The Starry Love (2023)

Love between the Flower and her Guardian

The Starry Love (2023) is the best Xianxia I've come across in a very long time since most plots have been done to death and it's quite difficult to find something even minutely refreshing. This drama, to my delight, exceeded my expectations in many ways.

Let me start off with what this drama did best- it created an unforgettable romance between two multi-layered characters. Their interactions and feelings for each other blossom into a realm of pure love that consistently upholds the values of trust, understanding and emotional reciprocity. So if you’re tired of angst, betrayals and the overused trope of unnecessary misunderstandings between the primary love interests, you won’t ever regret giving this drama a shot. Their love was mature yet playful, passionate yet deep, challenging yet healthy, tragic yet readily blossomed through all the adversity. The emotional atmosphere created by their connection will swallow you whole leaving you yearning for more.

The main leads Shaodian Youqin and Liguang Yetan are characters that I love with every fibre of my being. Chen Xingxu is perfect for the role of Youqin, who isn't your typical cold Xianxia hero. He would be stern and stiff in the hands of a less skilled actor but Xingxu plays a young, lonely and socially awkward male lead extremely well. Most of the male leads in Xianxia dramas are cold, inexpressive ice blocks who hide their love behind grand gestures. I don't know about you but I found this trope to be quite lacklustre and exhausting to watch. It makes their everyday interactions feel very one sided and at worse, we spend majority of our time feeling sorry for the female lead who is the only one being expressive and completely desperate for the male lead’s affection and attention. Thankfully, this drama takes a wonderful turn away from this cliché.

Yes, the story starts off by painting Youqin as distant and cold but they justify his behaviour with a solid backstory that makes us empathise with him. However, as soon as he realises his feelings for his bride to be, he becomes the person Yetan truly wanted as a romantic partner- someone who puts her first before everyone and everything. He becomes truly consistent in displaying his affections and communicates his emotions very well with her.  As the show progresses, you can actually see how his dedication and admiration continue to grow for her. 

Some of my favourite scenes included Lamu/Fiery calling Yetan "wife". His innocence and devotion left me breathless and turned the butterflies in my stomach into crazy love-struck chimps on steroids. Thank you Shaodian Youqin and Chen Xingxu for revealing to me what I love most in a man.

The female lead on the other hand is an extroverted, mischievous and tough girl. She is funny not to the extent of being too annoying. Her actions whether morally right or not are true to herself, her values and are backed by solid reasoning. Her transformation from a girl who cares only about herself and her loved ones, someone who believed that the world was not worth saving due to her traumatic past breeding within her a wormhole of distrust as a defence mechanism to someone who is taught through love that the world deserves to be protected simply because love and kindness exist is very moving to watch. Through her we learn the negative consequences of revenge and how it can come back to inconvenience our loved ones even if it seemed like the right thing to do at the time. Morality, ethics and emotions are complex topics and this drama did a good job of showcasing that.

Li Landi in my opinion is one of, if not the most beautiful woman my eyes ever had the pleasure of gazing upon. I mean, I started this drama because Pinterest randomly decided to drop a gorgeous Yetan in my feed. This drama does not fail to present her in all her vivacious attractiveness- her smile being a deadly weapon you cannot escape from. She looks best in her black and purple outfits as the ‘Devil of the Void’.

Speaking of the drama's other merits, we have to appreciate how the director teases the ridiculousness of ancient times by poking fun at certain recurring themes in Chinese Fantasy Dramas- Yetan being weirded out by the concept of a 2,700 years old immortal getting married to an 18 year old girl or the scene that involves Youqin desperately pleading with his mother to allow him to get married to his beloved quickly as the couple ended up sleeping together before marriage because fuck ancient customs, right? Annoying characters are also kept to a minimum though occasionally I just wanted to wrap my fingers around General Cremation's neck- that son of a b-*coughs*. Additionally to my relief, they refused to follow the predictable plot line of turning the sisters against each other but rather chose to strengthen their bond and deepen their love for each other with each episode. This drama is truly a sismance at its core.

I have to admit that I wasn't as interested in the romance of the side characters even if independently as characters, they were all well-written and shaped with their own individuality and motivations. The reason why the side romances seemed dull in comparison was because the romance between the leads was so profoundly captivating and touching that the insane amount of screen-time allotted to anyone else seemed wasted in my eyes. With each episode, I wanted to see Youqin and Yetan more frequently AND with each other. The side couples merely distracted me from the romance that mattered.

