The Legend of Shen Li (2024)

If cottagecore and xianxia had a baby it would be The Legend of Shen Li ;D

This is an extract of my 2000-word review: https://dramatea88.wordpress.com/2024/04/29/the-legend-of-shen-li-review/

What I liked
- Lin Geng Xin isn't the typical delicate, elfin-like idol male lead xianxias typically have, but that's what I love - that he's a strapping, tall man with not-typical looks. Yay to diversity of looks and mature actors!
- OMG they filmed in actual locations! It felt weird to see these high beings wandering around real places.
- I love Shen Li's straight-talking ways, and that she doesn't suffer fools
- I totally adore the food porn. And all powerful ancient god and a great cook? Who can resist this man?
- Loved Lady Jin! What a sass madam! In fact, I love her so much that I'm so happy that she got her own side story in the last episode.

What I didn't like
- Seriously, the Heavenly Realm folks have got to be the most useless and lazidest Heavenly Realm folks in all of xianxia.
- I also don't quite get how this world works.
- I wish there was a better premise than they can't be together because "Natural Law won't permit it" and Xing Zhi losing emotional control.
- Overuse of internal monologue. There are better ways to convey this than internal monologues, really.

The ending
Oh dear lord, finally a good ending.

Was episode 39 necessary? Ending it at 38 would've been neat and tidy. But I love watching Xing Zhi and Shen Li enjoying their "retirement" from official heavenly duties and giving each other maximum skinship. They deserve it.

Final thoughts
I think the reason why The Legend of Shen Li spoke to me so much is because it touches the longing we have in our hearts as adults with heavy responsibilities.

Like our couple, most of us are weighed down by life's demands. So, there's a longing in us for a simpler life where we can just retreat to the green surroundings of the countryside, grow our food, cook, and just nourish our loved ones. This drama really spoke to that longing, at least for me.

Still, I'm giving it an 8.5/10 rather than the 9 I would've given if the storytelling and pacing had been better and the world better fleshed out.

It's still one of the best xianxias you can watch; a rare gem that caters to more mature viewers.

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An Emotional Rollercoaster

The drama was exceptional, excelling in plot, acting, and music. It stands out particularly for its realistic fighting scenes, a refreshing departure from other dramas with awkward CGI. The music, while great overall, occasionally veered into being overly loud during battle scenes, making it hard to hear dialogue without adjusting the volume frequently. Despite this, the acting was top-notch, which was expected given the talented lineup. Watching the main leads for the first time was a pleasant surprise, especially in how they conveyed emotions that many other dramas fail to capture. Both actors are seasoned professionals, adept at drawing out genuine feelings from their characters.

One minor critique is that at times, Mo Fang's acting felt slightly awkward, particularly towards the end of the series. Nevertheless, it didn't detract significantly from the overall experience. Another highlight was the portrayal of the female lead as a relatable character rather than an all-powerful figure constantly reliant on the male lead. The dynamic between the leads was well-written, showcasing effective communication and mutual reliance.

I highly recommend this drama to fans of epic battle scenes and nuanced performances, as it delivers both with finesse.

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One of the best Xianxia drama out there

Good points:
- No misunderstandings
- Straightforward main leads
- good share of humours and heartbreaks
- Mature main leads (sometime just lol-ed at Xingzhi)
- One of the shows with better CGI (except for the chicken phoenix lol)

Not so good points:
- one dimensional villains? (not so into their mission)
- some parts are draggy (e.g. heavenly lord scenes, sometimes Furong & Mofang)
- revelations of certain scenes (e.g. where she knew Xingyun is Xingzhi, i geddit that she's smart, but i guess from Xingzhi's childish behavior, lol, she sort of get it. Another one is, Shen li's parents reveal, this part was SOOOOO underwhelming.)
- it wasn't mentioned what is the purpose of Xingzhi's task, was it destroying of Tianwai Tian (i can't remember the english word lol) ?

Regarding ZLY & LGX:
- Initially i was quite bothered by LGX (not because he's old whatsoever), this is my first time his drama, and LGX look so mature for this. ZLY too. since both already transit to mature acting/dramas now. But eventually i got used to him, and his funny scenes were so naturally good but the scene at ep38 (iykyk), was the killer. Both display their capabilities as actors, that scene was sooooooo heartfelt and immersive.

The show has its merits and not. However, i do enjoy. Especially it gave 1 whole ep of FLUFF at the end.

