O Jogo do Amor em uma Fantasia Oriental (2024)

Came for Esther Yu, Took Ding Yuxi Home

In my 20+ years of watching Asian dramas, I haven’t gotten so addicted to a show like I do with this one. I watched this first on Netflix (no expectation, just to fall asleep with), it was so good that I had to get Viki subscription to watch the rest immediately, and now I’m rewatching on YT premium. They made this so enjoyable that rewatching isn’t a problem because it’s beautiful and fast paced. Hardly no fillers so I don’t mind watching over and over again, I’m so inlove with the cast & how they portray each characters! The chemistry overflows even without kissing, it blew my mind. Esther & Yuxi’s acting were superb! The supporting actors are just amazing!
Thanks so much to the producers and all the staff, you guys did an amazing job!!! The ending is ok, I don’t mind open ending, and I totally get the message! Thank you for gifting us with their show The Shining Stars, it’s delightful and very fun to watch. Especially the escape room!

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Every episode was worth it

I am astonished by how much I liked this. I often feel more in the grey zone with many dramas, but I loved every episode in Love game in eastern fantasy. What kept me hooked was the trust and love between each character; the way Miao Miao fights to keep the group together is hearth warming, and her devotion towards a happy ending also helped keep direction for the plot. Sometimes I am watching a series, and all I can think is, where is this going? But I didn't feel that way here, everything just fell into place. I really loved how Ding Yuxi was able to make Mu Sheng look both fierce but have such a cute and soft side. His acting is great! And although many people complain about the childish personality of Miao Miao, I still found her endearing. I mean, she never actively caused misunderstandings or act stupid. I wasn't a huge fan of the system telling Miao Miao to make Mu Sheng like her, because it felt a bit forced at first. But after a while, his trust in her and her love towards him grew naturally, and there was not much scheeming anymore on her part. I thought it was good how the system became less active after the first few episodes.
I found the second lead couple also quite cute, a bit dry maybe, but they were still pleasant to watch. I loved how the love rivals in the capital weren't actually bad people. I dislike plots where the whole thing is about some scheeming second female/male lead and I didn't find that here which was very nice!
The only thing I didn't love is that the last ten episodes were a lot about Mu Sheng, and his past. I mean, I liked it, it was interesting to see his background. But I just would have liked a bit more of Miao Miao's character growth throughout the drama. In a way it's understandable, the whole world was created for Mu Sheng to find self-love and to see that he was loved, etc. I still would have liked a bit more episodes about Miao Miao. Everybody had an arc of personal growth, except Miao Miao (not saying that her character didn't grow, but it was more gradual throughout the entire story). On that note, I'd like to also say that I wished the drama were a bit longer, I really liked it and it felt a bit rushed at the end. I wish they had gone on more adventures, and please, that side plot about the bracelet was soo annoying to watch, it was almost painful honestly.
I liked the ending. When Mu Sheng found out the truth and told Miao Miao he wrote all those books for her, I was so happy. That's so cute and so loving! I think it was a good conclusion. And the fact that they never kissed, I was at first a bit surprised, but then I found it actually quite sweet and I liked it better like that. The ending where we didn't get to see the writer/ Mu Sheng at the book signing event, I was distraught. But anyways, I'm over it, and I'm gonna watch Moonlight hahaha.

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don't overthink it ;)

honestly, it's just simply fun and silly and cute. you get fantasy, action sequences, romance, found family dynamics and friendships. it's perfect for if you want to watch something entertaining and choose not to think too much into the plot because, yes, if you do, you will find it unsatisfying and see loopholes for sure lol. i don't just love the chemistry between the two couples but the overall chemistry of the ensemble. a group of people going on an adventure to complete a goal and bonding and building genuine friendships along the way, that's just my favorite thing. they were able to make me care about everybody in the group so that's really nice.

i have watched ding yuxi and esther yu before in "moonlight" so i know they got on-screen chemistry. so fun to see actors get to have a drama together again tho (because that's rare in cdramas right?). acting-wise, they were decent and have managed to moved me during emotional scenes. they seemed to have improved since their first drama. not gonna lie tho, i wasn't the biggest fan of esther's acting style especially when they make her do child-like things. but then i guess it works for the roles she gets. this is my first time watching zhu xudan tho and boy, is she beautiful. i think she's my favorite character. i was anticipating for a big emotional scene for when she finds out his brother is half-demon and it ended being anti-climactic and ziqi got away with it easily lol so yeah as i said, some unsatisying scenes and plot lines for me especially in the end there (i wish we saw them actually see each other aw) but i'm choosing not to overthink it because i was very much entertained overall.

and of course i was really shocked too that there's no kissing scene between the main couple. good thing, i adore their hugs and banters and little sweet moments here and there but what's up with that?

