Immortal Samsara: Part 2 (2022)

I must protect this world because when the Three Realms remain, you remain

When he understood how disguisable the whole world was, he was lack of strength and collapsed. But your love had always been beside you, protecting you during all ups and downs; Promises are going to be broken. Laws are going to be broken. It's restricted love, no one should fall in love but Love is born within our hearts, no one can escape it.

Immortal Samsara/Agarwood like Crumbs is your classic xianxia drama with all the elements you're used to seeing in this genre. Nevertheless, these are executed in such a way that makes it a compelling and heart-wrenching journey filled with all kinds of emotions.

Sovereign Lord Ying Yuan has been ruling the Nine Heavens for over ten thousand years under the guidance of the Supreme Majesty, who has forbidden love for all Heaven's immortals, and the company of the other three sovereign lords. Since the very day Ying Yuan was born, he hasn't lived one day for himself but for the well-being of the six realms and all their living creatures, sticking to and not doubting once Heaven's rules. However, one day he runs into the witty and naturally talented immortal attendant, Yan Dan. He takes her under his wing to help her improve her cultivation, they start as a bickering couple with hilarious interactions, but as time passes by, and they spent more time together, they fall deeply in love with each other.

Yan Dan gives her all to protect and look after Ying Yuan during his lowest time. She gives him hope, shows him that he can also live for himself, and hands him one of the happiest moments of his life. At that time, the agarwood (their love) was already burning, but Heaven's rules and Ying Yuan's responsibilities wouldn't let them be together, so they entered a Samsara (The eternal cycle of birth, suffering, death, and rebirth).

Story:
Yan Dan and Ying Yuan's relationship complexity, building, and depth of their feelings are one of the aspects that I appreciate the most about this drama. If they want their love to blossom, they need to find the middle ground between their love and their responsibilities and start to understand each other's personalities, feelings, and burdens. The different experiences and hardships they go through in the drama, from the Heaven Realm to the Mortal realm, it's for them to grow as a couple and also individuals. Their character growth will surely don't disappoint, in fact, both of them are some of the most well-developed characters I've ever seen.

Throughout their engaging journey, they'll meet fantastic and memorable supporting characters with their own compelling story to tell. Here I have to highlight the SML, Yu Mo, the bond he builds not only with Yan Dan but also with Ying Yuan is the epitome of how the human or maybe immortal relationships in this drama are filled with love, friendship, and support. He's the greenest SML ever, and one of my favorite supporting characters.

I went through divergent emotions, from sadness, frustration, disbelief, and pain to excitement, nostalgia, satisfaction, and pure happiness. Furthermore, the unfolding of the story comes with many unexpected turns and valuable life lessons for us as viewers about the meaning of true love, giving to others but also receiving, the real value of power and life, and much more which make this drama a treat to watch.

Acting/cast:
I have to praise all the cast for conveying in such a beautiful and touching way their character's feelings.

Cheng Yi played three different roles here, Ying Yuan, Tang Zhou, and Xuan Ye, and he showcased how fantastic and talented he is. Even from his body language, expressions, posture, eyes, and way of talking, you can differentiate them and feel their pain. One of my favorite scenes is two of these characters having a heartfelt talk, he interacting with himself had me crying. Undoubtedly, an astonishing performance.

Yang Zi's performance as Yan Dan and Bai Piaoliang was outstanding. I've seen many of her dramas, and though I loved many of them, Yan Dan is the first character of hers who has thoroughly grown on me. The shift from a worry-free, witty and young fairy who wanted to slack off and depend on her big sister to a mature and intelligent character with heavy burdens was perfectly displayed by Yang Zi's acting.

Yang Zi and Cheng Yi's chemistry is also remarkable, even their slightest interactions were especially memorable and heart-fluttering moments. Yan Dan and Ying Yuan, as stand-alone characters and as a couple have become my absolute favorites.

Looking forward to both Cheng Yi's and Yang Zi's dramas in the future. Likewise, I highly recommend watching Immortal Samsara's hilarious BTS for seeing these two comedians sharing one brain cell and having a great time filming this drama.

The supporting characters' acting was also touching and memorable. Praise for Ray Chang as Yu Mo, Fu Fang Jun as Xuan Xiang, Meng Zi Yi as Zhi Xi, Li Xin Ze as Hua Qin, Zhu Li Lan as Zhao Lan, and many more, I'm also looking forward to their growth as actors and future projects.

Music.
The OST was utterly good. Sometimes, I'd play some of the songs and cry. They played in the right moments, conveying and making deeper the characters' feelings. Some of my personal favorites:
- 无忘 (Never Forget) - 张磊 (Zhang Lei). "I once borrowed your eyes to warm up the coldest moment"
- 忘川 (Forget the River) - 成毅 (Cheng Yi). "Gently cover up all manner of the human world, and you will be dustless"
- 望辰 (Watch the Day) - 杨紫 (Yang Zi) "There is the person who broke into my heart and my dreams"

Rewatch value:
I don't usually rewatch any drama, but this is an exception. I rewatched the first ten episodes already, repeated many scenes countless times, and planned to binge-watch all this drama again in the upcoming days.

