Kill to Love

ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL AND A MUST-WATCH!

where do i even start? good God! this is everything - EVERYTHING - i could hope for in a love story, and the fact that it was delivered through a mm romance just made it 100x better!
the childhood friends to strangers to lovers to enemies to lovers trope was executed with such brilliance and perfection UGH i fear no other mm/bl will catch up to the masterpiece this show was! and i found out it was a low budget show???? like WHERE? the acting was delivered so well i did not even notice any lack in production quality! i wish i could make everyone i know watch this series
the ending was bittersweet but it also made so much sense, especially to their character arcs! i can't believe they made me feel such a myriad of emotions over the span of 12 episodes, esp because each episode was only 35 minutes! but i'm also glad they didn't drag it further because the pacing was JUST RIGHT.
loved everything about this series, man. i hope we get more Chinese bl/mm dramas. K-bls are always too bloody short and Thai bls are just NC scenes and p0rn without plot at this point. It was such a breath of fresh air to watch Kill To Love. absolute perfection.

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He let the world burn for him.

Whooo boy this was a rollercoaster of a series to watch. I went into it with knowledge of the ending and a few other events, but even with that I ended up with my jaw on the floor at least on three separate occasions.

Despite my score only being a 7.0/10, I did enjoy this series. I thought it had ideas that were great and would suit my taste perfectly, except what bogged it down was definitely the pacing. If I had to guess, it was probably because they adapted a lengthy novel into a series that couldn't go beyond twelve episodes. It's a common issue even Chinese dramas with over thirty episodes face. If it had been given at least double the length, I think it would have been revolutionary in the BL drama sphere. That being said, I still think it shows a good sign for future Chinese BL dramas to be adapted without censorship. I sincerely hope that other novels like Mo Dao Zu Shi and Thousand Autumns can have faithful adaptations to follow suit in future years. I think this spells something positive for LGBTQ+ novels getting adapted, and I'm really happy about that.

Now going into the story itself, there was a lot to unpack. Let me start off by saying that I thought the show looked great for clearly being a lower budget BL series. The costumes were amazing and I liked a lot of the hairstyles as well. The swordplay was nice and fight scenes, though sparse, were hype. Not to mention how they used their environments to the best of their ability and the music was mostly pleasant. I say mostly because there were times when the music would be so loud in scenes that my eardrums would be blasted like I was at a rave. But the songs themselves were pretty nice; not that it's surprising considering most Chinese dramas tend to have decent music. I was just happy seeing a BL be given that same treatment.

The acting was decent, but I never felt that it was extraordinary. That is not an insult to the actors as I think they did well for what they were given, just that none of them seemed to "envelope" their characters in a way that would be hard to replicate for any other actor. The actor that I think did the best was probably Shu He's by a small margin. But that might just be my bias talking as he was undeniably my favorite character in the series. The central couple performed the intimacy scenes well and it didn't feel forced.

The plot was really intense and it felt like there was always something important brewing. I think the short amount of episodes made it hard to feel like there was "period of peace" in-between all of the drama. As I said earlier, my jaw was on the floor multiple times because of how caught off guard I was by certain scenes. I'm not gonna lie, when the crown princes were both cut through I was flabbergasted since I didn't think they'd actually kill them off so early on. I was still parading in the streets when Shu Qian got alley-ooped off the fifth story bridge. I also was feeling whiplashed when both of the old guy emperors were killed off by their sons when they only had like three scenes TOPS. Shu Qian and Zi Ang both had that dog in them, so when they were squaring off on the bridge I was so hype because Shu Qian had finally met his match of crazy. Zi Ang didn't disappoint either since he sent that mofo flying.

