The Spirealm (2024)

Amazing drama that will capture your heart

First of all, I admit that I haven't read the original novel. Actually I didn't know neither about the novel nor about the existence of its adaptation, just got very curious when all this story suddenly began in February... So I accepted the adaptation as a given and really enjoyed all its storyline and twists.

I first saw Huang Jun Jie as Zhang Qiling in DMBJ universe. Back then, watching Reunion: The Sound of the Providence, I thought that something was wrong with his role and realized: he does his best, of course, but this role isn't meant for him. It doesn't let him display his talent. But here in The Spirealm Huang Jun Jie truly shines! Perfect match. I totally loved his character's development, from being confused, unconfident, shy and a bit funny in the beginning to mature, confident and charming later. Ling Jiushi is kind, loyal and compassionate, and what I like most about him is that he doesn't harbour resentments. "I cherish what I have now".
Surely people already made a lot of comments about Ruan Lanzhu. Let me share my impression too :) Xia Zhi Guang performed such a complicated task brilliantly, I admire how he portrayed different sides of his character: mischievous, flirty, charismatic (and dangerous) behind the door, other times serious and (seemingly) indifferent, and his soft side meant for Ling Jiushi alone. And their wonderful bond. How this relationship changed them both. I don't mind the absence of frank confessions, because all is so crystal clear! To tell the most important things without words, just with those affectionate gazes, full of love and caring, that's beautiful. This is what art is.
The whole story is engaging and I would even say, addictive! I felt comfortable with the plot structure, foretasting every new adventure in the world of doors. All arcs were carefully written, characters, visuals, music, all is good. And personally I accept the ending.
Will I rewatch? Definitely yes! No goodbyes. Just see you later...

I wrote this review almost two months after completing the drama. Still can't let go.

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Loved watching it.. Must recommended drana

The character development of all the characters was so good... I mean the vfx, acting, story plot everything was so good im just obsessed with this drama and even though they got kinda sad ending but the overall chemistry btw them was so nicee.. At the starting drama was full of horror but coming to last eps it was sad & literally hurt my soul & my heart aches whenever i think abt ending and lingling Ruan.. My lingling baby deserved a very happy ending though... He was so kind & polite.... My baby deserved to be loved as the same way he loves everyone but unfortunately the fate was so cruel.. But im happy that atleast his frnds were alive.. Even though they forget him but at least they lived their lives to fullest.. This drama lives in my heart rent free and if you've not watched this drama yet you're missing out best drama so watch it.. Hope this review helped you guys out.... But moreover i wrote everything i felt after watching this drama

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HONEST REVIEW(opinion)!!

this sentence is the only thing you can experience in this cdrama and that is "a roller coaster" ,im talking worries, sorrows , sadness and anger ,and a whole bunch of stuff that you could imagine .you can never drop this man, YOU JUST CANT. ITS TOO GOOD ,I WRITING THIS AND IM CRYING CAUSE I JUST FINISHED IT [T-T]. umm if you see this and just about to watch it. GOODLUCK . at first you might experience some turbulence throughout of the first episodes but TRUST ME!! it will get better and the characters are so cute and handsome Im sure your gonna love them so much that'll you'll also cry when you finished this drama so thats a plus points for them being cuties!! thats about it fighting!!