The OST on the other hand, is brilliant. Liu Yuning, Mao Buyi and Sa Ding Ding never fail to deliver and I’ve been listening to them all day everyday since their respective songs were released. The songs are a perfect fit for the drama.

As someone who took a break from Xianxia for 7 months, this drama surprised me in the most wonderful of ways. I hope it does that to you too. I’ll conclude my review by stating what the Empyrean says to the Heavenly Emperor as it perfectly sums up my feelings about this drama- “Forgetting the past may be easy. But forgetting this love is…. difficult.”

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Need to read

Ok after watching this I need a season 2 of with the same main couples as their is some stuff that need to be answered 1 is Do the twins get reborn as babies or adults with or with out their memories
Like would we get a YQ 1.0/2.0 and stuff

Do the twins get a happy ending will they have a true wedding and kids

Plus I need Li LanDi and Chen XingXu as main couple in other dramas together again their chemistry is off the chart on/offscreen sometimes when you watch other dramas they seem kinda forced or cringy but maybe cuz they’ve know each other since 2017 that why they have such an amazing relationship chemistry

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A Refreshing Addition to the Xianxia Genre

Some watchers might be put off initially by this drama's unusual approach to the xianxia genre and indeed I've seen it described by a few viewers as too "silly for a xianxia drama". However I find it absolutely refreshing because for a genre that is renowned for excessive melodrama, this one decided to do something different by following the comedic route. The jokes are timed well and the actors manage to pull them off without coming off as cringy. It's almost as though the writers don't the viewers to be depressed for too long because most sad scenes and tear inducing scenes are usually followed up by lighter scenes. The near perfect balance between comedy and angst is really impressive.

The appearance of common tropes of this genre like unnecessary sibling rivalry/jealousy, love triangles, jealous fangirls, amnesia etc are either non-existent in the drama or are not allowed to overstay their welcome and are resolved very quickly without testing the viewers patience.

The CGI while not the very best the industry has to offer is good enough and it's obvious that a lot of money has been spent on it. The OST also features some of China's best musicians.

The best thing about the drama is the actors. From Chen Xingxu who played 5 different versions of one character so well enough to make you believe they were actually different people to Li Landi that stepped out of her comfort zone to play a comedic role and also moved us all to tears with her crying scenes. He Xuanlin was amazing as the absolutely gorgeous, intelligent and righteous Qingkui and Chen Muchi stole all our hearts with his gorgeous face and devilish charm. Even the supporting actors made us endeared to their characters and root for them.

The ending while being a happy one leaves something to be desired. However, it's no fault of the production team but could be as a result of the greed of streaming platforms. Conclusively, it's a memorable drama that would enter the top 10 lists of a lot of viewers.

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sweet opening for my journey into cdrama world

let me tell you, this drama is beyooooond my expectation.. which is good !!
Im a newbie in chinese drama, before watching the starry love, im just not into the Chinese drama bcs the voice of FL sometimes annoys me(?) like fake cute.. eventhough i see some of their clips on tiktok, i just can't start myself to watch.
but my oh my, when my friend recommend the starry love to me, i thought ok just give it a try.. annnddd it blooooow my mind. this drama is soooo good . after watching 2 eps i immediately subscribe Youku.. like i loooove this kind of story with strong Bond of sister, friendship, and love. everyone has done their role perfectly. the set design, cgi, costumes and osts were so beautifuulll. i found myself look forward to the next episode everdayyy!! like can the day be more faster !! overall, this drama Will always have special place in my heart. such a wonderful journey i have. thank you for all the actors, director, screenwriter, producer, staffs that Made this beautiful drama

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My favourite xianxia drama of this year until now?

if you are thinking you should start it or not then I would say YOU MUST!!!!! This is a great xianxia drama!!!! Comedy emotions are totally on point!!! acting is also so good!!!
I like the ml I saw him in fall in love which is a great drama too and liked there so much. and I was searching for his drama and got to know its airing and was so excited and as expected its a great xianxia drama and the chemistry between leads are soo good. I am going to watch goodbye my princess too....this is my first drama of landy li and her Acting is also so good. I like the those all other couples soo much. they are so funny and they also have a great chemistry!!! overall this is a xian xia drama you must watch!!!