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grumpy x sunshine at it's best

this drama was a great surprise and it's my favorite of 2024!
the plot is crazy, but it's a very fun story!
i was very pleased by ding yu xi's acting, and i was really surprised by how good of an actor he is (it was his first work that i watched) and esther is great as usual. their interactions were what made this so special, and the grumpy x sunshine trope was everything!
overall, there were some small issues, but they were not that bad and i managed to watch it in a very short period of time (even when i was studying for my finals lol)! i had a fun time, i liked the characters and they wore STUNNING costumes, for me, that's all i look for in a drama.

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Definitely drama of the year

Starting from the first episode to the last, a lot happened. From a novel that get criticised to something completely different. Miao Miao and Zi Qi definitely had the best character development, especially Zi Qi. From a cold-hearted person to someone who cares about his family and friends. Every moment in this drama was filled with emotions, laughs, tears, love, everything was completely perfect. The story about Zi Qi’s mother was really beautiful and heartbreaking, but teaching that no matter what happens, the love will never lost. Truly a 10/10 drama with satisfying ending. The fact that Miao Miao sacrifices her memories from the real world just to save the novel characters had a great impact on the plot and rewrite the ending perfectly. Zi Qi realising he was Fu Zhou in the ending really got me and bring me to tears. The idea about the 100% was really good, something I’ve never seen and didn’t expect, but truly satisfying.

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Captivating and fun drama!

Overall 10/10
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is such a captivating story and I truly enjoyed it! If you liked AOS you will most likely enjoy LGIEF.
I liked how this story blended and blurred the lines of reality and fantasy as the show nears the end. The cinematography is absolutely stunning and the actors were outstanding! I discovered the beautiful Esther Yu in this and look forward to more of her in other works. The highlight of the show is definitely Cui Cui for me! As much as I loved everyone else Cui Cui became my overall favorite apart from Miao Miao and Ziqi <3
The ending was average but everything else makes up for it. It ends on a good note. :)
Highly recommend watching!💞

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=> Excellent isekai series , with a great Ding Yu Xi

PLOT: The FL, faithful reader of a novelist (the ML) falls into the novel / video game, in which she must complete quests to return in the real world. In the game, she is FL2, meets a group of demon hunters (ML and his sister, ML3) and helps them face demons, conspirations, romantic rivalries, ... and the Great Villain.

+++ a great cast, with Ding Yu Xi & Esther Yu and a bunch of excellent actors
+++ super quality CGI (the Chinese are the only ones who can do this kind of effects at this top level)
+++ epic, cute OSTs that fit perfectly with the emotions.
+++ The cinematography is TOP: costumes, make-up, framing, fight scenes, etc.

### The storyline is a little chaotic sometimes. In addition, the impromptu passages in the game system prevent you from fully investing in the story because you put yourself in the position of an observer.
### The ending is a little abrupt, I would have liked to see the meeting of the two characters inthe real world.
### The romance is very cute, with great chemistry, but there is no kissing or skinship,... Too bad!

=> Excellent isekai, with a great Ding Yu Xi
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Isekai avec Ding Yu Xi & Esther Yu

PLOT: La FL, fidèle lectrice d'un romancier (le ML) tombe dans le roman / jeu vidéo, dans lequel elle doit accomplir des quests pr retrouver le monde réel. Ds le jeu, elle est la FL2, rencontre des chasseurs de démons (ML et sa sœur, ML3) et les aide à affronter les démons, les complots, les rivalités amoureuses, ... et la Great Villain.

+++ un great cast, avec Ding Yu Xi & Esther Yu et bcp d'autres excellents acteurs
+++ des CGI de super qualité (les chinois sont les seuls à pouvoir faire ce genre de choses à ce top niveau)
+++ des OST épiques, cute, qui s'accordent parfaitement aux émotions.
+++ La cinématographie est TOP : costumes, make-up, cadrages,scènes de fight, etc.

