Really interesting premise
The premise of an Engineering Goddess and a nihilistic saviour was so fun! Their conversations of their differing philosophy was some of the most interesting dialogues in recent costume cdrama history + there’s so many funny scenes. But sadly, this show does fall into the category of cdramas crashes, I’m so disappointed on how boring it got towards the end. The goddess like forgets her best skill, using science and inventions to solve problems, and it falls back to the stereotypical magical hijinks. The 2nd cp were a cool concept but they just dragged it soooo long I had to skip majority of their scenes. The side weapon characters were really fun, wish we had time with the lone female weapon and it’s sad they were forgotten for most of the final climax arc :/I’ll definitely recommend to watch for a very fresh take of this genre but don’t expect it to end well.
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Older cast for older folks
Watched this for the male lead but was rather disappointed by the overall show. Love scenes were particularly cringe, especially when female lead has to portray the innocent and sweet scenes.Show feels like a budget production. Props were clearly fake and plastic. Hairdos were dated, male lead’s hair when down was so weird. The fox clan’s hairdo even more ridiculous. It was hard to watch.
Thankfully OST was great, closing song by ZLY stuck for quite a while.
Despite all the above, the overall plot was enjoyable especially with the sub-plots to revive the various spirits… I also found some nuggets of wisdom from the show.
1. Power ignites fear. People feel threatened when absolute power resides with an individual. Unity from fear is never long lasting.
2. Betrayal hurts the most when it’s from the very people we are trying to protect.
3. The world is created with its own checks and balances. Don’t tilt the balance.
I also liked the older cast of this show, more realistic for mature audiences but.. as said earlier the love scenes didn’t quite fit. I didn’t think the chemistry was great between the couples of the show too.
Male lead acting as usual was great, especially the scene when he was talking to himself about the 5 sins. Impressive.
Show is still worth watching, especially if fan of LXY.
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Superb Xianxia with Tiffany Tang and Liu Xue Yi, perfect!
PLOT: The FL, goddess of craftsmanship and inventor of the supreme weapon (the left hand), refuses to kill the ML, a high priest of a sect, to recover the Left Hand he carries. She therefore negotiates to descend among mortals to prevent him from becoming a demon and recover the Hand at the end of his mortal life. But the ML is exploited and threatened by multiple enemies (especially a "vengeful" goddess) who plots to reclaim the Hand as quickly as possible.+++ Really great actors, all of them: main leads (awesome), gods, demons, humans, kids, etc. The characters are endearing and well-developed.
+++ Coherent, well-written story, on the theme "no one is a saint, everyone has the right to hold grudges/grievances."
+++ Lively direction, without dragging, with excellent OSTs, sets, costumes, CGI, fight scenes, etc.
=> It's flawless, addictive, gripping... definitely worth watching again to savor the magnificent performances of Tiffany Tang and Liu Xue Yi.
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Superbe Xianxia avec Tiffany Tang et Liu Xue Yi, parfait !
PLOT: La FL, déesse de l'artisanat et inventrice de l'arme suprême (main gauche) refuse de tuer le ML, gd prêtre d'1 secte , pr récupérer la Main Gauche qu'il porte. Elle négocie donc de descendre chez les mortels pr l'empêcher de devenir 1 démon et récupérer la Main à la fin de sa vie mortelle. Mais le ML est exploité, menacé par de multiples ennemis (en particulier une déesse "vengeresse" qui complote pr récupérer la Main au plus vite.
+++ Really great actors, all of them : main leads (awesome), gods, demons, humans, kid, etc. Les personnages sont attachants, bien développés.
+++ Story cohérente, bien écrite, sur le thème "personne n'est un saint, tt le monde à le droit d'avoir des rancunes / griefs"
+++ Réalis° vive, sans longueur, avec excellentes OSTs, décors, costumes, CGI, scenes de fight, etc.
=> c'est un "sans faute", addictif, haletant, ... à revoir certainement pr savourer la magnifique performance de Tiffany Tang et Liu Xue Yi.
