Ashes of Love (2018)

If you are considering watching this, please give it a try!

This is the best xianxia drama I have ever watched. Firstly, the story is drawn out beautifully. To be honest, the beginning did not appeal much to me. I felt it was good, but not to the extent that makes you stay up all night for. But around ep 4/5, there is this uncontrollable urge to complete the entire show in one sitting (I finished it in 3 days). The character development is really good in this show and it feels like you are growing along with the characters. The speed was perfect, every episode is memorable and there are many iconic moments in the drama!

The actors and actresses also did an amazing job. They brought me through a rollercoaster of emotions and even all the supporting characters did such a great job that pulls you in without even knowing. This show was filled with laughter, happiness, sweetness. As the story continues, I become very invested into the show and couldn't resist completing the drama while hoping that it does not end so soon (Despite being a 60+ ep drama).

The songs were also great!! They are really apt for the drama and they accentuate all the scenes that the music was played making it even sweeter/ more touching.

I really do not know how to emphasize further how good this drama is!!! The plot, the acting, and songs, and the whole 'drama world' was done so perfectly. It is the kind of show you will want to rewatch so many times, but think that it is so valuable that you do not want to rewatch so much that the feelings for the drama will fade. Not only so, but it is so rare that the ENTIRE show is soooo rewatchable that even the heart-wrenching scenes are done so well that you want to rewatch them. (Usually when I rewatch shows, I try to skip the emotional scenes and only play the happy and funny scenes)

Once again, this show is REALLY REALLY VERY DAMN GOOD. Please watch it!! You will not regret! I really think it deserves more publicity and love from everyone although I know it is well-received in China.

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I've just finished watching so everything I am writing now is my immediate and true feelings regarding this drama.

Story: The overall story was very impressive. It was a bit cliche, but which drama isn't? I loved how in the beginning JinMi and XuFeng were both innocent and how the storyline was quite light-hearted. Then the story beautifully progressed into something bigger than the both of them - from the humor and fluff, it was made into something raw and charged with emotion. I especially loved the time they spent in the Mortal Realm, where they were free to love each other without the restraint of their duties as immortals. Their story really developed there, and the mortal arc created a basis in which the rest of the story could progress. After the mortal realm, it began to get quite angsty, with different people trying to take advantage of them and whatnot. It was also when we as the audience felt the most heart broken. After the war, it did drag a bit to create doubt about whether JinMi was going to come back or not. The ending was happy, but perhaps not the most fulfilling. There was a rough explanation about JinMi which I personally felt cheated about as I endured a whole episode waiting for something profound to happen. I didn't really feel satisfied with the whole thing but it was cute to see how they lived their normal life with a son and everything. I was glad that RunYu remained Heavenly Emperor, hopefully he makes great achievements to redeem himself. I don't know how I feel about XuFeng giving up his Demon Lord position, but oh well. However I wanted to see the other characters too, like YanYou and the Moon Immortal etc. at the end. Overall the story is wonderful, but was lacking a little in the end.

Acting: I liked YangZi the most, I feel. She was able to express both the young and naive side of JinMi and also the more mature side who would do their best for love. The progress of how JinMi became her current self was aptly acted out. I also really liked how the voice acting paired well with her character. When she was happy, sad, or angry, the voice was able to bring out those raw emotions. XuFeng was also quite well acted out by DengLun. I remember him in Princess Agents, and I loved him in that. This character is quite different but nevertheless I still love him. In the end, there were a lot of his monologues which made me want to cry, so kudos. I didn't like his voice at times, but most of the time it was good. RunYu was wonderfully acted out. I could feel everything he was feeling, which made me feel very sad at times. The character really gave me an emotional rollercoaster ride - there were times I hated him to the core, and times where I couldn't help but want to comfort him and cry for him. The voice acting suited him perfectly. Every other character was well done, the only one that I am not happy with is SuiHe. The actress is fine, but the movement of her mouth paired with the voice acting didn't really match so it was annoying. Other than that, the cast was superb.