Reminders/random thoughts:
- The title of this drama, Immortal Samsara, as I commented, means the eternal cycle of life, suffering, death, and rebirth, which leads me to warn you that this is a very slow burnt, and heavy angst drama. Opinions on this were pretty divided. I felt the angst was very well-done and balanced since the main leads' decisions make sense and are not led by dumb misunderstandings or noble idiocy, but with the growth, they need to function together. However, other viewers may find it overwhelming. So know what you're getting yourself into XD.
- Rumours say that due to Chinese government episode length regulations, some parts of this drama were deleted. So some episodes' editing may come as choppy, I remember about two or three that were like this.
- If you take the time to think about the reasons behind the characters' actions, expressions, and decisions, I believe it'll enhance your watching as it did with mine.
- Drama-wise, they extended the mortal realm arc more than they should, but I still found it very enjoyable to watch.
- Keep in mind that the SFL here serves the purpose to catalyze YY and YD's story.
- This show has tons of parallels for the main leads, especially between Heaven and the Mortal realm, so it's fascinating catching on to them.
- Some of the supporting characters' stories also serve as "What if" narratives for the main leads' relationship struggle.
- If you have already watched this drama and you're just randomly reading reviews, I created an explanation of the ending for the viewers to check out: https://mydramalist.com/discussions/immortal-samsara-special/81271-summary-and-explanation-of-immortal-samsara-ending

Note:
This drama is 59 episodes plus two special episodes of eight minutes each. I recommend watching with some time gap between the ending and the two specials, as people who watched this drama while airing did, since the change of feelings and emotions may come as abrupt otherwise. That's why these two specials are not actual full-length episodes and were released days later of the actual ending.

Conclusion:
I consider Immortal Samsara as one of the best dramas I've ever watched. It has all the elements I seek in a drama, it was an exciting and thoroughly emotional journey, and I cannot put into enough words how much I love this show. I highly recommend to everyone to give it a try.

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ABSOLUTE *CHEFS KISS* DRAMA!!!

yeah, you got it. This drama is a gem which is qualified to be called a *chefs kiss* drama atleast for me :3. It is one of those few dramas which has a special place in my heart. ITS A LITERAL PERFECTION. This drama is absolutely NOT one of those typical full of sufferings, infinite cycle of being together and seperating, reincarnating 100 times and full of useless side couples, shit CGI and useless villains kind of xianxia. It contains the elements of xianxia but the way it is done,placed and potrayed so uniqly is what surprises me. I used to drop alot of xianxias after watching like 10-15(sometimes even 35 EPS because of the totally UN-NEEDED draggyass plots and stupid asf fl) most of times, but this drama got me hooked RIGHT FROM EP 1 TBH (we'r talking about p2 so like HEHEH( i dont mean P1 is bad though (''Dont be Stubborn" (¬‿¬) go watch it )

back to the review.. This drama is a sequel to Immortal Samsara Part 1. Its ABSOLUTELY safe to say that this drama is THE BEST of 2022 in (angst :P)its genre.

The PLOT of the drama is very simple( ps very very little spoiler if you havent watched p1). Three teens(?lmfao)(2 spirit and one human to be specific) set on an adventure on finding out the 4th artifact for TangZhou(the mc) to take back his form as Lord Ying Yuan(god) and complete his mission of finding out the truth about the ''Celestial-Demon war''. Meanwhile, YanDan has regained her memories of Lord YY and herself in Heavenly Realm and starts becoming distant with TZ (although she still LOVES HIM T--T). However, TZ has no recollection of his past memories and has no interest in knowing so because it will only bring him pain ( he thinks YD loves ANOTHER PERSON when its HIM who she lovesಥ_ಥ). even so, TZ unknowing of the fact that Lord YY and him are the same person, keeps on following YanDan wherever she goes, silently protecting her whenever she is in danger (poor boy :( ) He even cosplays as Lord YY but..every effort was..all in vain.

Seeing TZ cry under the rain, (i wanted to hug him Every hardship, pain, struggles, sacrifices they made for eachother was worth it . YY upon returning and claiming his position of Soverign Lord, starts pursuing YD just like the way she pursued him b4 (man got rejected once but ITS ALL OKAY WE CAN GIVE IT ONE MORE TRY he thought aand BOOM THEY ARE BACK TOGEHTER (after some time but STILL THEYRE TOGETHER NOW SO IT DOESNT MATTER) asides from this, The Heavenly Emperor, has been acting strangely since Lord YYs arival in the heavenly realm and LuMing (YDs closest friend) has gone missing. LuMing, happened to drop few clues so They follow LuMing's given clues to discover the cause of these mysterious happenings. What happened to LuMing and What has caused the heavenly emperor to be this sus?. Lord YYs hidden identity as the Asura Clan's only descendant has been revealed to the whole heavenly clan. NOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN? WILL THE LOVEY DOVEY COUPLE GET THEIR DESERVED HAPPY ENDING? To find that out YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS. YOU MUST SEE THIS CUZ ISSA MUST WATCH DRAMA!!srsly how can you ignore the best xianxia of 2022

THE ACTING/CAST, OSTS/SONGS/MUSIC, CGI, SET DESIGNS, CHEMISTRY OF ML/FL, VFX, MAKEUP, COSTUME, DO I EVEN HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THAT? EVERYTHING IS TOP NOTCH HERE.

