tabnoid

I suggest watching this first. This one is focused on Consort Ling, while ruyi's royal love is focused on Consort Xian. In history, Ling ended up living longer and favored than Xian so you guess the rest. Imo, yanxi palace is more compelling but they're pretty different in terms of concept.

Imo, most kdramas really just tend to be rated higher despite being mediocre. Most cdramas wont even get pass a 9 threshold but they're so much better than their rating suggests

Thanks for this review. You've said what needs to be. This show is exactly a turn off your brain show, a show that without critical view of story direction, the show is amazing otherwise. Problem is, even with that context, show does not deserve a 9.2 at all.

Because the 24 episode anime exists and should be the one you watch not the live action.

In the manga/anime, the parasytes are actually seen as intellectual thats why they've been able to grow numbers there in secret.

To answer you, watch the anime first then watch this. i think you'll appreciate the spin off better this way. The themes and plot is obviously more intricate and better in the original.

CGI and choreography is the best from xianxias in a while

Imo characters in TLI as well as the second leads relationship are much convincing than in ALP.

Changes in CGI i think

I've finished the entire thing and there's barely romance in the heavenly palace arc of around episodes 13-19. They

And the love thread that was taken away from the main lead comes back around episode 20 i think. I can't spoil much but it gets better from around those episodes and above.

Also Hua Shu does become a slightly understood character just gotta wait.

Underrated drama. Interesting plot lines.

Though I feel that ALP has a bit better story. I'd say try to rewatch ALP, it's good but opposite to this one, its characters were its weakest link but everything else is good. Romance in ALP also starts pretty quick and has more screentime than here in TLI. I'd say though that rewatch value favors better for TLI cause i love the dynamic between the characters and they arent boring.

Second Zhao Lusi drama I've finished since Romance of Tiger and Rose. I have to say the rating of 8.1 is surprising but I think if you've watched ALP and compared the CGI of that onto this it's quite understandable.

Besides that, I feel like CGI is the only amiss in this drama. The scriptwriting, characters and their development are the highlights in this drama. The characters extending up to the antagonists were were given personalities and motives.The friendship between the main leads are one to watch and isnt forced, the storytelling was good and not tiring to watch. There's also something to wait for in the story and the writer knows how to keep the audience with that. I'm a man and this drama also made me cry two times!
If you're expecting romance it's like 50% of it since they mostly had screentime spent on chasing each other in the beginning and even before the ending episodes lol.

Also the four main leads acting are so good. Recommended