Cang Lan Jue (2022)

A Classic Forbidden Love + Body Swapping

I've been contemplating for almost a whole week since this show ended about whether to write a review or not.
So, here it is.

*WHY YOU SHOULD WATCH LBFAD*:
1. I admit, the first and second episode won't get you pumped up to marathon this drama BUT don't stop, give it a chance. For me, the ML, DFQC won my heart since ep 9, but I've been reading that for some, they found it interesting from ep 3. So, clear your doubts away.
2. Prepare to fall in love with the cast and their characters. Their acting, is that good. Gestures, micro expressions, and Dylan Wang especially did it fantastically.
3. A decent plot story with two opposing sides and a third party that spices up their conflicts. After watching far into the story, you will find that actually there isn't a single purely bad character in this drama (except Taisui). Our ML can't feel emotions guys and he actually only wants revenge for his clan. Ronghao? He only wanted to get his teacher back.
4. Yes, we are still circling in the very same chain of 'Domineering and Bossy ML', but rest assured, DFQC will not bore you, you can get to see his cute side and vulnerable side, especially when the body swapping occurs.
5. A relationship that actually has very little miscommunication and misunderstanding. They lied to each other. But they also forgave each other. It's the "If we are gonna face difficulties, then we face it together" relationship type.
6. The OST will get you hooked. My utmost favorite is the opening song (and I can see that many people agree).
7. Bonus: You will become obsessed with DFQC.

*WHY LBFAD IS A LITTLE BIT LACKING*: (My explanation for this 9.5 review)
1. Execution matters. From ep 31-36 it's truly like a speed run. LBFAD really needs more episodes. Especially for the two sisters part, which I found a little awkward. You guys know Jieli right? Even XLH and Shangque need a long time to gain her trust, and then her long lost father and sister actually appeared out of nowhere right when she's about to die? And she just accepted it like that? I found her bond with Dan Yin questionable.
2. As a continuation from No. 1, the ending is unsatisfying (for me) I need more details. Like, so what happens next? Will the two opposing sides stop doing war? Will that darned Heavenly Emperor approve their marriage? Will DFQC stop being the Moon Supreme or is it XLH that will become his queen? (plus, we need more fan service for the ending LOL)

My advice : Prepare tissues for ep 30-36.

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Worth watching for the leads' romantic buildup and the sexy as sin male lead...

I watched "Love Between Fairy and Devil" with my sister and it had the relationship dynamics we love the most: Powerful/hot as hell (and I mean otherworldly HOT –Dylan Wang’s performance was incredible and immortalized this role) villainous ML who falls first and is always the possessive/active one in the relationship; FL who, although has an annoying baby voice, loves more passively and took a long time to come to terms with her feelings; tons of cute ML jealous scenes. The way the ML always wants the FL by his side (first because of their situation and later because of his feelings) and his alpha/possessive attitude made us positively swoon!!!

Overall, the series is completely worth watching for the ML and the slow burn romance: He gets jealous/possessive rather early and stays in the denial, yet "can't help but want the FL near him" stage for a long time. Watching him struggle with his feelings and acting grumpy/losing control of his emotions due to his increasing jealousy of the FL's feelings for the SML gave us such giddy excitement! Basically, "Love between Fairy and Devil" put so much care in building up the relationship between the leads that we had one of the best rides of our life -we loved practically every arc in their relationship!

Despite some issues (rushed ending), esp in episodes 30-36, the drama was overall well-plotted and all major characters had their own understandable motivations and weren't simply there to be a plot device obstacle for the leads.

The FL's character was written inconsistently at times (really dumb, yet smart when the plot demands her to be), although she did shine more towards the end. I completely understand why people may drop this series early on: The FL's baby voice and "cute/dumb" archetype can be really grating and my sister and I had to force ourselves to acclimate.

However, we did very much appreciate how she doesn’t fall for the ML easily and loved how she remained quite unflustered by his smoldering gazes and always made him jealous by openly admiring the SML!

