This post includes a brief plot summary and a review of the 2024 Chinese drama “Love Game in Eastern Fantasy”. Beware of mild spoilers.
“Love Game in Eastern Fantasy” is a fantasy drama directed by Zhao Yi Long, starring Esther Yu (Yu Shuxin) as Ling Miao Miao and Ryan Ding (Ding Yuxi) as Mu Sheng (or Zi Qi).
Genre: fantasy, comedy, xianxia
If you are a Chinese drama lover or an enthusiast like myself, you will inevitably stumble upon “Love Game in Eastern Fantasy” sooner or later. I read a lot of positive reviews regarding the show, and naturally, I had to see with my own eyes.
Short Review: “Love Game in Eastern Fantasy” is a solid Chinese drama, a good watch. However, it lacks a certain grandeur that would have made it an iconic show. Esther Yu and Ding Yuxi have amazing chemistry, something that they have already proven in their previous collaboration—“Moonlight”.
“Love Game in Eastern Fantasy” tells the story of a young woman who is transported to her favorite author’s novel.
Ling Miao Miao is our protagonist, and she is pretty average. After posting a negative comment on Fu Zhou’s forum, a renowned fantasy author, she is “sucked” into her own computer. And that’s how her journey in another dimension starts.
In this new “world”, she is Lin Yu, a side character of villainous nature from Fu Zhou’s novel “Catching Demons”. The rules of the game are pretty simple: she needs to romantically conquer “Mu Sheng”, a cold-hearted demon hunter, in order to get back her reality.
The mission is not easy, but over time, Ling Miao Miao slowly wins Mu Sheng. Together with Mu Yao (Mu Sheng’s sister) and Liu Fu Yi (a famous demon hunter), the “gang” unravel secrets about their own past while trying to stop the “Resentful Woman”, the most powerful demon, from destroying their world.
The cinematography of “Love Game in Eastern Fantasy” is pretty, but not breathtaking.
Let’s talk visuals. I’ll be honest—the cinematography in “Love Game in Eastern Fantasy” is… okay. It’s polished enough to be watchable and immersive, but I just wish it had gone the extra mile.
Note: I did find Ling Miao Miao’s makeup a bit scary. This remark is not related to the cinematography department; I just needed to get it out of my chest.
The pacing of “Love Game in Eastern Fantasy” is a bit slow sometimes.
If there’s one thing I kept noticing, it’s how “Love Game in Eastern Fantasy” sometimes dragged. I hate to hit the 1.25x button while I’m watching a show; it makes me feel guilty. But I had to.
The plot unravels at a steady, smooth pace, but it lacks urgency. I don’t think it was due to repetitive dialogues or side conflicts that didn’t add much weight to the central story. There weren’t any. The pacing is just off.
I would describe the pacing as “a warm simmer that could have bubbled more.” It’s not painfully slow; it just wasn’t as exciting as it could have been.
While watching the show I gained a new appreciation for Yu Shuxin (Esther Yu).
Playing a bubbly, slightly naive heroine sounds like a piece of cake, but it’s not. Very few actresses manage to bring genuine performances when they are given this type of role. Most of the time, they come off as annoying, shallow, and one-dimensional. Thankfully, that doesn’t happen in “Love Game in Eastern Fantasy” with Esther Yu.
I used to think that Esther Yu’s signature baby voice was kind of irritating, but I think I’ve grown accustomed to it. I don’t love it… but I can tolerate it.
My main reference to Esther Yu’s acting capabilities is “Love Between Fairy and Devil”. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve seen range from Esther, but she is a solid actress when it comes to these comedic roles. In both cases, the actress is paired up with male leads who were able to give amazing performances. Therefore, it is not that her acting is not good, but it can look “dim” when compared against her “men” who shine so bright.
Ding Yuxi is definitely the highlight of “Love Game in Eastern Fantasy”.
The actor is simply outstanding in the drama. Ding Yuxi made the audience sympathize or maybe even “fall in love” with Mu Sheng. Without the actor’s ability to balance vulnerability and strength altogether, Mu Sheng would’ve been a very boring character.
“Overacting” seems to be a popular term when describing some of the actors in the Chinese drama landscape. Fortunately for the audience, we won’t be getting any of that from Ding Yuxi. He understands when to let go and when to restrain himself. A rare quality from young actors.
Ding Yuxi’s good acting is not accidental, unlike, for instance, a popular actor like Dylan Wang. I’ve seen his previous works, such as “Moonlight” and “The Romance of Tiger and Rose”. And from what I saw, it seems that he has always been a solid, talented actor.
“Love Between Fairy and Devil” is more popular, but “Love Game in Eastern Fantasy” is better executed.
There are a lot of comparisons between “Love Game in Eastern Fantasy” and “Love Between Fairy and Devil”. Both are fantasy romances. Both have male leads who don’t believe in love or are reluctant to “fall in love”. But most importantly, both come from the same creators.
Let’s talk about visuals first. “Love Between Fairy and Devil” is more extravagant, but it has, in my opinion, poorer CGI. Meanwhile, “Love Game in Eastern Fantasy” has more modest vibes but better CGI.
Story-wise “Love Between Fairy and Devil” is more exciting to watch. It starts off great, but then it derails a bit more towards the final line, resulting in a rushed ending. On the other hand, “Love Game in Eastern Fantasy” has a more steady pace but lacks the tension that is supposed to keep the viewer glued to the screen.
On a chemistry level, the romance was definitely “hotter” in “Love Between Fairy and Devil”. However, the energy in “Love Game in Eastern Fantasy” is also different. It’s much more about friendship and trust. Having said that, even though Esther Yu and Ding Yuxi don’t have any “hot kisses” in the drama, they totally delivered when it comes to emotional intimacy.
In terms of memorability, “Love Between Fairy and Devil” wins because it has a stronger love story. Ultimately, fans of the genre are also suckers for “romance”, which is, unfortunately, not “Love Game in Eastern Fantasy’s” strongest suit.
Final Thoughts
The biggest strengths of the show are without a doubt the lead actors. Esther Yu proves once again that she is a solid actress with a natural talent for comedy. She was capable of delivering an engaging and endearing performance. Ding Yuxi’s acting really shines through the drama. I really hope to see more of his works in the future, fingers crossed. These two together have a very believable chemistry.
My biggest problem with “Love Game in Eastern Fantasy” is the pacing; it could’ve been a bit faster… more exciting. I’m also one of those viewers who wished that there was a kissing scene between the leads. Even if it was a tiny one.
By the way, there are two other relevant characters in the story: Mu Yao and Liu Fuyi, played by Zhu Xudan and Yang Shi Ze. Didn’t mention a word about them, because I felt they’re kind of “meh”. I’ve seen these two actors’ work before, and I wasn’t impressed. “Love Game in Eastern Fantasy” did not change my opinion about them.
As for the ending—yes, it was slightly cheesy, but I didn’t dislike it. Personally, I wasn’t expecting the plot twist, but I think the story wrapped up nicely.
Overall, “Love Game in Eastern Fantasy” is a good drama but could’ve been better. Although it lacks certain qualities that would’ve made it an unforgettable show, I would still recommend it. People should give it a try. The show has strong performances from the leads. There is also some sweet romance (but no kisses), and the general vibe is very wholesome, especially towards the end.
Final Rating: 🍎 (Good)
