Tale as Old as Time
Even from the first episode, I knew I like it. It's not because I like Liu Shi Shi enough that I would watch all her dramas. The story captured me from the beginning because:1) It reminds me of Jin Yong stories with new Xianxia twists.
2) The side characters (ie. the sisters of the leads) provide comic relief and interesting side stories.
3) The main leads have chemisstry.
4) All the actors can act. There's no one standing out as annoying. The bad guys are really evil.
5) The conflict is clear and makes sense.
6) You don't have to watch the previous drama (Red Moon) with Yang Mi to understand this drama (so thankful because I dropped the other drama after 2 episodes when it came out).
The Negatives
1) The story is a little bit convoluted in the beginning because of all the extra "famous" characters. Too many people died. But that's the theme: humans and demons will fight until there evil is eradicated.
2) Some basic plot is predictable because it's how old stories are told 30 years ago (look at The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber, etc).
3) Liu Shi Shi seems to be directed to act with a poker face. Is this her inherent character based on the story? I don't know. Waiting for the development.
4) Up to ep 12, there continues to be TOO MANY side characters. There are only 36 episodes. If everyone of the side characters have such long side stories, I don't know if the story can hold together because the main leads are not shown enough. So far, I am disappointed in this because I want to see more of the leads.
Why you might be disappointed:
1) People who watch this drama for all the so called "famous" idols will be disappointed because they are there as cameos to gain new fans. The true famous star of this drama is Liu Shi Shi. If you don't know her, do some research and watch some of her famous dramas (Scarlet Heart 1). They are so good! She's a versatile actress: 37 years old returning to acting after marriage and baby but still takes Main Lead roles of popular dramas. That's not an accident.
2) People who deem LSS is not a good actress because of her blank eyes. I think the director/story called for this expression. Look at Yang Mi in Red Moon. She had no expression in her eyes too. And believe me, YM can emote with her eyes. So I think the director asked for this.
3) People who don't want to see their favorites die off. Well, I think the story/theme calls for it.
I can't wait to see more development in this story and the Sword and Beloved. These stories remind me of those old Jin Yong's stories with new Xianxia twists.
Finished. Although I don't agree with some of the storylines, I will give this drama full marks. I think both ML and FL did an amazing job, especially at the end. I don't think there is a better ML for the role. He is the best person for the role of Wangquan Hong Ye. Very convincing at the end. He reminds of the Yang Guo in the The Return of the Condor Heroes, with gray hair. He walks through the doors to rescue her, bigger than life. And she was wearing white dress. They only look at each other, ignoring everyone else, just like Yang Guo at the end.
C drama is never perfect. But I think this was entertaining and has very good acting. And even though the ending is difficult to accept, I am ok with it because it makes sense.
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value to watch
VERY VERY different from Red moon.Red moon very slow and bore ,I quiet at ep5.
this love in pavillian very good actor,actress ,value to watch ,strong recommend to watch.
strong costume ,music, stroy.
chemist between main role
and support role vety good.
Rating must 10 or more.
and i can't wait for next episode
and next trilogy.
I pay iqiyi vip member to wařch🐭🐭🐭.
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Outstanding adaptation! Worth the watch!
Although I started watching this drama for my favourite guest and support actors, surprisingly I was entranced by many brilliant and talented actors/actresses especially the ML ZYL and the FL LSS. Even though I knew the major plot and the ending for this drama, it didn't deter me from finishing this wonderfully executed and very captivating drama.All the characters were portrayed impeccably well by the actors. Theirs elaborate appearances added fine details to their characters. Deep emotions, passion, feelings were displayed immaculatelly and their stories unfolded magnificently well, leading the events and results to the point where everything is set perfectly for the season 3.
I adored the beautiful and elegant clothes and make up of the actors and actresses. The backgrounds and settings were very suitable to scenes and events. Unique architectures magnified the effectiveness of making each setting different and enjoyable experience.
I loved different kinds of couples and their interactions. All the couples have different stories to show and their own undeniable and captivating charm. Each couple had great chemistry. The types of romances shown were very beautiful and engaging: like HZ and HYs romance of push and pull due to their identity and responsibility, different ways of doing things, Spider king BMY's protectivness and selfless acts of care for DNJ and his people, YY and MXW's story of Romeo and Juliet where family interfered and made things difficult for them, the confusing love between MM and the leech demon CML's with two personalities, YYT and WZ being childhood sweethearts, the dark unconditional love with no boundaries between JH and JL, the kind/forgiving love between DCR and JJX knowing the motive they got together, the QMY's unwavering persueing of love and relationship with ZZ and finally, LQZ's cute and hesitant unrequited love for DQL. Although they were all different kind of romances they have one thing in common they loved the other deeply selflessly enough to be ready to sacrifice anything even their lives to protect and save their significant others. Being able to do this is a testament to the real and true love.
