Ter22331

Could have been a 10/10 show

When I started this, I was convinced this was going to be my best xianxia, so I'm disappointed in how hard it fell off.

At first, I applauded the writers for doing their best to tell a beautiful story in limited episodes, because it's obvious that this is a show that deserved 50-60 episodes to fully bloom. But as I spent more time thinking about it, I realized that the writers held partial responsibility in the mess that the second half turned into. The story they were trying to tell was incredible, but they didn't have enough episodes to tell it well. To maintain the quality, they should have cut the story down. Or at least done it over multiple seasons, (which is rare, I know).

Unfortunately, they chose to do neither and the story suffered significantly. I know that the 3-lifetime romance is a big xianxia trope. But prioritizing a trope to the detriment of good storytelling is a decision that opens them up to criticism.

What I did like (let's get this out of the way because it's super short):

Wang Yinglu and Chen Feiyu deserve so much respect for keeping us invested in these characters despite the story going downhill. I can't give them enough praise!!!!! I'm pretty sure I'm going to rewatch this a few years down the line, but I'll be sticking to the first 13 or so episodes just to bask in Tingyan & Sima Jiao's beautiful story.

What I didn't like (no surprises here):
The pacing. The pacing. The pacing.

I'm just confused with how it was set up. The show starts off slowly, letting the characters get to know each other and fall in love realistically. Before you know it, you're halfway through, having a great time. And then you realize they're going to try and fit 2 arcs (demon + mortal) in the remaining half of the show, and question marks start popping up in your brain.

This problem with pacing is exacerbated by the middle arc that feels pointless (the cultivation school and body swapping plotlines that take up a lot of time and don't have thaaaat big of an impact on the overall picture.) It's frustrating to see so much time spent on side plotlines when the main story is so rushed. We also didn't need a second couple given the massive time constraints. Ruling and Black Snake Guy didn't really add that much by having a romance arc.

The pacing is even worse in the mortal realm, where Sima Jiao falls in love with Tingyan in 1-2 episodes, depriving us of the realistic romance that made the show special in the first place. At this point it felt like the writers were just ticking off things from their to-do list. The mortal realm also features a big drought that majorly impacts the characters, but it's introduced and resolved all in the span of, like, 10 minutes, so it all feels very bland. And of course, the fight in the last episode is laughable ... or frustrating, depending on which way you fall.

I really wanted this to be a 10/10 drama. If it had resolved in the demon realm, I probably would have given it a 9. I think it poses serious conversation around whether it's worth telling a whole story if you're going to tell it poorly, or whether it's worth to cut it down to something smaller and do a magnificent job from start to finish. It's all depends on personal opinion, but I much prefer the latter.

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Fast paced, well-acted, and realistic characters! What's not to love?

I wasn't sure I would like this drama just because I saw too many reviews saying it's overrated. I'm so, so, so glad I gave it a chance.

What I liked:
1. Romance plot
While I truly love the 'immature' FL trope, it was really enjoyable to watch a couple who was evenly matched. There was no pursuer; they both just fell in love and came to each other mutually. They understood each other really well and were a natural fit. I agree with the people who said they didn't really feel the chemistry between Li Qin and Chen Zheyuan, and I agree, but that's fine with me. They felt more like kindred souls than a 'burning passion' type of couple, and that worked.

Also, we can't talk about the romance plot without talking about the crazy Emperor. Props to that actor because he completely pulled off a redemption arc by the end, and that is hard to do.

2. Morally complex characters
Although some parts of the story had me furious, I appreciate that the writer created villains that felt human. I understood their motivations, even when I didn't agree with them, and it created a really rich world where everyone was just trying to play with the cards they were dealt.

3. Pacing
Speaking of creating a rich world, the pacing played a really big part. At no point ever did I feel like the story dragged. It took a while to catch my attention, probably 4 episodes, but after that I was hooked from start to finish. Complex characters + tight pacing = a 10/10 storyline!!

4. Acting
The cast brought their A game for sure. The Empress of Susha was captivating in all her scenes, perfectly balancing the role of the kind mother and the scheming Empress.

I know a lot of people were frustrated with Feng Xiyang, but the Xia Meng was probably the actor who took me most by surprise (which is a huge compliment cause everyone was great.) She went from naive to calculating, and it never felt fake, not even for a second. Xiyang's scenes with Xia Jinyang were my best part of the second half.