Though, an issue I think this series had (or maybe the translation), was that it felt like a lot of plot points were too vague or confusing to the point that when secrets were revealed, I was left confused on just what was happening. I was actually paying attention for 90% of the drama too, so I was even MORE confused on what was happening. When it was revealed on the bridge that Zi Ang was a "spy" for the North and Shu He was shell-shocked, I was just like "Wait, didn't you already figure this out?" because Shu He had been suspecting him since episode one. Then I backtracked and did the mental math and realized "Oh yeah, he only knows he wants to murder his older brother, not that he is on the North's side." There was also a lot of plot points that were briskly mentioned/shown in the latter half regarding the time skip that were hard to immerse myself in because it all had to happen super quick in a short amount of time despite the fact that it needed episodes of build-up before execution. I also had no idea on who was guilty in the past or not and the Prime Minister Gu was just never mentioned nor shown again after Shu Qian died. I also had no idea what the drama surrounding the sudden marriage alliance was nor how it actually ended, but maybe I just wasn't paying attention enough in that episode.

The central core of this series was definitely its characters and I think that was its saving grace. I loved Shu He and the writers truly succeeded at making me sympathize with his character. He was someone that was forced into a terrible situation by the people around him and felt like he had no control over his life, When he said "I am nothing, and I own nothing" I really felt sorry for him because he suffered greatly. A man that only ever wanted to live a peaceful life devoid of bloodshed ended up having to watch his kingdom be razed to the ground and his family massacred. I could relate to how he felt toward his brother since I've also been in a situation where I longed for a family member to acknowledge my existence and not see it in a bad light, yet end up never having that person's time of day nor love. Of course, his situation with Shu Qian was far more extreme than that, but at its core it was a feeling of longing for love from someone that couldn't care less about you. Most of the time in stories I tend to find characters that cling on to people that treat them terribly to be insufferable, but I think they wrote Shu He's situation quite gracefully. His expectations were never too high, yet even he knew the bare minimum of what he expected from those around him would never be met. Then he gets trapped in a borderline abusive relationship with his lover near the end after having to accept that he was a major let down to his people; despite never wanting to be the emperor whatsoever. His exit from the story made perfect sense for how he had been written up until that point and so I accepted it far better than a lot of other viewers probably did.

Zi Ang was definitely a special case for me. I tend not to like characters where their major personality points all are centered around their love interest, but I ended up liking him despite that. I think something that made it tolerable was that his initial meeting with Shu He was never intended to form a romantic relationship, which made their subsequent development of feelings all the more believable. His options post-darkening were also portrayed (in my eyes) in a more negative light, and I could accept them much easier as a result; I'm largely more forgiving of these kinds of characters if the author is self-aware and doesn't sugarcoat everything that they do (which I believed was portrayed through Shu He's suffering and Zi Ang's subtle guilt). I could believe that someone deprived of affection like Zi Ang would latch onto someone like Shu He, a person that was full of love to give. I enjoyed how he wasn't afraid to take the moral low ground in their relationship and when he acted berserk later on my eyes were glued to the screen. That being said, the pacing made it hard to understand why he went berserk to the extreme that he did. Though, he was shown to always have that dog in him, so I didn't find it *that* far-fetched that he turn all yandere; "If I want you dead, you will die. If I want you alive, you will live. Not even the king of the underworld could take you from me," which ended up being proven true since Shu He never escaped him even in death. Something that I didn't like about him was the poison plot they assigned to him; I'll be honest, I'm dead tired of authors using the whole "poison from years ago resurfaces and now I have two months left to live" trope. It's so overused and I have yet to see it executed in a satisfying way. When they brought that plot point up with him I swear I felt my eyes roll so far into the back of my skull that I could see my nerves or whatever else is back there.

