Fangs of Fortune

Best Drama with all the beautiful Male Actors... But!!!! The FL is super useless --"

This is a very interesting drama about Human and Demon world. How the ML (A demon) and other characters (Demons and human) interact. The actors are ALL APPLES TO EYES trust me. ML SML are both so good. HOWEVER, 1 disappointing character is the FL. FL is utterly useless... I am sorry to say this bluntly but (spoiler coming) all she does throughout the drama is just: BEING WEAK and laying on the floor most of the time.

While her main job is SHE WAS BORN AS the GODDESS PROTECTOR of TWO REALMS. And as FL she should be Strong! At least she should know how to protect herself. Because she is the protector of two realms, but all she does through out the drama are basically:

1. given the power by her teacher (Previous Goddess who got killed), she didnt even realize that the 50% power has been inside her body all this time (8 years), and have been thinking the Goddess power is lost and caused the Demon realms starting to trembling and demons can have free access to human realms and caused lots of trouble.
2. Found the Goddess Power thanks to ML, and finally can use the 50% power (together with ML, cause another 50% lays in ML body), to restore the protection of Demon realms.
3. While both ML are fighting, all she does is laying on the floor. Cause she got the plague, while other characters still remain strong and fighting. All she does through that episode of ML fighting is laying on the floor. nothing else.
4. BUT!!!!! In the middle of restoring the protection, she got the flute (50% of Goddess power is in the form of Flute, and another 50% is in the form of bracelet) destroyed. The bracelet is fine, untouched. But the flute that is held by her, the FL, is just broken into two. LIKE WTF!!! She cant even protect the flute!!!
5. Since her flute is destroyed, she needs to make amend or fix the flute, after she fixes the flute, she and other characters SFL and team rush to awakening the good ML. On the way, they were blocked by the Bad Guys, while other characters (Pei and the Mountain DemonGod) fought their life to protect her and the flute she's holding, the bad guys so easily grabbed the flute from her hand, MARK MY NOTE: WITHOUT she even try to fight back. And the bad guy had the chance to input poison into the flute. Thus she's late going for awakening the good ML, so the bad ML had the chance to half destroyed the SML sword,
6. The flute is poisoned, thus she got the poisoned (stupidly). And finally, the ML had to sacrifice himself to save her (sucking all the poison from her body) and the rest of the people. ML died!!!
7. Even during the last fight, all characters are fighting till their last breath, even Pei who is pure HUMAN is fighting a semi zombie and won! She is just there to be easily strangled then laying on the floor being helpless.

Seriously, she is so useless, she should just die... In the near ending, there's an episode, where the Old Tree Goddess explains that She should not be saved (From poison). Because it's the Protector Goddess job to protect the realms, and when she dies, a new Goddess will be born and appointed next... I AM DYING HOPING that she would just die, and new born Goddess will be more useful. Since the FIRST ever GODDESS is powerful, even her teacher was also useful and powerful.

I mean, as FL and as GODDESS, please be more useful. ML and SML keeps on sacrificing and protecting her throughout the drama. WTF!!!!!! Even SFL (Pei) is more uselful and strong, and Pei is HUMAN!!!! Gosh.

But no... the script writer and the director decides that this useless Female Lead Character is better than the Male Character and keeps her alive, while killing the ML. This is the only part of the drama that utterly ruins it for me. I am so annoyed by her uselessness.

All she does throughout the drama is just laying on the floor... crying... being sick... only that.

sigh

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A Beautiful Mess

I'm not gonna lie, writing this review wasn't easy. I had to carefully organize my thoughts because I didn't know where to start. Fangs of Fortune is one of those dramas that either made me gasp because of how beautifully made it is or drove me nuts because of the all-over-the-place plot and contrived writing. It's highly divisive precisely because of that. It's either the fantastical world and its characters endear themselves to you or you hate everything about it with a vengeance. I am right smack in the middle, though. I can't hate it but I can't say I loved it either. I feel that if they had stuck with their bromance plot from the get-go and not added in romance, it would've been better. Or if they had changed it completely and just turned it into a romance drama, reducing the second male lead's importance in the plot by writing out the Ying Long and Bingyi subplot, this could've been better too. One thing is for sure, this drama will forever be engraved in my mind as one of the most stunningly filmed work that made giggle like a schoolgirl and obsess over the characters for days on end.

The story centers around a 34,000-year-old great demon named Zhu Yan (or Zhao Yuanzhou) and how his fate changes those of people closest to him. Like most xianxia and xuanhuan dramas, it's set in a world where demons and humans exist and racism is rampant. The demons are seen as inherently evil, while humans are supposed to be the so-called good guys. But nothing in this world is purely black and white and so both races are portrayed to be capable of doing both good and evil. The struggles and conflicts stem from such xenophobic thinking from both sides.