IN CONCLUSION: This drama is S tier drama ( S+ infact). It got me thinking HOW.COULD.SUCH.PURRFECT.DRAMA.EVEN.EXIST?
PROPS TO THE WHOLE CREW (CASTS) OF IMMORTAL SAMSARA. THE HONORS THEY'RE GETTING IS SO WELL DESERVED. THIS DRAMA IS A NEW GEM IN XIANXIA GENRE . I believe everyone who likes mystrey, god-demon story settings, awesome chemistry between leads, awesome SFL/SML, GREAT CGI, GREATT VILLIANS, adventures, DrEaMy lOvE(seriously), cute asf ml fl, fantasy, magics, xianxia & ANGST above all will LOVE this drama. So ''Don't be stubborn" (￢з￢)go watch it (friendly reminder to carry a bucket of tissues b4 watching the ep 59 :D also remember to watch ep 60 and 61 for happy ending ♡)

On a serious note, This drama left a deep impression on me. I may have been a lil biased here but its no lie that I learnt so much from this drama. The tears i cried, the happiness, pain, joy and a rollercoaster of emotions this drama brought in my life, the sleep deprivation this drama caused me, i will never forget that. It was worth sacrificing my sleep for this one though cuz its simply AMAZING, OUTSTANDING, MAGNIFICIENT, HEAVENLY, EXTRAORDINARY, MAJESTIC and ofcourse i'll say it again
"AN ABSOLUTE *CHEFS KISS* DRAMA"
PERIODT.

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Really Beautiful Love Story and Friendships

I really hate writing reviews but really don't understand the hate some dramas get after just watching a couple episodes of one or because it may have a sad ending.

I really loved this drama and I can honestly say I questioned it at first with the cgi but it got so much better and it became a beautiful story between three characters. I started watching this drama for Cheng Yi and Yang Zi cause I loved them in Love and Redemption and Ashes of Love. Their chemistry and love story has become one of my favorites it literally keeps you waiting for more sweet moments between them. Also not to mention the friendship and love between all three characters. How they all became so close even though both males were in love with the same girl but had such an understanding to each other. I mean even if you don't get into the love story between the main leads how can you not fall in love with Yumo's character all the way through this he was such a refreshing second male lead. The sets and costumes for this drama I also thought were so beautiful. I don't know I just feel like judging a drama base on sad endings and a couple of episodes you may just be missing a drama you could love but I get it the drama may not be your cup of tea but why do nothing but hate on it for those two reasons. Don't consider this spoilers but could be wrong?

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"PHENOMENAL"

Yan Dan: "You protect the Three Realms and I will protect you."
Ying Yuan: "Without the Three Realms, I will lose you."
BOTH: "Not even death can separate us."

❀ YAN DAN ❀ = "A refined simper, a sadness that pierces like a halberd. Purple proses lead to verbosity and simple phrases cut into the viscera."
One of the kindest, intelligent, strong, independent, and selfless FLs out there.

A carefree lotus who's simply just contented supporting her older sister and seeks freedom more than anything else. Unexpectedly, ended up loving Sovereign Lord Ying Yuan. In the process, sacrifices half of her heart for him. Hating him for choosing the world over her yet eventually realizes that love isn't just about two people being together, but about cherishing what the other wants. And came to finally understand the weight of Ying Yuan's responsibilities. She was ready to put aside her feelings and her life for Ying Yuan if it meant he can fulfill his duty.

⚘ YING YUAN/TANG ZHOU ⚘ = Serious but mischievous ML. The best combination.

The most powerful sovereign lord, respected by all immortals, who wish for the peace of the Three Realms. No one is as dutiful as him. He always put the world second to none. Initially took a liking to Yan Dan because of her intelligence, but never thought he'd be enamored by her. Between his feelings for her and her life, he would always first put her safety in a heartbeat, leaving her to misunderstand him in exchange. Went to his trial in the mortal realm to experience the eight sufferings of life. Even without his memory, he's still bound to a great responsibility. After traveling the mortal realm with Yan Dan, he realized he can also choose to live for himself and not be shackled by any rules, and can finally freely love Yan Dan just the same. When he regained his memories, he's willing to fulfill and finish his duty as the sovereign lord and forego his position and then go to Yan Dan.

❋ YU MO ❋ = The SML of all SMLs. A person who devoted himself to loving Yan Dan and protecting her as much as he could, even knowing the fact she could never return his feelings. A man who always respected her. He found a friend in Tang Zhou. Despite being love rivals, he always regarded him as a friend and always supported him.

⚘ YAN DAN AND YING YUAN ⚘ = Yan Dan, in the course of time, learned to not only love Ying Yuan but also the responsibility that comes with him. Her best character growth is when she finally fully accepted Ying Yuan's entirety, a man who is bound by his responsibility but also a man who can still love her despite that. She will never let him choose between her and the world. Ying Yuan didn't choose either the world or her, he chose both. Keeping the peace in the Three Realms equals keeping Yan Dan safe.

❀ CHEMISTRY ❀
Yang Zi and Cheng Yi's chemistry is one of the best I've seen. A pairing I didn't expect but definitely needed. Not to mention their caliber in acting. They are very well-matched and balanced. No one is empowering the other, instead, they're both amplifying each other. They don't need too many skinships to prove their chemistry. Even those simple glances, sweet gestures, staring at each other, and occasional touching of their hands already represent the love they are trying to portray.

Their first and last kiss in Ep. 58 is hands down the best and memorable one they had. It was not romantic per se, but it was heartfelt.

I would love to see them pair up again ~


❀ LOOK AT THE FOREST, NOT THE TREES. ❀
This drama is never purely about romance. It is about love, responsibility, acceptance, forgiveness, loyalty, intimacy, and friendship. Now, if you came here to watch this drama solely for the romance aspect of it, then this might not be exactly for you. You have to watch this drama in ALL ITS ENTIRETY. Yan Dan and Ying Yuan's love story is one of a kind, it was never sweet, but it is true. They didn't throw away anything just for love. They took the responsibility for it.