Aside from love stories, I was also impressed by heart warming and sweet sibling and parent/children relationships.
This drama taught many lessons. Love and life is not bed of roses. Most people face ups and downs with their loved ones. More so if their world is plagued with societal injustice and chaos. Furthermore, life is even more difficult for people with conscience and power who take their responsibilities and duties more seriously putting their personal lives at the bottom of priority list. Mostly prosperity and peace in different places around the world is achieved by sacrifices of their great heroes/heroines.
Their are always people who commit evil deeds and justify them due to their greed, obssestions, love for fame, power and/or glory and have to be fought to stop them. Without love, kindness, loyalty, trust, sacrifice, strong positive familial bonds and establishment of justice and order world would be very dark place. Those who are left behind of course have to learn to deal with grief and regrets but important thing is never to give up and respect their sacrifices and work for the better future and even if there is uncertainty there will be good change when righteous path is persued.
The CGI and cenimatrography of this drama was mind-blowing. The attention to detail, photorealism, seamless integrations, lighting and texturing not only gave a compelling visual experience, it also effectively communicated the sub stories and emotions. Thus, successfully engaging the viewers and leaving an everlasting impression.
I loved the beautiful and exquisite OST's which are very heartwarming, thought provoking and emotion stirring.
Overall it is very excellent fantasy drama adopted from manhwa. I highly recommend it to romance/fantasy lovers. 💕 Definetly looking forward to the season 3 'Sword and Beloved'💖
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Love, sacrifice and magic. Prepare for c-trauma heartbreak.
This is 10000 times better than Red Moon Pact. I admit, the early episodes are very weak and I almost dropped the drama, wondering if the stellar cast is enough to keep me going, until I reached episodes 8-10 when I was suddenly hooked till the very last episode.The main focus of the drama is the love stories between many different types of characters and their fight against the evil Black Fox. At the centre of the drama are the two main characters from prominent families, the female lead who is a strong-willed fighter with special blood and the male lead, a strong leader and number one swordsman.
✨WATCH OR SKIP RED MOON PACT?
I’d say they’ve made this drama pretty much self-contained and I don’t necessarily think you need to watch Red Moon (I personally would never recommend this disastrous drama). But I have to say, Red Moon does establish the world better, such as the conflict between the demons and humans and explains the Dongfang’s special blood. Love in Pavilion kind of throws you into the world without much explanation which may confuse some viewers at the start.
✨PLOT BREAKDOWN
Ep 1-9 Intro arc
Getting to know all the characters and setting up the plot. The weakest part of the drama for me.
Ep 10-18 Time Travel / Demon arc - my favourite.
Time travel / female lead as a demon / sexy villain / Black Fox’s backstory. Basically, lots of sexiness and fun angst.
Ep 19-28 Beast Realm arc
Mostly heartwarming, romantic and fun. Ding Yuxi stole the spotlight here. I think I loved it just as much as the demon arc.
Ep 29-36 Tushan / Grief Tree arc
The final showdown, emotional and very angsty. Prepare for c-trauma. Raw and well-written ending.
✨POSITIVE:
- Lots and lots of romance. From friendship, unconditional love, meet-cute scenes, sacrifice, yearning, heartbreak, it delivered all.
- Character driven. It’s rare but I liked all the characters and I think that’s the main reason why I enjoyed this drama so much.
- Great chemistry between all the couples. It’s rare but I enjoyed all the couples. The main leads in particular were my favourite and they suited each other really well.
- Fantastic villains. A good story needs captivating villains and this drama definitely delivered on that.
- No love triangles, misunderstanding or typical annoying immortals.
- Engaging story after episode 8 til the end.
- Great fight scenes with different weapons and magic. The boss fights were always intense to watch, they went all out.
- Unexpected spice - I’m looking at episode 13, that's one of the most spiciest scenes in xianxia.
- Marvelous BGM (background music) that elevated the scenes, especially the fights.
