When this drama first came out, many thought it would fall flat with its leads. Little did they know, this is both Dylan's and Esther's magnum opus, topping iQiyi's charts. It's a beautifully thought-out romance with great acting, endearing characters, and a compelling pacing. That being said, I might be doing some comparisons with 'Til the End of the Moon' here simply because both have a similar concept in terms of characters : )

Defying all expectations just like this drama (very cringy, I know), I'm going to start by writing about the OST. This is probably the single best OST that's ever graced a C-drama. There's been good ones, for example 'The Long Ballad', 'The Untamed', and 'Til the End of the Moon,' but oh my. This one is beautifully done, with the songs representing the characters' emotions and thoughts in all the right ways. The lyrics are touching and the melodies are achingly beautiful; considering I'm a classical musician (violinist who appreciates mostly classics), I was surprised to find myself enjoying an OST as I almost never do (I just start off with a base of 7 as the OST score). I didn't even skip the starting and ending of the episodes just to listen to the OST many times- it's that good.

I guess where this drama really did hit it out of the park is the acting. From the body swaps (must be very difficult to portray... the characters are completely opposite in terms of personality and demeanor) to the characters in dramatic scenes (Orchid dies the first time, etc.), everything is perfectly portrayed. While Esther Yu played her roles nicely, I did not find anything too special about it... Dylan Wang however really surprised me. The subtle facial expressions, changes in demeanor, and substantial nuances in his performance were effective and vital to really bringing Dongfang Qingcang alive (which he did). You cried for this character, laughed for this character, and cheered for him if you watched this drama. The only performance in a C-drama that I think beats this by a tad is Luo Yunxi in 'Til the End of the Moon', mostly because that one's incredible when it comes to portraying the multiple facets and fates of a single character. Additionally, the demon king in this one is more romance-focused while the other drama is more story-focused overall. If you're looking for a romance drama, I'd definitely recommend this one. If you're looking for an epic fantasy, I'd probably recommend the other one : )

I think the story is where this drama loses a little bit of its appeal for me. It's definitely a great story and worth watching, with fewer plot holes than my favorites and also including the most compelling romance of all. Yet, I do think the plot sacrifices some of its complexity for the sake of the romance, and there aren't as many arcs/ideas as I typically enjoy. Nevertheless, it's one of the best Xianxia's out there. I'd compare this plot to maybe 'the Untamed' in terms of how much it explores iykwim- it's not completely idea-jam-packed but definitely has enough of them to keep you watching. However, the romance is the best executed I've seen, so for the fantasy-romance lovers, you'll enjoy this. Like many others, I did find the ending rushed, but I guess the directors had ten minutes to serve up something happy for the sweet romance lovers...

Either way, this is a beautiful and well-rounded drama overall. It's enjoyable for I'd think all audiences and definitely takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions (WARNING: also fries your brain for maybe a week).