Love and Redemption (2020)

Don´t read reviews - go and watch it, you are missing one of the best xianxia dramas ever!

I would say this is way too good drama for our own sakes. If you are a fan on Ashes of Love, Ten Miles of peach blossoms and Pillow Book, just stop reading this and go and watch it. This drama is all you´ve been dreaming of since you binged all classics mentioned above. Trust me and get ready for romance, that will touch your heart of hearts, pain so strong that it will feel like your own and male lead so hot, that he will be part of your dreams for weeks to come. And enjoy the ride. I wish I could forget that I watch it just to watch it for the first time again. Oh and don´t forget about OST, it´s a gem. Best one since TMOPB.

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A Xianxia Masterpiece

Xianxia is a controversial genre. It is entertaining to watch because of the fantasy elements. However, it is often executed poorly due to fragmented storyline and terrible character relationships. While Xianxia dramas are difficult to film, Love and Redemption is a masterpiece and sets the bar high for future works of this genre.

From the first episode, you are immediately immersed in Xuanji’s world. You are hooked from the start because of the awesome action scenes, good CGI, and exciting plot. The backstory of Xuanji’s identity keeps you addicted throughout the show. You follow the characters as they try to rescue themselves and the world. By the end of the show, everything turns out to be one religious allegory. The show is not just for entertainment but also discusses morality and prejudice.

On top of the groundbreaking storyline, the acting surpasses many other dramas. No one other than Yuan Bingyan could have portrayed Xuanji. She starts as a senseless sixteen-year-old with no exposure to the real world. Later on, she matures into a brave woman who moves on from her past to save the people she loves. Likewise, Chengyi does a great job displaying the stoicism and heroism of Sifeng. They have some of the best couple chemistry that I have ever seen. Besides the fantastic main leads, I have also fallen in love with many of the supporting cast members. The antagonists are some of my most favorite villains ever.

The first forty episodes are nearly perfect. The impressive integration of comedy, romance, and adventure makes the show addicting to watch. The later episodes start to lose that kind of magic. The actions of supporting characters become illogical. The director’s editing is off-putting and not as well-paced. Thankfully, the very last few episodes somewhat redeem the show. Despite the less stellar episodes toward the end, I still think this show is highly worth watching.

What I love most about Love and Redemption are the lessons learned along the way. Pursuing happiness, keeping an open mind, and being grateful for living. The show beautifully expresses these messages, which are especially important during recent times. I hope that the drama can positively affect others as it has done for me.

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A Lovely Yet Heart-Breaking Love Story

First of all, this drama is the first chinese drama I've ever watch. But even so, I have to say that I was really caught up with the plot and the act.

THE ACTING WAS REALLY SUPERB!
Their choice is very accurate, which is the male lead as the highlight. He is heart-wrenching, but also supportive and understanding at the very same time. The main plot is perfect for the acting of the main character. An innocent girl who becomes a really strong woman, and a very caring man who never stopped loving her. I had to say that cheng yi really did a good job, even in those cry scene, you can look to his eyes and expression and that will makes you wanna cry too. Hao Chen's character makes the conflict even more complicated and fun. Also the same with Wu Tong's twisted way of loving someone.

About the music. It was on a whole different level. It really capture the feelings of sadness and joy at the sametime. Some is really heart breaking but it is really beautiful. I must say their soundtrack made me fell in love with chinese song.

This drama is perfect, with a little flaw. Which is Linglong's character, episodes after episodes, I know that she is potrayed to be brave, but it eventually led her to stupidity. There are some scenes that made me wonder 'why did she do that?' and that really makes me frustated. The same goes with Mingyan's character.

Even so, this drama has led me to watch another and another chinese drama. I will make sure to rewatch this in the future.

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The overall thing!

This drama has one of the best casting i have seen ever in a Chinese drama. From the leading role to the guest role the casting is just so good. And the actors are really talented in acting. They are simply fantastic. And my personal favorite character in this drama beside Yu Si Feng is the Lord Flying Snake. And this drama had a very good and stable base to start the story with, so that we will never get bored or tired even after watching all the 59 episodes, instead, we feel like this much of episode is not enough we need more of there story. This is exactly how i felt after seeing the whole drama.

This is a Honest review from the bottom of my heart. I strongly recommend you guys to watch it. I promise in the name of god that you won't be disappointed.

