I need a support group to get over this drama.

Heavy Sweetness, Ash-Like Frost *so* easily became one of my personal all-time favorite dramas. I knew I was going to enjoy this ride as soon as I got through the beautiful opening sequence. Then the leads showed up and stole every bit of my heart. I've become a huge fan of Yang Zi after watching her portrayal of Jin Mi from who she is in the beginning of the drama to who she becomes at the end. It's so raw and dynamic, you really feel all of the emotions Jin Mi goes through in this story. I couldn’t imagine any other actress, Yang Zi was perfect for the role. Her chemistry with Deng Lun's Xu Feng is *off the charts*! There are so many details in their interactions i.e. the way she lights up when she sees him, his smiles when she isn't looking, they are the ultimate OTP from the get-go.

Jin Mi’s naivety is not a new character trope, but it’s well done in a way that makes her uniquely endearing, not annoying. Even those who found her annoying will agree with me when I say we wish she could go back to the way she was by the end of the drama. Xu Feng doesn’t enjoy the same character development; in fact, I’d argue that he was pretty much set up to be an alpha male lead from the beginning. But what I love about him is that his strengths (i.e. his compassion) are also his weaknesses. The second male lead, Run Yu, also goes through dynamic character developments, and though I don’t agree with his choices, he’s a very interesting character you both wish to condemn and comfort simultaneously.

The team behind this drama did not gimp on effects. Though I can overlook bad CGI, it does take away from the drama. You don’t get awful CGI in this drama! The music is also so beautiful and haunting, I only wish that there were more OSTs! The overall plot is well-done and interesting, but I have to critique the way that the two main leads did not run the show in the latter half of the drama. It felt like they took to the backseat and there was a surge of side-stories, and though this did all contribute to the main plot, I thought that it could have been more concise, and that things could have been introduced in the first half to better flow into the second half instead of being introduced for the first time halfway through. The ending was both perfect but also left me wanting so, so much more at the same time, probably because I’m just too attached.

Regardless of it’s flaws, Xu Feng and Jin Mi’s love story resonated with me. I think xianxia fans will easily find something engaging within this, and those new to the xianxia genre, this could be your introduction! Other than fantasy elements, there’s comedy, romance, angst, family, friendship, drama—a little bit of everything for everyone!