❀ ENDING. ❀
Ying Yuan will always ALWAYS put Yan Dan's welfare above others, even himself. He will protect the Three Realms to keep her safe even at the expense of his life.
"Yan Dan, if the world falls apart, you'll perish, too. So this time, I want you to live safely. I must protect the world. BECAUSE ONLY WHEN THE THREE REALMS REMAIN CAN YOU CONTINUE TO EXIST." And he fulfilled that.
Yan Dan told Ying Yuan she'll protect him. He will protect the Three Realms and she will protect him. Ying Yuan asked her to not forgive him, but also to not let him go. And SHE DID.


Death didn't separate them. It kept them together. Even though their human form disappeared into thin air, leaving only their primordial spirits, their love still and will always remain because THE AGARWOOD IS STILL BURNING AND HAS NOT TURNED INTO DUST. ❀


P.S. Cheng Yi is a discovery for me. What a stellar performance. He nailed all three characters. No one can pull this off but him. This guy deserves everything ~

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The Agarwood is Still Burning but I'm Burnt Out

Ok, so, where should I start? If you're a long-time Xianxia drama lover looking for a new, quality Xianxia drama, it might (emphasize on the might!) be helpful for you to read this review. Or if you're looking to see if you should continue the series. If you love love LOVE this drama, I'd advise you to stop here as although there were some loveable moments in the series, there were some major disappointments that did not allow for the best love story and drama overall, and I will be elaborating on these details in the review. Although the series was divided into two parts with 59 episodes in total, my review covers both parts. Spoilers are at a minimum with the assumption that the audience has a bit of information about the story.

I have been waiting for the release of Immortal Samsara since the first day the series announced its amazing cast, with Cheng Yi as Ying Yuan Dijun and Yang Zi as Yan Dan. Both are A-listed Chinese actors with a huge fanbase both in China and internationally, as well as many well-received dramas in the past. Immortal Samsara is directed by Director Guo Hu, who directed the well-received 2021 Chinese drama One and Only, as well as co-directed famous Xianxias Eternal Love (TMoPB) and Love and Destiny. As a huge Xianxia lover, how could I miss out on such a big Xianxia with seemingly beautiful production? It was like a dream come true, with Ashes of Love's FL and Love and Redemption's ML, as well as a supporting cast from both dramas.

Adapted from the Chinese Xianxia novel with the same Part 1 name, "Chen Xiang Ru Xie" (沉香如屑) by author Su Mo (苏寞), Immortal Samsara tells the romance between the noble and prestigious Dijun, or Heavenly Lord, Ying Yuan and carefree and bubbly lotus flower, Yan Dan. Again, Yang Zi plays the role of a rather naive little girl who knows basically nothing about the hardships of the world at the beginning, planning to rely on sister and friends. So here you are given a typical Xianxia male and female lead. Although love is forbidden among immortals in the Heavenly Realm, the two find themselves falling for each other, and thus, starting their heartbreaking love story spanning more than a thousand years. However, the drama is filled with many common Xianxia tropes, resulting in a predictable story with pretty much cliche characters. Again, do not get me wrong, I love Yang Zi and Cheng Zi and their acting was PHENOMENAL in this drama, as usual, however, their roles were dull and what one could call your "average" Xianxia lead, with a story filled with betrayal, misunderstandings, and amnesia.

To be completely honest, I thoroughly enjoyed the first 10 or so episodes, which took place in the Heavenly Realm. The episodes were filled with cuteness, laughs, and some character development from Yan Dan. Not to mention Ying Yuan's funny habit of flipping the turtle onto its back. But of course, Xianxias are notorious for the heartbreaking means the leads have to go through to finally be together happily, and the audience's emotions are also abused in the process. Predictably (cough), the first half of the drama has two, not one, second female leads, coveting Ying Yuan's powerful position, bitchy Ying Deng, and (surprise!), Yan Dan's older sister, Zhi Xi. While Ying Yuan is pretending to have never loved her to protect her for the greater good, poor Yan Dan is out there being targeted by not only high immortal Ying Deng, but Zhi Xi as well, the older twin sister who vowed to always protect her. Fun, right? Girl's having it way too hard on her. So basically, after Yan Dan truly falls for Ying Yuan, the rest of her time in the Heavenly Realm before she leaves for the River of Forgetness (Wang Chuan) is suffering, more suffering, and the more terrible of sufferings. She even cut out half her lotus heart to keep Ying Yuan alive, and this all-great lord pushes her away, even telling her before she walks onto the River of Forgetness that he has never loved her, leaving her in utter despair.

If this had been 2018, I would have probably been bawling every 3 episodes, but I did not cry a single time in this drama. This doesn't really indicate anything, but I could not understand many of the characters, as character development was rushed and not focused on. The drama just seemed like a cycle of, I love you, I'll sacrifice for you, goodbye, we meet again. The entire time, I was asking myself, is this going to get any better? Because I truly wanted to enjoy Immortal Samsara.

As with most if not all Xianxia romance dramas, there is always a Mortal Arc, where the leads go down to the Mortal Realm and their romance progresses from there. And like most other Xianxia dramas, our two leads enter the Mortal Realm with no idea of their past in the Heavenly Realm, their memories erased of their love and grievances towards each other. Obviously, they meet and fall in love again. Nothing new. In my honest opinion, the Mortal Arc was way too long, with unnecessary side stories that bored the audience. Jiang Chen and Pei Luo's ending was different than the novel, with a rather pathetic ending instead of the audience's wished for ending of them putting down their differences and living together happily. On the other hand, ridiculous amounts of screen time were given to the third female lead, Ying Deng, who is one of the haughtiest b*tches I've ever seen in the Cdrama world. Not on par with Su Jin of Eternal Love just yet, but she was almost there. It felt as if she had an infinite number of costumes to change into, while FL Yan Dan was wearing the same outfit the entire episode. I was over the moon when she was turned into stone, but guess what? SHE JUST MELTS BACK. As if rock can turn into a person. sigh. Yu Mo truly loved and cared for Yan Dan, but over time, the excessive amount of screen time that he as a second male lead got also became pretty much of a bore, as I longed for more strong interaction between the two leads.

