Love and Redemption (2020)

MDLers’ Choice Awards 2020 for Best Xianxia Romance, Actor & Action

With over 7K comments in the discussion board (setting a new MDL record at the time of writing), Love and Redemption is quite possibly the winner of MDLers’ Xianxia Romance of the year award for 2020, if ever there was such an honour bestowed by the panel of admins and as voted by MDLers themselves. And of course, our beloved Cheng Yi wins the Best Actor, Most Popular Actor and Best Kisser awards, among others I might have left out.

Why is there so much passion for this show? Because L&R is a binge-worthy narcotic that induces an addiction so severe that one becomes fully dependant and invested from the very first dose. Throughout the 59 episodes, I simply could not refrain myself from “chasing after the story”, just to bear witness to the trials and tribulations experienced by our main leads (Yu Si Feng and Chu Xuan Ji aka SF and XJ) amidst much traumatic physical and mental suffering (and no little amount of blood loss, voluntary or otherwise) in the process, inflicted upon themselves and even on each other. This powerful romance truly deserves multiple awards because it is all inclusive and literally no one is left out.

As with other fans of the show, we persevere through each and every episode with the faintest glimmer of hope, and against the odds of the deeply dreaded historical C-drama curse, just to see a happily ever after ending. When a show gives you butterflies in the stomach and myriad emotions, damn it you know it’s good.

Truth be told, technically it’s not the most perfect production (then again nothing of this mortal world is perfect, except maybe Cheng Yi's acting) – there are minor flaws in directing, editing, and cinematography. But without a shadow of doubt, full marks go to the depiction of the story and portrayal of the characters. The visual effects, CGI technology employed and martial arts choreography are among the finest, if not the best, seen in a Xianxia drama for a very long time.

Story:
I did not read the original novel, “Liu Li Mei Ren Sha” by Shi Si Lang, and simply went in with a clean slate and without any expectation, demand or bias. What I ended up with was a masterpiece of storytelling. To put it simply, at the heart of this drama is a beautiful story about a love so pure and strong that it defies all odds and conquers everything that fate throws at it, just for a chance to shape its own destiny.

As is customary of this genre, we have the usual setting of the 3 realms – the Heavenly court and its entourage of Godly Emperors, Demi-Gods and Immortals; the Mortal Realm with its various sects of cultivators and loyal followers and groupies; and the Underworld realm filled with Demons, Devils and generally every other plausible kind available. Within this universe lies our unassuming SF and XJ, whose love story unfolds across the 3 realms and transcends several lifetimes, in a long and arduous journey filled with seemingly endless challenges and obstacles.

Nearly every conceivable plot element, trope and the emotional highs and lows that one could ever wish for in a fantasy is present in abundance. Full-blown action from fierce battles fought out in epic proportions in the heavens and on earth, between every imaginable species of celestial beings and affiliations, with all manner of divine weapons and cultivated powers. Many action C-dramas pale in comparison to this spectacle.

The romance is simply off the charts and has the steamiest kissing scenes in any C-dramas that I’ve seen this year. Being nearly all-inclusive, you will observe multiple relationship angles involving fabricated/ forced/ infatuation/ manipulated/ unrequited/ tragic love, whether it be romantic, familial, bromance, sismance and even BL among various characters. Normal rules of engagement no longer apply as even gender associations extend to androgyny levels in both corporeal and ethereal formats. Not many romance dramas, regardless of genres, could hold a candle to L&R.

There is no lack of focus on supporting characters as everyone is given ample room to develop and showcase their own storyline. There is enough suffering, tears, torment and blood vomit to last beyond a single lifetime (or in this case 10 cycles). No shortage either in frustrating misunderstandings, heart-breaking betrayals, sheer mental anguish, broken oaths and promises.

Thankfully it’s not all doom and gloom. I didn’t have to look too hard to find some semblance of luminescence within the darkness throughout the proverbial tunnel where memorable but fleeting moments of pure unabashed and unadulterated innocent love between our hero and heroine can be observed. This is fine dining at a Michelin–star establishment rather than buffet at a fast-food joint, but trust me, the long-awaited dessert certainly provides for a much welcomed catharsis at the very end – the last 30 minutes of the finale episode makes everything worth it.

Acting and Cast:
As the ML, this show has potentially propelled Cheng Yi to celestial popularity levels. His portrayal of the much adored character of Yu Si Feng through his seemingly innate ability to emote convincingly and project poignant scenes of excruciating torment while shedding TONNES OF BLOOD AND TEARS has deservedly earned him legions of new fans, including yours truly. Yuan Bing Yan, who plays FL Chu Xuan Ji, displays the necessary depth in portraying the character’s growth, from a sensory-impaired and downright clueless young woman to a multi-faceted divine being of supernatural awesomeness. Perhaps at times Cheng Yi’s superior range and mastery of acting became too overpowering, but there is no denying the explosive chemistry between these two leads. The intense emotional connection that they share does indeed feel tangible and real rather than artificial and contrived.

There are several villains who dish out multiple levels of annoyance and angst. None more so than the top two of Hao Chen and Wu Tong. Without Liu Xue Yi, L&R would not be as satisfying (and torturous) as it had been. He brings to the table his version of Hao Chen, a complex and egocentric multi-dimensional piece of work who’s armed with a deep-seated sense of self-serving twisted logic that is borne of extreme bitterness and utter resentment. I doubt HC himself even realises that he is an actual villain because in his mind, he believes himself to be the righteous and spiritual holier-than-thou sacred existence while everyone else who does not share his convictions is almost certainly in league with the Devil himself. This is where the actor succeeds in his ability to consistently maintain the angst levels and turning it up a notch or two when the situation calls for it, throughout the entire show.

Huang You Ming plays the other villain, Wu Tong. It would be unfair to vilify WT as an outright villain because in a way he is a victim of circumstances that turned him into a sociopath. Constantly filled with contempt and uncontrollable rage, coupled with insatiable bloodlust for revenge, this is a deeply troubled individual who has no control over his own fetishes either. The actor’s looks, sadly for him but fortunately for us, projects the character’s vile vibes completely.

I want to add that the voice dubbers for Yu Si Feng and Hao Chen in particular, did an absolutely amazing job in adding the emotional nuance that brings to life the actors’ portrayals ever so vividly to the viewers.

The rest of the cast generally did pretty well too. Zhang Yu Si playing Chu Ling Long displayed a remarkable transformation from the spoilt princess persona to the role of an abuse victim struggling with PTSD. Together with Li Jun Yi, who plays Zhong Ming Yan, they both formed the second main couple in the show (among many other couples) and gave the OTP a run for their money in the pain and suffering stakes.

Did I mention this drama is filled with many charismatic and good looking male actors? In addition to Cheng Yi and Liu Xue Yi, we have Zhu Zi Xiao (Yuan Lang), Fu Fang Jun (Wu Zhi Qi), Li Xin Ze (Luo Hou Ji Du), Bai Shu (Ting She) and Zhou Jun Wei (Ruo Yu).

Overall:
Love and Redemption is definitely not light and fluffy (except for very few episodes). Make no mistake, this is as heavy and serious as it gets, and the drama is extremely adept at reducing viewers into emotional train wrecks. Mercifully, it did not take too long for viewers to get an overhaul. At least we got what we deserved – a truly happily ever after ending. I had thoroughly enjoyed this dramatic journey and I think you would too.

Thanks for reading :)

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