Completed
Johnnirg
17 people found this review helpful
Oct 6, 2024
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.5

Excellent, phenomenal and intense drama!!

To start off with,this drama has a solid plot.The screen play is very intense,grippy and there is not even a bit of nonsense till the end.
The pace is very good and the cat-mouse games between the 3 leads is really interesting.
Ren Jialun as Wei Zhao,is excellent in portraying his role.Being a smart,cunning,complex man with many mysteries,yet has many emotions.He is phenomenal in his acting.
Li Landi as Jiang Ci,is a smart,naive,decisive yet kind girl from Jiang village who comes to capital and gets herself involved in the midst of ongoing political tensions.She is very good in her acting.
Jeremy Tsui,as Pei Yan,is smart,intelligent,cunning,stubborn and yet becomes a reliable friend who stands for Wei Zhao in difficult times.His acting was excellent.
All the characters have their own goals,personalities,and are very complex and are written perfectly.
The sets, costumes,production,locations,screenplay,plot,twists and turns,everything is good.
The last episodes were too good.Thefriendship of 3 of them was very nice.I liked the way they supported each other in difficult times keeping aside their grievances.The emotions were beautifully portrayed.The characters development is Excellent.The war and action scenes were excellent.
Overall,I would like to describe this drama in one word-excellent and phenomenal!!

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
esther186
12 people found this review helpful
Oct 10, 2024
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.5
Story 9.5
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

And ending that will leave you in tears

WHAT AN ENDING!! HONESTLY I JUST CRIED. If that did not move you then you really have no feelings.

SPOILER ALERT:
ML realize that he will never get justice for his family and he decided to do the only thing he could which was to kill the emperor. The emperor truly deserved to die for what he did. Like how can you sacrifice a whole village just for your own personal gain?

That being said, I would love to watch a historical drama with ML where he does not die... (ML also starred in one and only drama, where he died).

Overall great show. Not sure if I want to rewatch it cuz the ending is so sad but just great. And if you can honestly say that this was not a good show then you don't know what a good show is.

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
strongbadassleads
12 people found this review helpful
Oct 9, 2024
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.5
This review may contain spoilers

The drama is over but its a beautiful memory which will live on!

i dont prefer romance based dramas/movies much as they have similar storyline with HE/BE, but still i watched this one fr its story & ofcourse RJL, Jeremy.
Story:
PY was given the responsibility of making his clan famous, thrive etc by his mother which he complied obediently, until he met JC, he became obsessive (lover kind of) regardless he still kept his clan/mother his priority before JC. His attitude towards JC became better after her master passed away/couldnt save his mother. He got a huge blow whn AC was killed, which led him to fight for his country/injustice/fr bigger cause/ fr people.

Cui Liang had less scenes but they were crucial fr the story. Personally he couldn't fight fr his love due to various reasons.

JC, a free spirited girl gets caught up in btwn. Later as story progresses realises both ML's were using her fr their own selfish desires. Although she's clouded by what she hears vs sees, towards the last quarter realises where her heart truly belongs.

WZ's life was not his to begin with, he dedicated it for the people of yueluo city. Out of all characters his was the most heartbreaking one. Frm him hating her fr spoiling his plans to caring fr her/console, be with her in her difficult times even if his life was at stake/decorating their house & many moreeee was portrayed remarkably.

Acting :
Kudos to all actors, actresses fr playing their characters marvelously.
RJL you chose your character excellently, the one that vil stay in OUR HEARTS FOREVER
((its sad end fr his character BUT do we remember all happy endings of dramas/movies???? ......... this one fr sure we will))

Overall:
Gradual progression of strangers - hating - loving each other, shown beautifully although at start i was skeptical abt the theme of this drama however it kept me hooked till the end.

No matter how much i write it doesnt give full justice to this gem.

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
MPL88
12 people found this review helpful
Oct 5, 2024
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 8.0
Rewatch Value 8.0
This review may contain spoilers

The Irony of Nirvana is the main theme in this tale of conspiracies chaos and corruption

A curious and carefree Ci ventures out from the safety of her village in the mountains to explore the world below only to literally land in the middle of a political firestorm.