However, the Mortal Arc also had its good sides. I absolutely love Zi Lin, the immortal turtle. His expression when he realized that Tang Zhou was the Flipping Turtle Lord was hands-on PRICELESS. Although Ying Yuan in the Heavenly Realm would never admit his deep feelings for Yan Dan to "protect her", Tang Zhou was the exact opposite, telling his sect members that he would live for himself just this one time, molding him into a more understandable and loveable person. Although both Ying Yuan and Tang Zhou had heavy responsibilities, Tang Zhou acknowledged the fact that his purpose of living was not just for the greater good of others, but for himself as well. Ying Yuan on the other hand, did not realize this message until it was too late.

In terms of acting, again, Yang Zi and Cheng Yi did not disappoint. Each heartbreaking scene was expressed with meticulous emotions on their faces, especially when it came to crying scenes. Ying Yuan and Yan Dan's love for each other was obvious, but unfortunately, even with the amazing acting skills, the story fell short. However, it's imperial to say that Cheng Zi amazed everyone with his acting as three different personalities, Ying Yuan, Tang Zhou, and Xuan Ye. Each figure was so different and unique from the others that it didn't seem like they were all acted by the same person. Cheng Yi had a totally different aura when he played the three roles, creating different atmospheres. Yang Zi's every tear was dropped with precise timing, showing the heartbreaking reality of her love, which she thought was unreciprocated. Meng Ziyi as Zhi Xi was beautifully acted out as a female immortal who aimed to become one of the best, although suddenly cast in the shadow of her playful sister. The bond between the sisters at the end is truly loveable, with heartwarming scenes between the two, even if Zhi Xi did break her sister's heart and trust in the Heavenly Realm. As for Zhang Rui as Yu Mo, his acting felt rather forced, and similarly, with other demons, I could not relate to them at all and was not very invested whatsoever in their separate stories.

You might be wondering, if I was so tired of these tropes, why did I continue watching? From the very start of the drama, not only was I looking forward to Ying Yuan and Yan Dan's love story (which was unfortunately much of a letdown), I was extremely excited to watch the side story of Ying Yuan's parents, Asura Lord Xuan Ye and Heavenly Realm female god, Ran Qing. Fortunately, I was much more invested in their love story, however, many questions were left unanswered when it comes to these two episodes. What were Xuan Ye's thoughts as his son when he learned of Qingli Ying Yuan Dijun? Did he know that his son was that powerful man? Xuan Ye evilness is definitely unparalleled, but he still fell in love with an immortal deity. By the way, Cheng Yi dubbed Xuan Ye, lowering his voice for a much more mysterious and frightening low-pitched voice.

When it comes to the ending of the drama, I, once again, was very disappointed. However, I wasn't disappointed with the outcome of the story, I was more let down by how rushed everything was. For a 59-episode drama that focused so much on a boring Mortal Arc, I was expecting a more explained ending, with an ending not only for the two leads but for supporting characters as well. That was not covered by Immortal Samsara in the least little bit. There were only 20 minutes left of the last episode of Immortal Samsara, and the leads were still fighting against the villain! Does the director have any sense of balancing out time and scenes? (probably not) Yes, I was most invested in the leads but I don't want to leave the supporting characters hanging in midair. Although screen time should be mainly focused on Ying Yuan and Yan Dan, the drama did not do this in a balanced way. The Mortal Arc focused way too much on other characters while the ending gave them a mere 5 or so minutes and none for the rest of the many characters in the drama. The leads disappeared together, and that was it. No more explanation. It is said that 2 more episodes will be released in a few days to explain this unexpected ending, but I am not sure if I will watch it. Why not just air everything together, instead of making the audience, who has already paid more than their fair share of money to watch the last few episodes?

However, the OST was beautiful, with wonderfully-written songs sung by a few talented artists. Lyrics matched the story of Immortal Samsara and melodies were gorgeous and unforgettable. It would have been better even more of a treat to see a few more singers in the track listing, as well as more songs used in the drama itself, as there are instances where OSTs are recorded but not used inside the drama, but perhaps budget or time was a roadblock. Cheng Yi and Yang Zi both sang a song each, but I'm not sure they were used inside the drama as I cannot recollect the melodies. Agarwood sung by Jason Zhang and Jane Zhang was absolutely charming and full of longing.

Here is the beautiful OST listing:

1) Agarwood (沉香) - Jason Zhang & Jane Zhang
2) Hong Chen Lu (红尘录) - Jason Zhang
3) Pian Xing (偏星) - Jane Zhang
4) River of Forgetfulness (忘川) - Cheng Yi
5) Can't Forget (无忘) - Zhang Lei
6) Looking at the Sky (望辰) - Yang Zi

Finally, it's also important to acknowledge the beautiful costumes and hairstyles of the many characters in the drama, as they truly did give off ethereal Xianxia vibes. I especially loved Yan Dan's hairstyle, with a long, silky ribbon that cascaded down her black hair. CGI was also gorgeous, with colorful pastel skies and of course, the massive dreamy-like whale that Yan Dan and Ying Yuan rode on together, a recollection of some of their happy memories. The palaces inside the Heavenly Palace were a bit odd-looking and the white walls did look a bit like plastic, but the props were intricate.