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This review may contain spoilers
Secretive Starts, Satisfying Hearts
"A Moment but Forever" strolls onto the xianxia scene with a breath of fresh air, immediately whispering secrets and hinting at intriguing characters. Our main duo, the oh-so-mature Yuan Zhong (played with a knowing glint by Liu Xue Yi) and the seemingly sweet but secretly sharp Ji Tanyin (the ever-charming Tang Yan), totally draw you in. Yuan Zhong? Think cunning with a dash of adorable simplicity. Ji Tanyin? An empathetic powerhouse with a beautiful brain who can definitely hold her own in a magical showdown. These two aren't about dramatic, over-the-top declarations; instead, Liu Xue Yi and Tang Yan nail the subtle glances and quiet understandings, proving those years of acting chops are pure gold. The drama smartly lets their trust and feelings for each other simmer and grow, exploring cool ideas about finding yourself, living your best life, and maybe even falling in love – a grown-up vibe that even the side characters seem to get in on.Okay, so maybe the first few episodes look like they borrowed the CGI budget from a slightly older game, and the visuals are just... there. BUT! Stick with it, folks, because you're about to tumble into a seriously cool world. Imagine the human realm got a super stylish steampunk makeover thanks to our engineer goddess Wushuang (surprise! It's Ji Tanyin!). Think ancient robes hanging next to awesome gadgets – magic and tech holding hands and causing all sorts of plot twists.
The real heart-eyes emoji of this drama? Definitely Yuan Zhong and Ji Tanyin. Yuan Zhong starts off all broody and skeptical (past trauma, you know?), but Ji Tanyin slowly melts his icy exterior with her maturity, logic, and unwavering sense of what's right. Their relationship is less about passionate stares and more about deep chats and helping each other grow. She teaches him to embrace the world; he keeps her grounded. It's a love built on "I've got your back, always," which is pretty darn sweet. Liu Xue Yi and Tiffany Tang absolutely kill it, giving their characters so much depth.
We also get a fun bunch of sidekicks who add a lot to the adventure. Special shoutout to the complicated war demon Qian Lin, who was super interesting at the beginning! And the soundtrack? Chef's kiss! The music perfectly sets the mood.
Now, not everything is pure magic dust. Some of the supporting characters who seemed promising kind of... wander off and don't do much. The second couple's potential also feels a bit wasted, which is a bummer. And Qian Lin's story kind of plateaus, while the villain's plotline feels a little bumpy.
But overall? "A Moment but Forever" is totally worth your time for its super creative world, those brainy philosophical moments, and especially for the wonderfully mature and believable romance between the leads, brought to life by the amazing Liu Xue Yi and Tiffany Tang. It's like a chill "slice-of-life" xianxia at first with some fun mysteries and giggles, but it sneaks in some serious emotional punches and makes the characters face some real stuff. The result? A love story that's all about sticking together and truly understanding each other.
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Letting go of one's obsessions
Really enjoyable story with great acting by main leads. I can say that I am totally hooked, just finished watching the drama for the third time. To be honest I was expecting a bit more action at the start, but at the end it all felt very balanced since the story was quite clearly focusing on inner growth of the characters. Which was also really well executed in terms of the flow of the discussions and quality of acting.The story of the second couple is argued to take too much space, but it also carries an important message of missing out on the beautiful experiences and opportunities of the world when one is overly fixated on or obsessed with one thought. All characters of this story carry some obsession, some are able to overcome it, some not.
Key takeaways:
Everyone deserves a due process
It is easier to forgive those who have wronged us than those who have been wronged by us
Letting go is not the same as forgiving or accepting
Divine artefact is actually just a regular women's purse
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Missing on something......
The actors did a good job, but i also think that for this genre they are not suitable anymore (the main leads i mean). Even if the female lead made a name through this genre, i think it is time they both change the direction of their career, taking on more mature roles..I don't know but the romantic story was missing on something...
And then again i have some problems with the script, so many questions and like always why are side characters used like fillers? I would have loved to know more about the five spiritual weapons and the maid (Xue )...
I wouldn't say it was a bad drama but it is wasn't that good either (also the ending could have been better).
In fact i will not rewatch it.
8/10 for me
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Don’t judge a show by its trailers
When the trailer for this show was first released, I wasn't particularly intrigued. My reasons were threefold: (1) Xianxia isn't my preferred genre unless it's heavy on comedy; (2) there weren't any favorite actors of mine in the cast; and (3) the general early perception of the show wasn't very positive.However, my interest was piqued when critic AvenueX gave it a "3-star gold mine" review on her personal scale, noting that the show was deeper and funnier than it appeared.
So, here I am.
