This review may contain spoilers
Refreshing, unique, heartwarming fantasy with strong friendships - WORTH the watch!!
This is one of the best cdramas I have ever watched and definitely my personal favourite from 2024.
I just want to take a moment to appreciate the music - this show has one of the BEST OST soundtracks and BGM pairings I have ever seen in the history of cdramas, and I am not exaggerating. The only other show that made me feel this way about their OST lineup is Love Between Fairy and Devil - only these 2 shows have blown me away when it comes to their OSTs. Every scene is paired so perfectly with the apt OST and the way the music heightens the emotional impact of the scene, be it tension or suspense or love or romance or action or sorrow or heartbreak... every single scene was done so well and the OST truly was the icing on the cake. I have no complaints about this show's OST lineup - every single song is PERFECT. Absolute perfection.
I also want to comment on the CGI - it is done so well, it's one of the best CGI works I've seen so far. The CGI was done beautifully and it is evident that a lot of budget and effort went into this show - it really makes you feel like you’re in a video game with some of the graphics. The costume and styling was also done insanely well, I LOVED every single one of the FL and ML's looks, and the same goes for the 2nd leads. I truly think this is Esther's prettiest role and Ryan's finest role. The face cards really go crazy I cannot stress this enough - you could 100% just watch the show for their visuals and not be disappointed in the slightest.
As for the storyline, I do think that the plot gets pretty messy from ep26 onwards. Arguably, ep21-32 felt pretty underwhelming in comparison to ep1-20, because that is when the relationship progression kind of stops and the focus now shifts to moving the plot forward. It’s a solid plotline with a well-executed theme of self-discovery and self-love, of duty and sacrifice. I definitely enjoyed ep1-20 a LOT more than the second half of the show, because the first half was highly focused on the romance while the plot was more of a background action, and this was reversed in the second half as the romance took a backseat. The plot did feel pretty rushed in the last 4-5 episodes, and it can get confusing, but you’ll have to push through it to the end because I really did enjoy the ending. I was pretty disappointed with the last couple of minutes of the last episode, but I do understand that this was the best they could do in light of China's censorship laws, so it's just a pity because there was great potential for a more satisfying ending. I honestly still really loved the ending. I think they did a WONDERFUL job tying the novel world to the real world, and comparing this to other time travel or novel travelling shows, I think this show did the best job in tying the two realms together. There's a number of instances in which they did very well with the symbolism and foreshadowing, especially callbacks to the real world with items/scenes in the novel world, which increases the rewatch value of the show because you'd go back and actually be on active lookout for these details that you're likely to overlook during your first watch. I did not see it coming at all (ie. how they linked the two worlds in such detail) and I really appreciate it because you can tell a lot of thought and work went into linking them together and it added to the emotional weight of the ending - I pretty much sobbed throughout the entire last 2 episodes LOL. It's not just touching on the romance level but it’s also incredibly heartwrenching on an individual level as they really polish the theme of self-discovery and self-love and the journey it takes one to get there.
The main focus of this show is the leads and the 2nd leads, plus an adorable little kid named CuiCui who joins their group. The group of 5 travel as the "4 bamboo masters", and the show is very much centred around developing their friendship and relationship(s). This is one of the most solid friendgroups I have seen in shows, in which the show really emphasises the love and care and bond between all 5 of them - no one is and can be left behind, and they demonstrate this through multiple instances in which they fight for a particular person in the group who is facing a crisis etc. They have a very cute and heartwarming dynamic and it is very touching to see them grow so close together. The 2nd leads are cute together, and I do think they’re both very strong and capable and worthy characters, though I do think the 2nd ML is not as developed as the 2nd FL and there was certainly good potential for further character development (or more like focus? because he's honestly pretty developed already but he deserved a little more focus in the show in which his character could be more outlined and we could see why he is the way he is instead of just showing his noble acts of heroism etc. so his character felt more flat than the rest which was a missed opportunity for sure).
