Going into this as someone who has finished reading the novel and finished watching the first season of the anime adaptation, I was very nervous for the live-action adaptation. I wanted the drama to stay true to the novel (as much as it could with the threat of governmental censoring) as well as showcasing something fresh and unique to this adaption.

This drama exceeds (almost) all my expectations. Of course, it's not without faults, but they are very trivial compared to all the good things this drama has to offer.

Story-wise, I have heard a lot of people say the beginning was very confusing. Honestly, I had this feeling when I first watched the anime and read the novel, too. It probably sounded weird, but I think this story was supposed to feel a little bit disorienting in the beginning. If you're hesitating because of this, don't worry; everyone I knows eventually understands and gets immersed into the plot by around ep 4. And if you re-watch it, you will notice more and more hidden clues from the beginning, in the little dialogues, settings, and so on. So, I would say the re-watch value for this is above the chart. If you have read the novel, you may be alarmed by the difference in the plot, but I assure you that every change is well thought-out for this adaptation. I can feel the production team's effort to stay true to the original work, and I really appreciate that.

Acting-wise, there are some actors whom I feel exaggerate too much with their acting, e.g. Jiang Cheng, Xue Yang, and Jin Guangyao. They make the scenes feel a bit comical. But this story is set in a fantasy world and there are exaggerated - but very pretty - CGI everywhere anyway. So, I wasn't as disturbed as I expected to be.

The main couple did a SUPERB job. Xiao Zhan is perfect as Wei Wuxian. He portrays the character's growth while keeping the core personality of Wei Wuxian very well. I can sympathize with this version of Wei Wuxian more than I did while reading the novel or watching the anime. Wang Yibo is also perfect as Lan Wangji, which is amazing, because this is one of my favorite fictional character of all time, and I once thought no human could portray him well enough. I was so glad to be proven wrong. In Lan Wangji's quietness, Wang Yibo's gaze speaks multitude. Also, he executes all action scenes very beautifully; It's very satisfying to watch.

Finally, the music in this drama is AMAZING. Music plays an important part in this story, as musical instruments are weapons in this fantasy world. The sound of traditional Chinese instruments is powerful here and suits the story, perfectly. The main theme of the story, Wu Ji, sung by the two main actors, is used repetitively, as it should be because its melody is very beautiful. And I love all character songs, too. Believe me, you will have many new great music to add to your playlist after watching this.

In short, just go and watch this drama; find out for yourself that 50 episodes is not nearly enough for this masterpiece.

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