mochachen

This script was written by the director and he took many years writing this. He's not expereinced with romance I think, but other aspects are done quite well. That's why I would suggest to watch this drama without focusing on the romance. I'm still quite enjoying this drama.

Yes, I'm very aware of this and this goes with any agency in any culture. Greedy SOBS.

Aww, BZ has changed so much. He’s interacting with Dali now and is genuinely friendly with her—his view on demons has clearly shifted. I really enjoyed Episode 11; he felt like a big brother shopping with two younger sisters. It's an enjoyable scene he wanted to live vicariously through them, since he never had the chance to freely spend money on own his sister.

Yes it's her. if you go on wb or lrb you will know. Even her studio posted a photo of her character in xy. Months ago, while still filming xy fans and reuters mentioned she would appear as a guest cameo, but it wasn't really confirmed until the premier of the show. The director also mentioned zly appeared as a guest bc of their decade long friendship and that she came to help and that she gave valuable advise on filming fantasy bc director's first time with this genre.

She appears here and there in the drama.

I completely understand. But I believe it's come to this bc of editing and scene cuts.

I'm on ep 11 right now getting ready for tonight

Omg that's crazy. I know his company is for sure working him to the bone. Agencies don't care about their artists' health, they are just tools to make money for them. Once again, I am glad ss is an independent actress, she answers to no one but herself. I hope hmh gets stronger one day and leave the agency and start his own.

The slaps are slapping! First xy slaps the scoundrel and then bz gives multiple slaps from his big hand. Prob felt like thunder on the cheeks

XY is the kind of girl who teaches us real life lessons: never downgrade or settle for less, especially when you’ve already been treated like a queen. HY spent hundreds of dollars learning to cook noodles for XY—so why would she be moved by someone offering a single dollar? LOL I love this scene.

I saw a chinese video that talked about his history and did mention him being jobless for 8 months. I do understand why he's working nonstop this year, it's like drama after drama and then promotion and variety shows. He's gaining traction in his career and people are starting to notice him-me for e.g., I just hope he can take a small break to recuperate. That why when ss take 1-2 month break, even thoughs fans are in a drought from her, I'm ok with it bc she's on her schedule and she needs to rest and spend time with her family. I hope he will be famous and strong enough to take a break when needed and not piling all the work. I'm aware being busy and tired from work is a better alternative than no work.I do hope he can find a balance in the near future

no they don't hold concerts abroad, but Jackson does

Loi, it's not a surprise to me, It's kind of a given. I think she's performed on hunan annual before. What I want is CCTV one. That's harder to get on. I hope she gets to get on that for spring festival!

yes, on CCTV8, which never if ever air fantasy. The last one they aired was xz's duluo and it was also at the noon spot. Have you been watching tus?

I'm so glad it's not just a few that have noticed this. Many fall for these antis that disguise themselves in sheep skin to blend with the crowd. They act like they are fans of the celebrity and then goes to criticize them. Not only that, what's scary is the anti pretend to be the fan and then using the fan identity to bash other celebs. so other celebs' fans will hate on that celeb. I've seen it happen and it's just sick. Like how do they sleep at night. Some go to such extreme, I heard about hmh's manager actually being his anti. So I've come to have a soft spot for him, I'm not in his fanbase, but he is the whole package, he can sing, dance and act and handsome. He's a threat.

Why are you bringing a korean OST to a cdrama.

I've made it to ep 10, and I do understand why you may think so. I would say to watch up to ep 8. If it doesn't change your mind then you can let it marinate haha. My perspective of this drama changed after ep 8. I felt the ep was brilliantly written, I still can't get over how creative the director was to write this. After ep 8 it's much easier to watch for me.

I think part of the issue is that the cat demon is teaching the more naive demons that humans are inherently bad. That kind of thinking only deepens the conflict between demons and humans rather than helping to resolve it.

I believe XY is aware that the cat demon’s approach is making things worse, which is why she tries to explain the situation from a human perspective. She’s also made an effort to tell the 2ML that demons aren’t inherently evil either, showing that she’s consistently trying to bridge understanding between both sides.

