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Lost in Dramaland
Slow burn romance of a Kickass Power Couple with decent chemistry
Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25
I have not watched “Princess Agent” for obvious reasons (the ending sucks), so I went into this drama without expectation from Zhao Li Ying and Lin Geng Xin. I am not looking for a continuation of their previous romance. I wonder if that’s the reason why I don’t feel that their chemistry is amazing, but still good.
The big selling point of this drama is the two leads. The majority of the drama focuses on the romance and relationship, before going into the real plot towards the second half of the drama. I am a die-hard romance lover, so I am not going to complain (much) about it. It’s really lovely to see their interaction and romantic development when they’re in the mortal world. Their conversations are full of subtle and not-so-subtle sarcastic remarks, which help with building their attraction for each other. I enjoy the not-in-your-face and not-second-hand-embarrassment comedy. I feel like you need to pay attention to what’s going on to fully enjoy it, otherwise, you’ll miss a subtle dig here and there. However, I do think the drama spends way too much time setting the stage for this slow burn romance in the first half of the drama. As much as I enjoy their conversation, I also am missing the plot. This is a xianxia drama, so I am sure there’s a villain out there plotting against the ‘good’ guys.
I’m glad to see another kickass power couple as we really don’t see that many in C-dramas. From the top of my head, I could only think of the leads in “Who Rules The World” and “Wonderland of Love”. But Sheng Li and Xing Zhi are on a whole other level. They are the best of the best, the top 2 of the 3 realms. I am glad Shen Li remains intelligent, cool-headed, and powerful from beginning to the end. In a way, we have a reversal of gender. As the drama says, a reversal of who is the yin and who is the yang. Xing Zhi is also an interesting character. He’s being held in such high regards, has the whole world on his shoulders, yet he’s petty and jealous. He also is a know-it-all and doesn’t communicate much out of necessity for the most part. It’s also hilarious that once he’s given up restraining himself, he has such a love brain. He’s more clingy and emotional than Sheng Li and it’s both frustrating and fun to watch.
On the other hand, I am greatly moved by the romance between Feng Lai and Liu Yu. They have very limited screen time. Even though their romance is not unique, it leaves a more lasting impression on me. They are both such pure and kind-hearted people, but they break my heart. I might be partial as I am a big fan of Xu Hai Qiao, and his portrayal of Feng Lai is impeccable. The other romance that receives an awkward amount of screen time is with the sultry Ms Jin, the serpent. More on that at the end of the review.
The acting is solid but not exceptional. The veterans are great - Zeng Li as Shen Li’s godmother Demon Lord, Liu Guan Lin as the Heavenly Emperor, Zhou Xiao Chuan as General Shang are all great veterans. Comparatively, Zhao Li Ying and Lin Geng Xin did fine. There are moments when I thought ZLY did a really good job. I also feel that LGX’s acting is a little uneven. There are times when I feel that he could emote really well with subtle microexpressions, but other times I feel that he’s very wooden. Maybe that’s why I don’t quite feel the chemistry between them to be as great as other reviewers have said. Xin Yun Lai sorta played a dual role as Mo Fang and along with He Yu as the Heavenly grandson. They both deliver average acting. My favorite is Xu Hai Qiao as Feng Lai. His screen time is limited but XHQ never disappoints. He is such a scene stealer.
This is obviously a pretty big budget production. A large amount of CGI and green screens are used in this production. The very first fight sequence in ep 1 sets the CGI tone for the rest of the drama. However, I do find that fight scene shot like a video game. But throughout the drama, I really enjoy the special effects of the different light/power blasted during any battles. Sometimes production runs out of money and they start to fade out the special effects towards the end of the drama. Not this one! The final big battle was amazing. Despite my praise of the fight scenes, there are quite a few very fake-looking green screen shots.
Costumes and set designs are quite nice. Zhao Li Ying looks absolutely stunning in all of her different costumes, hair and make up. I love her simpler getup in the mortal world, but also enjoy her more girly looks with flowy hair. Some of the Heavenly Realm sets remind me of “Ashes of Love” and “Ancient Love Poetry”. I guess they all look the same to me after watching so many xianxias. “The Legend of Shen Li” also has a beautiful OST. However, they are played quite loudly and at times I couldn’t hear the words spoken very clearly. The drama also likes to blast this suona background music (it sounds like the suona song played in “Small Town Stories”) whenever something exciting comes up. It gets annoying after a while. One thing I am a little disappointed about is that the main leads are all dubbed. None of them uses their own voice, and at times the words don’t match the movement of the lips.
Another thing that annoys me is the large amount of inner monologues by Shen Li. There are times I wonder if these are words spoken, or all in Sheng Li’s head. Zhao Li Ying doesn’t really open her mouth wide when she speaks, so I got confused at times.
Let’s talk about the ending. I think the drama should have ended at ep 38. Ep 39 is more of a side story or an easter egg episode. It’s cute and I enjoy it, but this filler and fan service episode somewhat changes how I remember the ending of this solid drama. The kiss scenes at the end are definitely for the fans, and this fan did not enjoy the kisses. They seem awkward.
Nevertheless, this is an enjoyable watch. The pace is decent despite a little slow down with too much time spent on the set-up of the romance in the beginning. The power couple is fun to watch and I enjoy their interactions and conversations. The romance is slow but mature. Acting and production are solid, though not exceptional. I like (not love) this drama and will recommend it to those who enjoy xianxias and great CGI battles.