Music: Oh. My. God. The OST made me want to cry everytime and it was stuck in my head whenever I wasn't watching the drama. The times the songs came out were well placed, and the singers did a wonderful job of expressing emotions. The songs were also very well written. All the songs somehow connect with each other in some way, which I really liked. YangZi and DengLun sang a song each and also have a duet. The music is probably one of the best things about this drama, if not the best.

Rewatch value: The drama is quite long and drags a bit in episodes 45-51 and episodes 62-63 and some other areas. I had to skip some parts that I didn't feel interested in. A tip for people who feel impatient: speed each episode up by 1.25x. I find personally that this gives a comfortable timing and also lessens the times where you have to wait for things to happen. The drama is good for rewatching but it's just that it's quite long and quite emotion-packed, so may not be best suited for a quick binge. But if you have the time to devote yourself to this drama more than once, then be sure to rewatch.

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Epic love - definitely worth a watch

Production and Music:
This is one drama where I feel I can actually comment on the production and music because usually I don't notice these things in a series. The scenery in this drama are truly amazing - it just wowed me throughout the series. The music was also so on point, it was perfectly done to create the emotions you are supposed to have for each moment.

Story and Characters:
The storyline is something I enjoy, I love fantasy and the story was an interesting one. It can be considered an epic love story and the characters all have their charm. I think this is a story where character development is done rather well, you understand the "villains" and the "good guys" and they aren't your typical characters that you hate or love. Each character had redeeming qualities. Where the drama lost points for me is the last 10+ episodes because we see a lot of moping around of the three main leads. These kind of scenes really annoy me because its kind of boring to watch a character cry and weep and not actually move the story along. And we had to watch three mopers one after the other in this drama for quite a few episodes. Overall though, it is definitely worth the watch and rewatch.

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Frost and Fire, Love and Desire, Pain and Longing. The End of The Epic Love Legend? Heartwarming.

I started watching this drama as one of the first C-Dramas in a very long time so I had started with very average expectations especially since the number of episodes was huge enough to scare off any newbie in the C-Drama world. So let me tell you...DON'T THINK TOO MUCH AND JUST WATCH THE SHOW. It will not disappoint, instead it will stay in your heart forever.

PLOT:
I was surprised that a drama that has 63 episodes will be able to keep my interest for each and every episode. I honestly didn't skip much at all throughout the drama so that should ensure the strength of the overall script.

It starts off with a very lighthearted, comedic and fluffy ambience where everything seems so sweet and fluffy but as the episodes progress, the plot develops drastically just like a slow and steady car that suddenly finds itself racing down an unforeseen cliff at the speed of a rollercoaster that makes your heart go through feelings that aren't possible to describe in words.

The dialogue and interactions between the characters in each episode was honestly scripted really well that catches the attention of the viewers, not too dragged or unnecessary which is usually the case for Cdramas. The Wuxia element of this drama is very prominent but that adds the magical ingredient a love story like this needs. There are sufficient action scenes that are coordinated very aesthetically with excellent CGI, the best I have seen in dramas up until now.

Eventhough, the plot is centred on the love triangle between Jin Mi, Xu Feng and Run Yu, each of these characters have their own legacy and precense in the plot that brings equal light on each character. The plot stays connected, throughout the drama, with the actions, decisions and choices made by these characters which keeps affecting the forthcoming event.

In conclusion, if you are looking for a drama with quality in the script, interactions between the characters that aren't too long and skip worthy, a story that will forever stay in your heart, then this is the drama for you.

CHARACTERS:
1. Jin Mi
She is the leading female and character of this drama where the story begins with her. A naive, innocent and kind-hearted girl who has never been outside the Flower Realm longs for adventure and exploring of the world beyond hers. Her mother, at birth, fed her a magical pill that stops her heart from loving someone romantically therefore from the very beginning she has no clue what love is and the sad part is that this is the main issue that causes most of the conflict and misunderstandings in the drama. Some may get annoyed over her actions and choices but it is understandable but don't worry Xu Feng is the one person that keeps making her experience the true meaning of love. Her character starts off as immature who is clueless about love but develops as she goes through several trials and journeys into a strong hearted girl who fights till the end for and with the one person who taught her how to love, Xu Feng.