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A redemption for Princess Agent fans

This is like another journey back to Eternal Love days. It’s about a spirit who is also the God of War in her realm, who falls in love with a human during her short stint of falling in the mortal realm. This human, however, turned out to be an ancient god who decided to experience mortality due to boredom. Because of his status as the only ancient god left to govern the world, he could not reciprocate her love, and she, being the main general of her realm, understood that they were just not meant to be. Well, turned out she understood and willing to forget her love, but the ancient god had a hard time of letting her go. Things happened, and their fates got entangled even more.

Honestly I did not have much high hopes on this series when I first saw its trailers. They looked over the top and ML looked silly because they featured Xing Yun. I thought it was going to be strong FL with weak ML (didnt read any synopsis before it was aired).

Another doubt that I had was because of Lin Geng Xin. I tried watching his other works after his superb performance in Princess Agent but I was met with disappointment. Didnt finish Zhao Yun God of War because he was so bad in it. So I had my doubt when I heard about LoSL. It was a mixed feeling because I really love his character as Yuwen Yue in PA but he fell short in his other tv series. Amazingly it turned out he did really well as an ancient god. I thought I wont see any better performance of a god after seeing Vengo Gao in Pillow Book (forgot the official tv title), but amazingly Lin Geng Xin managed to surpass my expectation.

Most xianxia shows that I watched mostly had sad/open endings which is obviously less than satisfying, mostly frustrating (still cant get over the traumatic ending of Princess Agents, cuz the book had such a lovely ending!). Many claim to be adapted from novels and yet they really love to deviate from it. I finished reading the Yu Feng Xing novel and am happy that it had a happy ending, but then I didnt know if the tv series would be faithful to it, which kept me on edge as I watched the show.

And as the story progressed, I was quite happy that they try to stay on track with the book. Only minor deviations/add on like the scenes of You Lan and Fu Rong Jun, and the ending scenes with Jin Niang, which didnt happen in the book. You Lan actually got more screen time than the author wrote her on the book.

The good:

- no contradicting personality of any of the characters. The general acted like a general, the pauper like a pauper, the king as kings, the diety as dieties and so on. There’s no strong FL but with damsel in distress attitude when around ML, no clumsy trying to act cute scenes, no immature/ridiculous actions etc.

- There are no silly misunderstandings, stupid jealousy, ridiculous confusions around the love relationships. FL is clear about her stand on this topic, and she stayed true towards the end.

- Actors display superb performance, I couldnt really find any flaw with any of them.

- Costume is super gorgeous and not overly extravagant. I especially love love love costumes of the generals here. So smart looking and yet not overly done.

- Music is sooooo breathtaking and easy to catch on.

- storyline is easy to follow hence not many loopholes to pick on. However, this also means that the story is much too simple and straighforward.

- I really love that they decided to do the last episode. It was a bonus because it didnt happen in the book. This one episode is the only moment that we get to see Shen Li and Xing Zhi as a real normal lovey dovey couple with both of them acting cute with each other. It was so fulfilling. A real closure of both LoSL and PA combined.

The bad:

- there’s no real tension/conflict. Both Shen Li and Fu Rong Jun didnt like the arranged marriage so no conflict there. Both Shen Li and Xing Zhi know that theyre not meant to be together due to their respective responsibilities, so there’s no conflict there. In fact, Shen Li is more adamant about this more than Xing Zhi. At least Xing Zhi thought of living away quietly with Shen Li, but Shen Li never did. I truly enjoyed the moments when Xing Zhi was treating Shen Li’s torture injuries, I think that was the only sweet moments of them as lead general and ancient god setting their huge responsibility to the side to enjoy the brief moment with each other. There’s no love triangle either cuz Shen Li rejected Mo Fang right from the start. Her heart is set on stone and she never deviates.

- CGI is quite over the top. The earlier episodes of Shen Li as a phoenix looked cartoonish. Not seamless enough. The underwater scene is badly done too. But some of the battle scenes and the ocean freezing scene was great.

- Lack of good battle scenes with the villains because theyre just not strong enough until Feng Lai emerged. Yes even Fu Sheng was not really strong. The only memorable battle scenes of Fu Sheng was only the East Sea (eh was it the north sea, i get confused) battle which forced Shen Li to burn everything to crisp including herself. That was it. The torture scene was disappointing too. The torture by Fu Sheng and treatment by Xing Zhi was more gruesome in the book. But hey since they tried to stay true to the book with all the important details thenI’ll let this slide.

