This review may contain spoilers
Less is Always More
This drama is actually semi-decent but the runtime is absolutely atrocious. To each their own and this next part is purely based on personal preference of the viewer, but this is where I stand on the topic. I RARELY watch dramas that exceed a 40-episode count. I know some people prefer the longer runtime but I am NOT one of those individuals. Yes, I know things have changed a lot since this drama aired in terms of how many episodes each drama is allowed to have. But going forward, you should think long and hard about whether you would like to jump into a drama with this many episodes if you're a new C Drama watcher who is watching all the highly recommended dramas of yesteryear. Just REALLY think about it! I know some people claim that you won't even notice the runtime if you're truly enjoying a drama but that's simply not true. You will notice it and it's going to really emphasize just how draggy and drawn out certain arcs/plots are in said drama.
While I enjoyed this drama, I skipped a huge chunk of it. The episodes I did watch were fairly enjoyable, I must say. I forced myself to watch the first 8 episodes of this series before I started skipping around. That was more than enough to give me a decent foundation and feel for the story they were trying to tell. Like most xianxias, this drama was split into 3 arcs. The first arc was fairly entertaining, despite the fact that it was still too much. I skipped most, if not all, of the second arc. I'm notorious for hating the 'immortal is sent to the mortal realm to pass their tribulations' arc. I hate it with a passion because it always lasts far longer than it should and the characterization of those characters will render you impatient. The helpless, naive, almost wounded baby bird-like vibe of these characters during this arc is why I'm not a fan of it. Yes, Ling Xi seemed that way in the first arc but it was x100 during the second arc. At least Ling Xi had more spunk and was ultimately endearing. Lin Mo (her human self) was simply painful to watch.
Anyway, I liked the leads well enough. Ni Ni is absolutely PHENOMENAL when it comes to her acting choices. She is a treat to watch and she definitely tugs on your heartstrings. I had written an entirely different thing about the ML and I immediately pressed backspace because I felt it was best if I was honest. The ML did okay too; he's not a horrible actor but I felt he should have brought more complexity to this character with his acting choices. He was very much so stone-faced for the majority of the drama. I get it, he's the God of War and that's apart of his entire shtick. Stiff upper lip, stone faced, unaffected, unbothered. I know some viewers enjoy that but I like my male leads to be a little more emotive than that. Not too emotive but more emotive than this. Their chemistry was okay but it definitely seemed more like a mature love rather than a passionate one, which is bizarre to think about due to the very obvious age gap between the two characters. It's not a huge issue but I can see why it would be a dealbreaker for some fans.
The secondary characters were fun too, but the runtime made it impossible to enjoy them because the drama was so DRAGGED out. There were a few secondary couples in this drama, and they were actually not bad. But again, too many different plots that could have been wrapped up in less time than we got. Anyway, I have only fallen victim to the Second Male Lead Syndrome ONCE in my journey. It doesn't happen often and it still hasn't happened. What, did you think I was gonna say I had fallen victim to it this time? Noooo! The SML was fairly complex and nuanced but I didn't care for him. I felt no empathy for him or sadness. It's weird to think about, but I felt like I should have felt pity for him but it never happened. His scheming and plotting and pretending to be loyal to Ling Xi's mother for as long as he did kind of soured me on him. I felt like he deserved everything that happened to him. Sorry not sorry!
All in all, it was a decent watch. It was funny and I enjoyed the characters. Would I rewatch it? Absolutely not! Would I recommend it? Unfortunately, no. This monster of a drama is far too drawn out for anyone to truly enjoy it and not feel compelled to skip around. It's too long! You're going to give up before you hit episode 60, I assure you! Or you're going to force yourself to finish but it's going to be a hard fought victory. Also, watching this marked the end of my foray into xianxias. I'd told myself this would be the last xianxia I willingly watched because I genuinely don't like them. This drama isn't the sole reason for that, but it definitely solidified a feeling that was already brewing inside of me for quite some time now. Thank you, Love and Destiny!
While I enjoyed this drama, I skipped a huge chunk of it. The episodes I did watch were fairly enjoyable, I must say. I forced myself to watch the first 8 episodes of this series before I started skipping around. That was more than enough to give me a decent foundation and feel for the story they were trying to tell. Like most xianxias, this drama was split into 3 arcs. The first arc was fairly entertaining, despite the fact that it was still too much. I skipped most, if not all, of the second arc. I'm notorious for hating the 'immortal is sent to the mortal realm to pass their tribulations' arc. I hate it with a passion because it always lasts far longer than it should and the characterization of those characters will render you impatient. The helpless, naive, almost wounded baby bird-like vibe of these characters during this arc is why I'm not a fan of it. Yes, Ling Xi seemed that way in the first arc but it was x100 during the second arc. At least Ling Xi had more spunk and was ultimately endearing. Lin Mo (her human self) was simply painful to watch.
Anyway, I liked the leads well enough. Ni Ni is absolutely PHENOMENAL when it comes to her acting choices. She is a treat to watch and she definitely tugs on your heartstrings. I had written an entirely different thing about the ML and I immediately pressed backspace because I felt it was best if I was honest. The ML did okay too; he's not a horrible actor but I felt he should have brought more complexity to this character with his acting choices. He was very much so stone-faced for the majority of the drama. I get it, he's the God of War and that's apart of his entire shtick. Stiff upper lip, stone faced, unaffected, unbothered. I know some viewers enjoy that but I like my male leads to be a little more emotive than that. Not too emotive but more emotive than this. Their chemistry was okay but it definitely seemed more like a mature love rather than a passionate one, which is bizarre to think about due to the very obvious age gap between the two characters. It's not a huge issue but I can see why it would be a dealbreaker for some fans.
The secondary characters were fun too, but the runtime made it impossible to enjoy them because the drama was so DRAGGED out. There were a few secondary couples in this drama, and they were actually not bad. But again, too many different plots that could have been wrapped up in less time than we got. Anyway, I have only fallen victim to the Second Male Lead Syndrome ONCE in my journey. It doesn't happen often and it still hasn't happened. What, did you think I was gonna say I had fallen victim to it this time? Noooo! The SML was fairly complex and nuanced but I didn't care for him. I felt no empathy for him or sadness. It's weird to think about, but I felt like I should have felt pity for him but it never happened. His scheming and plotting and pretending to be loyal to Ling Xi's mother for as long as he did kind of soured me on him. I felt like he deserved everything that happened to him. Sorry not sorry!
All in all, it was a decent watch. It was funny and I enjoyed the characters. Would I rewatch it? Absolutely not! Would I recommend it? Unfortunately, no. This monster of a drama is far too drawn out for anyone to truly enjoy it and not feel compelled to skip around. It's too long! You're going to give up before you hit episode 60, I assure you! Or you're going to force yourself to finish but it's going to be a hard fought victory. Also, watching this marked the end of my foray into xianxias. I'd told myself this would be the last xianxia I willingly watched because I genuinely don't like them. This drama isn't the sole reason for that, but it definitely solidified a feeling that was already brewing inside of me for quite some time now. Thank you, Love and Destiny!
Was this review helpful to you?