Ci’s journey led her to the political home of Pei, where she learned medicine , became an enemy, friend then lover of Wei. She traveled to surrounding villages to bring healing and kindness to the people, and justice for women, landed in the royal palace as a princess, and encountered a couple of wars along the way. Her adventures were nothing short of exciting .

The conspiracies and corruption could at times be convoluted but it was interesting to watch the characters investigate and try and unravel the mess. The show missed an opportunity with the Shadow Sect. Their secrecy and strategy made for an intriguing part of the story but was dropped halfway through the series due to the plot turning more towards war and political wrangling in the palace.

Though Pei started off toxic and controlling towards Ci he evolved nicely into a man who recognized the error of his ways and in turn became a fierce ally of Wei and Yueluo. But like other plots within the series, his political endgame of wanting to raise his status in the court was essentially dropped.

The leads, Wei and Ci, had chemistry and a lot of potential but unfortunately that potential wasn’t fully realized. They had some sweet moments but didn’t become a couple until the last few episodes and even then they barely shared any scenes due to the war. I think they kissed once, finally, in the second to last episode and that was only because they had sex. SMH. There were some missed opportunities for them to be physically closer ie hand holding, kisses, hugs, which would’ve given their romantic bond more credence.

The last few episodes got bogged down with too many war strategy meetings and battle scenes. Sadly, the ending was disappointing but not surprising. My heart broke for Ci. She lost everyone she loved most, which was painful to watch. And though I was not a fan of Pei, I felt so bad for him. For in the end he lost everyone he cared about either due to death or by their choice to leave him. Granted much of that was his own fault but it didn’t make him less sympathetic due to the losses. This was a good series. The acting was good and overall the plot was strong. However, if you’re looking for a romance drama you won’t find it here. It’s mostly a political conspiracy and war drama.

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
Kylie
14 people found this review helpful
Oct 7, 2024
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 10
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 8.5

A Riveting Drama with Stellar Performances

Story: This drama is a well-crafted narrative filled with intricate mind games between the female lead and the two male leaders, each manipulating and using one another from the very first episode. As the story unfolds, the plot thickens, and the characters' schemes - or at times, their support for one another becomes even more intriguing. The romantic dynamics are also interesting, with a clear contrast in how the two male leads interact with the female lead, adding depth to the story.

The supporting characters also added colors to the drama. This is one of the dramas where I don't really think some of the characters were redundant, as they all put in their own weight for this drama.

Acting: I was drawn to this drama because of Ren Jia Lun, who plays Wei Zhao. Having seen his previous works, including the Blue Whisper (Parts 1 and 2) and the Burning Flames, I knew he was an exceptional actor. This was my first time watching Landy Li (Jiang Ci) and Jeremy Tsui, and I found their performance impressive as well. Special recognition goes to Jeremy Tsui for his portrayal of Pei Yan.

OST: The soundtracks were fantastic. Part of the lineup include my favorite OST singer Liu Yuning. Additionally, Curly Gao were also part of the line up.

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
virgievirgie
9 people found this review helpful
Oct 20, 2024
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 3
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.0

Smart characters scheming and fighting, while two different kinds of love blossom on the sidelines.

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25

Surprisingly, “Love of Nirvana” is not as romance-focused as I thought. Don’t get me wrong, there’s a love triangle that lasts for a long time, and romance is definitely present. However, it does not feel like I am watching a romance drama for 40 episodes. Instead, this drama has a strong focus on politics, fight for power, maintain power, revenge and the reveal of truths.

I am having a hard time writing down a proper review, so I am going to dump my random thoughts here:

1. It’s lovely to see smart characters in a drama. Not only are the three leads intelligent but they try to outsmart each other every step of the time.
2. I love watching them try to scheme and one up each other. They never lost their intelligence throughout the drama.
3. One love interest tries to obsessively protect and keep FL safe by his side.
4. The other love interest believes in, supports and protects behind-the-scenes, and lets her be who she wants to be.
5. It’s also lovely to see true platonic friends. No spoiled princesses or annoying jealous suitors.
6. The pacing is decent. There are a couple episodes that I was losing attention (or probably because I was tired). But for the most part, there’s enough going on to keep me invested in 40 episodes.
7. The emperor and the ‘villain’ had few but powerful scenes. Props to veteran actors!
8. Acting is pretty good overall. Landy Li is such a talented young actress. Playing against Jeremy Tsui and Allen Ren, I think she wins!
9. Unfortunately, the voices are dubbed. I can’t hear Jeremy’s sexy deep voice, or Allen’s sexy raspy voice. But it seems like Landy Li dubbed the drama herself.
10. The drama does not seem to be a high budget production. For the most part, this is not a problem and didn’t quite affect my viewing pleasure, except for the war battles towards the end of the drama.
11. Pei Yan’s obsession with Jiang Ci lasted for quite some time. But when he’s out of it, after much pain and suffering, it was great watching the trio together.
12. I was worried about the transition from hate to love for Wei Zhao and Jiang Ci, given how much Wei Zhao tried to harm her. But I feel that the transition and romance develops naturally and realistically.
13. Both Wei Zhao and Pei Yan are standup individuals and are very similar. They have burdens and tremendous responsibilities on their shoulders. They respect each other as competitors and as friends. I actually wanted to see more of their friendship and brotherhood when they are on the same side.
14. I enjoy the understated and quiet romance between Jiang Ci and Wei Zhou. There are no sweet talking or fluffy cute scenes. But the time they spent together felt so intimate and romantic. I enjoy their playful banters and witty remarks and also quiet moments of caring and concerns.
15. The revelation of what actually happened 20 years ago is quite a surprise.
16. And the ending...... I wish it was different but I am not upset.



Completed: 10/19/2024 - Review #499

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Ongoing 40/40
Rin124
13 people found this review helpful
Oct 12, 2024
40 of 40 episodes seen
Ongoing 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 9.0

Love of Nirvana, best my drama

First I would like to thank the cast and production team for producing such a beautiful and touching drama.

Yes, at first I didn't even intend to watch this drama because of the male lead. But I ended up getting sucked into it. This drama is very beautiful with a well-organized plot. As for the main character, The development of feelings and character is very strong, very interesting to explore the story of his life.
For the female character I like that she was initially a free and cheerful person but along with the story she also developed and the characterization of li landy. Come on we don't need to doubt.I really like this drama, for now I might stick to Chinese dramas, because I think their stories are amazing. Oh yeah, the soundtrack of this drama, I love it.

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
AymiReactx
13 people found this review helpful
Oct 17, 2024
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10

One of the Besttttttt

Highly recommend best enemies to lovers ❤️
.
.
Wei Zhao is a cold hearted and ruthless man who just want to take his revenge from his childhood his only mission is that to clear his family name and save his city . And in that mission he forgets the feelings of love because no one is there to treat his wound to care about him until he meet Jiangci .
Jiang ci is a Brightest light in his life which makes him to feel love , after meeting her he wants to live a normal life with her .
She's the one and only girl in his life that he loves from his heart " HIS ONLY WIFE ❤️"
He changed himself for her ❤️
Awesome story , the roller coaster ride is amazing I just love this couple my top fav ❤️ the way his hate turn into love is adorable..

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
iLuvWangYiBoXiaoZhan
13 people found this review helpful
Sep 25, 2024
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 1
Overall 9.0
Story 9.0
Acting/Cast 9.0
Music 9.0
Rewatch Value 9.0
This review may contain spoilers

JiaLun As A Masked Man, NICE!! Handsome, & Gorgeous!! But Pissed Off, Because His Voice Is Not HIS!!

Happen To Come Accross The 1st Episode When I Turned On My T.V. And Checked If All The Episodes Were Available, Only 20 Were... I Was Excited To See JiaLun As A Masked Man... Very Handsome, And Mysterious, But When He Talked It Wasn't His Own Voice!!! Very Pissed, And Angry That It Isn't His Voice!!! I LOVE HIS VOICE!!! I HATE IT WHEN THEY DON'T USE THE REAL ACTORS VOICE!!! Anyways I Started Watching This On September 25, 2024 And Finnish The 1st Episode At 9:38 A.M. Probably Will Finnish All 20 Episode Today... 😂🤣😂 Yes, I Bing Watch!!!