Zhu Yan was born as a vessel of malicious energy, meaning he absorbs all the excess malice that exists in the world to keep things balanced. But his gentle and kind nature makes him resent this. Even more so when he finds himself falling in love with humanity and the mortal world. This very fascination for mortals draws a wedge between him and his best friend, Li Lun, who has no love for mankind. Their falling out leads to a lot of strife and suffering for those around them.

The story itself is nothing new. As I've said, this has been done countless times before. But what makes this drama compelling for me was how particular dialogues were written and scenes were executed whenever the subject was about discrimination and racism. Oddly enough, my favorite parts of this drama is when characters sit down and just have meaningful conversations about life and such. And I'm such a sucker for the found-family trope that it really resonated with me. It blew my mind how provocative some of the dialogues are and how much depth the drama has when many of the scenes felt like they were hastily and lazily written and things were getting retconned left and right. Writing isn't this drama's strong suit, but there are some gems here and there. And I noticed that the ones that are written and executed well are those that involve the two male leads, Zhu Yan and Zhuo Yichen, and the anti-hero, Li Lun. Most of the major plot ploints involve the three of them. They even end up fighting in the final boss fight together. What does that tell you? If this were a true romantic story, it would've been the main couple fighting together.

Unfortunately, this was marketed as a romance with a female lead that is criminally underdeveloped and a subplot centering around her that is as mindboggling as her addition to this story. Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike Wen Xiao or the actress who portrays her. My issue is with her seemingly lack of value to the story unlike the other main characters. First of all, the concept behind the Baize goddess is already iffy to me. Why is there a need for a mortal woman to be given the powers of a goddess to regulate demons and monitor their comings and goings to the mortal world when the goddess herself could've done that? Being human herself, there is a possibility of racial discrimination with her favoring the mortals over demons even when it's the mortals that are at fault. The real goddess would've been a more just judge and a more powerful one to boot, someone who can actually deal with demons and not fall ill from a plague or die pointlessly after being accidentally hit by a sharp object. The function and powers of this mortal goddess are not clearly defined, and if I'm honest, I would say that they keep retconning things to fit the narrative they want to tell. How the next generation of Baize goddesses are chosen is unclear as well. Why was Wen Xiao chosen anyway? Yes, she has compassion for both demons and mortals, but then I'm pretty sure she's not the only one who feels that way, so why her?

And apart from her, all the major characters in this story, especially among the 6 members of the Demon Hunting Team, only her story doesn't quite connect with Zhu Yan's. Zhu Yan's fate directly or indirectly affects the fates of Zhuo Yichen, Pei Sijing, Bai Ju, and even Ying Lei. All of them reach this point in their lives because of Zhu Yan. Zhuo Yichen was only the second son and was not even meant to inherit the Cloud Light Sword but because Zhu Yan slaughters his family, he becomes the lord of the Bingyi clan and the most powerful wielder of that sword for generations. Pei Sijing loses her brother because of Zhu Yan's feud with Li Lun. Bai Ju loses his mother and vows to become an accomplished doctor because Zhu Yan causes a rift in the balance between the mortal world and the Wilderness. Ying Lei is afforded the chance to pursue his dreams of becoming a chef in the mortal world because his grandfather (and Zhu Yan's mentor) feels that it's important to give his grandson the choice that Zhu Yan never had. Even Li Lun becoming a full-blown villain and wreaking havoc is caused by his misunderstanding with Zhu Yan. Wen Xiao, on the other hand, is chosen to be the next goddess for reasons I still don't quite understand. Her fate is more tied with this drama's big bad. The quest to finding the Baize token, it being broken, her fixing it, and it poisoning her are nothing more than plot devices. You take those out and you would still be left with a solid plot that could've been better if they had focused more on Zhu Yan and his relationships.

I've said this before, this is a BL/bromance drama in disguise. This was never meant to be a romance. But for fear of the project getting shelved because of China's proverbial censorship axe, they felt the need to write in a female lead and pretend that there's actual romance. I don't mind slowburn romances, but when the drama ends without even a single kiss between the couple with their sweet moments few and far and between, that's not romance, at least not in terms of C-drama standards. The fans of the main CP can delude themselves all they want, but I firmly believe that Wen Xiao was not supposed to be part of this story at first and the romance is an add-on, like an extra side dish for good measure. Hence, the major events in this drama involve the male leads, and the last story arc and most important part of the series is all about them and their bond. Yes, it's unfair and I blame the writers for this. But let's be honest, there's no way in hell that this drama would've seen the light of day if they hadn't included a hetero romance side story with all the obvious BL elements they added into this. If you're familiar with BL/danmei, you'll see the tropes and signs. If not, then you'll probably just dismiss them as healthy male friendship. I'm pretty sure they cut some scenes down to minimize the “bromance” because I saw some behind-the-scenes photos of the male cast acting out scenes that aren't included in the finished product. If they had just done a purely romance drama, they wouldn't have this problem either. But they can't seem to decide which direction to pursue and so what we got is a beautiful mess of a drama that had the potential to be truly amazing and unforgettable.