- Well-written ending that wrapped the story well. It was real, raw and very emotional. I cried buckets of tears.
✨NEGATIVE:
- Weak start. As mentioned above, I almost dropped the drama because of how boring the beginning was. But after episode 8 till the end it truly captivated me.
- Decent CGI but unfortunately not on the same level as Red Moon Pact, which is a shame.
- Plot flaws. The story is told fast with many things happening which sometimes means details are not delved deeper and certain parts may feel rushed.
- C-trauma. This drama delivers on the ultimate heartbreak which can be too much for some people.
✨OVERALL:
Like everyone else, I had very low expectations going into this drama. The previous installment Red Moon Pact set the bar very low. Still, does this drama have its flaws? Yes, of course. But in terms of plot, characters and romance, it’s miles and miles and miles better than RMP. In fact, having watched both, I can say Red Moon feels very much useless, as Love in the Pavilion directly sets up the story for the final chapter Sword and Beloved.
Aside from the weak start, after episode 8, this drama captivated me till the end. It’s very character and romance driven so if that’s your thing, you will enjoy this. The plot felt different from the typical cliche xianxia with annoying misunderstandings, love triangles and stupid immortals. You have none of these things here. The plot is fast with many things happening. There were lots of unexpected twists and turns that kept me watching. The main cp was strong and the side couples enchanted the story for me. It’s rare but I loved all the couples and characters, especially the villain duo.
The cast did a stellar performance. The highlight for me was Ding Yuxi, as he totally captivated the screen and his character’s story was just as strong as his chemistry with his romantic pair. A special mention to the main lead, Zhang Yun Long. It was my first time seeing him and he was marvellous. Actually, in January, I watched the variety show ‘Random Tour’ where he opened up how he has been in the industry for a long time but never given the chance to star in a high production, and that LIP was finally his opportunity. I can only hope it’s not too late for him to receive more amazing projects. He deserves it.
Conclusion, if you want lots of romance, magic, fast plot and are prepared for c-trauma heartbreak, try this out.
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✨COUPLES / ACTORS PAIRS
💗Liu Shi Shi & Zhang Yun Long (main cp / frenemies to lover / fighters duo / hands down my favourite ship)
Poster: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/fa/e3/0e/fae30e7c86a1025d21d4d3917f1c64cd.jpg
💗Wu Xuan Yi & Zhai Xiao Wen (second cp / childhood friends to lovers / carefree girl and her protector / adorable)
Poster: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GqI1HpTWAAAVIUe?format=jpg&name=large
💗Ding Yu Xi & Meng Zi Yi (side cp / school friends to lovers / confident girl and her tsundere crush / my second favourites, their chemistry was effortless / ep 20-32 )
Poster: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GqRs5AXWwAE6w74?format=jpg&name=medium
💗Charles Lin & Peng Xiao Ran (side cp / best villain couple that stole my heart / ep 27 + more)
Poster: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GqjI9UObcAAg-uZ?format=jpg&name=large
💗Qin Xiao Xuan & Zhou Jie Qiong (side cp / feisty demon with split personality and shy human / loved them / ep 12-17 )
Poster: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/d4/82/16/d48216ecf5bce428d9a5048cb7ef0347.jpg
💗Zhang Ruo Nan & Chen Ruo Xuan (side cp / marriage / emotional but not as strong as the others / ep 2-8 )
Poster: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/60/00/f6/6000f6e8c355cdf24bbfe018f9ebd9b1.jpg
💗Hou Ming Hao & Chen Yu Qi (side cp / demon couple / too short to make an impact / ep 1)
Poster: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GpsexlqaAAArC6x?format=jpg&name=large
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This review may contain spoilers
Unnecessary deaths for the side characters done in a very unappealing way
First of all, I will make myself clear that I didn't watch the Donghua or read the Manhua. Nor did I watched Red Moon Pact. I only jump into this because I saw this Drama on my recommendation online and Neo Hou is in this one (but alas, he was a cameo and he died in episode 2).Second of all, I will make this clear for those who read this review of mines, if you love the drama and give this a 10/10 then good for you, congrats for finding something you love and enjoyed, when I said this I am being genuine, and not sarcastic, I won't judge you for loving this drama, BUT if you judge me for not liking this drama towards the end in writing perspective, and not giving this a full 10/10 then I WILL judge you for this because you are judging me first and not respecting how we all are entitled to our own preferences on what we like and dislikes.