I watched the series twice back to back because I just couldnt have enough of them. Am thinking of rewatching again in near future. Basically, I’d rate this one as one of the great pieces by Zhao Liying that I’ve watched, it was hard to move on from like how i felt after watching Ten Miles Peach Blossoms and The Untamed. I actually watched this show three times.

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A beautiful love story - The Yin to her Yang

For a xianxia, this was quite an easy watch due to the simple plot that did not involve too much angst or unnecessary misunderstandings. I loved our amazing female lead Shen Li, a strong, courageous woman who never wavers in sticking to her beliefs, principles, and always fighting for her people. I loved the dynamic she has with XZ, who was the yin to her yang.

There were definitely moments in the drama that felt a bit slow, with too many flashbacks - I think they could've easily made this drama to 30-35 eps. But overall the acting, chemistry, solid soundtrack, cinematography and special effects made this a memorable series.

When it comes to ZLY and LGX's acting and chemistry - you just cannot go wrong. It was nice to see them work together again as more mature and seasoned actors, bringing their characters to life, and bringing out the best in each other as actors. I can only hope they work together again in the future!

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Finally a good ending!!!!

It is such a rarity to watch a drama that is good and ALSO has a good ending. It is not rushed, no cliff-hanger, and no open-ending.

The chemistry of the leads were very explosive. Like even the subtle actions of each other where they were acting so hard and kept lying to themselves how they shouldn't fall in love and yada yada but bruh anyone can literally see how much they want each other so bad lmao. And their kisses!!!! I can't- like yesss!!!!!

I would just say though as a critique, would be either the character Mofang or the actor because his character to me lacks depth...either it is the way the character is written or it's just the actor's lack of ability to act but honestly his parts were easily forgotten and just boring. I feel like the actor should've shown more resistant and despair when it comes to killing his comrades rather than just only being protective of shenli because shenli wasn't the only one who was their for him throughout his life.

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This review is biased.
I must admit that my review will be a little biased and might give a higher score than it should. However, I'm rating it highly because of how it made me feel while watching it and how it captivated my attention the entire time. The plotline is probably an 8/10. There are some parts that don't make sense to me, and the amount of CGI used in this drama did bother me. But because of the flow this drama had, I was able to overlook it all.

This drama is not really for the "professional" drama viewer. It's more of a lighthearted drama with comedy and lots of entertainment. Additionally, the actors did a great job with their parts, bringing depth and authenticity to their characters.

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visually and audibly pleasing Xianxia

Having just finished the final episode of The Legend of Shen Li, I feel compelled to acknowledge its standout conclusion. Unlike many xianxia dramas that rush their endings, this one dedicated an entire episode post-climax, allowing for a satisfying resolution. While the series isn't flawless, I found myself fully engaged throughout, which is a rarity for me. Completing it without skipping much content was a significant achievement. One of its strongest assets lies in its production quality—the OST, CGI, and costumes were visually and audibly stunning, elevating the overall experience. Despite its lacking plot, this drama is worth considering for its impressive production values, strong and smart FL and ML, as well as their great chemistry.

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The drama that ruined an entire genre for me

— "Sturdy, sharp, lethal, but it dazzles brilliantly. "
— "I’m hard and sharp, but you’re the lethal one aren’t you? "
— "Sort of. "

A strange “chicken” that falls from the sky and a sickly human with a mysterious identity who comes to its rescue: from the very first episode, you can't look away from this incredible drama. I'm actually writing this review as I'm watching this drama for the second time in the year of its release.

I often skip scenes when listening to Chinese dramas, since with around forty episodes, there are often boring scenes that are there only as filling, but with this drama, I wasn't bored for a single minute—there's an excellent balance between plot, romance and humor.

The characters in this drama were refreshing. The main female character, Shen Li, is strong, responsible and stubborn yet cute. She has a unique charm. On the other hand, Xingzhi seems weak and a bit goofy, but he possesses great wisdom. If Shen Li is fire, he is water. These two actors have done a remarkable job, and their chemistry is out of this word.

As for the production, I loved everything: the special effects, the costumes, the make-up, the landscapes, but above all the music, which gave me chills and tears in almost every episode.

In short, this drama is a curse: I don't know if I'll ever be able to find a drama better or even as good as this one.

Go watch it right now!

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Beauty in Pain

I've been in a drama drought the whole year and was solely waiting on this drama to finish airing because from the trailers, I've been absolutely looking forward to watching 'The Legend of Shen Li' and boy did this not dissappoint.