### La storyline est un peu chaotique par moments. De plus, les passages impromptus dans le système de jeu, empêchent de s'investir complètement dans l'histoire car on se met en posture d'observateur.
### La ending est un peu abrupte, j'aurai aimé voir la rencontre des 2 personnages dans la réalité.
### La romance est très cute, avec une belle alchimie, mais il n'y a ni kiss ni skinship, ... Dommage !

=> Excellent isekai, avec un grand Ding Yu Xi

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The Best Drama in 2024 Yet

What a wonderful sweet love story. If you're looking for a light romantice and comedic love story, this one is for you. Remember those wuxia drama back in the day with Hu Ge? I got A LOT of the same vibes from that series here.

The camaraderie, found family, fighting demons, discovering the secrets about each main characters was executed quite well.

What drew me into the story is definitely the main leads. They have really good chemistry. Miao Miao played by Esther is such a ball of sunshine. But the greatest actor of all time goes to the male lead played by Ding Yu Xi who played a black lotus. From the microexpressions to the quick timed wittiness of the character, DYX manages to bring out the best of what a black lotus could be in real life.

Storyline is lighthearted but there are some very wonderful messages spread throughout the show that made it even better such as only being able to love others at 100% when you love yourself.

This is definitely one of my top 10 cdramas of all time!

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Why I’m Glad I Watched This Series!

I was hesitant to watch this series with Esther Yu because it seemed similar to her past works like Love Between Fairy and Devil and Sword and Fairy 6. However, after enjoying her role in Journey to You, I decided to give it a try, even though I wasn't sure if I'd be in the right mood. The story didn’t catch my attention at first because it reminded me of other shows with a similar plot, like The Romance of Tiger and Rose with Zhao Lusi. In both, the female lead gets pulled into a story where she ends up in the role of the antagonist. Because of that, I wasn’t sure if I would like it, but I’m glad I watched it.

The series took a fresh approach, and I actually found it more fun than Tiger and Rose, even though they share a similar storyline. I really enjoyed how Ling Miao Miao tried to make Ziqi fall for her, with the fun idea of a “favorability percentage” going from -200% to 100%. It was a creative twist. The main leads definitely had great chemistry. I’ve seen them together in Moonlight, so I knew their dynamic would be good.

I didn’t pay much attention to the second couple’s story and ended up skipping their parts. But the actors still did a great job, especially Ding Yuxi in the emotional scenes. The music and post-production were good too. While the cinematography and effects sometimes looked cheap, they got better as the series went on.

I liked how the modern world and the game world were connected. However, some things were unclear, like when Miao Miao is under the bracelet’s spell. The system didn’t seem to interact with her, even though she’s a player, not an NPC. That was a little confusing. Despite these small issues, the show is definitely worth watching again!

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Applaud to the Structure of the drama and how it ties into its Core message

I finished the last 3 episodes yesterday and I admit I cried a little and a lot of wows and surprises. There were something’s that were a little rushed (ex. Retrying the ending fight scene with the demon queen) but it’s not bad at all. It’s still fine the way it was executed and the message they are trying to convey to us. I think they wanted to focus on using one full episode to explain how the whole drama happened, the backstory that ties everything together. The techniques they used to tell the story is interesting and creative (even if it’s not new). They applied a frame story narrative structure on top of using metatheatre. I don’t know about you but that’s some sick techniques to use. It’s paying homage to literary writing (one of the oldest forms of narrative/literary techniques) and it’s intertwine very nicely to the core message of the story: who said things that happened in a story are illusions/fake. Reality mirrors tales and vise versa. It tells a tale of a person’s journey of learning to love himself first before he knows how to love someone else. Even if the journey might be questionable to you the audience it was real on every level to them. Who said stories are fake? (The literary part of me is screaming at how amazing this drama tied up. I screamed and wowed at everything else of course). Don’t get me wrong the message and techniques they used in the story isn’t new but because I made so many guesses in my head what they had in store was not what I expecting. That’s why this worked. It’s definitely a story better watching for yourself without spoilers (man I tried so hard dodging spoilers). My sister didn’t watch it and I would summarize the drama to her all the time. I was disappointed when she said it was cliched. Honestly you need to watch this drama without spoilers 🙂‍↕️The way the events unfold and the watching experience is what made this one special.

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Big love for my bamboo sprouts!!

