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Simping for Song Yi and it's worth it
Started this because of Song Yi and yes she slayed it. ML and FL chemistry omg just them staring at each other is so intense. The first part of the story is really good and it makes you keep watching one ep after another, and the middle part really sucks with so many plot twists and unnecessary complicated scenarios. It got better in the ending. I almost crashed out in the last two ep cuz . Thankfully, for the writer's mercy, we have a perfect and gorgeous ending. I almost skipped this drama. Glad that I watched this. Please shoot more quality drama, Song Yi so that i can simp u more T T.Was this review helpful to you?
Don’t let the criticisms stop you from watching this!!!
This was the first show I’ve seen with Song Yi and Ryan Cheng. I was debating watching this as I had seen so much discourse over the FL not being good enough, young enough or not having chemistry with Ryan Cheng and of course, not being anywhere near as good as The Legend of the Female General.I’m starting to think I was watching a different show to those people because Shadow Love was such a treat to watch; the layered personalities, character development and the emotions that both actors displayed in this show was just wonderful to watch.
This show had me in awe, broke me down and built me back up again. The range of emotions I went through while watching SL was insane. I was glued to my TV any chance I got to watch this. Was it a perfect show? no, but it was close to perfection for me and that’s because of Song Yi and Ryan Chen’s phenomenal acting.
I was sad to see it end, but it ended so beautifully. SL will definitely be up in my top 10 Cdramas!
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A comment about the music
there are enough comments about the stroy and acting but ...what was with the music? for example in the funeral scene in the last episode! it suddenly took me from ancient china to a modern disco . I mean... I know music with beats and some newer styles are the trend but that doesn't mean it fits every movie or scene!!!
it completely ruined the mood.
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Awesome Chinese version of superhero costume drama. Song Yi and Ryan Cheng were awesome.
Shadow Love is a Wuxia costume drama starring Song Yi, Ryan Cheng, Bi Wen Jun, and Shi Ge. This is the year for Ryan Cheng. So far, I have enjoyed his acting abilities in the dramas "The Legend of Female General" and "Footprints of Change." He portrayed each character very well, especially in this one, where he was loving, caring, and childlike, possessing a superpower that came to rescue General Zhenbei (played by Song Yi) whenever she was in trouble.Their on-screen chemistry was cute, and the fighting scenes were awesome. I really enjoyed this drama, and it is refreshing to see; it's like a Chinese version of Superman or Spiderman.
Synopsis: Li Shuang, a female general of Taijin, takes in an amnesiac man she finds by chance and names him Jin An. Jin An accompanies Li Shuang wholeheartedly, and the two secretly fall in love. However, when Jin An remembers that he is actually the prince of an enemy state, the two devoted lovers have no choice but to take up arms against each other. Jin An also has another identity as a supernatural warrior named Xuan Yi Ke, who remembers Li Shuang, loves her unconditionally, and vows to protect her at all costs. Jaded by war, they decide to join forces to resolve the crisis and uphold justice.
My Reviews:
1. Acting: 8
2. Script: 7
3. Music/OST: 7
4. Production Quality: 8
5. Cinematography: 7
6. Rewatchable: 7
7. On-Screen Chemistry: 8
Overall Rating: 7.5
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This review may contain spoilers
wasnt bad until the mid end
The show was going great until around ep 25. At first, it was all nice and lovey and great but then they decided to kill the 2nd couple (qian n the bandit). but before that happened, it already went downhill because like idk, i felt like they gave random ppl more screentime or it was repetitive. for example, when prince li tried to find the crown prince n failed. he tried again n again. I kept going because I wanted to see cheng lei in his dark outfit and role which felt like foreverrr. im not a huge fan of song yi but she is watchable, considering follow your heart. that is where i found my shang bieli! Waiting for lu xin n mo yin get together was such a hope for me but i didnt get to see it cs i dropped it. anyways, 7.5 stars, was great but went downhill around ep 20(20 smth).Was this review helpful to you?
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Visual feast with strong leads and engaging plot
Obviously, this is a review for the first 12 episodes, but... this drama honestly blew me away!! And this means something, as I've grown overly impatient and critical of cheaply made Chinese dramas, and I've been dropping many of those I started watching recently. Not only is this a drama for romance fans that fancy a bit of a twist, but also for (super)hero fans, I would say. Cheng Lei is super badass in his role, but so is Song Yi. Best female general I've seen so far. Those who say she constantly needs saving are wrong, and episode 12 proves it without a doubt. Yes, she gets saved by him a lot too, but that is fine, as many of the scenes were created with that intent in mind and include many of his own strategies being used by her, which obviously have him at the centre as the main fighter. Plus, the favour gets returned, and she saves him many times as well.The acting is great, the side characters are fleshed out and are actually important to the story, the visuals and CGI are STUNNING, and everybody makes well-informed, logical choices, which leaves almost no room for unnecessary drama or plot holes (although the reason why he transformed into a child still needs to be explained BUT it could be argued that he was still recovering from his wounds when he was changing back into a child). Cheng Lei is the highlight of this drama in my eyes. The way he seamlessly transitions between badass fighter and harmless, charming guy is amazing and deserves praise. I'd recommend this drama alone based on that, as it's rare that he gets such a good chance to show his acting range!
