Guy, this is such a great drama with depth. We can't let reviews with 6/10 or 7/10 to be the top reviews for this amazing drama. 🥲 This kind of well written drama deserved more than this.
Snippet from the review: ''As the story progressed, I realized this drama’s biggest strength is not the world-building alone.
It is the CHARACTERS.
Almost every important character in this drama has multiple layers. The people you dislike at the beginning become understandable later. The people who appear righteous are not completely pure. The people who seem cold and cruel hide unbearable suffering beneath their masks.
And that is what made this drama so compelling to me.
Nobody here exists just to support the main couple. Every character feels like the protagonist of their own story.
────────────────────── 🖤 LU QIANQIAO — ONE OF THE MOST LAYERED MALE LEADS ──────────────────────
Ren Jialun absolutely carried this role with incredible subtlety.
Lu QianQiao is not a loud or expressive character. He is a War Demon cursed by the Five Senses Curse — unable to truly taste food, feel pain, experience warmth, or even see colors properly for decades. Imagine living like that for hundreds of years. Existing, but never truly *living*.
And Ren Jialun portrayed this emptiness so naturally.
Not through dramatic screaming scenes. Not through exaggerated crying.
But through silence.
Through tired eyes. Through restrained expressions. Through subtle changes in breathing and tone.
Snippet from the review: ''This drama is directed by Guo Hu from the famed drama One & Only and Mysterious Lotus Casebook. Just like One & Only where he like to use cinematography to influence the atmosphere and vibe of the scenes, he did it again in this drama. From the beautiful on site location of the valley of Yunnan to the high wall palace at Hengdian to the beautiful mansion at Chongling Valley, he used each location to influence each scenes and characters’ development and relationship. Like the palace high palace wall represents the difficult high place Li QianQiao went through to put Emperor Zong Ding on the throne. To the beautiful falling autumn leaves everytime Lu QianQiao sees Xin Mei again at Chongling Valley which represent yellow ‘sadness’ leaves (instead of pink blossom flowers) on the fact he still concealed her memories at that time — so their encouter again riddles with secrets.
The visual directing is especially a standout. I love how the Director shot the scenes especially anything that involves Lu Huai seeing the colors for the first time. That crimson red dress that Xin Mei wore, to show how she is ready for blood for him and him seeing that color for the first time on her is just excellent — you can see her reflection in his eyes. Then the powdered colors at the bridge soon after where he starts seeing all the colors, finally. Not to mention how the Director love to shot Lu QianQiao in this position where the lighting focus on him in the dark room to show despite all the accusations he faced, he is the innocent light that we ‘have yet’ to know at that time. Excellent visual directing to tell us the truth before it is revealed to us.
I also enjoy how the Director edited the drama. The plot moves fast, gives us enough to appreciate the sceneries and characters but didnt linger on unnecessary things to make us lose focus. The pacing is almost perfect with no filler scenes. Each scene is out there for a reason with little details to support the whole narrative of the plot.''
Snippet from the review: ''Fate Chooses You has an engaging story, brilliant pacing and complex characters with beautiful cinematography and spectacular fight scenes. The writing is elaborate and beautifully layered. The story has depth - it's interesting and thought-provoking but is also light-hearted and fun to watch.
Most of the characters here are complex and make you feel a range of emotions. Sometimes you agree with their actions, sometimes you don’t. But even then, their actions usually follow a train of logic and it’s mostly understandable where they are coming from. The character writing is consistent, and the entire cast really did justice in bringing their characters to life.
As for the romance, it's not a central part of the story. Lu Qianqiao and Xin Mei’s relationship is subtle and sweet. Their chemistry is not electric and fireworks but rather feels like comfort and belonging. Their love is made of small moments and understanding and is honestly so wholesome.''
He has acted in nearly 20 dramas as a lead. And only 4 dramas has sad endings. Its nor even half of his filmography.
For costume dramas: 4 sad endings (Glory of Tang Dynasty, One & Only, Love of Nirvana, Love & Crown) 2 open endings (Detective Dee, The Demon Hunter's Romance) 5 happy endings
For modern dramas: 1 sad ending (Autumn Cicada) 0 open ending 6 happy endings
For those who have read the novel or followed the filming — tell me, which ending should I expect? Because I…
After people riot when iQiyi forced the open ending in TDHR, the scriptwriter comes out and confirmed that her next 2 dramas which is Feud and Fate Chooses You will have satisfying happy ending.
Dont believe what people said about RJL and sad ending dramas. His only dramas with sad endings are 4 out of his 18 dramas as a lead.
His dramas with sad endings; Tang Dynasty, Autumn Cicade, One & Only and Love of Nirvana.
The other dramas are safe to watch with TDHR as open ending. He has so many happy ending dramas (12 of them).
His 5 costume dramas with happy endings; White Snake, Under the Power, Love A Lifetime, The Blue Whisper & Burning Flames.
whoa... why are there so many main leads. it feels like story will be all over the place, very fragmented
Only 2 main leads and mosly focus on ML’s journey to become human. The other just guest starring roles that only appear in certain episodes. There will be different arcs and ML will meet them in each mission.