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NOT WHAT I EXPECTED

This is like a hit or miss type of drama. To quickly summarise everything,
FL is naive and dumb
Similar to Ashes of love
ML is smart and handsome
similar to ashes of love
No annoying love triangle through this drama expect one person did like ML but only last like two or three episodes
ML get hurts a lot ( like a lot and a lot )
The ending is beautiful ( like the best ending ever not as those last minutes met before the end ) ( You get 20 minutes of a happy ending )


Well, where did I want to start this......... I started watching this because of the hype that it has and also I realize while watching that this is very similar to ashes of love and also the female lead is so so dumb and naive but I think I kinda like but also this is not that frustrating. To be honest, this drama is like a miss or hit type, whether you like it or hate because this genre has been used in so many types of drama and ashes of love was my favourite I think this is because of the I am basis with the actors and actress. If it won't for the hype I might not watch it and also this is another type of wuxia drama which I don't go for these days but in the old days like a year ago, I love this genre but not now but this drama I love it. And also There only half of the drama subbed which means I have to watch it no subbed for another 20 - 30 episodes. I am loving and also I try not to skip much but only for the torturing part.

I really wanted to watch all 59 episodes without skipping but at 40-50 the pain and the misunderstanding were killing me and I can't bear to watch. And also I don't think I have the patient but I keep telling my self that it's going to be a happy ending. I even wrote it on my a stick note so that it can be engraved in my brain and mind. This drama has the best kiss scene in the whole of 2020 and maybe my whole Chinese drama watch list because it's so so long and I saw tongue. At first, I didn't like the leads because I never seem them before expected for the FL from ever night but I didn't like her character much but I was so so wrong I love her acting. Now for the male leads, I never seem him before and I thought he wasn't handsome but I was so so wrong wow. I love tangshe because he was hilarious in this drama for me, I felt that he was carrying the whole drama but for the entertainment part like the funny but the main leads ( F&M ) did an amazing job through I felt their emotion which made me skip the torturing part because it will hurt me that how I know I'm attracted to this drama. While watching the ending, this drama made me think back to when it all starts innocent leads who look so young and cute now all grown up and mature. This drama truly made me felt that 15 years have passed with them because of this I felt very emotional. I kinda want to say this drama took a lot of time from my day but I do not regret it. watching and wasting my time.

If I were to compare to ashes of love than it kinda similar but without the annoying love triangle and the evil mother-in-law. This is the best wuxia/ gods/ romance type drama I ever seem. But this one top ashes of love. Even I did like the enteral love of dream but this one is better. I will definitely rewatch this drama one day.

I really don't want this to end but it has and I guess that will be my drama hiatus for now because of school.

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Amazing C-Drama! Instant classic Xianxia!

This Drama has such a fantastic story.
I thought it would follow more like AOL or EL. But this one was so unique.
The story flowed really well, some people might not like the last 15 episodes.
But it makes sense to me why the main leads does what they do.
I never seen such a drama where the main guy suffers a lot though.
Yet the ending was soo SATISFACTORY, so glad it was!
There are misunderstandings in this drama. But personally for me it wasn't that irritating.
And it made sense, because of the story and the characters personalities.

The acting was really good, loved the main leads. The male lead was so loyal, and the female lead became much
stronger in her character which was great. The side actors also did a very good job. Really liked Teng She and WZQ.

THE MUSIC was awesome. Thousand Years of Love is my favourite one. So Beautiful!
I cant get over that song now! I would definitely rewatch the best moments!

Now go and watch this one! It's the best Xianxia drama I have seen to date!
Because the ending is so satisfying! And the drama concluded wonderfully!

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My heart can't forget about Love and Redemption

My heart can't forget about Love and Redemption. I think this sentence with which I start this review is the one that best describes my current state of mind, since, even though I finished this drama about a week ago, I couldn't forget it and always find myself listening to the osts and seeing random scenes (most of them impacting). To what is this my forgetfulness due? Is this due to the memorable love story told in this drama, or should I tell stories? (since we have Zi Hu and his "smelly monkey"). I must say that I am not a fanatic for xianxias, but that I watch at least some of the most cited as Legend of Fuyao, Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms, The Legends, Ashes of Love, Love and Destiny and Eternal Love of Dream, having each one these stories touched me a lot and raised my definitions of love (although I myself don't believe in such an abstract concept), but why am I bringing these dramas to my consideration?