Nothing beats this drama in terms of visuals, though. From the first episode, I was absolutely taken by how the sets, costumes, and cinematography looked. The opening fight sequence was so stylistically done that it made me want to watch more. Guo Jingming may be a lot of things, probably a real piece of work in real life, but damn, he knows how to make a stunningly crafted scene from the meticulously curated backdrop to every movement of the actors. I have never seen such a visual feast in a C-drama quite like this! I appreciate how this drama tries to be different and I seriously want to see more dramas like this. Sadly, I don't think this style of filming appeals much to Chinese viewers. I think it would've been better received by international audiences.

The cast, for lack of a better word, is great. I have no complaints about the actors. They did what they could with the material that they were given, and some even went over and beyond. I never expected to become so attached to this ragtag crew of demon hunters, but I did. I sorely miss them, especially the comedic moments in the earlier episodes.

Music-wise, this drama boasts of some of the most memorable songs in a C-drama to date, at least for me. I find the choice of songs very refreshing. I don't hear this kind of music in many C-dramas. My only complaint is the music plays a little too loudly during dialogue-heavy scenes. Whoever edited the sound must've been deaf. Like dude, we can't hear them talk! Turn it down a notch, will you?! It must've driven Mandarin-speakers crazy.

The overall production value of this drama is top notch. I think they used a led screen for the backgrounds which actually looks better on screen and most likely helped a lot with the acting too. The visual effects are some of the best I've seen in a C-drama. The costumes and makeup are so on point as well. None of it looks cheap. If I didn't know better, I'd say this was an S+ level drama.

As a whole, this is an entertaining drama that wowed me with its stunning visuals, elicited emotions I never thought I'd feel watching an idol drama such as this, and left me wondering why I became so emotionally attached to characters that don't exist despite the flaws in the writing. That's why I'm giving it an 8 and that's a generous rating coming from me.

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disjointed experience

"Fangs of Fortune" promised an exciting adventure with its intriguing title, but unfortunately, it didn't quite hit the mark. The premise had potential, blending elements of fantasy and adventure, but the execution left a lot to be desired.

The characters felt underdeveloped and lacked depth, making it hard to really care about their fates. The dialogue was often clichéd and didn’t add much to the overall narrative. I found myself wishing for more complexity and growth from the characters as the plot unfolded.

The pacing was uneven, with some parts dragging on while others felt rushed, leading to a disjointed experience. The action sequences, which could have been thrilling, ended up feeling repetitive and uninspired.

Visually, there were some appealing moments, but they weren't enough to save the overall experience. The world-building was minimal, leaving me wanting more detail and immersion in the setting.

In summary, "Fangs of Fortune" had a promising concept but ultimately fell flat. I’d rate it a 3/10—there's some potential, but it needs a lot more polish to truly shine.

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Worth to watch. The best cinematography and CGs.

I have been waiting for this drama since its trailer is released. The actings are superb especially Neo, ML. He is so different in here as he always acted bubbly characters. So it’s refreshing to see his another side. All actors and actresses have chemistry. No one is left out.
As the story wise, FL is so weak (who doesn’t possess power if she doesn’t have tool) except her goddess identity, I don’t think she deserves FL position. She has her good points tho. She is calm, rational, doesn’t always stay on the side of humans, empathize on some good demons, not blinded by emotions and knows how to handle love and hate. Maybe that’s why she became FL. Love the actress tho. It’s Chen Duling’s acting skill that FL is not hated and too annoying to watch.
The best point is the scenes! This kind of cinematography, using dark tone is rare to see in Chinese dramas. CGs are so amazing.
The story is fast pacing, not boring and fun to watch. But a little hypocrite from the side of humans.
Recommended to watch this.

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Great concept, poorly executed

This genre of dramas is one my favourites and I was super excited to watch Fangs of Fortune after seeing the trailer for but unfortunately this show just did not live up to what I had thought it was going to be. The first few episodes were great, meeting the characters, and getting into their first case - great right up my alley! But it all started going down hill for me from ep 5.
The storyline! It felt as though there were too many side stories that kept competing for the main story line where they just felt like a distraction / filler for the show. None of the stories meshed well together nor did they feel like they had any conclusion. It got boring for me and I started tuning out cos of all the side stories and distraction made me lose interest in what they were trying to achieve. Some of the episodes were drawn out by so much dialogue and flashbacks it felt really unnecessary. I found myself at times saying 'OK I get it can we move on from this now' so I had to skip alot of the scenes of talking.
The romance of the leads felt forced and was unecessary. I really enjoyed the friendship of the whole group and wish the writers had just left it as a friendship rather than throwing in a romantic relationship with the leads it wasnt needed.
I thoroughly enjoyed the visuals, costumes, acting, the comedy (the comedy was awesome), and the premise of demons I just felt the storyline let this down for me and the potential just decreased. A bit disappointing but thats OK will hopefully see more from these actors in future as they were great!