I've found myself genuinely appreciating the show's thematic depth. What I like most is its exploration of how the perception of truth and righteousness depends entirely on one's perspective. The narrative convincingly shows that two seemingly opposing viewpoints can be true simultaneously. I deeply respect how the female lead, Ji Tanyin (Goddess Wu Shuang), holds firmly to her own stance while still respecting others' viewpoints. She is kind but not an annoying Mary Sue. Her thought process is linear, naive, and simple, yet it is also logical, well-intentioned, and refreshingly…simple.
On the other side of the coin is Yuan Zhong, the High Priest. He is guarded, deep, and complex—a man with many layers who doesn't let people get close, shaped by his difficult past. By all rights, he should be revered as a hero for saving his clan, but he is equally feared for the immense power he wields.
If Tanyin’s simplicity has its dual interpretation, Yuan Zhong is the story's embodiment of duality itself.
Of course, compelling main characters are only one part of a good story. I was delighted to find that the supporting characters have their own solid, self-contained arcs; they don't exist merely to push the main plot forward.
Mei Shan is a favorite of mine—who doesn't love a happy-go-lucky character with a wise core? Having him around is a delight, noisy as he is. I admire his philosophy of life: enjoying himself as lightly as possible, while being serious enough to gain the mastery and enlightenment needed to survive thousands of tribulation trials over decades. But it's not only Mei Shan's story that intrigues me. There's Tanyin’s master, Xie You, and his thousand-year obsessive search for answers, driven by his love for his craft. There's the star-crossed lovers' tale of Pei Jiu (Lu Chen) and Yunniang, which is both heartwarming and pitiable. And there's Qian Lin’s poignant story about his search for family.
I also love stories that incorporate flickers of humor and clever double entendres. As AvenueX noted, this is probably one of the most logically sound xianxia stories we can get, with its infusion of scientific theories into spiritual crafts, making the fantasy feel strangely familiar.
That said, a story that is overly philosophical can become taxing, especially when the ending falls into a pattern typical of the genre. Some meaningful discussions ran a tad too long, the humor seemed to miss the mark a little, and the star-crossed lover tropes that felt overused.
Furthermore, a story is only as strong as its villain, and this one was visible from a mile away. While the antagonist served as a good thematic foil with a decent origin story, I found the final confrontation and resolution a little lackluster. The show also has some general production issues that might deter audiences, such as questionable costume choices, a drab color grading, and passable—but not exceptional—cinematography.
All in all, if philosophy and xianxia are your thing, this show is worth checking out. Philosophically, it raises questions worth thinking about. As a xianxia, it introduces fresh elements that make it a fun watch. It is, truly, deeper than it looks.
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“ It depends on how you define it. What you feel pity about, may not be what the person defines as pity.”
“Don’t try to figure out others using your own morality.”
“From different perspectives, the perception of good varies.”
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This review may contain spoilers
Had some highs and lows
This was a better than average show. Had some good and bad points that made me settle on a 7.5 score. This was one of my more anticipated dramas. I’ve seen a lot of people say that it isn’t a typical Xianxia but I found it to be pretty typical as it hits all the same major plot points of any other Xianxia. I was a little disappointed as this had potential to be better but fell short in the storytelling.The Good
Liu Xueyi carried this drama with his multifaceted character arcs. His acting was top notch, some of his best work. He was able to pull off so many different range of emotions, especially for the different stages of his journey and the different roles he played. His long monologues were pretty impressive as well. I definitely liked the focus of the story being about sins and how it can affect humans and gods. It was pretty creative to see the evolution of Yuanzhong as it related to the five sins. There were also some interesting characters such as the weapon spirits. Very interesting set of individuals that I would have loved to see more of when they were all together. One last thing I really enjoyed was the background music with the clock ticking, it really gave the scenes a sense of urgency and mystery. Those moments actually made me pay attention more.