This is due to the fact that Yu Si Feng, our prota, raises the definition of devotion (yes, he is a devotee to his love for XuanJi) to a new level, which I think will hardly be reached. This devotion is demonstrated by the excellent performance of Cheng Yi, who knew how to pass us through his reactions and facial expressions as the love that makes redemption possible (pun on the name of the drama) must be. In those 59 episodes that seemed more like 16 episodes, we were able to follow how Cheng Yi and also the beautiful and competent Crystal showed a love that was planted in the Celestial Kingdom and extended for 10 lives, 9 lives marked by the apparent indifference of the incarnations of XuanJi, who immersed in anger arising from an injustice, she was unable to perceive the love that lay before her in time. A love that I think goes beyond any definition and adjectives that we have, with that I return to the protagonists that I had previously mentioned. When reviewing the scenes and stories of Ye Hua and Xufeng in particular, I was always somewhat perplexed by the delivery of each of these characters and even fell into the folly of thinking that I would never find a character who suffered as much as they did, but lo and behold I face in 2020 Yu Sifeng, who in addition to raising my standard regarding the idea of ​​immortal love so to speak, also made me redefine my understanding of suffering.

Think about it, in 59 episodes we saw that Yu Sifeng lost his celestial status, reincarnated 10 times (in 9 he died for Xuanji or he was killed by her, that in THOUSAND YEARS), and he had to endure in his tenth life a series of injustices that resulted in a series of tortures and near-death situations, all to console Xuanji's spirit, all without support. Some of them may tend to be angry with the prota, but even though I got irritated at times, I couldn't because the INJUSTICE she suffered, the pain she had to bear was very great and besides that pain she was still treated as a criminal, as enemy of the three for just wanting a repair. Here I come to question some ideas present in the dramas. Well, as is known in the drama, we have 5 sects that, at least in theory, follow the right path, but just like in other dramas it is noticed that the very notion of the just is distorted and not only by these just sects, but also by immortals who serve as a guide for these individuals.

The notion of justice, morality, right here appears in a caricatured representation, where the actions, the motivations behind these characters do not go against what such abstract concepts should mean, because the "just" know little about what justice and righteousness, and that we see during the episodes and we have some illustrious representatives like the one I really consider as the main villain, Hao Chen / Bai Lin Dijun. And I find it interesting that even to show the meaning of evil we have a counterpoint because we see in this drama an evil in its representation, say that a little caricature (with Yuan Lang) and that evil that is not perceived, the evil disguised as morality by middle of Dijun, but I’m not going to go any further, otherwise I’ll give you crucial spoilers). Anyway, if you want to know a little more about love, hate, redemption, justice and injustice WATCH Love and Redemption !!!

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What Ashes of Love failed, LAR (love and Redemption) had succeeded!

What do I mean by that title? Well, to be honest, I knew about this drama, much earlier than 2022 i.e. in 2021, I knew about this drama, however, because fans have been saying this drama is similar to Ashes of Love, is what really puts me off from starting LAR (Love and Redemption), because I saw that as a minus appeal, since I didn't like Ashes of Love, where the Female Lead, Male Lead and Main Pairing is concerned.

If I am going to say something here, is that I am glad I picked up this drama, although late, but better late than never. I mean, it's always good to give a drama/story a benefit of the doubt before judging, and also since I felt like watching another Xianxia drama, and I am like "Why not? Since I was impatiently waiting for the episodes for 'The Blue Whisper'". And then when I started watching, you can say, I was hooked, and just want to continue watching it, and I have stayed up endless nights just to finish this!

The Male lead actor name is Cheng Yi is really a talented actor who really can express his emotions (especially those scenes where he expresses pain and his love) very well. He really made me cry in all those scenes, since he have successfully exceeded my expectations so I really love his acting. This is the second drama I saw him in, the first drama I saw him in was 'The Legend of Chusei - Noble Aspirations', he's the second male lead in that one. As the ML, this show has potentially propelled Cheng Yi to celestial popularity levels. His portrayal of the much adored character of Yu Si Feng through his seemingly innate ability to emote convincingly and project poignant scenes of excruciating torment while shedding tonnes of blood and tears has deservedly earned him legions of new fans, and you can bet that I am now a fan lol, so hooray, now I will be paying attention to his other dramas.

