A Story Where Friendship Outshined Romance(For me)
I wouldn't call The Eternal Fragrance the best drama of 2026, but it was definitely a decent watch. Like most dramas, it had its own strengths and weaknesses. What surprised me the most was that I ended up loving the friendship far more than the romance between the main leads. I really wish the bond between the six friends hadn't fallen apart. Their time together, especially in Qingqiu, was filled with some of the most precious and heartwarming moments in the drama.
Starting with Lifei, I absolutely loved her character in the beginning. She was carefree, cheerful, and lived without carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. However, after she gained power and following the Lu brother's incident, she gradually became more reserved and complicated. I understand why her character changed, but I wish her transformation had been executed differently. If she had evolved from a carefree girl into a confident, fearless "baddie," I think it would've felt more satisfying. Instead, I felt like something was missing from her characterization—some of the fragrance(iykyk)
As for Xiuyuan, the man spent half the drama completely lovesick. Song Weilong did a great job portraying him. There were moments where Xiuyuan felt emotionally restrained, but those scenes were balanced out by others where his emotions came through beautifully. What I appreciated most about his character was his sense of responsibility. Even after becoming the Demon Lord, he prioritized his people by sending the demon clan back to their homeland before facing the Sea Calamity himself.
Then we have Tongzhou... honestly, I don't even know where to begin. Watching him go from righteous to completely wicked was frustrating. It would've been wonderful if the six of them had remained friends until the end. I genuinely felt sorry for him when his brother, his uncle, and his kingdom fell apart. But after everything he chose to do afterward, all my sympathy disappeared. His obsession with Lifei became unbearable, especially after discovering she was the Divine Tree. He never truly moved on and kept hurting everyone around him because of that obsession. In my opinion, he deserved neither Lifei nor Miaoqing. Honestly, he and Lanya would've made the perfect wicked couple.
Now for my favorite character—Gelin. She completely stole my heart. She looked absolutely stunning throughout the drama, but beyond that, I loved her personality. She wasn't the strongest or the most powerful character, yet she always knew the difference between right and wrong. She stayed true to herself despite everything happening around her. I was so happy that she eventually found the person she loved and received the happy ending she deserved. It was heartbreaking, though, that she spent a decade not knowing her sister and Ye Ye had died. Out of everyone, I loved her friendship with Lifei the most—it felt genuine, comforting, and unwavering.
As for Changyue and Ye Ye, I never connected with them as deeply as some of the other characters, but their deaths were genuinely heartbreaking. If the writers had decided to kill them, I honestly think there could've been a better scenario than having them die at Tongzhou's hands. Part of me still wonders if things could've been different had Ye Ye listened to Changyue when she sensed something was wrong with Tongzhou and simply escaped. Maybe they would've survived.
Lu Li was such a supportive gentleman. I absolutely adored his relationship with Gelin. One of my favorite moments was when Gelin said she wanted to stay at the academy, and instead of arguing or forcing his own wishes, he simply chose to stay with her. Considering they were already husband and wife, that quiet understanding between them made their relationship even sweeter. Their dynamic was wholesome, healthy, and honestly one of the cutest couples in the drama.
Then there's Miaoqing. Her sacrifice left me speechless. But I still don't understand why she fell in love with Tongzhou in the first place. Just because someone saves your life doesn't automatically make them the right person to love. Throughout the story, Tongzhou barely acknowledged her as herself. He constantly treated her as a replacement for Lifei. It was only after her death that he seemed to realize how important she truly was to him.
One relationship I also want to mention is Lifei's bond with both of her masters. The master-disciple relationships were written beautifully and became some of the strongest emotional anchors of the drama. Qingcheng's death absolutely broke my heart—I genuinely cried during that scene. It was one of the most emotional moments in the entire series.
As for the romance... I honestly don't have much to say. It wasn't bad, but it also wasn't the highlight of the drama for me. The main leads spent a large portion of the story apart, so I never felt fully invested in their relationship. Because of that, the emotional payoff didn't hit as hard as it could have. Ironically, I found myself caring far more about the friendships and the individual character journeys than the central love story.