What a wonderful show this was🥹💗 I had such a good time watching this drama over the last couple of weeks. Visually, it was incredible, and I just loved the styling and little details here and there. Such as when Zi Qi was invisible, and we could see Miao Miao’s hair ribbon being played with; or when they were sitting on the stairs, and all we could see were the marks their butts had left🤭🤣

I just loved Esther and Yu Xi together, I cannot believe their chemistry was even better than in “Moonlight” (which says a lot because I LOVED them in “Moonlight”). They were both so fun on screen, and I loved seeing Zi Qi yearn and long for Miao Miao throughout the show😭💞 I also loved our little Bamboo gang in general, and the friendship that they had! 🎍🎋

Acting wise, this was great! Yu Xi has such great expressions, and his eyes can convey so much; truly, such a good actor!! And Esther was wonderful as well, she can act cute so naturally I love it so much! I also enjoyed the rest of the cast, I just wish the second male lead could have had more room to show his talents, I feel like he was a little underutilized to be honest. Regardless, I loved the cast, everyone had great chemistry and worked well with each other!🌟

The OST, cinematography and visual effects were also so, so good – this drama was such a feast for my eyes and ears, I loved it!! Although I have to say that it lost me a little bit after episode 23/24, but episode 28-32 were great again, so it’s fine. I will miss this drama now that I’m done with it … 🥹💞

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An unexpectedly deep story about processing trauma and learning to love yourself

STORY
On the surface, Love Game in Eastern Fantasy seemed like another transmigration-based fantasy romance that I've read and watched many times. I came into this with certain expectations on how the story would go, but it subverted and exceeded those expectations from the very first episode. What I thought would be a fun and relatively light-hearted fantasy romance turned out to be an unexpectedly deep story about processing trauma and learning to love yourself. I was hooked from the get-go and could not stop watching.

Whoever wrote the script took great care in developing our lead characters on an individual level as well as their romance. The plot was engaging and paced well with each narrative arc having an intentional purpose in the overall story. The romance was super endearing to watch and felt very organic. Sure, it had its cliches, but somehow it worked and didn't feel overdone in this drama.

The team did an extraordinary job of balancing the heavier topics with light-hearted moments. Then we get to the last episode and ending, which made this drama stand out from its peers and clinched the high rating from me. There were definitely some things they could've executed better in the story, but those issues weren't enough to detract from the bigger picture for me, and I enjoyed this drama from start to finish.

ACTING/CAST
Our main leads' chemistry was definitely the star of the show. Ryan Ding is a superb actor and he was so magnetic on-screen. He has amazing control over his facial expressions and body language. My eyes couldn't help but be drawn to him whenever he was on-screen. He played the gray, anti-hero character exceedingly well and I sincerely hope he gets more roles like this in the future.

I've watched Esther Yu in a couple of other dramas, and I believe she performed significantly better in this drama than those other ones. Her cutesy character and acting didn't feel as unnatural here and she pulled off the character well. Her cheery disposition was a nice counter to the male lead's brooding.

All the supporting characters shone in this drama as well and surprisingly had a significant part to play in the overall story. If I had to gripe about the cast, the second leads felt underdeveloped compared to everyone else and their roles didn't leave much room for them to showcase their acting skills. The second leads both had the stereotypical stoic and upright character personalities and honestly, they were boring to watch. I suppose we had to assume certain things given their roles and the showrunners wanted to keep the focus on our leading characters.

MUSIC
The music was great! I loved the theme song and all the different soundtracks for different moods were appropriate.

REWATCH VALUE
I've already started rewatching this, and I've picked up on some Easter eggs/hints that I didn't pick up during my first watch-through. There were also many emotionally impactful moments for me that I love to rewatch, whether they were sad or happy or funny moments. Since the story was paced well and it was just simply super entertaining, I think this drama has high rewatch value. The cinematography was also outstanding and the CG was relatively good.

OVERALL
This drama has many elements I love: fantasy, adventure, mystery, action, comedy, and romance. It has easily made its way into my top 5 favorite dramas of all time now. I applaud the showrunners for the direction they took this drama in and I'm genuinely happy for its success in China because it could encourage more showrunners to break the mold a bit more. I'm convinced that those who didn't enjoy the second half and/or ending of this drama were not able to appreciate the bigger picture of what the showrunners wanted to convey through this drama, but to each his/her own. I highly recommend you give this drama a try and form your own opinion.

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