If you're a fan of blood pacts/dark magic (vampire style), awesome slow-burn chemistry between the main leads and a solid, intriguing plot- you should check out this drama ASAP!
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Flawless
“Shadow Love” is a beautiful drama. I really liked the charisma of the protagonist after he transformed into the Mask Man. The variety of expressions he portrayed intrigued me so much that I became so drawn to his character that other aspects of the drama mattered less to me. However, I cannot deny that the other actors also gave their best performances, especially Bi Wen Jun as Su Mu Yang, Shi Ce as Lu Xin, Darren Chen as Mo Yin, and, of course, the female protagonist. Additionally, it would have been even better if they had included children, judging by the glimpse shown in the last part of the final episode.Was this review helpful to you?
STELLAR!
Wow just wow. Easily best drama this year ! Strong female lead that is actually strong and competent and doesn't need constant saving , AMAZING chemistry between the leads that comes so natural as if they are meant to be, and the finale being them enemies to lover. This drama is giving everything !! Its a drama i will rematch and rematch in the future. Pleasant surprise and so well excuted my favorite scene is when they part ways due their unavoidable circumstances and i felt every bit of heartbreak in this scene and the ml yearning for the fl . such a great escapism dramaWas this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
The Boredom Takes Over
So… I’m officially dropping this drama. Don’t curse me yet—hear me out first. I’m dropping this not because I haven’t moved on from LOTFG (Cheng Lei’s other drama), but simply because I don’t get the hype. Watching this feels like forcing myself to do something I don’t actually want to do.When the first episode came out, I immediately hit play—and just a few minutes in, I already knew this wasn’t for me. Still, I kept watching, hoping it would get better, but instead, it just got more boring. It’s a unique drama, sure, but I honestly don’t know why I couldn’t enjoy it. Maybe it’s intuition. I did manage to push myself to episode 10, but let’s be real—on the first day, I only finished 2 episodes, even though I had time to watch more. That alone was already a sign I wasn’t into it.
Now about the female general—don’t hate me for this—but she’s been trained since childhood, yet if Jin’an wasn’t around, she would’ve been dead already. And yes, I get it, people will say “bro, she’s a human being, flaws are normal”—and that’s true. But here’s the thing: the way they placed those flaws was the problem. If you make the FL helpless from episodes 1–6, it leaves a bad impression. Flaws aren’t bad, but they need to be balanced and placed properly in the story.
And that 30 lashes scene? I was honestly confused why she didn’t just say the word earlier to escape it. It made her look worse for no reason.
Overall, the real killer here was boredom. Same reason I dropped Moonlit Reunion—the only difference is that there, I didn’t have issues with the characters. Here? I just don’t vibe with Li Shuang (no offense to Song Yi, don’t get me wrong).
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Paper-Thin Fantasy, Endless Abs, Zero Substance
ML is a hero blood-bound puppet who survives thanks to the female lead’s conveniently available veins. Meanwhile, she’s supposedly a general… though you’d never guess it from her flat delivery and total lack of commanding presence.The plot manages to be both paper-thin stuffed with banal conversations and scenes so empty I fast-forwarded through seven episodes without missing a thing. His bare chest gets more screen time than actual character development.
The romance has no depth. The soundtrack? Dreadful. A lightly dark fantasy is a teen-targeted fanservice parade. I barely survived seven episodes before mercy-dropping it.
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Great drama
This show completely exceeded my expectations. The acting was very good and the leads made the romance feel authentic and engaging. The male lead’s interpretation of different roles was impressive — each one distinct yet connected in a way that deepened the story.The scenography and costume design were both top-notch, creating a beautiful and immersive world that perfectly supported the narrative. The pacing and transitions of the story were good .
The script was written by Jiu Lu Fei Xiang, the same talented author behind Love Between Fairy and Devil, Back From the Brink, and The Legend of Shen Li. It’s amazing how much emotional depth and world-building she brings to every project — and even more impressive considering she’s only 33 years old!
A special mention must go to the soundtrack — the OST is absolutely stunning (I’m still listening to it even now!).
I also found the ending quite adequate and satisfying. My only small regret is that I would have loved to see more interaction between the female and male leads after he regained his memories as the prince. Still, that’s just a minor wish in an otherwise fantastic drama.
Overall, this is a beautifully made show with strong performances, great costume design, and a memorable soundtrack. Definitely recommend!
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Incredible Fantasy ART
This storyline was awesome. The fantasy elements felt incredibly real — especially the body art and the face mask on Cheng Lei’s character, Jinan. Honestly, whoever wrote this has an exceptionally imaginative mind. At times it felt like Cheng Lei stepped straight out of the screen — almost 3D.I’m still trying to figure out whose soul it belonged to and whether that character was immortal. That mystery stayed with me long after the episode ended. The writer truly should create another story centered on the supernatural warrior Cheng Lei portrayed — it was that good.
Song Yi was also excellent as a female warrior general. Though she’s a petite actress, she carried the role with strength and confidence and made it completely believable.
Everything worked together beautifully — the fantasy, the storyline, the music, and the sets were all perfectly balanced. And the horses… I loved them. The actors who rode them did a great job as well.
And I promise — I won’t mention Cheng Lei’s eyes. 😏
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