One thing I love about this show is that there’s no love triangles! I mean yes, there was a time where another guy fell for the FL and another girl fell for the 2nd ML, but I wouldn’t really consider that a love triangle since it’s clear that the FL and the 2nd ML never wavered in their own feelings for the ML and the 2nd FL respectively. So even though the scenes were a little annoying to watch because I want to see more of the leads together, not with this random character poking their nose into it, they were mostly just hilarious because we got to see some jealousy scenes - and there wasn’t any toxic, possessive jealousy, only protective and amusing.
Another thing about this show is it’s really funny.. like it’s HILARIOUS in some parts I actually was so thoroughly entertained. There wasn’t a single moment in which I was bored watching this show - in fact, I was entirely hooked from the FIRST episode, which is so so so rare for me because I tend to get bored easily and it usually takes at least 2-3 episodes for me to want to continue watching immediately instead of waiting for a couple of days before getting back to it, or skipping over certain parts. For this show, I started ep2 the minute I finished watching ep1, and I did not use the skip button ONCE throughout the WHOLE show - I was HOOKED! It’s really a very entertaining watch and I enjoyed myself so much, the viewing experience was awesome.
Now I’m finally going to talk about my FAVOURITE part of the show... which would be the chemistry between Esther and Ryan, as well as the relationship arc and progression between the leads. The enemies to lovers, forced proximity, he fell first and he fell harder trope is soooo satisfying to watch and executed brilliantly. Watching the leads fall for each other was so rewarding and I was kicking my feet squealing the entire time! The tension, the chemistry, the banter... absolutely top-tier, excellent, life-changing. The leads have a wonderful and adorable dynamic in which there’s a lot of playful banter and teasing, and they are also one of my favourite on-screen couples because you can really see that they love each other SO MUCH, and you’re also able to understand WHY they’re so in love with each other. It isn’t sudden and an out-of-nowhere love, it’s sort of a semi-slow burn. However, if you’re looking for a steamy passionate romance with lots of kiss scenes, this isn’t for you. There are 0 kiss scenes between the leads (though there are 2 between the 2nd leads), and the most we get is a forehead kiss (but this was so tender, so heartbreakingly gentle and careful, I honestly prefer this to an actual kiss) and a number of embraces, but personally I loved it because it heightens the purity and sincerity of their love for each other, and you really feel the depth and weight of their love even without an insane amount of skinship or kiss scenes. Their love is really pure and sincere and genuine and wholesome and REAL, I just love it so much, it’ll REALLY touch your heart.
And the best part of this show is, without any doubt, Esther and Ryan absolutely NAILING their roles. They truly embodied their characters and they brought them to life, they gave them SOUL and I was beyond impressed. I’ve been a fan of Esther for a while, and this is honestly my favourite work of hers, second ONLY to Love Between Fairy and Devil - though when it comes to acting, I think she did a better acting job in LGIEF, mostly because she’s more experienced as an actor now. Esther was incredible as Miaomiao and I do think it's largely also because this character archetype is very much entirely in her comfort zone, she's truly born to play this kind of cute yet intelligent, witty, and hilarious role. She's really able to embody the adorable persona of the FL and yet is also able to convey the level of wit and intelligence needed - overall, down to her smallest mannerisms, she's able to imbue the character with so much humour and energy, giving her an adorable persona without overloading the cuteness and making the character cringy. You'll laugh along with the character and enjoy watching her figure things out, on a lighthearted note, and on a deeper, more emotional level, she's also able to bring out the depth and sincerity and authenticity of the character's heightened emotions - her crying scenes are truly gutting to hear and to watch. She WAS Ling Miaomiao, and the character really felt like she had a soul, she felt very much real. It's even more impressive seeing as she basically played 4 different characters in the span of 1 show, and she nailed each and every one. Esther was incredible in this role and I would venture to say that this is her best acting job to date - I'm really looking forward to seeing more of her work!