Her dynamics with the sexy as hell ML really kept us watching all the way through -we never were in danger of dropping this series because the ML was everything we wanted in a romantic lead. And this drama is all about the romance, so there's tons and tons of scenes between our leads in practically every episode. We felt like we were in heaven with so many cute/hot interactions btw leads without too many side plots. There's also very little bitch drama as most characters are nuanced -breath of fresh air. So, if you can, try to tolerate the FL for the well-written romance and devilishly HOT ML. If you can manage to connect with the leads, you'll be in for quite a ride. The Ost and costumes/set design are also one of the best we've ever seen and heard!


SPOILERS...


In addition, the ML in "Love between Fairy and Devil" did commit a bit of noble idiocy (my most hated trope) towards the end, but we were able to roll with it because his intentions were only a desperate act to save the FL's life and as soon as she's out of danger, he clearly would have come after her again like a bloodhound. Point is, the ML convinced us that he could never let the FL go and wouldn't be able to live without her.

END of SPOILERS...


This drama also catapulted the ML to join the ranks of Ye Hua (Ten Miles), Li Chengyin (Goodbye My Princess), and Li Ziwei (Someday or One Day) as my top favorite MLs of all time! I can't imagine anyone else playing the all-imposing/sexy as sin Lord Supreme of three realms, DongFang QingCang...

Here's a short MV that perfectly encapsulates our ML's HOT/possessive side:

https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1tW4y1b7kY?spm_id_from=333.337.search-card.all.click&vd_source=0f51f15ecb949e1a7887f3f80628e226

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Great watch with amazing cast and good quality CGI but expected more with such great premise

Before watching Cang Lan Jue i watched couple of xianxia series and this is by far one of the best with great basis for a story and most importantly character arc of male lead and female lead.

Pros :
Great plot with different basis where so called Devil/Demon are not bad. its just the matter of perspective and female lead learns this early on. The way both grow throughout the story is great to watch. Other characters are good too. So the whole experience with hilarious body swapping happening initially (again great performance the way they switch back and forth and show each others traits immediately) is great.
Cast : best part of the series is cast. Wang Hedi and Yu Shuxin are so perfect and the chemistry just oozes out!! Will repeat so many others here. Hope we get to see them together again.

Cons :
What i did not like and i realised is the case with so many other dramas i watched is either male lead or female lead leaving their main premise shown initially. Like Male lead or female lead but mostly male lead being in a responsible and powerful position (be it general, or emperor, or moon supreme in this case) and initially they are shown to be good at it too. But by the end of the series they start ignoring and at the end just leave it. I get it if there had to be choice where they had to chose between love and responsibility and they chose love but thats not the case at all.

*contains spoilers*
For ex: the episodes where DFQC just spent tending to the plant forgetting everything. Some find it very romantic etc etc but for me it does not sit well. He could have done the tending being a moon supreme too. And the epilogue where they are just travelling to different places for years too. Somehow those things destroy the premise of the character they started with. I fully understand DQQC was emotion less initially but even after getting emotions he cared so much about his tribe . i would have love if he continued to be a supreme. I feel like in the quest of making MLs hopeless romantic writers end up making this decision for the characters . *sigh* Well end of the rant on this one.

Overall a must watch. It is just beautiful.

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I didn't expect to like this

This succeeded all of my expectations. It was already good just based on the fact that I didn't drop it after finishing the first episode but it was good and it kept getting better. It might be also that the female lead wasn't as annoying as other female leads from cdramas, the female lead that is immature, always gets in trouble and doesn't absolutely anything. Did she need him to save her almost everytime ? Yes but I loved those moments. I was living for possessive Dongfang Qinqang. Also she was smart and she knew when she needed to be serious.
I think I should structure my review so I don't forget anything but :
characters : We'll start with the main couple. I loved them. You know you have to first forget about what dramas they did before cus Esther Yu and Dylan Wang did an amazing job here. The acting, the emotions, the chemistry. Those moments when he would drop everything and go to her because she was hurt ? All those moments in which he would choose her over everything?
This drama has made sympathize with every character that I disliked, Dayin, Changfeng which I'm sorry buddy you didn't anything, I just didn't like you, even Rong Hao. Everyone. That shows how good all of them were.
Now onto the plot I don't have anything bad to say about it, it was so good, I loved that there wasn't any denying of their feelings, especially from him cus in some dramas you'd see the main couple denying their feelings a lot, like a lot. There wasn't any tom and jerry here, like one of them hiding from the other for years ( cough General and I like for real 13 episodes ?! ) . It had the basic of trope of the female lead weak and hidden that at the end turns out to be some powerful goddess, but they've made it work. They were two people in love with each other that couldn't be together and something always would happen. I was hesitant at first cus I thought I wouldn't be that interesting for me if it was only a romance, but it was as I said amazing, brilliant even.
Is there something else I should add here beside plot and characters I don't think so ? I would say something about some of the others characters but I tend to not memories the characters names. Even the male lead, I remember him as Wooden head mostly.
Rewatch value I would say not a lot, not because it wasn't that good but I don't have the time to rewatch it as I plan to watch at least two drama, maybe even three hopefully before uni starts cus I don't think I'll even have time to breath after. I might rewatch scenes from it or make myself a playlist with my favorite scenes to rewatch.