We all watch the same drama, but can interpret certain scenes differently, just because we find certain scenes questionable, it doesn't mean we didn't pay attention to the explanation provided BUT it just means we don't agree with it, and we question why the writers have to handled it this way since it could be done better.
Now, with all that being said, time for my review, and I will try to maybe summarize my feelings, and will (try!) to keep my review short (although I doubt it since I have a tendency to express in lengthy reviews to express my feelings).
Acting-wise, I won't go into the full cast, since that will be long (like I said, I will try to keep this short). There's a few familiar faces here, and one of them, I will have to say Joe Ma. He surprised me to see him in this drama since I grew up watching him in TVB (Hong Kong) dramas, but in this one, he was given a role as Wangquan (Hong Ye and Zui's father). Although he can be considered more as a guest actor in this one.
Zhang Yun Long did an excellent job in portraying Wangquan Hong Ye. I actually didn't mind the mask he was wearing at the beginning since it makes it more mysterious than just a half face mask like the others was wearing. In terms of pairing chemistry, I do like him with Dongfang Huaizhu (played by Liu Shishi). But I didn't like the kiss scenes between them because they are those "dead fish" kiss scenes as we call it. So honestly, if they can't give us a decent kiss scene, than perhaps it is good to go without it imo, since they still have chemistry with expressing their love without these kiss scenes so that in itself, shows them having chemistry.
Ding Yuxi role as Zhang Zheng is among my favourite character in this Drama, I found him appealing at the beginning when he made his brief appearance and I was looking forward to his scenes. When we finally got those scenes, I came to like him even more and his backstory with Mu Yuan (played by Meng Ziyi). They have a nice backstory that built up to them being together as a couple, and I was so excited for Zhang Zheng to finally join the Mask Group, since I always wanted him to, so you bet how happy I was when he was finally part of the Mask Group. But that happiness didn't last because how the writers handled his ending really just ignored all the growth and developments he went through, which is why I found it so off-putting that they have Zhang Zheng (played by Ding Yuxi) go through that growth to FINALLY accept and allow himself to be happy and right after that he was killed off. What pissed me off and annoys me is he wouldn't have died like that if it weren't for Mu Yuan(the woman he loves) being manipulated and controlled by the Black Fox... I hate these tropes to have the couple from one side kill the other.. that's the worst kind of ending for me...
I was totally cheering and praising Zhang Zheng for breaking free of his own inner darkness and then he got given that ending... He didn't lost or died because he was weak against the Black Fox (since he was able to break free from the control and manipulation) he died because he was killed by the woman(Mu Yuan) he loves, because he didn't want to attack or kill her and he let his guard down when she put that sword through him and when she pushed it in even further, I don't want to watch it anymore!!!
What's worst is, the writer wrote a similar scenario for my other favourite couple, being Yitan and Wangquan Zui. This pairing is really likeable, and I really hope they got their happy ending but this was another pairing the writers made one side kill the other due to the manipulation.
I honestly hate these tropes and I cannot express just how much it actually ruined the pairing strong love for each other because it really made me question was their love for the other person not strong enough to overcome the darkness at all? They didn't even display a sign of struggle to show they want to break out of the control on their side... Was there no light or love in them at all to show their struggles in wanting to overcome this darkness when they are facing the person they love?! But how it ended was their love wasn't strong enough and the darkness took full control where both Mu Yuan and Yitan kill the one person they love....
The writers really did give them the worst ending possible and yeah I hate how it turned out and nothing can change how I feel about those two scenes of having the pairing of one side kill the other...
Also, I felt part of their downfall was because of Yitan was being controlled when he broke their barrier....but then he was being controlled, so can't blame him(?!) BUT it doesn't mean I enjoy it because I didn't like it on my end for what happened.
Give me a break honestly, they all just happened at the same time, that it is hard to sink all this in!! These Deaths and being killed off on our beloved characters is SO UNJUSTIFIABLE, and they are NOT my favourite trope when characters I like being controlled and do things that will hurt them in the long run!
You know what the irony here is? when people were complaining about the deaths of the side characters in Moonlight Mystique but at least in Moonlight Mystique, the death has meaning behind it, and it is not killing off for the sake of killing off and each character deaths have an important role to shine, also, in Moonlight Mystique, they were given hope they will come back later but in Love in Pavilion?! NO, they are gone/dead!!