2. Xu Feng
He is the leading male in the drama that will capture your hearts in no time at all, my favourite of them all. A man who finds himself falling for Jin Mi very quickly, someone who gives him so much happiness and for who he is ready to give up everything for. He is the ideal male character of a drama who isn't too arrogant, someone who treasures relationships and tries his best to make the people around him happy. However, after he is betrayed by Jin Mi, his demeanor will change into a person who will fight only for himself, a man who's heart has died after Jin Mi's actions killed it both literally and emotionally. But don't worry, the two lovebirds will find their way back to eachother.

3. Run Yu
He is the second leading male, the elder brother of Xu Feng and Xu Feng's rival in love. In my opinion, he is the most complex character and the one that goes through the most changes. He starts off as a very kind hearted and elegant man who shows himself as one with moral principles but is cold from the inside and deeply hurt and finds himself falling for the girl who opens his heart, Jin Mi. His character then experiences many wrongs and anguish that causes him to seek revenge and manipulate the girl he claims to love into a web of deception and lies. His character is that which one will feel extremely sympathetic with despite his evil demeanor as all he ever wanted in his life was love and warmth.

Other side characters like the Fox Immortal, Snake Immortal and Kuang Lu who were always such lovable personas and served as great supporting roles to the characters and script. Not to mention Princess Bian Cheng, with a very admirable character who served as a loyal friend of Xu Feng despite being a girl and I loved this aspect very much as C-Dramas have the habit of putting whoever comes in contact with the male lead as one of his love interests and it is great to see their friendship throughout the drama. And ofcourse, there has to be a conniving girl with the attitude of a scheming fox who is obsessed with the male lead and will cross any boundaries just to win his love aka the most annoying character along with Xu Feng's mother.

ROMANCE:
YES, YES AND YESSS. The love story between Jin Mi and Xu Feng spans over several years over several lifetimes. Their chemistry is the best I have seen so far, their interactions are very swoon worthy and the love they have for eachother is just so beautiful and touching. Two individuals sharing a love that goes through several obstacles and trials only to become stronger than ever. At first, it is mainly Xu Feng and their chemistry that keeps the romance paced but their time spent in the Mortal Realm opens Jin Mi's heart in a way she never thought possible which sparks the beginning of their mutual love. There aren't too many kiss scenes but the few that are there will leave an impression however it's made up for with the romantic interactions between them so that's not something to worry about.
Apart from the main couple, there is a secondary love story between Princess Bian Cheng and Mu Ci which was always a very bitter sweet legacy.

ACTING/CAST:
It could not have been better than this. The cast they have picked brought out the characters in the best way possible with excellent acting that will satisfy the story in every aspect. The expressions and dialogue delivery of each actor complimented the drama each time and is one of the spectacular aspects of the drama that does the script justice. I always believe that a love story needs both the acting and script to create an impact and this has both done wonderfully.

MUSIC:
YES, YES AND YESSS. This is one of the few C-Dramas where the OST is just top class. Each and every track played is worthy of mention and fits the drama beautifully and even making it one of my favourite OSTs of all time in my playlist.

ENDING:
This is the drama I would say that has the best ending I have seen in dramas. It is a perfectly HAPPY ENDING that will wrap up all the love and pain felt throughout the drama with all the characters ending up with what they deserve, each getting a satisfying ending. Some may say that Run Yu deserved better but he has someone by his side that will never leave him and Princess Bian Cheng also may have had a bitter sweet ending but it will satisfy you completely. And ofcourse, Jin Mi and Xu Feng do end up together, living happily ever after.

OVERALL:
I'm no critc who pays attention to every detail of a drama I watch and objectively reviews it. I watch the drama as it is and don't have much in mind, whatever emotion it leaves me with during and after the drama affects my review. So in my opinion, this is one or my favourite dramas of all time and the love story is one in a million. A high quality drama with fantasy, romance, friendship, action, comedy, drama, gorgeous outfits and impeccable CGI.

A once in a lifetime drama, please give it a try.

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This drama was my third C-drama I believe. I was new to C-dramas so my expectations were low. I loved this drama. It's still very high in my rankings.

ACTING:
Again, I was very new to C-dramas so I didn't really know who was who. After expanding my C-drama profile, the acting was pretty good. I fell in love with the main leads (like all 6 ppl not just jinmi and xufeng)!