I also saw some complaints about Xia Jingshi, but I liked how Chen He Yi played him. If we didn't have access to his private conversations, we would never know what he was thinking, and we would never know who he actually cared about vs. who he was using. He played his cards super close to his vest, never revealing any emotion except with Yixiao. I think he was a compelling villain.

I'll be honest, the weakest actor for me was Chen Zhe Yuan, and I say this as a huge fan of his previous work. Some people loved his choices, I didn't. I struggled to feel his connection in scenes with Li Qin or Xia Meng. For me, his strongest work was with the soldiers or in fight scenes, but anything that required emotional depth didn't quite land. I also wasn't a fan of the heavy airbrushed look particularly on him. None of this was bad enough to make me not enjoy the show, but with everything else being damn near perfect, this stood out as a weak point and is the only reason for the 8 in my review.

5. OST
Amazing!!!!! No other words. Will be listening to it for a long time.

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A cosy masterpiece

This might be my new favorite Kdrama. I loved the characters, the story, the acting. I don't think there's anything I *didn't* like, except maybe the advertising.

Some people don't like that the FL was basically a genius and never lost, but for me that's what makes it a cosy show. And I think they did it perfectly.

I also consider this to be a super romantic story, full of yearning and quiet attraction. The second ML&FL had a great story that should have been better developed.

It's rare I rate a drama at 10 but this show was so quietly charming and the leads were all so mature, I can't rate it any less than perfect.

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Very cute story!

This was a super cute series!! But it definitely needs a HIGH cringe tolerance. The last 3 episodes were by far the cringiest - they were difficult for even me to get through. The story also lags by episode 20, so I had to watch the last few episodes at 2X just to finish the show.

The acting was really good and carried the show. Chen Zhe Yuan is really good at acting with his body and his comedic timing is incredible, and Shen Yue is always delightful to watch. Together they were perfection.

The second leads were meh, IMO. Their arc was good but they didn't have enough chemistry to sell it.

Definitely one of my most enjoyable series, although the last few episodes really killed my excitement.

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Had potential, couldn't live up to it

This was ... not a good show. The first 5 episodes were straight fire, and then it dropped significantly in quality, and by episode 17 I had to give up. It was becoming painful to watch.

I think the show could have benefitted from having lesser episodes, but ultimately the biggest flaw in my eyes was the acting. And by that I'm really just referring to one person, haha. The FL was hands down one of the worst actresses in a major role that I've ever seen. Someone on Reddit described her as "looking thicker than a bowl of porridge" and after I scream-laughed, I had to agree. She has no charisma or chemistry with any of her co-stars, romantic or platonic.

The male stars carry this show on their shoulders and are the only reason I even made it to episode 17, even though the actor playing Ji-hoo is definitely the second weakest link in the show. And Ga Eul shines as well.

But considering that more than half the scenes are around the FL, it was just too aggravating for me to continue. She seems to lack complete awareness of her face and body, so 8/10 times the emotions that she's trying to project often just make her look ... well, thicker than a bowl of porridge. I can't fully blame her for this; it seems that this was in part due to the direction she was receiving.

I was really looking forward to this after Meteor Garden which I enjoyed but found just way too long. So I thought 25 episodes would be a really significant step-up to the storytelling. Unfortunately this just goes to show how one bad actor can ruin an otherwise good thing.

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Interesting setup, meh execution

The good things first: beautiful sets! the production quality was amazing, at least from the two episodes I watched. Now the bad stuff ...

First of all, I really dislike when people from a lower socioeconomic class are portrayed as dumb, slovenly, or unable to be dignified. The contradiction is extremely annoying in this show because while the FL works hard to support her sick sister, once she enters the competition she becomes ... kind of an idiot? Like, she doesn't know how to conduct herself appropriately, only thinks about food, eats like a slob. Basically the complete reverse of the capable, hardworking person the show already told us she's supposed to be.

But anyway, I quit the show during the second (I think) episode where they have to dress up in food costumes and run a race. It made absolutely zero sense for Almond (I think his name was) to be that incompetent. And I really don't like shows that make characters dumb/intelligent or capable/incapable based on what the story needs them to be in that moment. Like, why is your character that foolish all of a sudden?

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