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Exceeds expectations

CAST
Both MLs are, in my opinion, insanely good looking, so I might not be objective, when I also praise their acting. They had a difficult task to show to us, viewers, that they are lovers, and at the same time to show the communist censors that they are just friends. They don't get to have much physical contact, so they are limited to the way they look at each other or the tone of voice, but with those limited means, they did a great job. Another great actor was the one cast as twins - he managed to create two characters of not only separate, but actually opposite personalities, one - lovable, the other - not so much. This must have been difficult too, and again, executed just perfectly.
MUSIC mostly matched the mood, but, as is often a problem in Asian dramas, sometimes was too invasive.
STORY
Here start spoilers!
***
At first, I thought that there would not be much of a plot outside of the game itself, but I didn't really mind. Each of the "doors", or levels of the game, had its own story, interestingly told, visually pleasing and emotionally moving. The actual premise seemed absurd: there is a game that kills people, some gamers can magically play it as a team and earn money, and when the MLs complete this game, it will be purged of evil, brought about, obviously, by the US (censors bless us!). Therefore, I just resigned to the idea that this show would be guilty pleasure - stupid but fun. The ending changed my perception completely!
This drama tells a story of a person, who was so lonely that he hallucinated a whole universum where he has love and friendship. People, who he saw around him and knew their names but never dared to talk to, in his hallucinations became teammates for life or foes to death. As for love - apparently, he never even fantasised about loving someone real, so he completely invented his lover without basing him on an existing person. His real-life friend, with whom he reportedly planned to create a game, turned out to be just one of his school colleagues, who he wasn't close to at all - he didn't even know what studies that guy had taken up and couldn't recall his face - the character in the hallucinations always wore a hood.
When he woke up after this imaginary experience of closeness and affection, he didn't even try to change and to be more outgoing, so that he could find closeness in real world. No, instead he dedicated his life to recreating his hallucinations in the form of a VR game. Gives you food for thought, gives you a picture of how secluded modern people are. Breaks your heart.
***
Here end spoilers.
To sum up, this show goes way beyond a gaming drama or a censored BL. It tackles real problems faced by all too many people in the modern world. I strongly recommend it.

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I'll take Episode 77 as my ending. PS: WOW I LOVED IT [9.9/10]

I'll take Episode 77 as my ending (or ignore the last 8 min of episode 38 in the new format)
It was really thoroughly enjoyable, I loved it. Everything from the acting to the complex plot of the game levels to the music. Def rewatchable for me, I'm already rewatching it with someone.
As for the GOOD, it was actually GREAT, and there wasn't anything BAD in this.

I've rounded it up to a 10 rating because I've come to terms with the ending.
But my non-MDL rating remains 9.8 because, while I love ambiguous endings, I think endings to stories where you end up having to wonder if EVERYTHING you saw in the series was meant to be real or just the MC's dream/imagination, is just lazy writing. These kinds of endings would honestly generally raze any and all feelings I had for the show under normal circumstances.

That said, even after finding out that Lanzhu was an NPC, I found myself still entirely invested in discovering the outcome, I wasn't actually irritated at all, and quite outstandingly, I enjoyed the subsequent episodes as much as all the previous ones. I was surprised by this, because generally out of sheer irritation, I'd drop a show that springs the nonsense on me of a very VERY important MC not even being real three quarter way through a series (this long too). But I didn't want to drop this because I was really interested and invested in the plot and characters and after finishing it, I can honestly say don't regret anything I felt or thought while watching this, and it's very, very rare that I shed tears watching a show, but I did for this, so I'll give it a 10 to round up, but if MDL allowed, it'd be a 9.9.
Overall, I'm walking away satisfied.

Also, I choose to consider the mini episode of 78 optional because I think it was unnecessary, especially since 77 was far more solid as an ending for this series. 77 ended on a much, much more engaging, strong and ambiguously positive note.
So for me, Ep 77 was the close of this series.

HIGHLIGHTS:
- Too many to mention all of them, but I enjoyed the Sanatorium Door and the Box Master Door SO MUCH and I love the ost song The Door by Xia ZhiGuang.

As for the BL aspect. The censorship is hella obvious, we're all too familiar with it now in Chinese BL's, it's always so clear, what with how the ML's don't even so much as hug each other even when they're emotionally staggering specifically because of something going on between them, but they're touchy feely with everyone else ? This is as common and unrealistic as ever. BUT the emotionally charged conversations between Lanzhu and JiuShi are SOMETHING ELSE. Really. As well as some of the scenes in which the way LanZhu looks at JiuShi is very intense. There is a quality to those moments that carries beyond the censorship. This show definitely goes beyond bromance, their feelings for each other, especially Lanshu's from very early on, is pretty obvious and only become more obvious as the show goes on.

I always briefly think it'd be great to see these shows redone without censorship, perhaps not by China, I thought the same thing about The Untamed a long time ago. But then I realize I don't ever want to see characters like Lan WangJi, Ruan NanZhu, Wei WuXian and Lin QuiShi played by any other person other than the actors in the Chinese version, and I quickly forget about that idea. When casting is perfect, it's perfect, it is what it is.

