Bound to the God (2025)

Chinese vertical drama with the best VFX, action sequences & the most Kdrama vibe

I am a fan of fantasy / supernatural tv series. When a reddit friend told me that this drama is similar to Korean drama My Demon, my interest was piqued. To be honest, I dropped My Demon because the poor writing did not meet my expectation. However for Along with the Gods / Bound to the God, I had little expectations. I was extremely impressed by the quality of this drama and enjoyed it immensely.

What I liked:
1. FL characterisation - I instantly liked FL Shen Yu Zhen right from the beginning because she acted like a shrewd businesswoman and negotiated terms & conditions of the partnership with ML, unlike the FL in My Demon (she just accepted ML’s terms & conditions blindly).
2. ML characterisation - I liked ML a lot! He enjoyed his role as god but wasn’t cocky (unlike the ML in My Demon - he seemed to loathe his work). He was nice and honest with FL.
3. Writing - Along with the Gods is a Chinese vertical drama with the most Kdrama vibe. Kudos to the writer of Along with the Gods for making this drama an improved version of My Demon. Along with the Gods has depth and maturity that My Demon lacks.
4. VFX - I was impressed by the visual effects - I must say it has one of the best VFX and action sequences in the world of vertical dramas.
5. Romance - I liked the romance arc - slow burn with good push-and-pull dynamics. There was even a little twist in the third act - past lives & reincarnation, which pays homage to My Demon but wasn’t draggy.
6. Acting - Great performances by both Sun Qian Xun & Li Bo Yan. SQX is known more for her comedic roles - Shen Yu Zhen is one of the few serious characters that SQX has portrayed and she nailed the role. Along with the Gods really showcased Li Bo Yan’s acting prowess - his character has a big role in this drama. It was cool to see Li Bo Yan fight baddies! We already know that there is great chemistry between SQX and LBY so I was convinced by the romance arc.
7. Family - It is the core theme of this drama. FL is adopted granddaughter of a rich lady and I liked that the grandmother did not chose her biological granddaughter as the heir - she chose based on merit.
8. Styling - Wonderful wardrobe for FL & ML. I wrote a reddit post about this combo of black pleather jacket - white shirt - black tie - black trousers before watching this drama. So I chuckled when I saw Li Bo Yan wearing this ensemble. He looked very handsome of course!

What I disliked:
1. Antagonists - FL's sister was greedy and evil with her husband being her Mr Yes Man / follower. Fang Hang Xing was alos evil and manipulative. Good thing all three got their retribution.

Favourite scene
When ML asked for a kiss from FL

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