This show also sent me, like many others, down the Ryan Ding rabbit hole - he’s truly one of the most talented actors out there and I am so happy that he’s finally getting the recognition he so deserves. He’s a phenomenal actor and I’ve watched so many of his shows - he always does such an incredibly awesome job and this role is actually probably his best role to date, in terms of styling AND acting. This was very much an acting breakthrough for him and though he’s definitely always been good (if you watch his other, older works, he absolutely eats and delivers every time), his acting here was life-changing. He was truly able to master the role of Mu Sheng by bringing him not just to life but he basically breathed a part of himself into that role, I can’t even describe it, he WAS Mu Sheng, and Mu Sheng is him. You can so clearly tell that he put in so so so much work into the role and he left a part of himself with the character. I personally find that Ryan does best in these "black lotus" kind of roles, where his character is slightly morally ambiguous and sort of leaning towards the anti-hero characterisation? He manages to strike the balance between good and not evil per se, but simply the morally grey area very well, he is able to bring out ALL the nuances of the character and really does an excellent job of making you empathise with the character, understand his choices and decisions, and fall in love with the character too. His acting was phenomenal, from the dialogue to the smallest mannerisms, be it the quirk of a brow or the swinging of his ponytail, every little detail is perfected and embodied in the role of the character and I was truly so impressed. He LIVED the character, he wasn’t just acting. I also think that Ryan is one of the best actors out there when it comes to eye acting - he gives them so much life and soul through his gaze, you can really feel the ache of the sorrow, the heartbreak, the tenderness of love, the yearning, the bone-gutting pain, the hope, the hopeless, everything. EVERYTHING is conveyed through his gaze and I was just so blown away, you can’t help feeling with him. His crying scenes were also out of this world, I’ve only ever felt this emotion during Dylan's crying scene(s) in Love Between Fairy and Devil (though LBFAD was definitely more intense, context-wise) - Ryan really made me feel his pain, his sorrow, his helplessness, his anger, EVERYTHING. He is truly so talented and so good at bringing out every inch of emotion, every nuance. His microexpressions and attention to detail in his acting just elevates his acting and brings it to a whole new level. This show really was his best work yet and I am so looking forward to seeing him in more of these black lotus roles in particular!
And the last thing - their chemistry. Esther and Ryan have insanely good, and very natural, chemistry. Their interactions feel so authentic, so genuine, and so real, so natural and so easy. Nothing feels even remotely scripted, forced, or out of place. I think this is also in part due to both of their natural talent and ability to add ad-libs and tweak scenes to really elevate it and heighten the emotion and natural flow of the scene. Esther and Ryan work so well together, and they bounce off of each other’s energy so brilliantly, it really heightens the viewing experience as you watch the characters fall in love with each other. If you don’t watch this show for anything else, watch it for the two of them absolutely EMBODYING their roles AND serving everything as a couple together.
For many, the ending might be unsatisfactory in comparison to the intense emotional journey the characters took to get here. So I do recommend watching Moonlight after completing this show! It’s a very cute modern cdrama starring Esther and Ryan as the leads, and the 2nd ML in LGIEF is actually also the 2nd ML in Moonlight, and I absolutely ADORE the bromance dynamic between him and Ryan in Moonlight LOL, it feels like what we should’ve seen but didn’t get to see in LGIEF. Esther and Ryan also have a very cute dynamic in Moonlight, and in many ways a lot of things are similar because Moonlight revolves around novels too since Ryan is a famous author and Esther is his editor. There are also many unintentional references between both shows (eg. the bunny-shaped apple) and it just feels very much fated. Moonlight really felt like a healing balm after LGIEF and it gave me the closure I needed.
For more of Esther's shows, I strongly strongly recommend Love Between Fairy and Devil, there are a couple of similarities between the shows and I’ve done a review on LBFAD too! For more of Ryan's shows, I really recommend The Romance of Tiger and Rose because it’s also a fall-into-novel type of show and it’s pretty similar to LGIEF in that aspect. I also recommend Melody of Golden Age and Love You Seven Times if you’re into Ryan's styling in LGIEF because they’re pretty similar, though I don’t think anything can top his styling in LGIEF LOL.
Overall, this show is worth the watch. For the romance, the chemistry, the entertainment, the humour, and the friendship. Not forgetting the journey/message of self-discovery, self-acceptance, and self-love too. A beautifully executed show and wonderfully told story with excellent cast members who truly breathed life into the characters, elevated by the phenomenal OST lineup and BGM pairings. Personally, it’s a 10/10 for me, but a more objective rating would probably land this show in the 9/10 range.