So My Thing Only Went Up To Episode #10, Finnish All 10 Episode By 7:00 P.M. Now I Have To Wait Like Everyone Else For The Rest Of The Episode... 😭☹😭
So Far My ONLY BEEF IS JIALUN VOICE IS NOT HIS, BUT SOMETIMES IT IS... CONFUSING!!! Another Thing Is JiaLun's Character Being So Mean, And Cruel To The Female Leads Character.
In Episode 10, He Gets To Be A Little Softer, Because He Loses Alot Of People He Cares About. He Is Obviously Growing Feelings For Her Too...
I Have To Say So Far I Am Really Liking This Drama... I Like The Story Line, And Everything About This Drama. What Crazy, And Intresting At The Same Time 2 Different Men Work For The King, Both Plotting Against Each Other, But Helping Each Other At The Same Time...
At The Same Time This Poor Girl Kind Of Gets Dragged Into The 2 Male Leads Drama, And All She Was Trying To Do Was See A Certain Person, And Just Enjoy Some Wine... JiaLun's Character Already Tried KILLING HER 3 TIMES. JiaLun, And The Male Lead At 1st, And Probably Still Are Using Her To There Advantage.
ONE THING I TURELY LOVE IS THAT JIALUN'S CHARACTER WEARS A FACE MASK THAT COVERS HIS NOSE, AND MOUTH... I Ain't Going To Lie... It Makes Him Look So Handsome, Gorgeous And Mysterious All At The Same Time. (Ever Since I Saw Him In The Blue Whisper, 3rd Chinese Drama I Ever Watched. I Have Always Thought He Was So Handsome, And Gorgeous.)
Will Write More When Other Episodes Come Out. 7:37 P.M.
January 3, 2025 @ 4:38 A.M. I Could Not Find A Way To Get Back To This Review To Update It Until Today. 😂🤣😂
Even Though Jiang Ci Was All About Her Teacher, And Wanting To Leave JiaLun's Character To Go Meet With Her Teacher, She Always Seem To Make Her Way Back To Him Some Way Or Another, Because Of Him, Or Her Teacher. DESTINED TO BE TOGETHER, In A Way I Guess. It Was Fate, He Tried To Kill Her 3 Time, And She Started Falling For Him... 😂🤣😂 HaHaHa, That So Funny, And Depressing All At The Same Time.
I Will Say This Though All The Hard Ship, And Pain Jiang Ci, And JiaLun's Character Wei Zhou Had, They Should Have Been Able To Be Together... JiaLuns Character Even Though Mean, And Kind Of Evil To Jiang Ci In The Beginning Did Show, And Prove His Love For Her At The Very End. Jiang Ci Also Showed Her Love For Him, And Supported Him Though All The Dangers To Her Abilities.
As JiaLun Starts Revealing He Is Xiao WuXia, His Old Town Called YueLuo That His Father Was A Leader Of Turns On Him, Because His Family Was Framed For Murdering A Qi Prince, Which Turns Out To Be Jiang Ci's Father. While His Father, And Mother Were Murdered Too... Mean While A General That Wants To Take Things Into His Own Hands Wants To Kill All Of The People Of YueLuo. This General Wanted The Towns People To Open Door To The City, Or He Would Kill There Children That He Had As Hostages, But The Young Leader Of The Town Would Not Dare Say Anything, So JiaLun's Character Had To Threaten His Life In Order To The Gates Closed. The General Had One By One Killed, Some Even Committing Suicide, And Telling There Parents They Weren't Scared, And For YueLuo They Were Willing To Die. EVIL GENERAL, EVEN THOUGH THE WERE ALL DEAD, HE HAD HIS ARM SHOT ARROW'S INTO THE DEAD BODYS.
In The Night All By Himself Risking His Life As Xiao WuXia He Went, And Got All Of The Dead Bodies All By Himself, Because All The Towns People Wanted Them Back.
Again They Blamed JiaLun's Character, And He Said He Was Sorry, And That He Wasn't A Good Leader, But If He Allowed Them To Open The Doors More People Would Have Died. They Threw Rocks At Him.
Eventually The Towns People Did Start To Like Him, I Guess A Little Bit, Because When The Now Wei Zhao Was Being Attacked, And Almost On The Brink Of Being Killed Jiang Ci Went To The Town Of YeoLuo To Ask Them For Help To Save Him, They Didn't Hesitate To Go, And Save Him.
There Is Way To Much To Write, I Literally Could Write A Book... But The Thing That Makes Me The Most Angry, And The Most Upset, Even More Then JiaLun's Voice Could, And Might Not Be His Own... I Get Wanting To Protect Jiang Ci From The King. (By The Way, The King Is WAY TO Evil Too... He Convinced Or Forced The Qi Prince To Kill Himself, Then Framed Xiao WuXia's Family For It. Jiang Ci Is His Daughter, And We Only Find This Out, Because, The General Some How Brakes The Little Clay Cat She Has With Her. The Qi Prince Wrote A Letter To Her, And Stuck It In The Clay Cat.)
Anyways I Get Wanting To Protect Jiang Ci, And Keep Her Safe, Even After The Marriage Ceremony He Did While She Was Sleeping, And It Representing He Is Now Her Husband, But Come On They Went Though So Much Together. Him Dying, Because Of A Building Colapsing On Him, Just Doesn't Work For Me. The King Tried To Have Wei Zhao Killed By Blowing Up A Shrine To Pray To Family, But Instead Wei Zhou Knew, And Kept The King There, And The King Died, But Wei Zhao Was Stuck In The Collapsed Building While Jiang Ci Was Trying To Dig Him Out Which Was Of No Use.
Before It Collapsed Wei Zhao Had Told Jiang Ci He Had Done Something At The House For Her, And He Left Something There For Her. The White Jade Hair Pin.
She Leaves The Town, And Everyone Behind, Only To Come Back 5 Years Later With A Little Boy To There House And The 1st Thing You See Are The Plants, And Flowers Are All Alive, And Well, And Thriving.Then You See JiaLun's Character In His White Outfit Kind Of Smiling And That Is The End. Not Sure If Wei Zhao Was Really There Or Not. 😭😭😭 Which Makes Me Really Sad For Jiang Ci, And Her 5 Years Old Son, Because He Never Got To See How Tallented, And Wonderfully Good His Father Was A Fighter. His Father Could Fight Off 100-200 People, But Couldn't Fight Off A Collapsing Building. It Is Actually Really Sad If Ask Me. Xiao WuXia His Son. Either.
Finnish This Review On January 3, 2025 At 6:48 A.M.

