#love and destiny

skullsandwineglasses:

For those who watch xianxia romances, how would you rank them? These are the ones I’ve watched and listed in the order of when they were released. 

Journey of Flower (2015) - I was obsessed with this drama when it first came out, probably because I was young and impressionable and it was my first time watching Zhao Liying and Wallace Huo, but looking back at the drama now, it wasn’t a good romance. It was angst upon angst, and Bai Zhi Hua never confessed his feelings for Hua Qian Gu even until the end, so it was all very one-sided. Love the OST though. 

Eternal Love (2017) - Probably the most well-known xianxia in the last 5 years. This is an unpopular opinion, but I was never really on board with the Ye Hua or Bai Qian ship. But I did like Bai Qian’s character though because she’s both flawed and badass, and so I mainly pushed through the drama to see her get her revenge. Another great OST. 

Ashes of Love (2018) - I’ve seen a lot of polarizing opinions about this drama. You either hate or love it. I really enjoyed it, even though Jin Mi made some really bad decisions. The one issue I has was that I did not care for the subplots that made this drama 63 episodes long. Another good OST to listen on repeat. 

The Legends (2019) - Apparently this is classified as xianxia, although the worldbuilding is very different from other dramas on this list. It was okay until episode 35, and there were some good moments, but I found that it dragged a lot of the time. Zhao yao was such as an interesting FL at the beginning, but she lost her spark as the drama went on. 

Love and Destiny (2019) - Tends to be overlooked because of Chang Chen’s haggard styling, but I personally loved both him and NiNi in this. I liked how their relationship progressed and how Ling Xi grew as a character. I think this is an example of angst done well. It wasn’t over the top and it wasn’t done just for the sake of having angst. The events that led up to the misunderstandings made sense, and the misunderstandings were resolved quite soon. 

Love and Redemption (2020) - I’d say this is probably the angstiest drama on this list. It could be tied with Ashes of Love, but Sifeng suffers through so much whump from beginning to end that I would say that the angst in this drama surpasses what Xufeng went through. Xufeng was betrayed and killed once, but Sifeng was killed 10 times and then some. 

Ancient Love Poetry (2021) - Maybe it’s because I just finished watching this drama so it’s still fresh and therefore I’m biased, but I think it might have some of the better character building and world building in this list. It’s a very watchable and enjoyable drama with a really solid story and romance arc. The CGI and plot pacing is good, it doesn’t drag, and it’s a drama that keeps you guessing. One weakness is that the chemistry is a little lacking compared to the other dramas on this list, but the actors and the characters really grow on you, and the romance is sweet even despite some issues in chemistry (it does get better as the drama goes on. I think my issue is that Xu Kai didn’t really deliver in some of the emotional scenes, which dampened their intensity a bit). I would even say that the main couple has one of the more healthier relationships than the other couples on this list, and the angst is manageable, but still intense. 

I’m not sure how I would rank them. JoF will always have a special place because of nostalgia, but I don’t know if it’s a xianxia I’d recommend to others. Ashes of Love, Love and Destiny, and Ancient Love Poetry have a reincarnation arc, which I’m always a sucker for, but ALP embeds the arc well into the overall story. Love and Redemption has flashbacks of reincarnations, but not an arc devoted to it. But if you like angst and suffering and want to feel something intense (mostly pity towards the ML’s emotional torture), then that’s probably the drama to watch. Eternal Love is a popular classic, but it’s not at the top of my list and neither is it a drama that I’ve ever felt inclined to rewatch. The Legends is meh, but I loved watching Bai Lu in it. 

What’s your xianxia drama ranking? Which ones do you enjoy? Which ones have high rewatch value? Which ones do you not enjoy?

Love and Destiny was my first time with xianxia romance, i’ve watched The Legend of the White Snake since then and i love it even better : this story is one of my favorite tale ever. Costume design is everything, hairstyle is outta gravity madness, ost is amazing.