This review may contain spoilers
Stunning Visuals, Underwhelming Story
I really wanted to love this drama, everyone was calling it one of the best xianxias in recent years, and visually it looked stunning. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me.
I watched until episode 30 before giving up and reading recaps for the remaining episodes because I was honestly bored out of my brain. I kept telling myself that maybe the next episode would finally be where everything clicked, but it never really happened. The only episodes that completely grabbed my attention were episodes 22–23. The whole sequence where Shen Li burns the sea was absolutely amazing and easily the highlight of the entire drama. I wish the rest of the series had maintained that level of excitement.
The biggest issue for me was the pacing. The drama is much more of a slice-of-life xianxia than an epic fantasy, and I don’t think that style really worked here. It constantly felt like things were happening, yet at the same time nothing significant was actually happening. There was so much talking, staring into space, flashbacks, and everyday interactions that I found myself skipping scenes more and more as the episodes went on. For a 39-episode drama, the actual plot felt surprisingly thin and could have easily been condensed into around 20–25 episodes.
Shen Li was easily the best part of the show. She was an absolute badass from beginning to end and carried almost every scene she was in. She had such a strong presence that I honestly think I could have watched an entire drama focused solely on her without the romance.
What frustrated me the most, though, was how weak the supposedly divine characters felt. They’re ancient and incredibly powerful beings, yet they’re constantly hungry, tired, injured, sleeping, or needing to be rescued. It honestly became ridiculous after a while. I never got the feeling that these were all-powerful beings. Instead, they felt strangely ordinary, which completely took away the sense of awe and high stakes that I expect from a xianxia.
I also wasn’t a fan of Xing Zhi’s styling. This is probably an unpopular opinion, but I hated most of his robes. They looked sloppy and unflattering on him, and he was constantly adjusting his sleeves and robes, which became distracting. I kept wishing they had dressed him in black because I think it would’ve suited both his character and his appearance much better.
Despite all my complaints, I can’t deny that the production quality was beautiful. The cinematography, landscapes, soundtrack, and CGI were all impressive, and the chemistry between the leads was genuinely good. That’s what makes this drama even more disappointing for me—it had everything it needed to become one of my favorite xianxias, but the writing never lived up to its potential.
In the end, The Legend of Shen Li felt like a huge case of wasted potential. It has beautiful visuals, a fantastic female lead, and good chemistry, but the story lacked urgency, complexity, and enough meaningful plot progression to keep me invested. I really tried to give it chance after chance because everyone seemed to love it, but it just never clicked for me. By episode 30, I simply couldn’t continue and chose to read the ending instead.
If you enjoy slower, character-driven romances with gorgeous visuals, you’ll probably have a much better time than I did. But if you’re looking for an epic, high-stakes xianxia full of action, tension, and memorable plot twists, this one may end up feeling as underwhelming as it did for me.
I watched until episode 30 before giving up and reading recaps for the remaining episodes because I was honestly bored out of my brain. I kept telling myself that maybe the next episode would finally be where everything clicked, but it never really happened. The only episodes that completely grabbed my attention were episodes 22–23. The whole sequence where Shen Li burns the sea was absolutely amazing and easily the highlight of the entire drama. I wish the rest of the series had maintained that level of excitement.
The biggest issue for me was the pacing. The drama is much more of a slice-of-life xianxia than an epic fantasy, and I don’t think that style really worked here. It constantly felt like things were happening, yet at the same time nothing significant was actually happening. There was so much talking, staring into space, flashbacks, and everyday interactions that I found myself skipping scenes more and more as the episodes went on. For a 39-episode drama, the actual plot felt surprisingly thin and could have easily been condensed into around 20–25 episodes.
Shen Li was easily the best part of the show. She was an absolute badass from beginning to end and carried almost every scene she was in. She had such a strong presence that I honestly think I could have watched an entire drama focused solely on her without the romance.
What frustrated me the most, though, was how weak the supposedly divine characters felt. They’re ancient and incredibly powerful beings, yet they’re constantly hungry, tired, injured, sleeping, or needing to be rescued. It honestly became ridiculous after a while. I never got the feeling that these were all-powerful beings. Instead, they felt strangely ordinary, which completely took away the sense of awe and high stakes that I expect from a xianxia.
I also wasn’t a fan of Xing Zhi’s styling. This is probably an unpopular opinion, but I hated most of his robes. They looked sloppy and unflattering on him, and he was constantly adjusting his sleeves and robes, which became distracting. I kept wishing they had dressed him in black because I think it would’ve suited both his character and his appearance much better.
Despite all my complaints, I can’t deny that the production quality was beautiful. The cinematography, landscapes, soundtrack, and CGI were all impressive, and the chemistry between the leads was genuinely good. That’s what makes this drama even more disappointing for me—it had everything it needed to become one of my favorite xianxias, but the writing never lived up to its potential.
In the end, The Legend of Shen Li felt like a huge case of wasted potential. It has beautiful visuals, a fantastic female lead, and good chemistry, but the story lacked urgency, complexity, and enough meaningful plot progression to keep me invested. I really tried to give it chance after chance because everyone seemed to love it, but it just never clicked for me. By episode 30, I simply couldn’t continue and chose to read the ending instead.
If you enjoy slower, character-driven romances with gorgeous visuals, you’ll probably have a much better time than I did. But if you’re looking for an epic, high-stakes xianxia full of action, tension, and memorable plot twists, this one may end up feeling as underwhelming as it did for me.
Was this review helpful to you?