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A beautiful fantasy story

This was my first Xianxia drama, and it didn't disappoint. The story was interesting and the costumes and music were great.

Things I didn't like: the special effects that sometimes looked too fake. Also, I thought the story could have ended in less episodes. I probably wouldn't rewatch it soon because of the number of episodes.
Things I liked: the main couple has great chemistry and relationship. The setting of this drama was stunning. The music was wonderful. The opening song had drawings that were so eye-pleasing.

I recommend it if you like Xianxia, Esther Yu or Dylan Wang.

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Surprisingly good !

I wasn't expecting much especially at the beginning when I agreed with some audience about the FL high pitched voice and the plastic looking headdress on the gods, but after a few episodes I got used to them when the story started to unfold. The story and script were great as was the acting. The FL character was a bit annoying and naive for my liking and I may have dropped this drama prematurely if it weren't for the ML character and Dylan Wang's great acting. The casting of the second ML with Zhang Linghe rather than a lesser known actor was just right because it kept you in suspense about who FL will end up with. The production and directing was good as was the OST and special effects. The ending could have been more polished rather than rushed and it seems like the writer ran out of steam. I would watch this drama again for any details I may have missed and just to enjoy Dylan Wang's acting again.

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i really wanted to like this..

Honestly, i really wanted to love this and understand the hype for it but i just couldn’t. it makes me sad because so many people love this drama but i just don’t understand the hype? Especially because I picked this up due to the high rating and all of the 10/10 reviews and i was really expecting something mind blowing that i’d get attached too but i guess it’s just not my cup of tea.

**This is my opinion and you are allowed to have your own! please be respectful**

Love Between Fairy and Demon is a highly overrated (in my opinion), xianxia drama where i got so bored and lost interest very quickly.

To start with the story, the first few episodes were SO BORING for me. But then, around episode 7 I got hooked into the story and I was hyped asf. But then, it was like I was on a rollercoaster. I kept getting disappointed, letdown and bored and then we’d reach another high where suddenly, I was hooked AGAIN. Some people might enjoy that but i prefer a show that doesn’t overdo it. the drama kept just repeating the same, letting me down and then exciting me again. the letdowns were so bad that i genuinely just wanted to finish the show asap so i started watching in 1.5x speed. i really didn’t want to drop it because i like to give all dramas a full chance until the end, but honestly i think i should’ve dropped this and saved some time.
I honestly think this should’ve been a drama with around 20 episodes, 25 max. even though the romance is cute and all, 36 episodes was a STRETCH, 😭. it just dragged the main plot on for too long. also the world building wasn’t amazing. we never actually found out what caused the war between the fairies and the moon tribe. i’ve also noticed it’s always this same sort of ‘trope’ where he randomly snaps at her, but he ends up saving her from danger and all is well without talking about it. it was fun like twice, but then it became a real bore.

the one thing i did really LIKE was the acting portrayed by literally everyone in the cast, especially the ML. the cast is honestly brilliant and when the ML and FL ‘swapped bodies’, it was genuinely believable. like i forgot it’s all acting. dylan managed to portray FL REALLY WELL and esther also portrayed the coldness of ML which is the opposite of FL, really well. also esther is SO PRETTY. like there’s a scene in episode 2, where her natural hair (pretty sure) is shown and she looks so pretty.

