Totally not worth the hype!!!

I am a person who normally doesn't write reviews but this one was an absolute mess. First the kind of reviews this drama has recieved is kind of puzzling to me. As one of the most anticipated dramas, I seriously wanted to like it but the drama pathetically fell short in a lot of places. My reasons for not liking the drama are as follows, 1. For a Wuxia drama the martial arts component is most important. To begin with the drama did not have much fighting scenes and the ones that were there are shot terribly, all of them have been shot at a close angle. The camera angles were horribly done and the lead characters were really not used well. Their full potential was never used. 2. Production value is pathetic. The sets, lighting and CGI throughout the drama is horrible. The battle scenes have just 10 or so guys, which is terrible. Even small budget dramas have done much better. 3. Lets talk abiut the storyline, it drags in alot of places and nothing really happens. For all the hype the drama created it is not worth it. You can binge watch once just for the sake of the lead actors but nothing great.

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A heart's curse that's one of a kind!

You can also watch my entire review here as a video format:

https://youtu.be/tm-hfRxYq1o

But if you prefer to read go ahead:

This is a 36-episode top tier Xianxia drama which has turned the genre on its heels. To begin with, the story is a good one and they have executed the script to near perfection. It follows a naïve fairy who unwittingly wakes up the devil. The cute fairy and the domineering cold demon are tied by a heart’s curse and thus begins their journey of love which is a pleasure to watch.
It’s a fresh breath to the genre, because for once you have sensible main leads and a love triangle that does not get on your nerves. There are no fillers and the plot is water tight. Now it’s a typical Xianxia but what it makes it different lies in the execution. Every tiny detail is taken care of and that is a rarity. It’s a mixture of medieval art, modern thought and Chinese aesthetics.

The scriptwriter has written a compelling story with a coherent storyline. It manages to seamlessly combine comedy, romance and also angst in the latter part. Don’t be fooled by the hilarious opening, the last few episodes are tear jerkers. In 36 episodes, this drama is an intense rollercoaster ride, that will make you laugh, love, cry and adore each moment.
Wang Heidi and Esther Yu as Dongfang Qing Cang and Xiao Lang Hua sent sparks flying onscreen. They beautifully unfold a captivating love story that develops naturally and flows seamlessly captivating your heart strings. Their chemistry is electric and they make every moment count with comic, sweet and bitter moments that tears your heart apart. They are both natural and so comfortable with each other that makes the drama so real.

Esther Yu convincingly portrays the orchid fairy, a dynamic character that’s easy to hate because it can appear too fake or flamboyant when not conveyed well but she manages to pull it off effortlessly. She radiates different energy in different situations but still remembers the essence of her character, a warm and bubbly fairy. She also brings out her acting range when she body swaps and pulls off the serious and cold domineer. She has also used her own voice, which I personally find very fitting to the character.

Dylan Wang has greatly improved since Miss the Dragon. His acting is terrific, he showcases a variety of expressions that blend into his character. Despite being the heartless moon supreme, he displays brilliantly how his icy heart sea slowly melts. He gracefully transitions into someone with emotions and gradually makes more micro expressions and gestures to show how he’s starting to fall in love and feel emotions. Wang Heidi as the moon supreme is magnificent and he nails the character; his body and eye language are both great. Not to mention he is an eye candy in all those costumes.

Zhang Ling He as the SML is very lovable and he can seriously give you second male lead syndrome vibes. His performance as the Lord of War who wants to protect his love and can be a friend to his arch enemy is quite endearing. You will also fall in love with the SFL Danyin, a fairy who can love endlessly but can also gracefully give up. For once you don’t have the wicked woman who is obsessed and delusional in love to the point of madness.

Every character is there for a reason, they have their own personal motive, background story and their decisions contribute to the intensity and development of the plot. It’s a happy ending with all the loose ends tied up, except that the last 5 minutes could have been better, showing their return to Cangyan sea or how Dongfang can wield glazed fire but still better than most dramas.

The drama is visually appealing in terms of sequencing, graphics, and cinematography. It’s only a S production but they have used the money in the right places and it shows. The art team needs to be applauded. They have visually articulated a fantasy world where every detail is enchantingly portrayed. The costumes are gorgeous and, in each realm, they have really put in a lot of effort into visualizing how the characters need to look on screen. DongFang QingCang’s outfits are mostly black with a hint of gold, showing his sovereignty as the moon supreme. Xiao Lan Hua’s outfits are in bright pastel colors fitting for a fairy with bright and bubbly personality.

The CGI effects are top notch and rendered so well that it gave an ethereal and mind-blowing result. In each realm, the lighting, visual art, setting and color palette enhances the overall cinematic effect. The combat scenes with hell fire and Dylan Wang’s entry scenes are beautifully done. The scene where Rong Hao and Chang Heng enter a painting is just amazing. Again, well done camera work, really good angles and each shot is epic. The way they have designed the realms shows a lot of research work. It has been a while since there was such beautiful and mesmerizing graphics in a drama.

The drama also has a very beautiful soundtrack and background music score. The soundtracks are great and the lyrics are so meaningful. Almost all of the OST’s are good and the background music score for this drama is exceptional. Some of the BGM’s can make your hair stand up and is a masterpiece.

Usually, Xianxia’s are long but very few manage to leave a long-lasting mark despite that. This drama has set really high standards for a Xianxia. The last time a drama was this close to perfection was Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms and long-time drama viewers would know that it was a classic. I would say this drama is no less in comparison. Overall, I would rate this drama a 9 which is something I rarely do because the plot, casting, setting, cinematography, CGI effects, color palette, OST’s and execution are almost flawless.

So do yourself a favor and watch the drama because it’s the best Xianxia that’s been out in recent years.

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A classic Ming dynasty that is beautiful in terms of character and plot!

Okay I normally do not watch dramas that are currently on air. I am the sort of person who waits till the drama is done, looks out for reviews on the drama as a whole and then begin. But this one piqued my interest and I intended to skim through the first episode but ended up watching 8 episodes at a stretch without skipping a beat. That is how intriguing the plotline is! Now I am on episode 14 and the plotline is still strong and the main cast has done an amazing job. The ming dynasty colors and costumes are totally appealing and they add to the overall production value of the drama. And yes it certainly has The Story of Minglan and The Story of Yanxi Palace vibes. So far I have seen a lot of comments on the age gap between the main leads, I totally understand, the romance will be cute if there is no great age gap. But that said you should also consider the storyline and the culture during the Ming Dynasty. The plot is about a Marquis/General in his early 30's who marries a second wife in her late teens and so considering that, the cast is perfect for the job. And for those of you who might think that there might not be a beautiful romance or chemistry because of the age gap between the leads then I must say you are sorely mistaken. So far the romance is subtle and beautiful and the chemistry between them is stunning. Not to mention the comedy that ensues between them in the beginning. All in all the drama has been promising and intriguing so far and if it goes downhill which I doubt, I will definitely update this review.

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