The other characters were underdeveloped because of the short run time. Though, they did well as stand-alone characters in the story. Shu Qian was a character that they did a good job of making me despise until even after his death; I did not accept that he was forgiving in the afterlife though-I rejected that on behalf of Shu He. Him going crazy and ending up deranged due to the corruption of power was unsightly, yet believable as history has shown it happen time and time again. I just wish we could have seen more scenes of them getting along as well as the scenes that could show little seeds of doubt being planted in Shu Qian from an early age that conflicted with his love for his brother. I wasn't a fan that most of their backstory was gatekept behind exposition to the point that I couldn't tell when Shu He was being honest or just fibbing for an act. I couldn't believe he'd have an off-screen redemption arc in the afterlife after he tried to murder his little brother right before he died despite his brother trying to defend him. Also, not him calling out his brother for "sharing a bed" with a guy who was playing him like a fiddle; have some decency and don't roast your lil bro like that LMAO. That scene had me dead.

Huo Ying and Shen Song were in a similar boat as I liked them individually, but they were never really fleshed out. I also couldn't care less about any of the romances surrounding Huo Ying. I couldn't even tell he liked Shu Qian until other people pointed it out since I never interpreted their interactions as even 0.1% romantic. Also, working under someone for 17 years when you are barely in your mid twenties is CRAZY work. Seriously, what were even the ages of all of the characters when they were committing all of these crimes??? When it was revealed that Shu Qian was 24 I was dead since it made no sense that people thought he plotted a high treason crime of the Duans if he was really that young back then. But anyway, Shen Song deserved better than to pine for a guy that had no interest in him romantically. I did end up enjoying their platonic relationship though as a result of the unrequited feelings. I liked how Shen Song was a good friend of Shu He, yet I swear 20% of what he said to him had a sexual undertone when referring to Zi Ang like when he whispered that he could "be with him" after treating his wounds in like episode ten. Despite that, I liked his integrity as a doctor and his sassiness was always welcome.

The character that really annoyed me was Huai Ying: Zi Ang's annoying little adopted brother. Seriously, what was his problem? For being a guy that was raised as a monk, he was sure good at switching up as a greasy glazer of his psychotic estranged brother. His switch up was wild and I was mad confused on why he was acting so hostile to Shu He and Shen Song when they both helped him. I was actually waiting for him to stop glazing yet he never did. Then they had the audacity to sit him at the little round table in the final episode and chill with the lot of the characters that were still alive and expect me not to burst out laughing as if they were all homies despite half of them not liking each other. Like, this isn't a Disney Channel special, y'all. Let's be serious.

There were also a lot of high-ranking guys like the Prime Minister, the General, the two Emperors, the Crown Prince of the North along with his sister, that were just thrown to the curb writing-wise. Like, they got sidelined and off-screened mostly and that was disappointing.

In conclusion, I really did like the premise of this story, just not necessarily its execution. I love a good dark romance, and lovers to enemies? Sign me the fuck up! If the novel ever gets an official English translation, I can picture myself buying it as well. I would like to see how the pacing in the source material compares to the series' adaptation. All in all, would I recommend this? Yes, but someone needs a fair warning of the material it portrays as it can get pretty dark. Now, I will go watch edits of this show with "Let the world burn" by Chris Grey playing the background. ╰(✿´⌣`✿)╯♡

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Brilliant acting and production makes the series shine far beyond its budget

Kill to Love is an astonishing masterpiece that swept me off my feet from the very first episode.

💜 The Acting - Zhang Zhe Xu and Mi Jin delivered absolutely breathtaking performances, carrying every scene with grace, power, and soul. Their chemistry was magnetic, their emotions palpable, and their portrayal of love and sacrifice will stay with me forever.

💛 The Production - Every detail, from the costumes to the sets, was crafted with such artistry. The cinematography was rich and vibrant, immersing me completely in this world of kingdoms, assassins, and star-crossed love.

💙 The Story - Painful yet profoundly beautiful, this tale of love against fate is unforgettable. It weaves together longing, betrayal, reunion, and unshakable devotion in a way that touches the heart deeply.

💖 The Experience - Watching Kill to Love was not just entertainment, it was a journey. A journey of tears, wonder, admiration, and endless love for the story, the characters, and the team who brought it to life.