ML’s backstory is pretty sad though and him and his brother were the only ones with actual character development. and is it bad i feel FL has more chemistry with changheng than ML..? also FL was sort of annoying, no hate to esther she’s amazing, but the character omg. she whines and whines and whines. i don’t have a problem with her voice, it’s just she’s plain immature. she kept wanting to go back home when back home, they were literally planning to kill her and they see her as a traitor and SHE KNOWS. like idk decisions like this just made me feel embarrassed for her. also it was for comedic purposes but how did she actually not realise it was DFQC? so many clues were thrown at her. and just cause his backstory is sad doesn’t actually excuse the fact he wreaked havoc on her and killed so many people. also he was an absolute bitch to her some scenes but she never actually stood up for herself.

the setting and cgi though are AMAZING. beautiful and amazing. the costumes and props were all really pretty and looked stunning on everyone. budget was definitely used mostly on that.

OVERALL:

i give this drama a 6.5. i really wanted to like it but i just couldn’t, it felt so boring at times and the plot wasn’t very engaging for me. but this is my personal tastes and opinion. you may think this drama is a 10 and that’s perfectly fine! i’m happy you enjoyed it. i guess it just wasn’t the right fit for me. but i will still try to watch more xianxia cdramas and see which ones i like.

if you decide to watch this, happy watching and i hope you like it!

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AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are you kidding me ? Please dont tell me only 36 episodes ? GIVE US MOOOOOOORRRRREEEEEE!!!!!!!!! I was just getting into it. I want to know more about the glaze fire!! You cant just end it on 36 episodes. The cute scenes, the actions scenes, the scenic scenes, the kissing scenes, the intense scenes, the storyline were all on point!

But i have to say and forgive me people for saying this. I couldnt stop laughing at Zhang linghe full body armour outfit, it reminded me of bubble wrap 😄 the costume designs in this tv show were just so different from what im used to watching haha
Either way still a good tv show!!!!!

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***MAJOR SPOILERS***

I was surprised at how young the leads were and would’ve preferred a slightly older cast, but they did very well in their performances, especially* the male lead. He really nails emotional, intense roles. The actor is good at doing facial expressions that make his scenes very heartfelt. He also delivers when it comes to the comedic parts; the body swapping between him and the female lead were the funniest.

Many people dislike the female lead’s high pitched voice, which I understand, but as someone who used to watch a lot of shojo anime, it didn’t bother me as much. I think the real issue is whether viewers want to watch this type of character, which is the usual, innocent female that isn’t really popular with some...so if one expects a more mature, badass female lead like the ones in other martial arts fantasies, this could be a down point. The character of Orchid is meant to be an innocent little plant (literally) who manages, in her own way, to influence events around her. She does get to solve problems- like how she is able to clear up a misunderstanding between the male lead and his brother. She also shows bravery in her immortal examination test when she tries to save other examinees. The actress also did pretty well when she had to act cold during the body swaps- I think the scene where she bit the second male lead was pretty funny!

The chemistry between the main couple was good, even if they were such an odd couple who had IMHO, way too many ups and downs.

The supporting characters were also likable here and experienced character growth. The second male lead, ChangHeng, starts off as flat and boring but he grows into his own and becomes independent. The second female lead, fairy Danyin, is antagonistic at first, but she turns out to be a valuable ally with her own side story that ties well into the plot.

Another good point is that all four characters, not just the main couple but also the second leads, get to play different personalities when they are reincarnated in the mortal realm.

One thing this show does differently from other Xianxias is to take established conventions and turn them around. The character of DongFang QingCang is usually portrayed as a villain but in here, he’s just misunderstood. They needed a different antagonist because of this and while I don't think this substitute was as compelling, he was decent. On the other hand, the character of the Heavenly Lord is always a jerk in these stories but manages to get away with it…it’s the same here, unfortunately. Although one could argue that it is also like that in Greek mythology, where Zeus gets away with too many things when he should have been written as an antagonist.