In Love in Pavillion, how their deaths was handled is everyone just died so tragically in the worst way possible and it makes us question and brings realization to us that their death wouldn't have happened if they believe in that light in their heart where they can break free of Black Fox darkness. Just like evidently how Zhang Zheng had darkness entered into him, but he managed to break free from Black Fox manipulation because he was strong enough, but the others who gets manipulated (and controlled) is like a contrast to how each person have darkness (or hatred) inside of them, which gives Black Fox the ability to take control of them. I don't like this, I mean I get the logic behind it, but how the writers handled it like this (the deaths of everyone in the mask group except Wangquan Hongye and Qu Zhou) is NOT my cup of tea. They are my honest feelings here.
So as much as I like and enjoyed the drama at the beginning to midpoint, the drama just went downhill and lose a lot of points towards the end. After they killed of Zhang Zheng, Mu Yuan, Yitan and Wangquan Zui, I already don't feel like finishing it but I kept to it since I love the main pairing but then again the writers have to do questionable things that made me question 'Why!' And they were certain actions I don't like what I saw in how the plot was handled in 'that scene' when Hongye came to rescue Huaizhu, he really should have used that opportunity to kill Jin Ren Feng, this was something I wish was done better but didn't, how the writers handled that scene, in the end lead to the death of Huaizhu because of the poor decisions made by the writers choice in pissing off the viewers, and how Huaizhu explained in her dying moments that when Jin Renfeng gave her a hit to try and stop her bloodline and from then on she's been losing her life force. This really puts emphasis in that point that IF things were done better in 'that scene' when HongYe came to save her, than perhaps Huaizhu wont die...This was indirectly highlighting it in a subtle way that the writers handled it poorly. If not, then their ending will not be subjected to this tragedy.
Sure, it was explained that Hongye lost a lot of power after killing the Black Fox, but I don't see that at all. Honestly, Hongye came into the scene displaying his powerful aura, despite his original sword broke but the real Wangquan sword appeared and with the help of the forces he gathered in that scene, you can't expect me to believe he is not strong enough(with the others help also) to fend off and defeat Jin Ren Feng right? Yes, it was explained Jin Ren Feng took his master sacred fire etc, but I don't see him as that strong if he have to use underhanded method to poison Huaizhu first which shows he was a coward, so this is what I don't like, the writers just let that bastard Jin Ren Feng off for the sake of the plot device added to give a reason to kill off Huaizhu later, which Huai Zhu provided the explanation on why she was dying, so knowing this, the drama DID lose its charm for me near the end...
I just felt like there is no real purpose for the writers to do this or go this direction, except to make it tragic for the sake of it being tragedy and this is what I don't like... Unnecessary deaths...
Well in the end, I know I might be a minority but I am not happy with how the drama was handled near the end. I know some people likes it but I don't so this is my personal journey from watching this drama. Don't come to my review and try to justify the actions and decisions by how the plot was handled near the end, and don't judge me for feeling differently to you. Like I said at the beginning of my review, I won't judge people in loving this drama, so don't judge me for feeling differently to you because I don't like how things were handled near the end for my reasons provided. We can watch the same drama but feel differently. We are allow to feel differently since everyone is different. What appeals to you doesn't mean it appeals to me. I question how it was handled because I don't agree with those actions...
Characters sacrificed so much and in the end they can't get their happy ending. Poor Wangquan Hongye lost everything in the end and I really cried when he was grieving everyone's death. I feel so sorry for him, he had finally found his light and happiness to move on with Huaizhu when he found out she's pregnant, he finally got that light again and smile and look forward to their child being born and him raising their child together with Huaizhu and then Huaizhu being killed off.... and her explanation to why she was dying was because of that 'one scene' is why I didn't like how the scene was handled when Hongye go save her from that bastard Jin Ren Feng. In the end, it was another tragic and unnecessary death IMO. The writers is so cruel...
I don't know if I will watch this again. Maybe on the scenes I like and pretend the ending for this drama ended at this certain point before they fought against the black fox...
Also an honorable mention to Jiu Huo and Jia Lan. I can't believe I am feeling this way but their tragic backstory grow on me when I learned about their past and story. To me I actually separated the Jia Lan from the past from the Black Fox version of her since the original Jia Lan had love and she was sincere towards Jiu Huo but the reborn her is pure evil. Poor Jiu Huo, I did got teary in that scene when he died though especially all he ever wanted was to bring her back since he loved her. Its a dark couple but appealing one.