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A lovely xianxia about pure, respectful love, trust and growth

'The Starry Love' is a lovely xianxia story about pure love, respect, kindness, finding your true self, the importance of accepting your emotions, an art of making decisions and having trust and faith in others. It's hard to talk about this beautiful story, you just have to see it yourself like I did.

I've seen many xianxias. Or most likely I gave them a try. Each time I hope it would bring me the same amount of emotions that the unforgetfull classic from 2017 did. I mean Eternal Love - my first xianxia and my most favorite of all the time. Each time I watch xianxia I can't stop comparing it to the Eternal Love - I don't mean the story, but the vibe, the thrilling, the emotions.
I often find most xianxias disappointing, boring, predictable. How many time we saw the classic tragics, reborns, this genre has its own cliches. The Starry Love follows some of them but it also give the freshful punch. And surprisingly, it gave me the thrilling and fun that my beloved Eternal Love did.

The humour! The jokes! The story surprisingly doesn't contain as many tragic, sad moments as most xianxias do. Most of the time it's a heartwarming story, that would often make you laugh and bloom some hope for humanity in your heart.

The characters are very respectful to each others. Each person has a deep, well-written story. Characters do change. They evolve. They learn to understand themselves and others. The Starry Love is a beautiful story about finding your true self and accept it. Accept the change in yourself. It's about learning what's important in your life. Each characters is strong, even when they seem weak. Kindness doesn't mean weakness.
The love the characters give and receive it's one of the purest and greatest - there is no place for distrust, they have only faith, they believe in each other, they don't part, they will support each other and stay together no matter the price. There is a strong loyalty and trust in each pair. And that beautiful smile from Chen Xing Xu... Did you see it? The way Xuanshang smiled at Yetan - it tells everything. It's pure, honest, full of love. It warmed my heart many times. And also, Luke Chen's hairstyle and all the design - such a hot man! :D Honestly, I watched first 7 episodes or so only for Chaofeng and Lanjue - these characters were sooo cool. I couldn't stop watching them :D And later on our female leads and Xuanshang stole my heart and then I hadn't even realised when I started to being attached to every character.

The OSTs are very powerful and addictive - I'm gonna listen to them for some time... I mean, for a long time. It's strong, yet subtle, it's building its own story and brings a huge emotional impact.You can't stay indefferent listening to it. Your heart and your soul will melt only from listening to these songs.

The CGI is okay. It's a nice quality, nice standard that we can watch nowadays in dramas and some movies. It's a nice watch.

Honestly, I usually get tired of the story around 30s episode - the story gets draggy in most dramas. And here I binged all 40 episodes in 4 days and I wish there were more. The pace was great, all the time. The whole plot wasn't draggy at all. They could add more episodes, and I bet the story would still be interesting and not draggy at all, but... you know, the 40 episodes chinese limit. Ehh... :( I'm gonna miss all the characters I'll definitely rewatch some of my favorite moments (there were many of them!) and keep the story deep in my heart :) It did bring me so much joy and I'm starting to believe that there is a hope that we will live to see some more master xianxias and not only the tragical cliches.

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An Unforgettable Journey

Don’t let the “xianxia or fantasy” genre detour you from enjoying one of the most unforgettable Chinese dramas. The love stories, family relationships, and friendships are the most realistic, heartwarming, wholesome, and genuine in all of drama world. Forty episodes are actually too short to thoroughly capture all the magic. However, if you like plots driven by misunderstandings, nonsense drama, and useless sacrifices then perhaps you’re not ready to appreciate a simple yet charming story like this. Like the saying, if you enjoy trauma, you’ll find stories that bring peace like this one boring or too mundane. You may even find Shao Dian You Qin too bland for your taste, as not enough is happening. Therefore, if you drop this drama after a few episodes, you can always come back to it in a few years, perhaps then, you may enjoy it after time has seasoned you.

Chen Xing Xu as five characters in here was the absolute highlight of the drama. My favorite scene of the entire drama, no, of all dramas, was when the three shards came together and revived Shao Dian You Qin. The way how they beautifully executed this scene was beyond words can convey. The music, the acting, and CGI all came together in perfect union like the shards. This scene will forever live rent free in my heart, on replay. After this drama, the word “great actor” is literally an understatement regarding Chen Xing Xu. Chen Xing Xu as Li Cheng Yin was the worst male lead. However, as Shao Dian You Qin, he has become the best male hero to ever exist. There were so many iconic scenes to phrases in the drama that no other can compare. Shao Dian You Qin has shown the world that love isn’t something to be sacrificed for one’s righteous duty, but love should be protected because without love, there is no meaning to duty.