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
Skye
15 people found this review helpful
Oct 3, 2024
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 0
Overall 10
Story 10
Acting/Cast 10
Music 10
Rewatch Value 10
This review may contain spoilers

I really hate the Emperor, very ungrateful!!!

I got tears when it ends. It ends tragically but beautiful. Kudos to the writers , director, actors and everyone behind this drama. This drama is created and executed beautifully.
I'm still overwhelmed on how RJ's character ends. He sacrifice everything, he is so selfless. But still, he is not safe from that scheming emperor.
Was this review helpful to you?
Completed
PeachBlossomGoddess
21 people found this review helpful
Oct 13, 2024
40 of 40 episodes seen
Completed 30
Overall 8.5
Story 8.5
Acting/Cast 8.5
Music 8.5
Rewatch Value 8.0

Sweet with a bitter aftertaste.

Love of Nirvana or The Flowing Water 流水迢迢 is a deep, dark, intricate and impactful drama about politics, revenge, love and freedom. The plot and characters are three dimensional and the love story unfolds within the complex dynamics of multiple conspiracies and an uneven battle for justice and freedom. Jiang Ci is a free spirited country girl seeking adventure in the Liang capital Qingkang for the first time. She climbs the wrong tree at the wrong time to watch peace talks between the Liang and Wei states and inadvertently foils a dangerous, high stakes mission. Stabbed and then hunted down by a masked intruder who believes she may be able to identify him, she is rescued by the ambitious Marquis Pei Yan. He uses her as bait to lure and capture the masked prowler. Thus a clever and free spirited country girl becomes the pawn of two ruthless men and becomes embroiled in a diabolical conspiracy that oppressed and enslaved the Yueluo people. All of the characters in this story, including the almighty emperor, get to choose their own destiny but not their fate. Like the flowing water that may be momentarily grasped or diverted, fate is ultimately elusive and flows where it will.