Overall, The Eternal Fragrance was an enjoyable drama with both memorable highs and noticeable flaws. A lot of beloved characters lost their lives, and by the end, only three members of the original friend group remained. Despite everything, I enjoyed the journey. The final scene with Riyan was unexpectedly hilarious. After making me emotional for so many episodes, the drama managed to end by making me laugh. That felt like the perfect way to close the story.
Starting with Lifei, I absolutely loved her character in the beginning. She was carefree, cheerful, and lived without carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. However, after she gained power and following the Lu brother's incident, she gradually became more reserved and complicated. I understand why her character changed, but I wish her transformation had been executed differently. If she had evolved from a carefree girl into a confident, fearless "baddie," I think it would've felt more satisfying. Instead, I felt like something was missing from her characterization—some of the fragrance(iykyk)
As for Xiuyuan, the man spent half the drama completely lovesick. Song Weilong did a great job portraying him. There were moments where Xiuyuan felt emotionally restrained, but those scenes were balanced out by others where his emotions came through beautifully. What I appreciated most about his character was his sense of responsibility. Even after becoming the Demon Lord, he prioritized his people by sending the demon clan back to their homeland before facing the Sea Calamity himself.
Then we have Tongzhou... honestly, I don't even know where to begin. Watching him go from righteous to completely wicked was frustrating. It would've been wonderful if the six of them had remained friends until the end. I genuinely felt sorry for him when his brother, his uncle, and his kingdom fell apart. But after everything he chose to do afterward, all my sympathy disappeared. His obsession with Lifei became unbearable, especially after discovering she was the Divine Tree. He never truly moved on and kept hurting everyone around him because of that obsession. In my opinion, he deserved neither Lifei nor Miaoqing. Honestly, he and Lanya would've made the perfect wicked couple.
Now for my favorite character—Gelin. She completely stole my heart. She looked absolutely stunning throughout the drama, but beyond that, I loved her personality. She wasn't the strongest or the most powerful character, yet she always knew the difference between right and wrong. She stayed true to herself despite everything happening around her. I was so happy that she eventually found the person she loved and received the happy ending she deserved. It was heartbreaking, though, that she spent a decade not knowing her sister and Ye Ye had died. Out of everyone, I loved her friendship with Lifei the most—it felt genuine, comforting, and unwavering.
As for Changyue and Ye Ye, I never connected with them as deeply as some of the other characters, but their deaths were genuinely heartbreaking. If the writers had decided to kill them, I honestly think there could've been a better scenario than having them die at Tongzhou's hands. Part of me still wonders if things could've been different had Ye Ye listened to Changyue when she sensed something was wrong with Tongzhou and simply escaped. Maybe they would've survived.
Lu Li was such a supportive gentleman. I absolutely adored his relationship with Gelin. One of my favorite moments was when Gelin said she wanted to stay at the academy, and instead of arguing or forcing his own wishes, he simply chose to stay with her. Considering they were already husband and wife, that quiet understanding between them made their relationship even sweeter. Their dynamic was wholesome, healthy, and honestly one of the cutest couples in the drama.
Then there's Miaoqing. Her sacrifice left me speechless. But I still don't understand why she fell in love with Tongzhou in the first place. Just because someone saves your life doesn't automatically make them the right person to love. Throughout the story, Tongzhou barely acknowledged her as herself. He constantly treated her as a replacement for Lifei. It was only after her death that he seemed to realize how important she truly was to him.
One relationship I also want to mention is Lifei's bond with both of her masters. The master-disciple relationships were written beautifully and became some of the strongest emotional anchors of the drama. Qingcheng's death absolutely broke my heart—I genuinely cried during that scene. It was one of the most emotional moments in the entire series.
As for the romance... I honestly don't have much to say. It wasn't bad, but it also wasn't the highlight of the drama for me. The main leads spent a large portion of the story apart, so I never felt fully invested in their relationship. Because of that, the emotional payoff didn't hit as hard as it could have. Ironically, I found myself caring far more about the friendships and the individual character journeys than the central love story.
Overall, The Eternal Fragrance was an enjoyable drama with both memorable highs and noticeable flaws. A lot of beloved characters lost their lives, and by the end, only three members of the original friend group remained. Despite everything, I enjoyed the journey. The final scene with Riyan was unexpectedly hilarious. After making me emotional for so many episodes, the drama managed to end by making me laugh. That felt like the perfect way to close the story.
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