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An almost cathartic masterpiece packed with punches that fell short

Cinematography
The stunning visual style is pivotal in the series, and the bar has already been set with the cinematography alone.

The CGI is of high-quality, and the camera work is very intentional: I have observed the use of motivated camera movements and shot lengths, which were very effective and highly compelling in setting a scene.

They also played with color gradings and lightings that enhanced the visual experience, with many scenes looking like an artwork—clearly, the exceptional cinematography is the strong suit of the series.


Editing
One thing I noticed is that the transition from one scene to the next is not always seamless and the cuts of some scenes are not smooth.

Another thing to note is that while the OST is perfect, the background score is sometimes misplaced.

While these are not entirely major issues, these have affected the mood and the tone of some scenes.


Story
The thing with the genre of fantasy and wuxia is that their realm is so vast, that there are plenty of elements to play with to make a story compelling, cliche or not.

The series started strong; however, I find that something is amiss in the writing, making it and the pacing inconsistent all throughout the show.

The characters are both relatable and likeable, but I feel like they could have been written more with depth.

Case in point: Wen Xiao being identified by the characters as "kind" and "selfless". However, as a viewer, there was no opportunity to establish this because her character was not properly explored. With this, I only associate Wen Xiao to being "kind" because it was what the characters have taught me, and not something that I have determined myself as an audience.

I was only able to identify the characters' traits and understand their motivations because it was what the writers were spoon-feeding me.

A good (or even mid) writing would have explored the characters' backstory so the viewers themselves can see and establish how the characters' actions and decisions are shaped.

On the other hand, I found good quotable quotes in the characters' dialogues so it's not that entirely bad.

I can also detect the presence of some queer undertones in the story. This is especially evident in the relationship and interactions of Zhao Yuan Zhou and Zhuo Yi Chen, making the romance aspect with Wen Xiao secondary to almost non-existent.



Acting/Cast
The entire cast has chemistry, and it shows.

Two actors who stood out for me were Neo Hou and Tian Jia Rui.

Neo is an excellent actor who uses his body language and micro expressions to portray a character. Some expressions are very subtle, making it look so natural.

Tian Jia Rui is very charismatic and has good emotion and energy control when portraying a character. I know that he is destined for big things, and I look forward to his upcoming projects.

Music
The best! The OSTs are a narrative on their own and yet they greatly enhance the mood and emotions of the scenes.

The excellent cinematography of FoF paired with its great OSTs definitely create an immersive experience for the audience.

Overall
This is definitely one of the best series to come out this year. A masterpiece in terms of cinematography and soundtrack.

While the series fell short in writing, the cast did a good performance in character portrayal, making the watch a fairly good experience.

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A Beautiful, Heartbreaking Fantasy Masterpiece

Where do I even start with such a masterpiece?

Honestly, this is probably one of my favorite fantasy shows I’ve ever watched. If I had watched it in 2024, it most probably would have been one of my favorites of that year. What a freaking masterpiece.

I genuinely think it sets the bar incredibly high for fantasy shows because it is just so well made. From the beginning, the storyline immediately grips you—a demon and a demon hunter joining hands? Such an interesting premise.

But what really makes this show special to me is that it’s a story of stories. It isn’t only about the main characters; it genuinely feels like a journey. As they search for a way to protect the wilderness, they encounter so many different people and stories, and through them, the drama constantly reminds us that the real demons aren’t always demons—sometimes, they’re humans. Nobody is simply born evil; pain, betrayal, circumstances, and choices can turn someone into it.

That depth captivated me. This wasn’t fantasy just for the sake of supernatural entertainment. There was so much meaning behind everything, and the drama built itself as much through its characters as through its plot. Every encounter and side story added something, and by the end, you become genuinely attached to these people.

Watching it now in 2026 was also fun because I kept recognizing actors who have since become much more well known or gone on to lead their own dramas. I genuinely loved all the familiar faces and cameos—seeing Cheng Lei, Ryan, Lei Wei Ming, and so many other familiar actors pop up randomly was such a treat. It honestly made the world feel even more alive, like every corner of the industry was somehow connected in this one story.

And something I absolutely did NOT expect?

THE COMEDY.

What the hell? Where did this comedy come from?!

For something so dark and tragic, this show was ridiculously funny. I was laughing my ass off. Sometimes it was genuinely funnier than actual comedy dramas. I loved how you could have an incredibly serious scene, with the music building up and everything becoming dramatic, only for someone to suddenly throw in a sarcastic comment.

Especially Bai Jiu, Zhuo Yichen, and Ying Lei. Those three were hilarious.

It’s crazy that a drama could traumatize me this much while simultaneously being one of the funniest things I’ve watched. But the humor never diminished the emotional depth; it just gave you room to breathe between all the pain.

Zhao Yuanzhou

Obviously, I have to talk about Zhao Yuanzhou.