I liked TDHR too, but I didn't like the other 2 dramas of the screenwritwer that came out in 2025 (including the…
A Moment But Forever? I understand you but the script itself is very good and with substance. So I assume the writer will give us the same quality like her other dramas. But I dont want something like Feud though. I think thats the only of her dramas that received low douban score.
Here, upvote this amazing review by Mrs Gong:
https://kisskh.at/profile/WavyIshu/review/566770
Snippet from the review:
''As the story progressed, I realized this drama’s biggest strength is not the world-building alone.
It is the CHARACTERS.
Almost every important character in this drama has multiple layers. The people you dislike at the beginning become understandable later. The people who appear righteous are not completely pure. The people who seem cold and cruel hide unbearable suffering beneath their masks.
And that is what made this drama so compelling to me.
Nobody here exists just to support the main couple. Every character feels like the protagonist of their own story.
──────────────────────
🖤 LU QIANQIAO — ONE OF THE MOST LAYERED MALE LEADS
──────────────────────
Ren Jialun absolutely carried this role with incredible subtlety.
Lu QianQiao is not a loud or expressive character. He is a War Demon cursed by the Five Senses Curse — unable to truly taste food, feel pain, experience warmth, or even see colors properly for decades. Imagine living like that for hundreds of years. Existing, but never truly *living*.
And Ren Jialun portrayed this emptiness so naturally.
Not through dramatic screaming scenes.
Not through exaggerated crying.
But through silence.
Through tired eyes.
Through restrained expressions.
Through subtle changes in breathing and tone.
That is why his acting hit me so hard. 🥲''
https://kisskh.at/profile/tsuyoi_hikari/review/564848
Snippet from the review:
''This drama is directed by Guo Hu from the famed drama One & Only and Mysterious Lotus Casebook. Just like One & Only where he like to use cinematography to influence the atmosphere and vibe of the scenes, he did it again in this drama. From the beautiful on site location of the valley of Yunnan to the high wall palace at Hengdian to the beautiful mansion at Chongling Valley, he used each location to influence each scenes and characters’ development and relationship. Like the palace high palace wall represents the difficult high place Li QianQiao went through to put Emperor Zong Ding on the throne. To the beautiful falling autumn leaves everytime Lu QianQiao sees Xin Mei again at Chongling Valley which represent yellow ‘sadness’ leaves (instead of pink blossom flowers) on the fact he still concealed her memories at that time — so their encouter again riddles with secrets.
The visual directing is especially a standout. I love how the Director shot the scenes especially anything that involves Lu Huai seeing the colors for the first time. That crimson red dress that Xin Mei wore, to show how she is ready for blood for him and him seeing that color for the first time on her is just excellent — you can see her reflection in his eyes. Then the powdered colors at the bridge soon after where he starts seeing all the colors, finally. Not to mention how the Director love to shot Lu QianQiao in this position where the lighting focus on him in the dark room to show despite all the accusations he faced, he is the innocent light that we ‘have yet’ to know at that time. Excellent visual directing to tell us the truth before it is revealed to us.
I also enjoy how the Director edited the drama. The plot moves fast, gives us enough to appreciate the sceneries and characters but didnt linger on unnecessary things to make us lose focus. The pacing is almost perfect with no filler scenes. Each scene is out there for a reason with little details to support the whole narrative of the plot.''
https://kisskh.at/profile/SadiaShreya/review/566532
Snippet from the review:
''Fate Chooses You has an engaging story, brilliant pacing and complex characters with beautiful cinematography and spectacular fight scenes. The writing is elaborate and beautifully layered. The story has depth - it's interesting and thought-provoking but is also light-hearted and fun to watch.
Most of the characters here are complex and make you feel a range of emotions. Sometimes you agree with their actions, sometimes you don’t. But even then, their actions usually follow a train of logic and it’s mostly understandable where they are coming from. The character writing is consistent, and the entire cast really did justice in bringing their characters to life.
As for the romance, it's not a central part of the story. Lu Qianqiao and Xin Mei’s relationship is subtle and sweet. Their chemistry is not electric and fireworks but rather feels like comfort and belonging. Their love is made of small moments and understanding and is honestly so wholesome.''
4 sad endings (Glory of Tang Dynasty, One & Only, Love of Nirvana, Love & Crown)
2 open endings (Detective Dee, The Demon Hunter's Romance)
5 happy endings
For modern dramas:
1 sad ending (Autumn Cicada)
0 open ending
6 happy endings
Still more happy ending than sad ending.
For costume dramas:
3 sad endings
2 open endings
5 happy endings
For modern dramas:
1 sad ending
0 open ending
6 happy endings
Dont believe what people said about RJL and sad ending dramas. His only dramas with sad endings are 4 out of his 18 dramas as a lead.
His dramas with sad endings; Tang Dynasty, Autumn Cicade, One & Only and Love of Nirvana.
The other dramas are safe to watch with TDHR as open ending. He has so many happy ending dramas (12 of them).
His 5 costume dramas with happy endings; White Snake, Under the Power, Love A Lifetime, The Blue Whisper & Burning Flames.
4 sad endings
2 open endings
12 happy endings.
It wasnt so bad in my opinion 😌
5 costume dramas with happy endings; White Snake, Under the Power, Love A Lifetime, The Blue Whisper & Burning Flames.
And all his modern dramas have happy endings.