The Female lead being Yuan Bing Yan, I have never seen her act before, but as Xuan Ji (FL) she really played out her character well. She did played her character well, and while for a period of time I really didn't like her, for her lack of trust in Si Feng, and not believe the good in him, it really annoyed me, because given the situation was reverse, Si Feng will believe in the good in Xuan Ji. I also think this is the difference in their love i.e. Si Feng loves Xuan Ji (at the beginning) and is willing to give up everything/sacrifice his life for her, but Xuan Ji can be easily manipulated by 'what she sees' and not believe in the good in Si Feng, and this is why I think that even when she regain her six senses, she can't break the loveless curse placed on Si Feng. It is only when she lost Si Feng i.e. Si Feng left her is when she started to see how important Si Feng is to her, and how wrong she was to not trust in him etc, so that made her into a better character, i.e. character development, and her love for Si Feng had grown to the same level as Si Feng has for her. This is also why I think she was able to break the loveless curse. Honestly, I am so glad Si Feng didn't get back with her right away, because it allowed me to see how much Xuanji puts in to earn back Si Feng's love. Even when Si Feng had another reason why he kept his distance, but it's because of this, I get to see Xuanji putting in for this relationship, and while I still think that Xuanji didn't suffer as much as Si Feng when it comes to this relationship, but she really did redeemed herself for me, and earned back Si Feng's love and this relationship. I am just happy they are finally together again.

In terms of story itself is a powerful one, and the main pair have a powerful love/chemistry with each other. In 10 lives, 10 world's (the present time is their 10th life), and in every life(when the past is revealed) you can see how much the ML loves the female lead. I love their love and chemistry on my end. While people like to compare this to Ashes of Love, and while I can see those similarities BUT the FL in this one was so so so much better than Jin Mi (Ashes of Love), and the main pairing is actually true love to me, one that comes natural, and not forced, the way Ashes of Love is. I guess what AOL main pair FAILED to bring out for me in terms of making me like the 'pairing' and 'individual characters', this one (Love and Redemption) succeeded and have far surpasses Ashes of Love, in terms of characters on it's own and the pairing. The FL(Xuan Ji) is strong, and actually got strong in her own way (that development), and the pairing in this one (Love and Redemption) is much more genuine/natural touching(in a loveable way) when compared to the other fail one (AOL/Ashes of Love).

There's also quite a few interesting characters I really love, i.e. Teng She, Wu Zhi Qi, Liu Yi Huan etc, just to name a few that is not the male and female lead that are loveable too. So it's an enjoyable drama to me. I even love Luo Huo Ji Du, he's not evil to me, and I sympathise with his past and what happened to him. The one that is truly evil (irony) is.. PLOT TWIST Bai Ling Di Jun. Although I won't say evil as in evil, but he views all demons are evil, so I don't like him, although in the end, he got his retribution and he understood and learn he was wrong so that was satisfying, but throughout the drama, when I saw his actions, it really makes me punch him when he said he's doing this to protect the three realms when his actions contradicts it. But this really all stems from how he worries too much/have those insecurities, because he doesn't trust in demons... He's not an evil character that wants to destroy the 3 realms, I guess that's why it's conflicting to label him in the evil character list, I guess you can say he's more of a 'grey' character. But I don't like him, but to be honest, I really tried to like him and not want to hate him, but his actions some times really contradicts his "I am doing this to protect the three realms". And another plot twist, we finally have a wise and great Heavenly Emperor (Tian Di)!!! . He's a great character, and a wise ruler hahaha.

But yeah, like all Xianxia genres, there will be those people around to cause these misunderstandings for the main pair, so this is why the ending was happy and very satisfying as the good were paid for the good they did and the evil received retribution. While 59 episodes may seem long for some, it is definitely worth your time. In fact, you might even think that 59 episodes is far from enough, I actually felt that by the time I am nearing ep 59, I was like "Oh no... the last episode, I don't want it to end".

Music 10/10 - Love them all!!!

Rewatch Value: Definitely watching this again!!!

The last time I gave a drama 10/10 was TMOPB. I wanted to give Ancient Love Poetry 10/10 too since I love that drama very much, but the ending wasn't satisfying to me, so I have to say in terms of fully satisfying ending, Love and Redemption (LAR) tops Ancient Love Poetry even when I love both of the story and romance, and characters very much!

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Truly my genre and story

I'm a big fan of xianxia world and watched lot of the drama in this genre. Couldn't find something breathtaking after Love and Destiny (my top 1), but then started Love and Redemption and yes, it was it!

I saw the teasers last year, but wasn't so impressed, it seemed like fluffy story with pretty leads. But I was absolutely wrong. There are drama, pain, emotions, love, and of course redemption. This drama is very satisfying regarding the plot development and side characters. Wu Zhi Qi is my favourite. I would watch new drama about him and purple fox.

As I'm fan of Xianxia I also should compliment CGI effects - it's getting better and better every year. Graphics in Love and Red. is on top.

I would rate it 9 to be honest, but Sifeng deserved 10 for sure...

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