All in all, you might want to give Immortal Samsara a try if you're a new Xianxia watcher, however, keep in mind that some parts are ridiculously draggy with some annoying characters. If you're reading this review and wondering if you should continue onto Part 2, I don't really think the romance gets "better", as some might say, however it does progress as the leads do spend more time together. Xuan Ye was a treat, but again, the entire drama felt like a cycle of predictable Xianxia tropes. So if you've already watched all the big Xianxia romances out there, Immortal Samsara is probably not your best choice. Although Cheng Yi and Yang Zi did fantastically in their respective roles and costumes were gorgeous, the boring and draggy plot heavily outweighed the pros of the series.

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IS may not be the cup of tea for all of you, but for me, IS has won my heart entirely with the amazing storyline, the casts' amazing acting and the OSTs with deep meanings for the plot.

I firstly decided to watch bcz of YZ & CY, never knew I would be very fond of the plot too.

- IS is one of the dramas where romance is rarely shown between the main lead couple, I'm very disappointed because of that but the way YY & YD's romance of just watching each other, staring and sweet talking can make my heart flutter for most of the time.
- But the chemistry between YZ & CY is NEXT LEVEL, PURE GOLD, UNREACHABLE!! Having skinship scenes more and kissing scenes more doesn't fully describe "Romance". Protecting each other, being by each other's side when they actually need someone = Pure & Sincere Love + Romance
- CY's acting totally amazes me in IS, the way he portrayed YY, TZ, XY differently. YY is TZ but there're so many differences between them and CY flawlessly nails the characters. Especially XY, the villain role, in the final ep of YY confronts XY, the eyes are so different!! HE'S SO AMAZING!
- YZ never disappoints me as always, she definitely slays the role of YD! No actress will be able to act as YD expect YZ! The cute and carefree immortal attendance with intelligent and clever mindset, YD, one of the best FLs among many dramas.
- I also recommend you to listen to the OST too, the lyrics also explains the characters' experiences, difficulties and how they want to tell each other abt it!
- Many may hate the ending but for me, this sad ending is very meaningful and perfect choice of ending for YY & YD! They are free now, free from responsibilities, misunderstanding, barriers and difficulties. They are now happily live in another life and once again, they fall in love with each other.

10000/10 for me so far, never regret watching til the end. I'm so glad I'm part of IS family who had been by their sides since the drama start aired.
Huge respect and thank u YZ, CY and all casts and crews of Immortal Samsara for creating this masterpiece
Hope to see YZ & CY in another drama like modern or republican one!

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IMMORTAL SAMSARA

I'm writing the review bcz I've read the novel as well as watched the drama.
The show is really beautiful. If you guys really love the stories where you can see the deep pure love between leads and sub leads, friendship and complicated fate between the characters, obsession of the antagonists. Everything we except in an ancient plot.

About the story,
- Deep love between The leads.
- Characters are blend with the plot.
- Character development.
- New style of ending.

About Acting,
- Cheng Yi was beyond praise. The way he acted when he was the lord Ying Yuan with strong mentality where he puts both his responsibility and safety of the one's he loves, Mortal Tang Zhou with complicated feelings where carrying out his responsibility at the same time pursue the love even it's forbidden and getting punished, Demon Lord Xian Yue where both with the obsession for power and love for the Ran Qing, and the changed (or more proactive to pursue the love of his life) Ying Yuan after the reincarnation.
Cheng Yi's acting is really beautiful where you'll get goosebumps due to fear when he's as Xian Yue. And get's both butterflies and regrets when he's with Yan Dan.

- Yang Zi is with her charms and be one with character as we expecting from her as in her every drama. Her character development from carelesslife to matured , responsible female lead. And who sacrifices her heart twice to her beloved. Then her siblingship between Zhi Xi. Friendship between Yu Mo and Simin.
As expected from the queen, she protrayed her role beyond especially @ the ending.

The Supporting cast whom I loved: Su Mo, Lu Wei Yang, Simin, Zi lan and Huan Qin( he's dark beuty).

Comparison of Book and Drama:-

Main plot is almost same and the story differs at the ending. Where I'd prefer drama than the book. For not giving spoilers I'm not explaining the full difference here. All I could say is both book and drama has a different ending.
Book Name: Agarwood Like Crumbs .

Over all Rating: 9.9/10
Story: 10/10
Acting:10/10
Plot: 9.9/10
Chemistry between leads:10/10
Chemistry between support: 10/10
Ending: 9.9/10
Music: 9.9/10( Agarwood is my favourite song)

The tags in my opinion: Love, Romance, Friendship, kinship, forbidden love, Reincarnation, Forgetfulness, Obsession, Immortality, Cultivation, etc.

♡❤♡❤♡❤♡❤♡❤♡❤♡❤♡❤♡❤♡

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A guilty pleasure

I agree with the general consensus. The production does not feel new or fresh and is not a step forward for C-ent.
However it is still as good and pleasurable to watch as any of the Xianxias out there. As such, if you like Xianxias, it is worth watching for another good experience. If you have never watched Xianxias before, then it is worth watching as it incorporates all of the elements that make xianxias popular. On top of that, it features a talented team that is highly experienced and at the top of their game. Both leads are Xianxia veterans known not so much for their looks as their acting skills - and they don't disappoint. It really seems that they are at the point of their careers where their acting skills have long matured and their charisma shines on the screen. The scriptwriter/director/and art directors also all have plenty of successful productions of the genre under their belt. As such, each scene is familiar but pleasurable to watch. I can somehow imagine showing these scenes in film school as an agglomeration of almost a decade of Xianxias.