I just want to take a moment to appreciate the music - this show has one of the BEST OST soundtracks and BGM pairings I have ever seen in the history of cdramas, and I am not exaggerating. The only other show that made me feel this way about their OST lineup is Love Between Fairy and Devil - only these 2 shows have blown me away when it comes to their OSTs. Every scene is paired so perfectly with the apt OST and the way the music heightens the emotional impact of the scene, be it tension or suspense or love or romance or action or sorrow or heartbreak... every single scene was done so well and the OST truly was the icing on the cake. I have no complaints about this show's OST lineup - every single song is PERFECT. Absolute perfection.
I also want to comment on the CGI - it is done so well, it's one of the best CGI works I've seen so far. The CGI was done beautifully and it is evident that a lot of budget and effort went into this show - it really makes you feel like you’re in a video game with some of the graphics. The costume and styling was also done insanely well, I LOVED every single one of the FL and ML's looks, and the same goes for the 2nd leads. I truly think this is Esther's prettiest role and Ryan's finest role. The face cards really go crazy I cannot stress this enough - you could 100% just watch the show for their visuals and not be disappointed in the slightest.
As for the storyline, I do think that the plot gets pretty messy from ep26 onwards. Arguably, ep21-32 felt pretty underwhelming in comparison to ep1-20, because that is when the relationship progression kind of stops and the focus now shifts to moving the plot forward. It’s a solid plotline with a well-executed theme of self-discovery and self-love, of duty and sacrifice. I definitely enjoyed ep1-20 a LOT more than the second half of the show, because the first half was highly focused on the romance while the plot was more of a background action, and this was reversed in the second half as the romance took a backseat. The plot did feel pretty rushed in the last 4-5 episodes, and it can get confusing, but you’ll have to push through it to the end because I really did enjoy the ending. I was pretty disappointed with the last couple of minutes of the last episode, but I do understand that this was the best they could do in light of China's censorship laws, so it's just a pity because there was great potential for a more satisfying ending. I honestly still really loved the ending. I think they did a WONDERFUL job tying the novel world to the real world, and comparing this to other time travel or novel travelling shows, I think this show did the best job in tying the two realms together. There's a number of instances in which they did very well with the symbolism and foreshadowing, especially callbacks to the real world with items/scenes in the novel world, which increases the rewatch value of the show because you'd go back and actually be on active lookout for these details that you're likely to overlook during your first watch. I did not see it coming at all (ie. how they linked the two worlds in such detail) and I really appreciate it because you can tell a lot of thought and work went into linking them together and it added to the emotional weight of the ending - I pretty much sobbed throughout the entire last 2 episodes LOL. It's not just touching on the romance level but it’s also incredibly heartwrenching on an individual level as they really polish the theme of self-discovery and self-love and the journey it takes one to get there.
The main focus of this show is the leads and the 2nd leads, plus an adorable little kid named CuiCui who joins their group. The group of 5 travel as the "4 bamboo masters", and the show is very much centred around developing their friendship and relationship(s). This is one of the most solid friendgroups I have seen in shows, in which the show really emphasises the love and care and bond between all 5 of them - no one is and can be left behind, and they demonstrate this through multiple instances in which they fight for a particular person in the group who is facing a crisis etc. They have a very cute and heartwarming dynamic and it is very touching to see them grow so close together. The 2nd leads are cute together, and I do think they’re both very strong and capable and worthy characters, though I do think the 2nd ML is not as developed as the 2nd FL and there was certainly good potential for further character development (or more like focus? because he's honestly pretty developed already but he deserved a little more focus in the show in which his character could be more outlined and we could see why he is the way he is instead of just showing his noble acts of heroism etc. so his character felt more flat than the rest which was a missed opportunity for sure).
One thing I love about this show is that there’s no love triangles! I mean yes, there was a time where another guy fell for the FL and another girl fell for the 2nd ML, but I wouldn’t really consider that a love triangle since it’s clear that the FL and the 2nd ML never wavered in their own feelings for the ML and the 2nd FL respectively. So even though the scenes were a little annoying to watch because I want to see more of the leads together, not with this random character poking their nose into it, they were mostly just hilarious because we got to see some jealousy scenes - and there wasn’t any toxic, possessive jealousy, only protective and amusing.