All the best to future watchers. For me, I certainly won't be recommending this unless you want to see all your fav characters die in the worst way possible, in a very unjustified manner too IMO.
Maybe if I have watched the Donghua or Read the Manhua (the original source) then I can come into this being prepared, but no I didn't so how the ending was handled was a slap to the face for someone who enjoyed and like the story and characters from the beginning...
In the end, how do I summarize this drama? Your hardwork doesn't gets paid off and reward you with the happy ending. You persevere only to found out that you are destined to not have a happy ending. What you fought for or believed in only to end with sacrifices that rewards you with this sad ending. To me, this is NOT a happy ending, I wouldn't even call it Bittersweet either. It is more of a Sad ending, although I felt it more like a Bad Ending at the end, I don't care if this continues to the sequel, I just want the characters I love to get their happy ending first and next generation second. They deserve it. We (as viewers) deserve this after following the Drama since release date!
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This review may contain spoilers
Good Drama to watch
This drama didnt tempt me... I wasn't fond of the leads at first, as I watched the drama they gradually grew on me... every couple's story I loved them...I like endings where all characters have happy ending... this didn't sit well with me..
Other than their tragic fate... this was a very good drama to watch.. This show potrays hope & will to change lives through.
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Tác Giả: Minh Nguyệt Thính Phong 明月听风
🙏 Really wish that they made this into a drama series and let Liu Shishi & Zhang Yunlong ⭐️. If the Du Lin director read this 🥺
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Surprising end... really ...this end?!
Finished watching it just right now........and without wanting to give a spoiler I just can hope for a second season.Liked it a lot at the beginning, actors were all on top, then I'm mostly a fan of Hou Minghao and Ding Yu Xi; but the end is not really to my taste.....unless there will be a second season, maybe?
There were really a lot of side stories and so many characters, that one could nearly loose focus, but all together it was okay.
I absolutely did not like the masks; most of them were quite ugly and didn’t do the actors any justice – at least not the male ones. Come on, Chinese artists can do so much better. Was this again a budget problem?!
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So beautiful and poetic.. a must watch and rewatch
Wow just wow.. what an stunning and unforgettable drama !! So beautiful and poetic.. définitely one of the best of 2025Last year, I started watching the highly anticipated « Red Moon Pact » with great expectations.. only to be deeply disappointed.. I only completed it out of respect for the actors.. but lets be honest, it bored (and confused) me to death.
So I started watching « Love in Pavilion » with low expectations and some skepticism… but I gave it a try for Ding Yu Xi and to be prepared for « Sword and Beloved » with Cheng Yi and Li Yi Tong.. and I am really happy to have given it a try because it pleasantly surprised me… it amazed me…
The beautiful and talented cast, high quality CGI and cinematography, direction, editing, OST (love it so much, in particular Rainie Yang and Zhang Yun Long’s songs).. everything was on point and just perfect..
It deserves so much more attention than it actually received.. but sadly, I believe it suffered from « Red Moon Pact » failure and disappointment..
Don’t hesitate to give it a chance.
Highly recommended !! Now give us « Sword and Beloved ».. withdrawal syndrom is real..
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A Captivating and Visually Stunning Journey with Heartfelt Characters
A captivating cdrama that offers an intriguing story with multiple arcs and a range of interesting characters. Besides the main couple, there are several other subplots involving different couples that add depth to the narrative. The costumes, music, and cinematography are all top-notch, creating a visually stunning experience. The CGI, in particular, is spectacular and adds an extra layer of magic to the fantasy elements of the show.The pacing is generally fast, with most conflicts resolving quickly, which means there’s not a lot of drawn-out angst. This is especially nice considering the mature nature of the lead characters. Their relationship is refreshing in that it avoids too much melodrama, and while there are tragic moments, it’s a beautiful and moving journey.
The ending is satisfying—positive and hopeful—but doesn’t fall into the trap of a cheesy, overly-sweet conclusion. It's more grounded, leaving you with a sense of closure without undermining the story’s emotional depth.
Overall, I highly recommend this drama for anyone looking for a well-crafted, visually gorgeous show with strong characters and a refreshing pace. It’s definitely worth the watch!