Can we please appreciate how amazing Hou Minghao is as an actor? He completely convinced me as this ancient demon while simultaneously being sarcastic, witty, hilarious, manipulative, powerful, and surprisingly soft.

I loved everything about Zhao Yuanzhou—from the witty remarks and all the gay shit to the subtle romantic moments and his chemistry with basically everyone.

What made him so heartbreaking was that he never chose this life. From practically the first episode, he wanted to seek death just to end the misery of his existence. He spent his life wanting to be good, but because of the malicious energy inside him, he could become the exact thing he never wanted to be.

He was born a demon, yet all he wanted was to live like a human, and he was never really given that choice.

Hou Minghao also genuinely gave me the feeling that I was watching an ancient, 30,000-year-old demon. His styling was perfect, but it was also the way he carried himself. And I loved that Zhao Yuanzhou wasn’t simply written as some cute, lovable demon. He could be manipulative and calculating. He always had a plan, even when nobody else knew what it was.

I loved his depth and the fact that he was constantly trying to protect everyone, even when they misunderstood him. His character genuinely broke my heart.

What hurts even more is that toward the end, he finally starts believing that maybe life actually is worth living. Being with these people made him want to stay. He had finally found people who made living feel okay—and then he had no choice but to sacrifice himself for the greater good.

It’s heartbreaking, but also a beautiful conclusion to his story after all the guilt he carried.

Thankfully, the special episode makes it bittersweet rather than completely devastating because we know he can eventually return after cultivating again. Hopefully, he gets to come back as a human this time because that is what he deserves.

This is easily one of my favorite performances from Hou Minghao. His acting, storyline, fight scenes, and the depth he brought to Zhao Yuanzhou were incredible.

Zhuo Yichen — and THAT Dynamic

Technically, I should probably talk about the female lead next, but to me, someone who became much more important was definitely Zhuo Yichen.

I was NOT expecting that.

I already love Tian Jiarui, but this might genuinely be my favorite character of his. I love that cold, powerful, determined type of character, and Zhuo Yichen had some of the best development in the entire show.

Especially because, in the end, he became a demon.

Making him become the exact thing he hated the most was such a great plot twist. He spent so much of the story hating demons only to become one himself and finally understand their perspective.

Also, whoever styled Tian Jiarui was clearly obsessed with him because OH MY GOD. The hair, outfits, makeup—everything was incredible. Even when he appeared as that past version connected to the Bingyi clan, he looked ethereal.

But one of my absolute favorite things about this entire drama was his relationship with Zhao Yuanzhou.

The writers took Zhuo Yichen from seeing Zhao Yuanzhou as his enemy to becoming one of the few people who truly understood him. I loved that they actually put Zhuo Yichen through a situation where he experienced what Zhao Yuanzhou had experienced: losing control and becoming the very thing everyone fears.

And can we PLEASE talk about their chemistry?

I don’t even know what kind of chemistry it was anymore. Bromance? Soulmates? Whatever you want to call it, Hou Minghao and Tian Jiarui had SO MUCH chemistry.

For me, they became the emotional focal point of the show.

Toward the end, I cared far more about this relationship than the romance. Zhuo Yichen literally travelled around searching for the remaining piece of Zhao Yuanzhou’s soul—and then that piece of his soul came to him. Not her. HIM.

I genuinely cannot shut up about these two.

Honestly, Li Lun sometimes gave me the energy of a heartbroken ex watching Zhao Yuanzhou become close to another man and going, “But I was your friend too?!”

Their enemies-to-friends arc was amazing. They went from opposing each other to reaching a point where they would sacrifice themselves for one another, and in the end Zhao Yuanzhou literally died by Zhuo Yichen’s sword.

Like… what even IS this relationship?!

Their chemistry, character development, symbolism, and the way their stories mirrored one another were beautifully written.

The Romance & Female Characters

As for the romance, I really didn’t care that much about it.

But I also don’t think the drama was particularly focused on romance. It’s not that I disliked Wen Xiao and Zhao Yuanzhou together—I just wasn’t invested. They had some nice moments, but personally I didn’t feel much chemistry.

Romance does motivate certain aspects of Zhao Yuanzhou’s character, but it was never the focal point, and I was completely fine with that.

However, I do feel like they did Wen Xiao’s character dirty.

For someone whose position should have made her incredibly important, she somehow ended up feeling like one of the least useful members of the group. I kept waiting for this big moment where she would finally show exactly why her role mattered so much, but it never really came.

I loved her as the mom of the squad, but individually, she never lived up to how powerful or important her character should have been.

That being said, Chen Duling did an amazing job. My issue was with the writing, not her acting.

I felt somewhat similarly about Pei Sijing. Maybe it’s less that she was underdeveloped and more that both she and Wen Xiao simply felt like supporting characters to me. I enjoyed them as part of the team much more than I cared about them individually.