Another thing about this show is it’s really funny.. like it’s HILARIOUS in some parts I actually was so thoroughly entertained. There wasn’t a single moment in which I was bored watching this show - in fact, I was entirely hooked from the FIRST episode, which is so so so rare for me because I tend to get bored easily and it usually takes at least 2-3 episodes for me to want to continue watching immediately instead of waiting for a couple of days before getting back to it, or skipping over certain parts. For this show, I started ep2 the minute I finished watching ep1, and I did not use the skip button ONCE throughout the WHOLE show - I was HOOKED! It’s really a very entertaining watch and I enjoyed myself so much, the viewing experience was awesome.
Now I’m finally going to talk about my FAVOURITE part of the show... which would be the chemistry between Esther and Ryan, as well as the relationship arc and progression between the leads. The enemies to lovers, forced proximity, he fell first and he fell harder trope is soooo satisfying to watch and executed brilliantly. Watching the leads fall for each other was so rewarding and I was kicking my feet squealing the entire time! The tension, the chemistry, the banter... absolutely top-tier, excellent, life-changing. The leads have a wonderful and adorable dynamic in which there’s a lot of playful banter and teasing, and they are also one of my favourite on-screen couples because you can really see that they love each other SO MUCH, and you’re also able to understand WHY they’re so in love with each other. It isn’t sudden and an out-of-nowhere love, it’s sort of a semi-slow burn. However, if you’re looking for a steamy passionate romance with lots of kiss scenes, this isn’t for you. There are 0 kiss scenes between the leads (though there are 2 between the 2nd leads), and the most we get is a forehead kiss (but this was so tender, so heartbreakingly gentle and careful, I honestly prefer this to an actual kiss) and a number of embraces, but personally I loved it because it heightens the purity and sincerity of their love for each other, and you really feel the depth and weight of their love even without an insane amount of skinship or kiss scenes. Their love is really pure and sincere and genuine and wholesome and REAL, I just love it so much, it’ll REALLY touch your heart.
And the best part of this show is, without any doubt, Esther and Ryan absolutely NAILING their roles. They truly embodied their characters and they brought them to life, they gave them SOUL and I was beyond impressed. I’ve been a fan of Esther for a while, and this is honestly my favourite work of hers, second ONLY to Love Between Fairy and Devil - though when it comes to acting, I think she did a better acting job in LGIEF, mostly because she’s more experienced as an actor now. Esther was incredible as Miaomiao and I do think it's largely also because this character archetype is very much entirely in her comfort zone, she's truly born to play this kind of cute yet intelligent, witty, and hilarious role. She's really able to embody the adorable persona of the FL and yet is also able to convey the level of wit and intelligence needed - overall, down to her smallest mannerisms, she's able to imbue the character with so much humour and energy, giving her an adorable persona without overloading the cuteness and making the character cringy. You'll laugh along with the character and enjoy watching her figure things out, on a lighthearted note, and on a deeper, more emotional level, she's also able to bring out the depth and sincerity and authenticity of the character's heightened emotions - her crying scenes are truly gutting to hear and to watch. She WAS Ling Miaomiao, and the character really felt like she had a soul, she felt very much real. It's even more impressive seeing as she basically played 4 different characters in the span of 1 show, and she nailed each and every one. Esther was incredible in this role and I would venture to say that this is her best acting job to date - I'm really looking forward to seeing more of her work!