Edit: After finishing the novel and I gotta say, the ending of the book is 11/10.
That said, where I usually think the original is best, honestly, I'd say I prefer the series in more ways than the book.
Comparing the two;

Book preferences-
The Ending
Some of the door events and conclusions
The relationship (BL) duh

Series preferences-
Basically everything else
I even prefer the characterization changes and choices in the series when compared to the book, which almost never happens for me. What they did with the series actually added gravity and a lot of emotion to the plot that I didn't feel reading the novel.

Also, imo, I don't think this is bromance at all. I've always taken that label on Chinese BL's with a grain of salt, we know the original is not bromance and they basically HAVE to call it that, it's almost like a bad joke.

So, yeah, whether you like BL or not, I would recc it!

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"Welcome to the World of Doors"

Did you know? The Spirealm became a saving grace for those of us who truly cherish Chinese BL and bromance stories. Shortly after its release, it was pulled from iQIYI, vanishing within an hour. But then, as if by fate, a devoted fan came to the rescue, sharing the raw footage through Google Drive. It was like a gift we never expected, reviving something that could have been lost forever. And every episode that followed, with its fan-made subtitles, felt like a small miracle, allowing this beautiful story to reach those who truly love and appreciate it.

I’ve watched it three times already. The first time was the very day it broadcast on iQIYI. But as fate would have it, there were no English subtitles because the platform took it down within the hour. Luckily, one dedicated fan had downloaded the raw episodes just in time. That’s when the real adventure began. I remember a fan on Twitter who, out of pure passion, made subtitles for every episode and uploaded them to a shared Google Drive. Every day, fans like me waited eagerly for the next episode, the next translation. Some tried using AI-generated subtitles, but those never quite captured the nuances.

The second time I watched it on Viu, where I finally got to enjoy a decent set of subtitles that captured the story so much better. And then there was the third time—this time, it was Filipino-dubbed and uploaded on Viu. Hearing the characters speak in my own language made the experience feel fresh and even more personal.

There’s something about The Spirealm that keeps drawing me back. It’s more than just the story itself; it’s the whole journey, from the raw, fan-subbed episodes to seeing it officially dubbed. This series has become a part of me in ways I never expected.

Looking back, I realize how dedicated I’ve been. I’ve been a fan since day one, long before it gained the attention it has now. Back then, it felt like a secret treasure shared by only a few of us who stumbled upon it first. Watching this series again and again isn’t just about the story; it’s about reliving that experience—the anticipation, the community, the thrill of finding something special before the world caught on.

The Spirealm may have faced challenges, but for those of us who love it, it remains a precious reminder that some stories find their way to the right people, no matter the obstacles.

I don't want you to spoil anything about the story but I want you to meet Ling Jiushi and Ruan Lanzhu, who will guide you through a world of mysterious doors. Each door reveals new connections, hidden challenges, and a story that pulls you in with heart and courage. Step through the first door—there’s a journey waiting just for you.

Welcome to the world of doors!

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Find Your Happiness to The End of The World

Kaleidoscope of Death

I know this book but haven't read it because of the horror elements, but super curious to watch it because of the 'accidentaly uploaded the whole 78 episodes' that I read about.

It was really a great series.
Funny, scary, sad, happy moments all through the series and also the bittersweet ending.

Damn... China really has their own way to create such a wonderful series.

Had it not been banned, I believe they would have created such wonderful BL series that would give such a crazy emotional turbulence to us.

The chemistry is great, LJS and RNZ were not the typical lovey-dovey pair but they had a deep emotional bond that reflected through their words and actions.

The deep gazes, the smiles, silly words and remarks.

Even without the sugar-coating romantic sentences or sexual physical contacts, we can see that they love and care about each other.

Everything is wonderful, I'm really grateful for those who managed to download the whole 78 episodes and willing to share it to the world.

The message that I got after watching it is that, never give up on reaching/creating our own happiness and be with our loved ones.

Definitely worth to watch and re-watch as many times as you like.

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Amazing drama...

One of the best dramas I have seen. I loved it really much. The plot, the acting, action scenes, the effects everything is perfect. It deserves to be the best drama. I want it to become a big success. If you really love games, thriller, mystery, bromance, friendship you guys will really love it too...

Don't think about the ending it's bittersweet but really worth watching. Don't avoid the drama because of people saying it would have sad ending, but don't fall for it. The way they portrayed friendship, love, trust, it really made me cry in the last few episodes. I would definitely rewatch it and would recommend my friends to watch it.