OST:
Man, I lowkey got addicted to the OSTs lol. They were pretty good!

Rewatch Value:
Tbh, I watched this drama probably at least 3 times. A few episodes more, a few episodes less. The reason why it is 8.5 is bc I think I watched it a tiny bit too much LOL but it's good and lives up to my expectations.

This drama had AMAZING costumes and stuff so that made me even more excited. The villans were... ofc annoying but they are there for a reason. I don't really have complaints for this drama aside from the very annoying villans but they are part of the drama soooooo.... I rly like this!

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I enjoyed watching ashes of love from the first episode to the very last one. The secondary character's story (Liu Ying the demon princess and Mu Ci) is a bit slow but I like it nonetheless. The actors played the characters really well. I was on a rollercoaster of emotion so many times while watching this show. I can feel their pain, disappointment and happiness. This is one tv show that is written well in my opinion. The cinematography is also beautiful. I love the different settings and color of the realm and the costume is also very beautiful. I also love the music and I'm still listening to it even long after I finished the show. This show is highly recommended! I will definitely be re-watching this over and over again in the future (i have re-watched some of my favorite scenes as of now, but will definitely be re-watching this from start to finish). The difficult part is finding another show that is as good or even better than Ashes of Love! :)

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second time watching

Rewatched this for the second time and is here to give a proper review. In case you only watched this recently, we don't know when Deng Lun (ML) will appear on screen again.. what more another xianxia drama.

First off, I really liked Yang Zi and Deng Lun as both their acting was good & they have good chemistry together. Although this show was in 2018, i never felt like their acting was amateur here. To me, Xu Feng was the main stealer for this entire show. His character developed well throughout the show from how he met Jin Mi, fell in love to a love-hate relationship. A lot people didn't like Xu Feng because they think that he was manipulative and is not empathetic towards Run Yi. But his character is not built to be perfect - his parents are evil but he still chose to protect them at some point, also i don't find that his love towards Jin Mi was manipulative. When they both went down to mortal/human realm, i think that Jin Mi at that point of time still doesn't know what is love (even though XF died with her). She could be touched and thinks that she wants to "repay" XF in that sense when they got to immortal realm. It was not forced by XF as to how JM falls in love with him. The true moment she realized that she actually love XF was when she killed him, that it hurts for much he is gone. That is also why i hated the fact that my fav moments in this whole show, when they were lovey dovey was actually not true love YET. I also didn't liked that moon immortal was there to heavily ship the main couple (JM and XF). Moon immortal was very bias towards XF to the point that i forgot RY was also one of his nephew.

This aside, the reason why I rated this high was because the storyline was interesting although frustrating at times. I didn't like JM's character here because she was too easily persuaded/swayed by people around her. She is also not smart and needed to be saved most of the time. It isn't a solid character in my opinion. Even the evil people in this show was more bearable than JM at some points. On the other hand, i really liked XF both when he is phoenix and demon lord. His love for JM was also very sweet and heart breaking. I could totally feel a different aura when he was phoenix vs. demon lord. Run Yi was another character that was worth watching in this show - he is the antagonist but a very pitiful one. People argued that his love for JM is no less than XF but now that I rewatched i can't find the point when he actually falls in love with JM.. for sure JM i is interesting/cute/funny to him at first sight but there weren't much interactions between them afterwards for him to be obsessed with her. Instead, i do felt that he became competitive and "love" JM when he knows XF love her, which happened early in the show. We cannot deny that although XF is not the best brother to RY, RY does not have 100% pure intentions towards XF/JM either. However, as much as I cannot get his love for JM, i think that his pov and story towards his family was worth giving credit for.

Overall, i think this show not for the impatience people as it has a whooping number of 63 episodes. The romance will make u either love it or hate it. If you cannot stand those shows with heavy misunderstandings, you probably won't enjoy it. However, i still think it's a good show overall because you get to enjoy a lot more than the main couple's story. Romance between main leads might be slow burn but it's that kind will make u satisfied at the very end (u just have to bear with it). With Yang Zi and Deng Lun's acting + visuals + chemistry, this show is easily a >5 for me.

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