I did really love Pei Sijing’s storyline involving her brother, though. It was beautiful and heartbreaking.

But then again, practically everybody’s storyline in this drama involved losing someone they loved.

This is definitely not your happy little fantasy show.

Bai Jiu, Ying Lei & the Found Family

Now for one of the biggest surprises of the entire show for me: Bai Jiu.

Oh my God. This character was honestly one of the BEST parts of the drama.

For someone so young, the actor completely blew me away. He showed so much versatility—funny, dark, broken, even a spy at certain points. But I especially loved funny Bai Jiu. During the first part of the show, he was SO entertaining.

More importantly, I loved his relationships with everyone. He genuinely felt like everybody’s kid.

His relationship with Zhuo Yichen especially felt like an older brother-younger brother bond. It was funny, sweet, and emotional, and little things like Bai Jiu constantly grabbing onto Zhuo Yichen’s braid made it even more endearing.

Which is why his death absolutely destroyed me.

For someone who was always scared of pain and getting hurt, the fact that he ultimately sacrificed himself for the person he looked up to completely broke me. When it actually mattered, he didn’t hesitate.

I cried my eyes out.

And then there was Bai Jiu and Ying Lei.

These two were SUCH a treat. They were hilarious together, which makes it even more painful that the drama killed BOTH of them.

They were two of the brightest, most high-spirited characters in the story, and they were also among the characters who had the clearest dreams for their futures. One wanted to become the best physician; the other wanted to become an amazing cook.

They were young. They had plans. You could genuinely imagine the futures they should have had.

And then they died.

At the same time, I loved the way their sacrifices were written. They were probably among the characters you would least expect to immediately sacrifice themselves, and yet when the moment came, they were the first ones willing to do it.

They were hilarious and endearing, yet somehow became two of the most heartbreaking characters in the entire drama.

I desperately need those actors to work together again.

And actually, that brings me to one of my favorite things about the show:

Everybody had chemistry with everybody.

That is probably one of the biggest reasons I didn’t care about the romance. I’m much more likely to become emotionally invested in the chemistry of an entire squad than in one specific couple, and this cast absolutely delivered.

Every combination worked. Every relationship felt different but natural. Everyone felt important.

Most importantly, you genuinely believed that these people had become a family.

Almost all of them had already lost someone they loved, so watching them slowly become the family that each of them needed was one of the most beautiful parts of the show.

You could genuinely feel that sense of, “This is my family now.”

A special memorable mention also has to go to Li Lun, played by Yan An.

Oh my God, that man can ACT.

He always eats up villain roles. Honestly, he was born to play villains.

But I appreciated that Li Lun wasn’t left as a one-dimensional antagonist. By the end, he had his own development, reached a point of redemption, and ultimately sacrificed himself.

At this point, I genuinely think the central theme of this entire drama is sacrifice.

So much of Li Lun’s anger came from feeling betrayed by his best friend, and Yan An portrayed that bitterness, jealousy, anger, and heartbreak incredibly well.

Honestly, the acting across the entire cast was amazing. Almost every character was memorable and had depth. Nobody felt hollow.

So many times, I just wanted to climb into the screen and hug these people because every single one of them had been through hell.

That’s one of the biggest strengths of the drama: it doesn’t only build its story through plot, but through its characters. You understand their pain, their relationships, their dreams, and everything they’ve lost, so by the time you reach the ending, it absolutely destroys you.

It’s one of the most heartbreaking endings I’ve watched, but it’s also a beautiful kind of heartbreak because the entire drama feels like a journey.

By the end, so many of these characters sacrifice themselves for love, friendship, family, or the people they came to consider family.

It hurts like hell, but the pain actually means something.

And beyond the characters, can we PLEASE talk about the cinematography?

It was on another level. The scenery, framing, atmosphere, fight scenes, costumes—everything looked incredible. Probably some of my favorite work from this director.

The story itself was also surprisingly easy to follow. Even with all the demons, clans, histories, side stories, and fantasy elements, I never felt lost.

It genuinely felt like watching a fantasy novel come to life.

I was never bored. The pacing felt fast to me, there was always something happening, and I was completely invested in this world and these characters from beginning to end.

Probably one of my favorite OST playlists ever.

Every song was amazing, and I loved that some of the actors participated in the soundtrack. Even better, when you read the lyrics, so many of the songs directly resonate with the characters and their stories.

Special mention to the OSTs by Hou Minghao and Liu Yuning. Amazing.

The cinematography. The fight scenes. The costumes. The acting. The comedy. The villains were VILLAINING. The character development, friendships, found family, emotional depth, sacrifices—it all worked for me.

Even though the ending was incredibly heartbreaking, I loved how it was executed because everything ultimately came back to the friendship and love between these characters.

That was the heart of the drama for me.

It started as a story about demons and demon hunters, but became a story about people—about good and evil, grief, guilt, forgiveness, friendship, love, sacrifice, and finding a family after losing your own.