The chemistry between the male leads was awesome to the core ?. I would really love to see them working together in many projects. Every character has played their role perfectly.

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love the story, hate the ending

I am totally in love with the story, all the doors and the relationships between the characters plus what's happening between the doors in reality won't let you stop watching. I enjoy the actors a lot. Although we have a censored version (ofc) we still see a lot of the close bond of Lin Jiushi and Ruan Lanzhu. But what is this ending? Saying all was a dream, nothing was real? Nope, did not like the last ep bc it makes all the relations so unreal/one-sided after everything they went through... the story is so beautifully told and unfolds in the right pace throughout all of these episodes. Just for the end to be so unsatisfying. I loved the ending of the novel, Lanzhu leaving the game for good after manipulating the last door for the chance to meet each other. I think it would have been possible to make even a censored ending better than this road of just saying everything was in Jiushi's head. That ending is the only reason for missing points in this review. I will just ignore this ending and live with my headcanon which is from the novel. Rewatched it with good subtitles now, but the next rewatch will be without the last episode. Before that the series gives me so many good emotions and let's me suffer with the characters which I love. And for that this series will be one of my favourites, just the ending will be ignored

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More than just a fantasy show

In short: I loved it and would recommend everyone that likes a bit of fantasy romance to definitely give this a chance.
Long review: (Might contain spoilers)
Story and the concept- I am not a big fantasy watcher but I loved the whole concept of the doors and the world-building inside every door. I came into the show completely blind but the themes and stories inside the doors blew my mind especially the fact that they were based upon various cultural legends and tales. I would have to admit that the 10th door was my favorite. All the doors were incredible and instantly pulled you in. I really liked the way the show brought the book to life.
I started with the show but then midway decided to read the book too as I wanted to learn more in depth about the rules of the doors ( as they were sometime not explained very well in depth in the show).
In the show my personal favorite part was that they made LQS's characters more special. Even though everyone in the book (mainly RNZ) always said LQS was special, him literally solving the door ghost's problems and being just a kind guy really made the character extra special and endearing for me.
Therefor, in the context of the cinematography and the story adaptation I feel the drama did a very good job. Better than I could have imagined. I loved the little twists and extra storylines they added for some door ghosts and side characters. (One of the biggest example the father of the triplets from the second door).

Acting: I was not familiar with any of the actors before this show but they were all pretty watchable and according to me played their roles really well. Some actors (like the twins) did a great job. Especially towards the end of the show.

And since this is a censored version there was not too much chemistry between our main leads at most times but you still get the feels in the longing stares (from RNZ). Since I was reading the book while watching the show, it really helped fill in the gaps in terms of the close-ness between the leads. So in my mind it wasn't lacking too much but yes their relationship not very explicit in the show.

Thoughts on the ending: While they I loved some of the changes they made in the show from the book, there were definitely some that were a bit questionable (SPOILER ALERT: THE ENDING). I fell in love with the ending of the book with RNZ and his arc as the 12th door. I cannot express in words how the ending made me feel. Like WDYM RNZ was LQS's 12th door - his heart's calamity. Therefore I was not the biggest fan of the ending of the show that not only made the whole adventure of the doors a sort of hallucination for LQS also made him seem like this slightly crazy guy who spent 50 years of his life trying to get back a 'virtual group' of friends, never actually living a decent life in the reality.
But I like to think of the endings of the book and the show as a pair of parallel universes where in one universe RNZ gave up the 'virtual world', his whole identity, to stay forever with LQS in the real world and LQS spent his whole life and gave up on the real world in order to create a virtual world where RNZ is exists. If I had to make an edit about them, I would use the song midnight rain by Taylor Swift.

OVERALL: Its unlike any other show that I have watched before and I would definitely recommend every one check this out. It is not a show you would regret clicking on. It is very well made and you can feel the hard work the crew (on and off screen) have put into it. It kept me entertained throughout the episodes and I do not remember a moment that I felt was filler or irrelevant. In contrast I would be willing to watch these cuties go through many more doors. The writing was very strong in the first 90% of the show and it kind of starts going downhill towards the end (where they stray from the book) but still an enjoyable watch.

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