This show also sent me, like many others, down the Ryan Ding rabbit hole - he’s truly one of the most talented actors out there and I am so happy that he’s finally getting the recognition he so deserves. He’s a phenomenal actor and I’ve watched so many of his shows - he always does such an incredibly awesome job and this role is actually probably his best role to date, in terms of styling AND acting. This was very much an acting breakthrough for him and though he’s definitely always been good (if you watch his other, older works, he absolutely eats and delivers every time), his acting here was life-changing. He was truly able to master the role of Mu Sheng by bringing him not just to life but he basically breathed a part of himself into that role, I can’t even describe it, he WAS Mu Sheng, and Mu Sheng is him. You can so clearly tell that he put in so so so much work into the role and he left a part of himself with the character. I personally find that Ryan does best in these "black lotus" kind of roles, where his character is slightly morally ambiguous and sort of leaning towards the anti-hero characterisation? He manages to strike the balance between good and not evil per se, but simply the morally grey area very well, he is able to bring out ALL the nuances of the character and really does an excellent job of making you empathise with the character, understand his choices and decisions, and fall in love with the character too. His acting was phenomenal, from the dialogue to the smallest mannerisms, be it the quirk of a brow or the swinging of his ponytail, every little detail is perfected and embodied in the role of the character and I was truly so impressed. He LIVED the character, he wasn’t just acting. I also think that Ryan is one of the best actors out there when it comes to eye acting - he gives them so much life and soul through his gaze, you can really feel the ache of the sorrow, the heartbreak, the tenderness of love, the yearning, the bone-gutting pain, the hope, the hopeless, everything. EVERYTHING is conveyed through his gaze and I was just so blown away, you can’t help feeling with him. His crying scenes were also out of this world, I’ve only ever felt this emotion during Dylan's crying scene(s) in Love Between Fairy and Devil (though LBFAD was definitely more intense, context-wise) - Ryan really made me feel his pain, his sorrow, his helplessness, his anger, EVERYTHING. He is truly so talented and so good at bringing out every inch of emotion, every nuance. His microexpressions and attention to detail in his acting just elevates his acting and brings it to a whole new level. This show really was his best work yet and I am so looking forward to seeing him in more of these black lotus roles in particular!
And the last thing - their chemistry. Esther and Ryan have insanely good, and very natural, chemistry. Their interactions feel so authentic, so genuine, and so real, so natural and so easy. Nothing feels even remotely scripted, forced, or out of place. I think this is also in part due to both of their natural talent and ability to add ad-libs and tweak scenes to really elevate it and heighten the emotion and natural flow of the scene. Esther and Ryan work so well together, and they bounce off of each other’s energy so brilliantly, it really heightens the viewing experience as you watch the characters fall in love with each other. If you don’t watch this show for anything else, watch it for the two of them absolutely EMBODYING their roles AND serving everything as a couple together.
For many, the ending might be unsatisfactory in comparison to the intense emotional journey the characters took to get here. So I do recommend watching Moonlight after completing this show! It’s a very cute modern cdrama starring Esther and Ryan as the leads, and the 2nd ML in LGIEF is actually also the 2nd ML in Moonlight, and I absolutely ADORE the bromance dynamic between him and Ryan in Moonlight LOL, it feels like what we should’ve seen but didn’t get to see in LGIEF. Esther and Ryan also have a very cute dynamic in Moonlight, and in many ways a lot of things are similar because Moonlight revolves around novels too since Ryan is a famous author and Esther is his editor. There are also many unintentional references between both shows (eg. the bunny-shaped apple) and it just feels very much fated. Moonlight really felt like a healing balm after LGIEF and it gave me the closure I needed.
For more of Esther's shows, I strongly strongly recommend Love Between Fairy and Devil, there are a couple of similarities between the shows and I’ve done a review on LBFAD too! For more of Ryan's shows, I really recommend The Romance of Tiger and Rose because it’s also a fall-into-novel type of show and it’s pretty similar to LGIEF in that aspect. I also recommend Melody of Golden Age and Love You Seven Times if you’re into Ryan's styling in LGIEF because they’re pretty similar, though I don’t think anything can top his styling in LGIEF LOL.
Overall, this show is worth the watch. For the romance, the chemistry, the entertainment, the humour, and the friendship. Not forgetting the journey/message of self-discovery, self-acceptance, and self-love too. A beautifully executed show and wonderfully told story with excellent cast members who truly breathed life into the characters, elevated by the phenomenal OST lineup and BGM pairings. Personally, it’s a 10/10 for me, but a more objective rating would probably land this show in the 9/10 range.
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