Talk about an honest ROMANCE, talk about non-cliche's, talk about breaking the mold, talk about character development, talk about non-one dimensional villains, talk about great dialogues, talk about fleshed out happy endings; this had everything that makes a great drama!!

The romance is truly the main star of this drama. The last couple of episodes were heartbreaking yet so beautiful to watch because you could see and truly feel from the screen the enormous amount of love Shen Li and Xing Zhi have for each other. I don't think any other couple have made me think, "Wow, what an absolutely beautiful and sincere display of love this is!" while balling my eyes out at the pain the characters and viewers were being inflected with.

My main highlights of this drama are self explanatory, but to expand on one aspect of what I mean by breaking the mold, I really liked the whole part of this drama that deals with the discussions regarding the Ancient gods, why they were created and how they they are expected to carry themselves. Specifically, I loved that our leads were defying norms by not just accepting their fate but fighting the 'Laws of Nature' and condemning the hypocricy/conflicting expectations the higher powers have towards the Ancient gods as well as the expectations of the citizens. It was just so satisfying to see characters curse at the higher powers, and stand up for themselves when faced with pressure to act a certain way. Like no, f you, why should I keep suffering for your sins? Can't I rest and enjoy my life too? Why give me emotions but dissallow me from expressing them? I just really loved this whole discussion. The overall dialogue in the drama was written so well.

This drama was just completely refreshing to watch. The cinematography and CGI were beauuutiful, the OST is 100/100 (probably my second fave thing about this drama), the acting was soooo freaking good - Episode 38 was the most painful episode but both actors did such a fantastic job, I know I'll be going back to rewatch this and more episodes in the future.

The drama did have a few shortcomings. My main problem with it was the lack of story/plot line. In the beginning it just felt completely aimless, I kept asking myself, "Where exactly are we going with this?", "What's the story here?", so you might watch this and feel things are progressing slowly but it eventually picks up. Also, although the romance was intense and there was great chemistry between the leads, the kissing scenes were minimal (save for last ep) and a bit off; I felt like ZLY was at least trying, while LGX was not giving at all lmao.

Overall, a fantastic drama. If you don't know what to watch, give this a go. If you're tired of clichés and same old stories, give this a go. If you're in the mood for a slow burn, angsty but intense romance, give this a go, you'll definitely finish this with something good to say.

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I saw the trailer for this show and I got really excited. Not only is Zhao Liying and Li Gengxin doing another collab but I get excited when I see my favorite actors and actresses star in a fantasy drama.

My favorite thing about this show is the music. The background music of Shen Li's battle scenes is really good. The first time I heard it, it struck me and it gives this feeling of bravery. The OST in general for this drama is very good.

The costuming was wonderful. I loved all of Shen Li's outfits and I loved seeing her in different outfits throughout the drama. Her hairstyle was fantastic. As someone who is constantly on the battlefield, her outfits give off a General's vibe but also show her feminine side. I can't really say the same for Xing Zhi. His hairstyle was very simple and so was his clothing which I could deal with it.

The acting in this show was super good, especially on the last episode. I loved watching Shen Li's attitude and her stubbornness. It really was giving off strong female lead and I loved it. I also loved watching Fu Rong and You Lan mature in this drama.

I'm not disappointed in this drama and I gotta say it's decently good.

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Epic!!

Man, did I bawl my eyes out in the last handful of episodes… This was one epic show wow. I loved the beginning and knew immediately that I would have a fantastic time watching it. And I was right (obviously🤭). While it had its quieter moments (in comparison to future epic moments), this was amazing from start to finish. I loved the beginning and second half (especially episodes 20 to 26), and last handful of episodes (8 maybe). I loved the steadiness of the characters, their loyalty and understanding of each other. The chemistry between the lead actors was amazing, and I just generally loved how despite the occasional banter the overall romance remained quite mature🥹. They both listened and tried to see the other’s perspective despite having different principles or views in specific situations. Their love was unconditional. I also loved the OST, it’s so perfect and epic. Whenever Shen Li’s theme played, I was happy. I was always anticipating it whenever a fight scene came up because I knew it was going to look extra cool with the music🙏🏻! The cinematography, settings, styling, fight scenes, etc. were also just *chef’s kiss*. And that ending… 🥹🥹 Granted, the last episode was like a big side quest for our couple, and hilarious at that, but the final scene was just so wholesome🪻🥹. Overall, great show, loved it a lot!!💞

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