and mutual reliance.

I highly recommend this drama to fans of epic battle scenes and nuanced performances, as it delivers both with finesse.

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One of the best Xianxia drama out there

Good points:
- No misunderstandings
- Straightforward main leads
- good share of humours and heartbreaks
- Mature main leads (sometime just lol-ed at Xingzhi)
- One of the shows with better CGI (except for the chicken phoenix lol)

Not so good points:
- one dimensional villains? (not so into their mission)
- some parts are draggy (e.g. heavenly lord scenes, sometimes Furong & Mofang)
- revelations of certain scenes (e.g. where she knew Xingyun is Xingzhi, i geddit that she's smart, but i guess from Xingzhi's childish behavior, lol, she sort of get it. Another one is, Shen li's parents reveal, this part was SOOOOO underwhelming.)
- it wasn't mentioned what is the purpose of Xingzhi's task, was it destroying of Tianwai Tian (i can't remember the english word lol) ?

Regarding ZLY & LGX:
- Initially i was quite bothered by LGX (not because he's old whatsoever), this is my first time his drama, and LGX look so mature for this. ZLY too. since both already transit to mature acting/dramas now. But eventually i got used to him, and his funny scenes were so naturally good but the scene at ep38 (iykyk), was the killer. Both display their capabilities as actors, that scene was sooooooo heartfelt and immersive.

The show has its merits and not. However, i do enjoy. Especially it gave 1 whole ep of FLUFF at the end.

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A redemption for Princess Agent fans

This is like another journey back to Eternal Love days. It’s about a spirit who is also the God of War in her realm, who falls in love with a human during her short stint of falling in the mortal realm. This human, however, turned out to be an ancient god who decided to experience mortality due to boredom. Because of his status as the only ancient god left to govern the world, he could not reciprocate her love, and she, being the big shot general of her realm, understood that they were just not meant to be. Well, turned out she understood and willing to forget her love, but it turned out the ancient god had a hard time of letting her go. Things happened, and their fates got entangled even more.

Honestly I did not have much high hopes on this series when I first saw its trailers. They looked over the top and ML looked silly because they featured Xing Yun. I thought it was going to be strong FL with weak ML (didnt read any synopsis before it was aired).

Another doubt that I had was because of Lin Geng Xin. I tried watching his other works after his superb performance in Princess Agent (PA) but I was met with disappointment. Didn't finish Zhao Yun God of War because he was so bad in it. So I had my doubt when I heard about this show. It was a mixed feeling because I really love his character as Yuwen Yue in PA but he fell short in his other tv series. Amazingly it turned out he did really well as an ancient god. I thought I wont see any better performance of a god after seeing Vengo Gao in Eternal Love of Dream, but amazingly Lin Geng Xin managed to surpass my expectation.

Most xianxia shows that I watched mostly had sad/open endings which is obviously less than satisfying, mostly frustrating (still cant get over the traumatic ending of Princess Agents, cuz the book had such a lovely ending!). Many claim to be adapted from novels and yet they really love to deviate from it. I finished reading the Yu Feng Xing novel and am happy that it had a happy ending, but then I didnt know if the tv series would be faithful to it, which kept me on edge as I watched the show. And as the story progressed, I was quite happy that they try to stay on track with the book. Only minor deviations/add on like the scenes of You Lan and Fu Rong Jun. You Lan actually got more screen time than the author wrote her on the book.

The good:

- no contradicting personality of any of the characters. The general acted like a general, the pauper like a pauper, the king as kings, the diety as dieties and so on. There’s no strong FL but with damsel in distress attitude when around ML, no clumsy trying to act cute scenes, no immature/ridiculous actions etc. Shen Li was strong, and she fights her own battle without waiting to be saved.

- There are no silly misunderstandings, stupid jealousy, ridiculous confusions around the love relationships. FL is clear about her stand on this topic, and she stayed true towards the end. SML never try to fight for her affection too, he knows the boundary and all he wanted was only for FL to be safe.

- Actors display superb performance, I couldn't really find any flaw with any of them.

- Costume is super gorgeous and not overly extravagant. I especially love love love costumes of the generals here. So smart looking and yet not overly done.

- Music is sooooo breathtaking and easy to catch on.

- storyline is easy to follow hence not many loopholes to pick on. However, this also means that the story is much too simple and straightforward with not much complicated plot thrown in.

- I really love that they decided to do the last episode. Most adaptations usually skip the very last chapter (prologue) and made audience feel dissatisfied. This show managed to capture every little part of the novel and made it into the screen. This one episode is the only moment that we get to see Shen Li and Xing Zhi as a real normal lovey-dovey couple with both of them acting cute with each other. It was so fulfilling. A real closure of both LoSL and PA combined.

The bad:

- there’s no real tension/conflict. Both Shen Li and Fu Rong Jun didnt like the arranged marriage so no conflict there. Both Shen Li and Xing Zhi know that theyre not meant to be together due to their respective responsibilities, so there’s no conflict there. In fact, Shen Li is more adamant about this more than Xing Zhi. At least Xing Zhi thought of living away quietly with Shen Li, but Shen Li never did. I truly enjoyed the moments when Xing Zhi was treating Shen Li’s torture injuries, I think that was the only sweet moments of them as lead general and ancient god setting their huge responsibility to the side to enjoy the brief moment with each other. There’s no love triangle either cuz Shen Li rejected Mo Fang right from the start, even after she realized who Xing Zhi really was. Her heart is set on stone and she never deviates.

- CGI is quite over the top. The earlier episodes of Shen Li as a phoenix looked cartoonish. Not seamless enough. The underwater scene is badly done too. But some of the battle scenes and the ocean freezing scene was great.

- Lack of good battle scenes with the villains because theyre just not strong enough until Feng Lai emerged. Yes even Fu Sheng was not really strong. The only memorable battle scenes of Fu Sheng was only the East Sea (eh was it the north sea, i get confused) battle which forced Shen Li to burn everything to crisp including herself. That was it. The torture scene was disappointing too. The torture by Fu Sheng and treatment by Xing Zhi was more gruesome in the book. But hey since they tried to stay true to the book with all the important details so I’ll let this slide.

I watched the series twice back to back because I just couldn't have enough of them. Am thinking of rewatching again in near future. Basically, I’d rate this one as one of the great pieces by Zhao Liying that I’ve watched, it was hard to move on from like how i felt after watching Ten Miles Peach Blossoms and The Untamed. I actually watched this show three times.

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A beautiful love story - The Yin to her Yang

For a xianxia, this was quite an easy watch due to the simple plot that did not involve too much angst or unnecessary misunderstandings. I loved our amazing female lead Shen Li, a strong, courageous woman who never wavers in sticking to her beliefs, principles, and always fighting for her people. I loved the dynamic she has with XZ, who was the yin to her yang.

There were definitely moments in the drama that felt a bit slow, with too many flashbacks - I think they could've easily made this drama to 30-35 eps. But overall the acting, chemistry, solid soundtrack, cinematography and special effects made this a memorable series.

When it comes to ZLY and LGX's acting and chemistry - you just cannot go wrong. It was nice to see them work together again as more mature and seasoned actors, bringing their characters to life, and bringing out the best in each other as actors. I can only hope they work together again in the future!

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