Li Landi as Li Guang Ye Tan was a pleasant surprise. If anyone had played this role, Ye Tan would’ve resulted in a very annoying character. However, Landi brings all the right flavors to spice up the smart, witty, and brave but misunderstood princess of the mortal realm. Landi’s crying scenes towards the end were some of the most heartbreaking I’ve ever seen. Her voice projection, micro facial movements, to eye expressions were deeply devasting and amazing. Together, Chen Xing Xu and Li Landi have become my favorite CP of all times. Their chemistry, talents, and profound comprehension and portrayal of the characters made this entire drama an unforgettable journey. Shao Dian You Qin is Chen Xing Xu and his Li Guang Ye Tan is no one else but Li Landi. Fate was one of the underlining messages and in reality, it was fate that brought Chen Xing Xu and Li Landi together and together, they both crossed the Love Bridge, successfully, as the drama was an unexpected success.

I can go on and on, but I’m trying to keep my review short. I loved Chen Mu Chi as Chao Feng, He Xuan Lin as Li Guang Qing Kui, Qin Tian Yu as Di Lan Jue, Wang Li Na as Man Man, and the entire cast. Everyone had so much chemistry together and gave a spectacular performance. Again, this drama may have fantasy elements, but their stories, struggles, and lives are very relatable even in the modern world. Their hardships make them human, lovable, and charismatic. The female leads may not be as physically skilled as the male leads, but they have brains, heart, and admirable personalities that make them just as important. Everyone has their own missions and purposes. I love it that once they fall in love, their minds and hearts become clearer as to why they have to uphold their duties to protect those they love. They just don’t become love sick puppies and lose their original charms and intentions. Love adds to everyone in here and doesn’t take away or become a hindrance to their lives prior. They trust each other, communicate, never assume, don’t impose on others, making them the healthiest love relationships, ever. The comedy is also a major plus in here. I've never seen a xianxia with so much comedy. I never skipped any part of the 40 episodes, which is a first for me. It's light hearted but like life, there's sorrow. However, another main theme is perseverance. As long as you know who you are, no one can change that. Please watch when you have time and let it change you in ways you never expected.

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Emotional rollercoaster xianxia

t has been so many years since I watched a drama as good as this one. It has all that you can ask for. This is not your typical silly xianxia with magic, it’s so much more.

Chen Xingxu delivered as always, his acting was superb and his portrayal of the different Youqin’s was so diverse and accurate it made me fall in love with each version of him.

The relationship between the two sisters was so pure yet heartbreaking. I loved how both of them were strong females who never did stupid things.

While the first half of the series was full of comedy, there was not a single episode I didn’t cry watching towards the second half. The family relationships were so beautiful. It was absolutely endearing to see how they built them and how much each character cared for each other.

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Better Than Most Xianxias

My first review since being a MDL member so that says a lot about this drama! Virtually everything about this series was top notch and it surpasses many stories of its kind in a variety of aspects.

Likes:
- Pace: Interested in the very first ep to the very last
- Story: Very well told, every arc was entertaining and refreshing takes on several plot points
- Actors: Well-cast. Attractive and solid talent, detailed/subtle expressions with raw emotions
- OSTs: Have it on repeat
- Characters: Leads are fantastic/unique and the supporting characters are actually smart/useful and not wasted screen time
- Humor: A huge bonus because I don't laugh easily and it's usually not well done in cdramas or even included
- No major annoying tropes and if there are it's very short-lived

Dislikes:
- The void realm but everything extra in the likes section made up for it

I'll be rewatching favorite scenes for a while =P As of today, this might be my favorite xianxia series and I'm so grateful for experiencing such an amazing journey!

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The best fantasy drama I have watched, and I don't even like fantasy that much

It has been about a month since I finished watching TSL but I still cannot find another drama that gives me the same feeling.

The acting, the plot, the characters, the music, everything is SO good.
The drama itself is great without the music but their choice of songs with some of the greatest Chinese singers really made it stand out. The right song used at the right scene made me smile, cry, feel anxious, ...

A month ago I would have so much to say but now all I can think to sum it up is that this is one the best chinese dramas I have watched in the past few years and probably the best drama I will watch in 2023. It will be hard to top this one for me.

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