Story:
The story is not new and definitely a bit draggy. The ending also feels a bit forced -although somewhat inevitable if one is to truly understand the characters. It is, however, disappointing that after hinting at character growth for so long, we get slapped back to the beginning again and it seems there is no progress made. There is also a weird sense of revolution/duty in it all. Read some user comment that by the end, it wasn't a couple we were looking at but at a trio of Revolutionary comrades. In some ways though, after a decade of xianxias advocating for individualist/narcissist love, it seems appropriate to pull back a bit to focus on the Asian values of duty. And in that sense, this is very much a Chinese story. Chinese values of filial piety, duty, respect for authority, sadness over fate and karma, etc, permeate. There were glimmers of hope by the third act that progress was made through character growth towards reconciliation of these traditional values with the modern individualist sense of the world - but then the ending sort of smashed it all and shoved us back to the beginning, almost literally. No progress thru rebirth.

Acting:
This is definitely the strongest part of this drama and an important part of its popularity- Both actors seem perfect for xianxias and at a high point in their career. Yangzi being generally acknowledged as one of the most skilled actresses currently is at her usual top game in a familiar role. ChengYi, less popular and perhaps underrated, is a true gem combo of facial expressivity and body agility for all the action drama scenes xianxias require. I hope this work further cements his career and can bring it to new heights. In general, there is no sense that our leads are making new breakthroughs in their artistry- but there is enough sincerity in terms of delivering their best which, as it turns out, is as good as it gets. It is nice to see skill triumph over raw looks, and a wonder to me that despite 59 long episodes of often draggy scenes and lazy directing (it takes two episodes each time for them to die!)- I still can't get enough of seeing the two leads on screen and interacting.!
Whether it is witnessing their happiness or (most of the time) their pain - especially their pain such that one can't help feeling a bit guilty- these two made the whole process addictive.

Music:
Nice music - they put it on sooo many times it's a wonder I didn't get sick of it. So must be really good!

Rewatch Value:
Definitely. There is almost a certain amount of repetition to any story told - this is inevitable as all follow a certain arc. As such, after having watched enough of them, they all feel a bit familiar. However, I still enjoy watching shows for the charisma of the actors, the script's fun dialogue, the beauty of the sceneries. And in that sense, although IS doesn't reach new heights, it combines high quality/talent in all its team that it is just relaxing and nice to watch at the end of the day to lose myself in its fantasy. As good as any Xianxias produced.

Overall:
The last time I wrote a review was for Ashes of Love also with Yangzi and Zhang yuan Ang as scriptwriter. And although the values this production tries to convey is a bit different, it has enough controversy to it that somehow feels worth writing about. Compared to AoL, I'd say that ChengYi is the better (and more mature) actor which makes this production even more pleasurable. The storyline is controversial but perhaps that's a good thing - it isn't quite merely a summary of all the past xianxia stories though as it does try to move towards a better reconciliation of the individual and traditional values/society/duty. I wish it succeeded more at it.
Unlike the other summer fantasy hit LBFD where from what I read, there is a certain mix of Chinese/Western - this is a very Asian/Chinese aesthetic and Asian/Chinese story, I'd say. People would call it "tu" 土 from the set/costumes to the main actor. But the whole makes it somehow more authentically Chinese and interesting in that sense. I haven't yet watched LBFD so not sure if it is a better reconciliation of the clash of cultures in the current world but IS has certainly been a fascinating and pleasurable journey.

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Beautiful and pure story for me! "THINGS HAPPEN FOR A REASON"

- YD & YY have less romance in the later eps but the way they are still caring abt each other, confronting each other, staying by each other side where they need someone to accompany, holding their hands and showing their feelings secretly is just natural and beautiful for me.
- Having more kisses scenes between main lead couple ≠ Romance / Good chemistry / True Love
YD's words win my heart "True Love = Protecting what your beloved ones cherish the most"
- IS also teaches us that not everything is abt love, if it's needed, responsibilities should be the first to come than love.
When YD witnessed what had happened after TZ chose her over responsibilities, she finally learned and understand of YY's doings.
- CY & YZ's acting are so UNCOMPAREABLE, no wonder IS achieve so much because of the chemistry between YZ & CY! Their chemistry is NO JOKE! Hope to see them in another drama like ro-com will do too!
- The CGI is so beautiful tho, I feel like I had travelled to the Heaven Realm already. Some of the watchers are not satisfying with the CGI but in my opinion, IS's CGI is the best one among other xianxia drams that I've watched.
- The OSTs with hidden & deep meanings for the main lead couple, the voices of YY & YD wanting to tell each other those words.

MAJOR SPOILER!
- YY's sacrifice didn't mean YY chose the world over YD! He had no choice but to end his life for the peace of Three Realms. If YY didn't die, he will end up killing everyone in Three Realms due to unconscious that had cause by Asura Blood.
- YD chose to die with him together, she had no one left now, she had already witnessed her best friend & her sister's deaths. Now she had seen with her own eyes of how her lover died, how will she be able to live after seeing those, she will be living with sorrows, regrets and pain. Only "Death" can make her feel peaceful.

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A MATURED LOVE STORY

"The three realms are here. you are here"
"You protect the three realms. and I will protect you"
"Before this I don't understand but now I understood it"
Those words will leave deep impressions to me. I really love to see the character growth and changes in them.