Completed: 5/12/2024 - Review #438
I have not watched “Princess Agent” for obvious reasons (the ending sucks), so I went into this drama without expectation from Zhao Li Ying and Lin Geng Xin. I am not looking for a continuation of their previous romance. I wonder if that’s the reason why I don’t feel that their chemistry is amazing, but still good.
The big selling point of this drama is the two leads. The majority of the drama focuses on the romance and relationship, before going into the real plot towards the second half of the drama. I am a die-hard romance lover, so I am not going to complain (much) about it. It’s really lovely to see their interaction and romantic development when they’re in the mortal world. Their conversations are full of subtle and not-so-subtle sarcastic remarks, which help with building their attraction for each other. I enjoy the not-in-your-face and not-second-hand-embarrassment comedy. I feel like you need to pay attention to what’s going on to fully enjoy it, otherwise, you’ll miss a subtle dig here and there. However, I do think the drama spends way too much time setting the stage for this slow burn romance in the first half of the drama. As much as I enjoy their conversation, I also am missing the plot. This is a xianxia drama, so I am sure there’s a villain out there plotting against the ‘good’ guys.
I’m glad to see another kickass power couple as we really don’t see that many in C-dramas. From the top of my head, I could only think of the leads in “Who Rules The World” and “Wonderland of Love”. But Sheng Li and Xing Zhi are on a whole other level. They are the best of the best, the top 2 of the 3 realms. I am glad Shen Li remains intelligent, cool-headed, and powerful from beginning to the end. In a way, we have a reversal of gender. As the drama says, a reversal of who is the yin and who is the yang. Xing Zhi is also an interesting character. He’s being held in such high regards, has the whole world on his shoulders, yet he’s petty and jealous. He also is a know-it-all and doesn’t communicate much out of necessity for the most part. It’s also hilarious that once he’s given up restraining himself, he has such a love brain. He’s more clingy and emotional than Sheng Li and it’s both frustrating and fun to watch.
On the other hand, I am greatly moved by the romance between Feng Lai and Liu Yu. They have very limited screen time. Even though their romance is not unique, it leaves a more lasting impression on me. They are both such pure and kind-hearted people, but they break my heart. I might be partial as I am a big fan of Xu Hai Qiao, and his portrayal of Feng Lai is impeccable. The other romance that receives an awkward amount of screen time is with the sultry Ms Jin, the serpent. More on that at the end of the review.
The acting is solid but not exceptional. The veterans are great - Zeng Li as Shen Li’s godmother Demon Lord, Liu Guan Lin as the Heavenly Emperor, Zhou Xiao Chuan as General Shang are all great veterans. Comparatively, Zhao Li Ying and Lin Geng Xin did fine. There are moments when I thought ZLY did a really good job. I also feel that LGX’s acting is a little uneven. There are times when I feel that he could emote really well with subtle microexpressions, but other times I feel that he’s very wooden. Maybe that’s why I don’t quite feel the chemistry between them to be as great as other reviewers have said. Xin Yun Lai sorta played a dual role as Mo Fang and along with He Yu as the Heavenly grandson. They both deliver average acting. My favorite is Xu Hai Qiao as Feng Lai. His screen time is limited but XHQ never disappoints. He is such a scene stealer.
This is obviously a pretty big budget production. A large amount of CGI and green screens are used in this production. The very first fight sequence in ep 1 sets the CGI tone for the rest of the drama. However, I do find that fight scene shot like a video game. But throughout the drama, I really enjoy the special effects of the different light/power blasted during any battles. Sometimes production runs out of money and they start to fade out the special effects towards the end of the drama. Not this one! The final big battle was amazing. Despite my praise of the fight scenes, there are quite a few very fake-looking green screen shots.
Costumes and set designs are quite nice. Zhao Li Ying looks absolutely stunning in all of her different costumes, hair and make up. I love her simpler getup in the mortal world, but also enjoy her more girly looks with flowy hair. Some of the Heavenly Realm sets remind me of “Ashes of Love” and “Ancient Love Poetry”. I guess they all look the same to me after watching so many xianxias. “The Legend of Shen Li” also has a beautiful OST. However, they are played quite loudly and at times I couldn’t hear the words spoken very clearly. The drama also likes to blast this suona background music (it sounds like the suona song played in “Small Town Stories”) whenever something exciting comes up. It gets annoying after a while. One thing I am a little disappointed about is that the main leads are all dubbed. None of them uses their own voice, and at times the words don’t match the movement of the lips.
Another thing that annoys me is the large amount of inner monologues by Shen Li. There are times I wonder if these are words spoken, or all in Sheng Li’s head. Zhao Li Ying doesn’t really open her mouth wide when she speaks, so I got confused at times.
Let’s talk about the ending. I think the drama should have ended at ep 38. Ep 39 is more of a side story or an easter egg episode. It’s cute and I enjoy it, but this filler and fan service episode somewhat changes how I remember the ending of this solid drama. The kiss scenes at the end are definitely for the fans, and this fan did not enjoy the kisses. They seem awkward.
Nevertheless, this is an enjoyable watch. The pace is decent despite a little slow down with too much time spent on the set-up of the romance in the beginning. The power couple is fun to watch and I enjoy their interactions and conversations. The romance is slow but mature. Acting and production are solid, though not exceptional. I like (not love) this drama and will recommend it to those who enjoy xianxias and great CGI battles.
Completed: 5/12/2024 - Review #438
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