One downside for me was how, when Orchid finally turned into the Goddess, it wasn’t as convincing. I should’ve cheered at her transformation but instead, I wanted the old Orchid back. It’s normal for characters in this genre to experience different lives but there is always that something that makes them feel the same- like in Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms, where Bai Qian went through three lives and acted differently in each, yet she still felt like herself. Not so here. The Goddess felt like an entirely different character with no connection to her previous life.

The secondary character, ‘Jeli’, also felt out of place. She wasn’t bad, but she got away with too many things (like stealing treasure in the Ghost Kingdom) which I felt she would have been killed for. They tried to make a story arc for her that tied into the whole ‘fairies vs. devils’ theme but it felt forced. I also couldn’t picture her as fairy Danyins sister.

The ending was also rushed…did DongFang get to keep his throne in the Ghost kingdom? Since he didn’t have hellfire anymore, what did he have in its place? In the last scene, Orchid finally remembers him, so did she finally regain a little bit of her former personality? Maybe having one or two more episodes would’ve explained things better.

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Beautiful love story!

This xianxia revolves around a powerful "evil" lord, Dongfang Qingcang, and the little Orchid fairy who accidentally frees him from the prison he has been in for 30,000 years, and puts him under a spell in the process. The plot follows them as Dongfang Qingcang does all he can to take advantage of the situation and rise to power once more, and Orchid does her best to hide her new companion from the other immortals, and change him for the better.

What stands out immediately in the story is the characterization of the two protagonists, who couldn't be more different from each other: Dongfang Qingcang is practical, strict, always serious and straightforward, and has little to no care about what others might think or feel; Orchid, on the other hand, is very emotional and innocent and always tries her hardest to make sure that the people around her are happy and at ease, even at her own expense. The two of them grow to appreciate each other from the little things, and slowly grow and evolve emotionally as well. I really liked how the changes in their behavior and their attitude toward each other felt very natural; both protagonists are very different people in the second half of the drama, and I didn't question this change even for a moment. The story takes place in four different "arcs", so to say, each of them very relevant for the evolution of Orchid, Dongfang Qingcang, and their romance.
Overall the plot felt very solid to me. There were a couple of times when I felt like it was getting too slow, and also a moment when I actually wished the events had more time to unfold properly, but it didn't hinder the story.
All the characters were amazing. The two protagonists gave amazing performances and I was very impressed by their versatility to portray such complex characters in particular: the cast was just perfect for all the roles.

The quality of the production was pretty good, I really liked the props and the costumes and the CGI was pretty impressive in my eyes as well. The OST also has to be one of the best I've heard in a drama; I don't think I'll ever be over the opening theme in particular.

There are some elements that might stop people from watching (namely: Orchid's voice in the first half of the drama), but I feel like you should still give it a try if you like the genre. I did and I certainly didn't regret it!

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It’s a HIT!

It has been a long time that we didn’t have an excellent xianxia. And Love between fairy and devil delivers; scenario, characters, casting, dialogue, ost, CGI, everything is there to make you want more and more. I am definitely hoping for a second season with maybe a Dongfang with the blazed fire, the new god of war Danyin, adventures of Chengheng roaming the earth?
It is a must watch of 2022, and it enters the list of best xianxia a ever made! Dylan Wang’s acting was so good, I’ve cried and laugh with his character.
Congratulations to all the cast and crew! Wishing to all the huge success that this drama deserves!

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Reminds me why I love CDRAMAS!

I had all but given up on this genre and Cdramas in general until this gem sneaked up on me. It’s a story that has been told many times, similar to classic fairytales like Beauty and the Beast. An yet, this production managed to make it fresh.
Don’t be fooled by the first part of the drama that starts with a whiny, weak female lead and an seemingly stereotypical cold male lead. The character development is truly some of the best I’ve seen in drama land. Once you realize how the story is connecting, you can even go back and recognize how all the pieces were perfectly laid for excellent character and plot development.
Other things to note: beautiful OST that plays at the right moments and great CGI that really adds to the world building. The actors were all amazing, especially DFQC, and plenty of time was spent on our main couple with less time waisted on stupid side plots and fillers, a major issue in most Cdramas. At 36 episodes the plot was tight and I found myself going back time and time again to rewatch as I waited for the newer episodes to air.
This one has cemented itself within my personal top favorite dramas!

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