It's a good Xianxia. I have to say this drama got 50% old storylines and the other half is a new concept they put. I said it old storyline because it is what i have seen like the falling in love, misunderstanding, God, Demon, Asura, stabbed and being stabbed. Btw, I love angst so prefer this kind storyline. But I love the concept of mystery, finding artifacts by the trio. I really like it and it is new compared to others. I like it when 2nd ML became bestfriend with ML and FL. The 2nd male understood he got no chance between the couple. I'm tired of watching possessive, selfish ML and the 2nd male thought his better. FL is brilliant. That is why I said this is a matured story. The trio understood each other. Even from YY point of view, he never let go his responsibility as the Emperor. He said he want to become mortal, but he still learned his responsibility to return peace to Three Realms.

Towards the ending, I can feel YY huge responsibility. Basically everything is on him. His the Emperor and he's also the devil that may cause harm to the Three Realms. When he asked YuMo to take YanDan away while he is fighting with HuanQin, I can feel he is the ruler. I am the Emperor and you should do what I said. He has that aura. He got great responsibilty. So with everything that were put on him to maintain the 3 worlds, I understood why he did it and sacrificed himself. I am so happy to see YY reunited with his parents although it is kind of illusions.

I don't know why people complained about the ending. It is a good ending. I have seen other Xianxia that got worst ending without no reasons. And this drama were put together in place and it is better in terms of ending.

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I LIKE THIS

Honestly I think Part 2 is better than Part 1.

I enjoyed watching it and don't mind with the ending. I think it is a good ending. Maybe some people cannot accept it. Episodes 58-59 is very good. It is quite different from other Xianxia drama. I like it here when the conflict is more towards to return the peace to the 3 realms and the ML and FL already reconciled and fight together with evil people. "Because the 3 realms are here, you are here". It may sound cliche but it holds a big meaning for YingYuan. I've watched several Xianxia where the ML priority is always the FL without other reason, I can see here YY really want to restore the peace in the 3 realms and that is how his lover also will be protected.

I watched Part 1. The first part in the Heavenly Realm is so fast pace and the story is moving really good. But then it started to get slower in the Mortal World. Actually it is understandable because every character that need to be introduced played part to move the storyline especially to discover Ying Yuan artifacts. I found some parts are boring in Mortal World but when the episoded are good I can rewatched it many times.

For Part 2, everything seems to be put in placed. I can feel that they achieved everything that need to be done in Mortal World. Finding Dhizi, Ying Yuan returned to his place, both Ying Yuan and YanDan character developments. I totally love this matured character development. They finally learned how to understand each other. Understand each other responsibilty. The highlight is of course XuanYe. I have never seen this kind of character before in Xianxia drama (for me). XuanYe is an evil but he got his own charisma and dignity. Want to have everything, the world and the woman. I cannot totally hate this man because he loves Ranqing deeply and willing to reverse times for countless times to be with her. Part 2 moving in good pace from solving the mystery of Immortal-Demon War to finding the culprit and the Puppet's spell.

Nothing to say about the cast. ChengYi and YangZi played their part very well. I am still amazed with when YingYuan turned into devil and choked YanDan. YY totally lost his good in himself. ChengYi's acting is very good. When YY and YD cried together, I feel sad for them. I still feel sad when YD rejected TZ on the rooftop, and they both cried. ChengYi played three roles, and he excelled in doing it. Same goes with YangZi, I'm amazed with her character changes after she learned TZ is YY. She went from this innocent to this strong and matured girl.

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It Is Better To Have Loved And Lost Than To Never Have Loved At All

If I had to use one word to describe Immortal Samsara, it would be 'healing'. There is so much of it in this epic drama that I have used Alfred Tennyson's famous lines as the heading not because I believe that the pain of lost love is better than not having loved at all but because IS has proven, yet again, how love can be a catalyst for self-reflection and finding peace within yourself. I enjoyed the journey that all the characters took me on and although I was riveted by all of them, the character of Ying Yuan stands out the most for me. He was born with the heavy burden of being the only offspring of a forbidden union that was based on lies and treachery and, grew up being told he needed to prove himself to be better than his parentage. He was also forbidden from expressing his true feelings and as a result, through his actions, ended up hurting the one person who saw through his facade of stoicism into his feelings of intense loneliness, isolation and heavy sense of misplaced responsibility. How he redeems himself and finds his truth is a beautiful journey. I have developed so much love and respect for Ying Yuan that he will go down as one of my most favorite fictional characters ever. He was in turn a catalyst for eliciting change in most of the other characters he interacted with and how his inherently kind and compassionate nature and actions had affected them is both heart-warming and heart-wrenching.

I have to give all the well-deserved credit to Cheng Yi for bringing so much life to Ying Yuan as without his portrayal, Ying Yuan could have come across as the stereotypical cold, wooden, one-dimensional character who puts duty over everything else. However, the subtle and overt nuances that Ying Yuan had within were so well done by Cheng Yi that I yearn to meet someone like Ying Yuan in real life. And of course, providing the perfect balance is Yang Zi as his partner in crime and love :)

Am I completely satisfied by how the drama played out on screen? The answer to that would be a no. There were scenes that could have been done better, characters that could have been avoided/given less screen time, make-up that could have been less jarring but honestly, none of that took away from the overall effect this drama has on me. If you, like me, want stories that go beyond the superficial and into qualities that make humans (and what are divine and other beings if not humans with a little bit of magic) inherently flawed, you'll enjoy this as much as I did. I am really glad I watched it as it aired and, along with some of the commentators on this page who came on this journey with me, for which I shall remain eternally grateful.

Would I watch this again? Yes. And, I am pretty sure I will find something new each time I do as I believe that what we take away from a creative piece of work (books, songs, dramas, movie, etc) depends on who we are at the time we discover them.

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