The Bad
There were lots of plot holes. The biggest one being Ji Tanyin’s soul oath. She made 3 oaths but it seemed to only trigger when it came to her identity. Also, the fact that the gods in discipline hall knew about what was happening in the mortal realm and who were good and bad but didn’t know what was going on in the heavens. Seemed like there were only 8 or 9 gods and one attendant, no other people there!? This made the divine realm seem very empty. Last major plot hole was during the activation of the five sins world ender, seems the destruction caused by Yuanzhong just got swept under the rug and he was still deemed a good person. It’s not like he didn’t have comets falling and destroying a city with people in it. Doesn’t matter that he didn’t complete it. Her soul oath should have activated and it should have activated when she fell in love with him but didn’t. The other downsides to this show were the story pacing. There were too many episodes and a ton of filler scenes. There were lots of times where the story was progressing and then it would just slow all the way down. Ji Tanyin’s character could have been elevated for me. Would have liked to see more conflict with her choice to save him or kill him to take the hand or to even struggle with understanding more of his nature. It was surface level, typically she just believed and followed his every word and shutdown anyone who had differing opinions about him. That leads into another major problem I had which was Ji Tanyin’s character consistency. Sometimes it seemed a little off. She was immediately cruel and harsh to Fu Yiu Jun’s character for no reason but nice to Qian Lin’s character even after knowing his initial intent. Made no sense to her character since she was supposedly kind to all. They made a point to mention that several times throughout the show so I thought that was written a little odd. Also some inconsistencies in Tang Yan’s acting. Sometimes I couldn’t tell what emotions she was feeling because she had no distinguishable affect. A good portion of the show, she didn’t emote well. Next, the second couple could have been cut out completely. Their love story added no real value to the overall story and they were very uninteresting. The love story with our main couple was a little bland for me as well so some of their scenes dragged when nothing much was happening. The final thing I will point out was the costumes, makeup, and sets weren’t great.
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Great Cast, Engaging Story
Acting and Performances:The acting was excellent. The male lead showed great range and depth, really bringing the character to life. The female lead and the supporting cast also did a great job and made the story feel real and engaging.
About the Ending:
The ending was disappointing. It felt like the story could not decide between being sad or hopeful, and in the end, it offered no real closure. I do not understand why so many shows go for this kind of half-sad, half-open conclusion. Life is already full of difficult situations, why not give the audience a moment of clear happiness, especially when we turn to stories for comfort or enjoyment?
To the writers and director: while this kind of ending may aim to be artistic or thought-provoking, it risks leaving viewers unsatisfied. Offering emotional resolution is not a cliché, it is often what gives a story lasting impact. I am not sure if you have noticed, but this type of ending often affects ratings negatively. Which is a pity, because the rest of the crew did a great job.
Still, despite the “meh” ending (not completely sad, but definitely not happy), I do recommend watching it.
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Not your typical Xianxia romance dramas
Not much action in the first few episodes and I was hoping there would be since it was a fight between the D3mon clan and them. I dropped it at episode 19 and after 2 weeks lol I picked it up back. I still think there was something missing and I couldn’t put a pin on it. Slowly things just started getting drag after they all left the mountain and then things picked up back a little and we got more actions. No doubt that the leads had chemistry and I feel like we didn’t get much of their love journey. I also hopes that the ending would have been better but I understand the concept.For me, it was a great drama but I have watched better Xianxia romance dramas.
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Great story and acting but boring script, boring editing, boring directing, boring music
It's a fantastic story and the actors did very well. BUT it's just got TOO many filler episodes full of boring dragging scripts that's totally irrelevant and boring . Every 4th episodes or so,at the beginning of a new "phase"of the story with new characters,they would waste 1-3 super boring filler episodes before getting 1 good episodeIt would be fantastic if it's only 24episodes . The "filler"boring time seems to be written by an assistant script writter who's amateur and dead boring, not even funny nor exciting, totally unnecessary
The music is ok but annoyingly taken over the subtitles such that you can't hear nor read the conversation!! Are we selling songs or are we here to watch a drama? It's super irritating
Other than that, it's good but what a waste of a great story to be presented in such a boring way
I would recommend that you watch the exciting bit and just edit out or fast forward the boring parts. I can usually tolerate a few slow episodes but boy,these ones are boring as hell, it's almost painful,. Chinese drama writers and producers need to understand that it's a total TURN OFF
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This review may contain spoilers
Worth watching
The plot is new like divine hand, god of craftman god of embroidery, i enjoyed this concept some episodes seems boring lot of talks and demon waiting for 36 episode to get killed in a minute LOL.I personally feel liu hairstyle and makeup are not worth for him he was very good in kill me love me I feel his makeup is bad. And finally some supportive FL character for xianxia . Bai shu is my favourite one from love of redemption he is so funny and looking good.watch when u bored.
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