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This review may contain spoilers
A Tragic Cycle: The end feels me numb (No hate, just my 50 cents)
I was expecting that Love in Pavillon aims to portray the beauty of love amid chaos, but instead falls into the trap of using tragedy as spectacle. The deaths of its main characters feel less meaningful and more like a familiar trope—romance destroyed by war, again and again.This recycled formula leans on predictable emotions rather than fresh insight. Love isn’t shown as a force of hope or resistance, just as something inevitably crushed by power and violence. It reflects a bleak worldview, where human connection is powerless against systemic cruelty.
However, all artists (as this was a star-studded one) were great! But Shen Yue is a standout. She’s never monotonous, each role she takes on feels distinct, and in this one, she absolutely nailed it. Her Qinlan character provides the drama’s emotional core, a breather amid the heaviness, offering moments of calm and grace. I wish she has more screen time.
Overall, the series doesn’t challenge the tragic status quo—it simply reinforces it, leaving me more numb than moved.
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Elements of an epic drama but individual Arcs fail to weave together for greater impact
Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75“Love in Pavilion” has all the elements of an epic fantasy xianxia that can move me to tears, especially when it has such a strong focus on romance. I LOVE romance. But as I am approaching the last quarter of the drama, I realized why it didn’t hit me with all the feelings as much as “Moonlight Mystique” (MM). I finished MM not too long ago and even though the plot is different, there are some similarities. I love MM and felt its strength is the weakness of “Love in Pavilion” (LIP).
MM is able to weave each individual supporting character’s arc beautifully and harmoniously into the overarching plot. The most important part is that MM introduces all characters in the earlier episodes and allows viewers to start caring for them individually early on. When such an affection is established, what happens to them later on affects me deeply, because I already fell in love with each and everyone of them.
Unfortunately, I have not developed such an affection for the supporting cast in LIP. Although the actors did a fine job acting wise, and their stories are heartwarming and heartwrenching, it did not arouse the same emotions compared to MM. After one arc is over, I just move on to the second one, and so on. It’s not until the last few episodes during the final battle do I really feel for the characters. At that point, I already knew the ending and though sad, it didn’t gut punch me as hard.
However, I can’t deny loving the guest roles and the small supporting roles of some big stars. They often are scene stealers and overshadow the main cast. Ding Yu Xi is especially outstanding as Zhang Zheng. His eyes really shine the brightest with the different emotions. I would have liked to see him introduced sooner and start building his sideplot and not wait till the second half. I also enjoy Charles Lin’s portrayal of the Demon Jiu Huo. He was deliciously charismatic compared to Zhang Yun Long as the main lead. The rest of the supporting cast did well individually, but it lacked chemistry as a group/duo/trio.
To be fair, Zhang Yun Long actually did a pretty good job. I think it’s the writing of his character that is the problem and it makes him pale in comparison to the aforementioned actors/characters. I miss seeing Wangquan Hong Ye when he was powerful, manipulative and a little cunning in the first few episodes. But once he falls in love and the drama focuses so much on his romance, he becomes an adorable loverboy. I also find Zhang Yun Long and Liu Shi Shi’s chemistry to be only decent. Liu Shi Shi always gives me the impression of a graceful, mild-mannered but standoff-ish beauty. Their love is too mature and too calm as a river for the most part. I am missing some underlying sizzle or angst (except the few scenes when FL was being a seductress). Oh, their kisses are disappointing. In fact, almost all the kisses are disappointing except for one of Ding Yu Xi’s.
I watched quite a number of xianxia in the last couple months, and unfortunately, this one is one that I didn’t enjoy as much, and I really wanted to. I don’t deny the fact that I might be having a xianxia hangover/fatigue. Therefore, I can’t really say whether I can recommend or not recommend this drama. I didn’t watch the prequel (Red-Moon Pact) and that didn’t affect my understanding of the “Love in Pavilion”. But I do plan to watch the sequel (Sword and Beloved) to follow the next generation’s story, well, unless the reviews are as bad as Red-Moon Pact.
Other Random Observations:
I am disappointed that everyone is dubbed in this drama.
But, I do think Zhang Yun Long’s real voice might not match the voice of Wangquan Hong Ye. The voice actor sounds better.
CGI is bad in the beginning but seems to have improved in the second half. There’s a lot of CGI fighting (as in other xianxia dramas).
Not enough happy moments to balance out the sad moments.
I like the costumes and accessories, especially the guest roles.
ML’s mask is too hilarious. I can’t blame Liu Shi Shi for not being able to keep a straight face.
Completed: 5/17/2025 - Review #577
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