Initial Thoughts (Up to Episode 10)

Pros / Strengths

Special Effects & CGI:
The CGI and special effects are top-tier. They hired the same production company that worked on Nezha, which already sets a high bar. Visually, it really shows.

Visuals & Set Design:
The overall colour palette is very easy on the eyes—no harsh, blinding white filters. It genuinely feels cinematic, like watching a movie. The sets are well-crafted and natural-looking, not cheap props that feel like they belong in a school play.

Acting:
The acting from both leads and the second male lead is solid. I have no real complaints here.

Second Male Lead (2ML):
For once, the second male lead isn’t a lovesick puppy competing for the FL or stirring jealousy with the ML. According to the relationship map shown in the drama, he has no direct connection to either the FL or ML (I’ll upload the image later). His character development is focused on demon hunting and the growth of his beliefs and values, rather than romance—at least for now—and that’s refreshing.

Story Structure & Themes:
There appear to be eight journeys or expeditions to collect the mirror fragments, and each one tells its own story with a life lesson. Episode 8, for example, highlights cause and effect—how virtues, wrongdoing, and life choices eventually come back to us.
I’ve written a more detailed explanation in the comments, but this drama made me realize it shouldn’t be watched superficially. Every character’s actions have meaning; they aren’t just NPCs filling space.

Genre & Atmosphere:
At first glance, it may look like a typical xianxia trope, but it’s really not. It feels more like folklore, with each journey resembling a standalone folk tale. It balances light-hearted moments and comedy with an underlying eerie, unsettling atmosphere in certain scenes.

Zhao Liying (ZLY):
Do I even need to say more? She appears goddess-like—adorned in white, serene and beautiful—but she’s actually the ultimate antagonist. She’s the catalyst who set everything in motion and caused the FL to awaken the ML.
The scariest villains are wolves in sheep’s clothing. Her purity feels unsettling, and that painting of her genuinely gave me chills—it felt hypnotic and unsafe to look at.

Weak Points

Romance Pacing:
The early romance between the FL and ML feels rushed. The ML was betrayed by the princess he was meant to marry and died harboring hatred and betrayal. Since the FL resembles that princess, it would have made more sense for him to be more guarded or prejudiced toward her at first, with his feelings developing gradually. As it stands, it’s unclear what specifically made him fall for her so quickly.

Demon Lord’s Welcoming Ceremony:
The ceremony could have been more grand and imposing. It felt overly toned down to emphasize comedy from the FL.

Demon Lord Characterization:
The ML as a demon lord doesn’t come across as particularly arrogant or intimidating compared to other xianxia demon lords—especially when compared to Dylan Wang’s character in Love Between Fairy and Devil.
That said, I think the key difference is that Hong Ye isn’t fighting against the gods, nor is this a simple good-versus-evil or gods-versus-demons narrative. I see him more as a ruler of creatures—someone who protects his people and seeks prosperity and harmony. The fact that he was once willing to marry a human princess suggests he’s open to coexistence. If anything, it’s the humans who are difficult.
That said, it does seem like we’ll be seeing a more demonic, morally detached side of Hong Ye later on.

Editing & Transitions:
Some edits feel a bit abrupt, especially early on. I suspect this is due to the episode count being cut from 40 to 39, resulting in noticeable trimming. Hopefully, later episodes—where the plot is more critical—will have smoother transitions.

Overall Impression

Overall, I still think this is a very strong fantasy drama. Many people dismiss it as just another “three lifetimes romance,” but I believe it’s much more than that—if we stop hyper-focusing on romance alone.
This drama invites viewers to step outside that narrow lens and engage with its deeper themes. The FL may seem weak and naive now, but she’s already showing growth and insight, and I believe she’ll become even stronger than the ML later on.

Most importantly, I love the role reversal: a demon lord who isn’t inherently evil, and a “goddess” who is the true final boss. It’s a refreshing change. Demons are often demonized simply for being different—portrayed as monsters—yet aren’t humans just as cruel, if not worse? This drama really highlights how terrifying human nature can be.

I feel like ep 8 onwards is really good! The plot is really going now

You literally said you finished ep1 and already hoping for chemistry. I prefer slow burn not making out on ep 1 type of drama. If I want that I’ll watch Hollywood