✨ I will wholeheartedly recommend this series to everyone. It is a jewel - a rare and dazzling work that proves how powerful storytelling can be when talent, dedication, and passion come together.

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Perfect story with a perfect ending

Honestly one of the best BL I have ever watched and trust me , I have watched over 100 bls. I do not even know where to begin. After finishing watching this today, I was left with a bittersweet taste in my mouth . The impact it had on me is truly so layered and purely beautiful. Words cannot describe how much I feel for the main leads and how well I was able to connect to their characters. All I can say is that the ending was absolutely perfect. Moreover, I feel like a happy ending wouldn’t have fitted with how the story developed, so the ending was all I could’ve asked for. I cannot wait for another series with the main leads,their chemistry is mad.
(Just a little tmi: a song that I loved listening to after I finished the series is until the end of time by xdinary heroes. Truly amplified the experience of ending the series.??)

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Kill to Love desperately needed some breathing room to build the story

I really liked the concept, but Kill to Love really suffered from not having space to fully flesh out both the political story and the love story. I felt like I was watching a "Cliff notes" version of the story, and it fell short on both levels:

Political story: Character decisions seemed inconsistent, but I think this was because there wasn't room to show characters struggling with difficult decisions, consulting other trusted characters, establishing depth of relationship with family members, etc. I felt like I needed to call upon my knowledge of watching countless costume Cdramas to reason out why someone might make one decision and then change their mind or why a particular decision makes logical sense. I've definitely seen characters from other costume dramas make similar decisions and take similar actions, but Kill to Love was unable to adequately show the struggle, I believe due to time limitations. So, it just felt like characters were being inconsistent.

Love story: Everything felt sudden. Again, I think this is a problem with not having breathing room to build up the emotional depth. I felt like it was too much relying on "childhood lovers," but there wasn't enough in either the flashbacks or present day to establish a deep emotional relationship. It just needed more time to show sweet interactions, etc, that could then be used as flashbacks later on to remind the viewer why these two care deeply about each other. Same issue with the second couple.

Chemistry was meh, not bad, but also not great, but honestly, I've really enjoyed series in the past with mediocre chemistry when the plot is good, but because Kill to Love also couldn't deliver on the political story, it just couldn't carry the mid-level chemistry. I'm mostly leaving Kill to Love feeling disappointed that it didn't have the space (and probably the funding) to fully flesh out the story because the concept is really interesting and I see how it could've been really excellent if it had the more standard 30-some episodes to fully build out complicated political storylines and establish character relationships.

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A Bold Attempt

I can’t help but be reminded of The Untamed series. Kill to Love was definitely one of the more ambitious projects this year, packed with potential, but it didn’t quite hold together the way I hoped. As a historical BL, it had the setup to be really compelling, but somehow it just didn’t hit the mark emotionally. There were moments that felt underdeveloped, like certain scenes didn’t get the buildup they needed. The story started off strong and ended with impact, but somewhere in the middle, it kind of lost its rhythm. Still, it wasn’t a bad watch. I’d give it a solid 3.5 out of 5 stars. Worth checking out, especially if you’re into the genre, but don’t expect it to blow your mind all the way through.

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the ml is giving obsession final boss (very minor, minor spoilers)

I really didn't know what to expect when I started watching KTL. I recently rewatched The Untamed for the fifth time and I was craving something of a similar vibe (historical drama BL/bromance). I also finished watching ABO Desire recently and I was craving a Hua Yong level obsessed ML. With that in mind, nothing prepared me for the main couples romance dynamic in KTL. Oh. My. Gosh.

First off, KTL is a BL not a bromance. STANDING OVATION.