This is one of the those dramas where the storytelling respects audience intelligence and perceptiveness. There is very little spoon-feeding or over explanation; we are expected to read the subtext and form our own impressions of what the characters are going through. At the start, I was rooting for Jiang Ci to skin Wei Zhao alive and flaunt his fur like a trophy for the way he treated her. And then with a growing sense of unease that turned into horror, I started to observe the plight of the Yueluo people and the scale of the collective punishment that was being visited upon them. At that point, the narrative angle shifts from Jiang Ci to Wei Zhao and like Jiang Ci, we see his devastating sense of isolation and helplessness; that he alone bears burden of his father's villainy.Jiang Ci's inadvertent and continued meddling had life and death consequences for his men and his cause. Of course he had to deal harshly with her. Jiang Ci doesn't just fall in love with a man, she falls in love with a place and a people who are slowly but surely being erased by Liang's genocidal policies. Their evolution from enemies to lovers is gradual, natural and convincing.

All of the main roles are well portrayed, with the actors conveying multiple layers to their characters via their facial expressions and gestures that goes beyond the dialogue. Ren Jialun is not that versatile an actor but Wei Zhao is the kind of complex, man of few words role that he excels at. With a flicker of an eye, a small frown or a dark glare, he can exude emotions from frustration and anger to sorrow and dismay. The way he regards Jiang Ci changes from rage and hatred to grudging respect and empathy to Ren Jialun's signature bottomless longing. Wei Zhao never dares speaks of the future, it is Jiang Ci who simply refuses to let him pull away. He understands she is a free spirit and his selfless instinct is to set her free in sharp contrast with Pei Yan's selfish obsessiveness and his repeated attempts to cage her. Li Landi's Jiang Ci steps up to the plate to more than meet Wei Zhao halfway. I love how she so unabashedly gushes over how handsome he is and freely expresses her affection for him. Even though the noble Pei Yan has arguably more to offer, she chooses Wei Zhao unconditionally each time. Their sweet loving lies, their body language and the dialogue within their dialogue made me tear up many times.

No one has an upper hand in this story because characters are too clever and adept at pre-empting one another. Xu Zhengxi delivers a evocative portrayal of the brilliant, ambitious, manipulative and controlling Pei Yan. If this role is to be his swan song, it is one that leaves an impression. His ambition and obsessiveness are amplified and exceeded by his mother, the domineering Madame Rongguo; another riveting depiction by the super talented Wen Zhengrong. Unfortunately all of these fantastic characters are dealt a huge disservice in the penultimate arc, where we meet shifu, the only truly stupid and pointless character in this story. All of hitherto smart characters are dumbed down by one or two notches for an unnecessary court power struggle arc and melodrama. Madame Rongguo's overreach was futile and unnecessary and Pei Yan's selfishness had irreversible consequences. Only the wise and constant Cui Liang's character survived that arc that was clearly written by an amateur.

The narrative comes together again for a triumphant, exciting and moving final arc. Fate is blind and the taste of freedom is sweet with a bitter aftertaste. Nobody gets everything that they want but the greater good is achieved at great cost. However, not all the individual outcomes were inevitable and the ending itself could have been more tightly written. It appeared as if they were on the verge of a different, more satisfying ending but didn't have the courage to go there. I will elaborate further on that in a spoiler below. All things considered, this is still one of the better, more memorable period costume dramas this year with a complex and moving plot and outstanding acting. Despite the flaws, it is a story that has enough depth that I am compelled to rate this generously at 8.5/10.0.








ENDING SPOILER


My biggest problem with the ending is that Wei Zhao chose to stay when he could have escaped and left the hairpin behind as evidence that Wei Zhao died and returned to Jiang Ci as Xiao Wuxia. It is clear from the ending footage that they toyed with a "traitorous official Wei Zhao is dead, long live Xiao Wuxia" ending but decided to stay true to the novel. I would have been fine with that if they just blew up the whole thing and didn't give him a choice. The fact that he had one broke me; it was out of character and a betrayal of Jiang Ci. It also made no sense since was never revealed that Wei Zhao is Xiao Wuxia and thus Wei Zhao's actions should not implicate the Yueluo people. It was just dumb and unnecessary noble idiocy. Even though it is a happy ending for Yueluo, it is simply too distressing an outcome for both Xiao Wuxia and Jiang Ci, who deserve better. It would have been just as fitting and much more satisfying for Wei Zhao's memory to live on in infamy while Xiao Wuxia and Jiangci live wild and free with their son even if they can never return to Yueluo. That is how I would have ended this story.

