Editorials 
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Familiar Scents and Déjà Vu
Eternal Fragrance is a fantasy drama packed with CGI, special effects, magic, demons, immortals and enough mysteries to keep you glued to the end. Its 7.6 rating feels a little low to me because the drama is actually rather well produced. Originality, however, is another matter. At times, I found myself thinking, “Haven’t I seen this somewhere before?”
The drama begins on a rather silly note, with Xiao Bang Chui — later renamed Jiang Li Fei — following her Shifu around scamming wealthy superstitious families. After her Shifu leaves her, she fights for a place at the prestigious Chufeng Academy, hoping to find his elder disciple. There she runs into Lei Xiu Yuan again — unfortunately, this time as her competitor.
They soon meet the highly talented Ji Tong Zhou, aka Prince Ying of the Yue Kingdom. The three become friends and allies and, as almost required by the laws of Chinese fantasy drama, both handsome men eventually fall for the same woman.
Several scenes gave me a strong sense of déjà vu. Li Fei's disastrous attempts to learn flying reminded me of The Journey of Flower. Chufeng Academy has a touch of Harry Potter's school of magic, while Li Fei being raised into the air as punishment and the mysterious seal within her reminded me of Legend of Fuyao. Perhaps Eternal Fragrance borrowed a little fragrance from several other productions. 😄
Still, the drama has enough hooks of its own. Who exactly are Xiu Yuan and Li Fei, and how are they connected by their past? More importantly, will Xiu Yuan become evil? Characters from his past keep trying to lure him back to his former ways, while his own inherited nature is hardly helping. Watching him struggle between darkness and goodness is one of the more compelling parts of the story.
Credit goes to Song Wei Long for convincingly switching between a menacing reincarnated figure and a gentle, almost docile lover.
I also find it interesting that demons in this drama — as in many Chinese fantasy dramas — are treated almost like another race. Some immortals fear and despise them, while others believe they should be allowed to coexist. And one lesson remains universal: obsessive lovers are scary, whether mortal, immortal or demonic.
Meanwhile, the immortals are busy fighting among themselves for power and control while a huge calamity approaches and an enemy is practically at their doorstep. Sound familiar? It is rather like a workplace or family crisis where everyone argues over what is right while the house is burning down.
My main disappointment is the ending. It works, but it could have been much more dramatic and moving. Since the Yecha clan was originally of divine origin, I would have preferred the Yecha Lord to sacrifice himself saving the world, be mourned, and eventually be resurrected as a deity. Now that would have been an ending!
I also felt sorry for Prince Ying. He began as such a promising righteous young man that I would rather have seen him awaken, redeem himself and go on to lead a worthwhile life - but for dramatising, this drama works.
One thing in period dramas always makes me smile: the unwavering one-man-one-woman devotion. Really? Ancient men were hardly famous for having only one woman, yet our heroes remain faithful through three lifetimes and a few thousand years! 😄 And why must the women cling to Choice No. 1 if he turns out to be a disaster?
It also kills the suspense—we already know who will choose whom. And the trailers often make it worse by revealing the winning couple before the romantic race has even begun!
Of course, like many Chinese fantasy dramas, this one comes with a generous helping of gobbledygook about divine cultivation, spiritual powers and mystical realms. And naturally, no one ever takes their medicine without first putting up a heroic fight against the poor person trying to feed it to them. Apparently, swallowing medicine willingly would ruin the drama.
Overall, Eternal Fragrance may not win prizes for originality, but it is entertaining, visually impressive and mysterious enough to keep you watching. Sometimes borrowing familiar ingredients still produces a pretty enjoyable dish.
Debating between 8.5 and 9, I settled on 8.5. It is very well produced and thoroughly entertaining, but the lack of originality cost it that extra half-point.
The drama begins on a rather silly note, with Xiao Bang Chui — later renamed Jiang Li Fei — following her Shifu around scamming wealthy superstitious families. After her Shifu leaves her, she fights for a place at the prestigious Chufeng Academy, hoping to find his elder disciple. There she runs into Lei Xiu Yuan again — unfortunately, this time as her competitor.
They soon meet the highly talented Ji Tong Zhou, aka Prince Ying of the Yue Kingdom. The three become friends and allies and, as almost required by the laws of Chinese fantasy drama, both handsome men eventually fall for the same woman.
Several scenes gave me a strong sense of déjà vu. Li Fei's disastrous attempts to learn flying reminded me of The Journey of Flower. Chufeng Academy has a touch of Harry Potter's school of magic, while Li Fei being raised into the air as punishment and the mysterious seal within her reminded me of Legend of Fuyao. Perhaps Eternal Fragrance borrowed a little fragrance from several other productions. 😄
Still, the drama has enough hooks of its own. Who exactly are Xiu Yuan and Li Fei, and how are they connected by their past? More importantly, will Xiu Yuan become evil? Characters from his past keep trying to lure him back to his former ways, while his own inherited nature is hardly helping. Watching him struggle between darkness and goodness is one of the more compelling parts of the story.
Credit goes to Song Wei Long for convincingly switching between a menacing reincarnated figure and a gentle, almost docile lover.
I also find it interesting that demons in this drama — as in many Chinese fantasy dramas — are treated almost like another race. Some immortals fear and despise them, while others believe they should be allowed to coexist. And one lesson remains universal: obsessive lovers are scary, whether mortal, immortal or demonic.
Meanwhile, the immortals are busy fighting among themselves for power and control while a huge calamity approaches and an enemy is practically at their doorstep. Sound familiar? It is rather like a workplace or family crisis where everyone argues over what is right while the house is burning down.
My main disappointment is the ending. It works, but it could have been much more dramatic and moving. Since the Yecha clan was originally of divine origin, I would have preferred the Yecha Lord to sacrifice himself saving the world, be mourned, and eventually be resurrected as a deity. Now that would have been an ending!
I also felt sorry for Prince Ying. He began as such a promising righteous young man that I would rather have seen him awaken, redeem himself and go on to lead a worthwhile life - but for dramatising, this drama works.
One thing in period dramas always makes me smile: the unwavering one-man-one-woman devotion. Really? Ancient men were hardly famous for having only one woman, yet our heroes remain faithful through three lifetimes and a few thousand years! 😄 And why must the women cling to Choice No. 1 if he turns out to be a disaster?
It also kills the suspense—we already know who will choose whom. And the trailers often make it worse by revealing the winning couple before the romantic race has even begun!
Of course, like many Chinese fantasy dramas, this one comes with a generous helping of gobbledygook about divine cultivation, spiritual powers and mystical realms. And naturally, no one ever takes their medicine without first putting up a heroic fight against the poor person trying to feed it to them. Apparently, swallowing medicine willingly would ruin the drama.
Overall, Eternal Fragrance may not win prizes for originality, but it is entertaining, visually impressive and mysterious enough to keep you watching. Sometimes borrowing familiar ingredients still produces a pretty enjoyable dish.
Debating between 8.5 and 9, I settled on 8.5. It is very well produced and thoroughly entertaining, but the lack of originality cost it that extra half-point.
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