When an obsession trope is executed well, it can be sensational. Where I find a lot of obsession dramas/novels fall short is when the obsession character is wayyy too toxic, to an uncomfortable degree, and the relationship dynamic doesn't vibe at all. I'm aware that the laws of morality, ethics and reality don't apply to the fictional drama world, but there are still some lines that I find shouldn't be crossed. But I'm also not saying every obsession trope NEEDS to be mutual; that would literally defeat the purpose of it being a fictional dark romance. Obviously every writer has the creative liberty to explore different levels of toxicity—ITS A DRAMA. ITS SUPPOSED TO BE A STRETCH FROM REALITY—but there is something soooooo satisfying about obsession tropes where the characters lowkey match each others freak in some way or form. I never see it coming and it's a pleasant surprise every time. This is what KTL excels in. I'm not saying that Xiao Shu He is the same level of freak as Duan Zi Ang, BUT I am saying it is kinda giving stalker meets manipulator. Some might disagree with that.

I'm writing this review approximately one week after finishing the drama and I'm STILL going through withdrawals. I've rewatched episodes, read fics and even roped my non-BL fan friends into conversations about my theories over the ending. This drama is THAT good. Insanely good. At first I thought the acting was kinda cringey/cheesy and I didn't expect much, but the storyline is really good. It's a quick watch—only 12 episodes—and I was engaged the whole time. If you are on the fence about watching KTL... GO WATCH IT NOW.

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Not Perfect but great for binge-watching

Are there plot holes? Yes
Does the story line make sense? Not really
Is the acting out of this world? No
Is it worth watching? Definitely

I did not keep watching the drama for the political or event familial plot. I watched solely for the relationship of the 2 main characters. Finding each other after so many years, bogged down by their own secrets & responsibilities. Giving their hearts to each other and the heaven's not being on their side. The male lead literally embodying the song Let The World Burn by Chris Grey. He wrecked havoc on the world to bring his loved one to his side and eventually being betrayed by him time and time again, even his death is bitter sweet.

I suppose I am a masochist enjoying un-requited love stories, heartbreak and emotional suffering gifted by the one you love. This drama, though not perfect, quelled my craving for a bitter-sweet, toxic and intoxicating love story.

What they could have done better is if there were fewer conflicts instead of so many, considering it was 12 episodes and 35 minutes each ep. They really could not have done justice anything besides the main characters love story. The actors had what it takes to deliver their characters, the director knew how to bring it to life, but the script was what was missing. Had it focused on a simpler arc for Duan Zi Ang and lesser betrayals it would have hit harder. The 2 lead's were getting hurt left, right, and center it was like back to back, I wanted to see more of their love story and just them.

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The ending came too quick so the story end in a weird way.

The story is interesting, a bit complex and confusing sometimes, but still good. The only thing I really dislike was the ending. I feel like they initially created 15 episodes and thinks that’s too long so they simply cut the 3 episodes before the last one and didn’t adapt the story to 12 episodes so the ending is actually good but came too quick. The relationship between all the characters switched too quickly and didn’t feel natural when considering what happened before and how much time pass. Because of that I personally was completely disconnected and not invested in the last episode.

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Destiny against love

After a long time, the historical drama in bl genre, and a bittersweet ending....it's a masterpiece.

After watching all type of bloodshed historical dramas, where the main story belongs to battlefield, politics and no love to die together, this series brings freshness for me.

Duan is a lover everyone craves. But what happens if at the brink of being together, destiny brings you far apart, unable to watch, and if you still watch the love of your life, it will bring pain.
Yes, such a heart wrenching love, where you have to cautious of your own love and lover, the love thats country apart, proper enemy to lover but have to be enemy for the same of people.

It's overwhelming how many times they get apart from their lover, and the next time they see, it's more tragic. It's sad how destiny plays the role in our life. It's not about how strong your love is, if it meant to give you pain again and again, even at the point of death.

I love how realistic everything this drama has, whether the bond of father as a king, the brother who was crowned, or the lover who is future crown prince of enemy country. And the most realistic is ending, no matter how hard you try to hold the water in your hands, it will slip.

I don't know in what category I should keep this series, its sad, romantic, historical, etc....but it's sure is a MASTERPIECE. Do watch it.

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