And somehow, through all that tragedy, it was also freaking hilarious.

Amazing cast. Amazing storyline. Amazing characters. Amazing production.

For me, it was a masterpiece.

Easily one of the best fantasy shows I have ever watched.

I cannot recommend it enough.

But one warning: it is definitely not for the weak.

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A beauty that can't hold you strongly....

Well... I must say this show is filmed beautifully. I was almost at awe at every frame, everything looked so good,set designs,costume,visual effects,action scenes,camera angle.... None of these has disappointed me.Also that little happy dance at the end of each episode was really refreshing,after whatever the mess they created in every episode.

All the actors looked amazing...The costumes, styling of everyone especially the male actors were so good!!I couldnt take my eyes off of ZYC,he looks majestic in every frame.Whoever styled him as Bingyi deserved an applause,he was looking ethereal!!!Even the villains or "Evil" demons looked terrific, especially Li Lun. The main trio, ZYZ,ZYC and Li Lun were just gorgeous whenever they appeared on screen.Probably one of the saving graces of the show.

The show did a good job in portraying the backstory of all of them.ZYZ, as a demon with morality,humanized emotions and lots of guilt and trauma who loves to make jokes and have fun was done brilliantly by Neo Hou.Second male lead was good too,his character development was very evident,his persona as a man who is cold outside cause of traumatic loss of his family,him growing up with hatred in his mind towards ZYZ but later letting himself grow as a better person who understood ZYZ and becoming his protector and friend/soulmate was portrayed rightfully.
There is amazing bromance,understanding and connection between him and ZYZ.From nemesis to besties,their relationship was the best one.They even had better chemistry than the main couple.

Now,about the other casts of the demon hunter group...Was the female lead casted only to cry and stand helplessly shouting for either ZYZ or ZYC to save her??? Isn’t she supposed to be a goddess... Yeah as per story she is weak cause the Baize token is lost/broken or whatever... But that doesn’t mean you would waste every potential of one of the most important characters of the show.When you are a part of a "Demon Hunter" team, the least you should know is how to fight and protect yourself. She does almost nothing every episode,her team mates are dying left and right and she's just there staring blankly...does it even make sense?????Two male leads keep saving her every time,her team mates are fighting for their lives...and she still somehow manages time to sit on the floor drowning in her tears!!! There's not even much chemistry going on between her and male lead,their relationship looks forced cause she doesn’t show any emotion except crying.... Even if she wasn’t in the show,I don't think there would be much of a problem.

Among the other teammates, I liked the Mountain God the most....and unfortunately he was the most ignored one. He cared about everyone,always made everyone smile, even gave his life to save them... And what did he get??? Nothing. They didn't even acknowledge him as one of them when two leads were talking with the ancestors.I really didn't understand this bit.The archer girl was extremely good in action scenes,but I just couldn’t look at her too much of a stone faced acting. She was even crying in stone face. The kid doctor and his screaming was just pure annoyance.But he did a great job as a possessed demon.

Li Lun...as a villain,his pov was quite understandable! He got betrayed by his best friend,abandoned by him,got caged for eternity,he witnessed his bestie giving more attention and showing more compassion to his new found human family than him..... He had every reason to be a villain.Yes he was wrong for killing those human but from his pov,it was his first time out of wilderness and he witnessed how vile human were while using low spirited demons only for their own benefit.He didn’t even get the chance to know about human. ZYZ was known to human nature,he knew they were not all bad,Li Lun didn’t. And ZYZ didn’t even try to sympathize with him...he just abandoned his best friend.ZYZ got new friends,new family...Li Lun was left all alone,he had none. He was one unfortunate misunderstood anti-hero.He could be used as one of the most powerful entity who was also at the same level of ZYZ,but that potential got wasted.At the later end,his character had the most beautiful redemption arc in the show.You would even feel sympathy for him and his action. And then...he died.They just killed him and ZYZ couldn’t even do anything cause the storyline made him powerless like that... WHY????

Now storywise... If it wasn’t for Li Lun's scheme, there wasn’t much things to do for our demon hunter team,the story wasn’t going anywhere. When Li Lun stopped being active,the whole team suddenly became jobless,just sitting,talking or crying. There's no romance,lots of backstories,flashbacks,slow mo actions.....and everything is going on on a real slow pace. Sometimes its so slow... Had to skip to the next scene.There's talking...they talk..A LOT. You can skip a few minutes of a scene...and they are still there,talking.Storytelling went completely downhill at the middle of the show,every thing was happening so randomly. It turned into a soapy draggy drama where everyone was crying in every two minutes and collecting random objects like dragon scale or something else from here and there or repairing Baize token or cloud light sword .... when it was supposed to be a thrilling demon hunting group.And then almost all of them died... The amount of tears they used in each episode was really something!!!That perfectly placed teardrops on everyone's glossy eyes couldn’t be more fake. Don't make so much tragedy if you can't make it bearable.... It became annoying at some point.