A smaller point, I also hated the maudlin farewell scene. Throughout the show Jiang Ci and Wei Zhao's feelings did not have to be put into words. I wish they kept it that way.











X

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Ongoing 30/40
Posting
13 people found this review helpful
Oct 4, 2024
30 of 40 episodes seen
Ongoing 0
Overall 9.0
Story 7.0
Acting/Cast 8.0
Music 7.0
Rewatch Value 6.0
This review may contain spoilers

Shameless Cat

Oh, Commander Wei. Oh, Sanlang! Oh, my heart!😭 I have yet to finish but without a doubt! As I’ve said it once, I’m going to say it again. This is hands down one of the very best in a long, long time. After Love of Nirvana, I’m afraid too many other series will only be faulted in my eyes. It’s not so much that this was perfect, but it was nearly perfect! The story was well-written and executed! There was never a need to become skeptical or go beyond belief to accept the plot or its logic, neither having to constantly question any of the characters or their level of maturity and mentality. And that’s how I know it’s a good one!

Indeed, Love of Nirvana showcased a very political sense of plot and complex roles with every episode climatically opening up to the next. The longer I stay with Nirvana, I see a masterpiece, an intricate level of many things fitting into the big puzzle———proving to further and thickened the plot and unexpectedly entwining everyone and their actions together! Clearly, the author knew her intended audience and she wrote a keen story to match!

My only disappointment in the drama were the lack of romance for our leads and no finer strategies regarding Sanlang’s plans. Regarding Yuelo, he was at a total loss of what to do, hence more clansmen have to die. I was keen on him preparing something ahead, manipulating a plan. But over and over, he had nothing up his sleeves only depending on his moles and watching his people die one by one ultimately failing to keep himself alive, too. I’m not a fan of neither Allen Ren and Jeremy’s acting, but I have to say here their dullness becomes their roles most enigmatically. Allen’s seemingly reserved and aloofness embodied as Sanlang was very much appreciated.

I personally found Lord Pei the most conflicted, and pitiful and relatable character in the show. I applaud Jeremy for his showcase of the role, he really gave his all, knowing that he went against his agency to take the supporting role! A righteous lord fighting for justification but filled with greed. He seeks greatness but unable to live up to the name. Torned between his duty and selfishness, yet trying to keep up with his heart and wild emotions at the same time answering to his kin and King. He is the epitome of only wanting to do good but everything only proved wrong. I feel for Lord Pei.

I absolutely adored the very-unlikely-and-subtle bromance between Commander Wei(Sanlang) and Lord Pei. They might think they are sworn enemies of the court but really their quiet animosity is based on some respect and of their own tasks. It was pretty interesting to watch the two opposing men occasionally throw together by the King, and other times Sanlang was plotted to keep an eye on Lord Pei as the latter was tasked to work with the former aka the mask man. Even after Lord Pei discovered Sanlang’s identity, no real harm was done? They are wholesome frenemies.

Last but not least, Jang Ci is by far one of the most likable heroines ever! She’s consistent, reasonable, and super smart! Very practical. Very mindful, Very demure! A great actress!

Read More

Was this review helpful to you?
Love of Nirvana (2024) poster

Details

Statistics

  • Score: 8.2 (scored by 3,181 users)
  • Ranked: #1327
  • Popularity: #2010
  • Watchers: 9,451

Top Contributors

154 edits
82 edits
66 edits
56 edits

Popular Lists

Related lists from users
Who is Your Favourite Cdrama Couple? ❣
340 titles 4896 voters 369 loves 76
Dramas Based on Novels
173 titles 107 loves 1
Which C-Drama Are We Watching Next?
593 titles 151 loves 22

Recently Watched By