The backstory of BingYi and YingLong was really good. The visuals of the two leads as the ancestors,the action scenes and the way of showing the reasoning behind everything that happened between them,I enjoyed it a lot.

The OST's were good though..... But sometimes overused.Every character had their particular ost and lyrics were written according to their character and storyline, when the ost's were playing,they were taking the scenes another level up.

The action scenes,the connection and chemistry of the male leads,the visual effects and the cinematography, ost's...these are the things that were saving the show. Could be much much better if they put some efforts into the storytelling and avoided to make it into an emotional tearjerker which makes no sense.

Also...how much blood spitting is too much blood spitting?????

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This show is basically perfect.

The soundtrack is amazing, both the sung songs and the instrumental songs. The acting is brilliant. The chemistry between all actors was amazing. There were some very small things that I wish were changed.

First, I wish that Pei Siheng had a bigger role. I feel like we learned a lot about him just from his sister, and he was on screen a lot, but I feel like they didn’t make him deeper than just being there. I wish there was more to him that made it easier to connect on an emotional level. Like if he interacted with the other main characters, as well.

Second, I wish that they had shown Zhu Yan’s reaction to Ling Yei’s death. We saw his reaction to Jiu’s death, but none to Ling Yei. Also no real reaction from the rest of the group when Jiu’s death. I know this happens in shows all the time, that they just kind of skip characters’ reactions to deaths, but that doesn’t make me hate it any less. To me, the group and show would feel more cohesive if there was just a scene or two every death to see characters react like the deaths meant something to them.

I also wish there was a happier ending, but that’s not something I find wrong with the show. Ironically, normally, I hate a show if it has an ending I don’t like, like if a bunch of people die. Even if I loved the rest of the show, I just can’t anymore if the ending isn’t good. This show, though people died and the ending was generally sad, I still loved it. I will watch this show many more times after my heart stops hurting and I stop crying whenever I think of the show…

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loved it

I started this one three times and kept dropping it. then someone on a fb page told me to keep going because it will be really good.
i’m so glad I did! it was amazing. I wasn’t really a fan of the goddess but that was mostly the role she was playing. the actress is better as a evil character than something like this. i just couldn’t go past her powder throwing nonsense. then in another scene everyone fights for their life. everyone is bleeding and almoat dead and she pulls out the recorder and bam she wins. wth was that?! but justifies learning that instrument in elementary school.
the demons….omg! one more handsome than the other. Neo Hou…. he was perfect! he was everything and without him I don’t think the drama would have been this remarkable! Yan An… first time I saw him in a drama and I thought daaaaamn I do have a type and it’s that one right there! he was fabulous! he was seriously hot and evil and you couldn’t decide if you want to murder or smooch him. the music was amazing. especially Liu Yunings part of the ost. but he can’t do anything wrong. the martial art was captivating and the dialogue interesting and entertaining! this is a 10/10 from me and I will definitely rewatch it. i just wish they would make another special episode to see this amazing demon reborn and reunited with everyone! the bromance was almost better then the romance in this one. a real masterpiece

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If You're Debating on Whether to Watch this or Not, Watch It

I enjoyed everything about this drama. When I initially watched it, I didn't recognize Hou MingHao as I was still pretty new to Cdramas. I had seen him in Dashing Youth and enjoyed his acting style so much that I became an instant fan. FoF came up on my recommended and the edits on social media had me intrigued.

I'm glad I decided to watch it. The cinematography is beautifully done. I love the relationships, especially those between Yuan Zhou and Yi Chen. I honestly didn't care much for the romantic relationship that is supposed to exist between Yan Zhou and Wen Xiao. It felt a bit forced- not so much through the acting, but the script. The work better as friends than love interests, and the story isn't diminished by a platonic relationship, in my opinion.

The cast list alone makes this drama worth the watch. They all really outdid themselves. I absolutely love Lester Lin- this being why first drama with him. And Fam, the blessings to my eyes with the adult cast... In addition to Hou MingHao and Tian Jia Rui, we have Yan An (seriously, this man), You Ye, Zhen Xuan, and even Cheng Lei makes an appearance for a few episodes! Ai Mi is a very talented actor and I've enjoyed her in all the dramas she's been in. While I'm not a huge fan of Chen Du Ling, she is a great actor, as well. I'm not too familiar with Pei Is Jing or Lai Wei Ming, though I am interested in seeing them in more dramas.

Outside of the cast, I really did enjoy the story. The world-building was well-done and engaging. I didn't feel the need to skip through any episodes. And I am glad I didn't watch until all episodes had been released, including the special episode, because that meant I could endure the emotional rollercoaster and feel some peace after the special episode <-which you should definitely watch immediately after the final episode. I loved the redemption arc and the complex characters. None of them felt two-dimensional to me.

This is a drama I've rewatched more than once, and will definitely come back to again and again.

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