Love Game In Eastern Fantasy

Available on Netflix and Viki
Aired November 1, 2024
🌸 Chinese Drama Review

Love Game in Eastern Fantasy

The Love Game in Eastern Fantasy follows Ling Miao Miao (played by Esther Yu, known for her role in Love Between Fairy and Devil and Ski Into Love) and Mu Sheng (played by Ding Yu Xi) as they navigate a parallel world filled with demon-catching intrigue. Ling Miao Miao starts listening to a new book by her favorite author, only to be disappointed by the writing. Frustrated, she posts a scathing review online—only to find herself sucked into the novel’s world, trapped in a game she can’t escape until she completes a series of tasks.

Thrown into the role of a villainous supporting character, Ling Miao Miao decides to rewrite her fate. By altering the plot, she sets off a whirlwind of unexpected events, reshaping her destiny and the world around her.

I enjoyed this fantasy drama’s blend of humor, adventure, and dark elements fitting for a demon-catching world. While the setting leans dark at times, the lively interactions and unpredictable twists kept things balanced and entertaining.

Rating: 🌸🌸🌸🌸 (4/5 Cherry Blossoms)

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🚨 Spoilers Ahead! 🚨

After Miao Miao is sucked into the parallel world as Lin Yu, she immediately tries to escape and then is struck by lightening and the end credits roll – this had me laughing within the first 10 minutes. 😂 This is my type of drama—it’s fun, light-hearted, and not too creepy. It also made me wonder what I’d do if I got sucked into a game like that. Honestly, I’d probably do exactly what she did—run like crazy and then get struck by lightning more than once.

After she accepts she is stuck in this game, she has to complete the first task, which is to pretend to be married to Liu Fuiyi (played by Yang Shui Zhi), a demon catcher, to catch the mirror demon that has been killing new grooms on their wedding nights. This is where she first changes the plot because she warns Liu Fuiyi that Mu Yao (played by Zhu Su Dan), the only Mu family member left of the demon-fighting family, is in danger from the mirror demon.

After completing a few more tasks, the hidden task is revealed: Miao Miao has to raise Mu Sheng’s favorability score from a brutal -200 % to 100%. Talk about a nightmare quest!

This is hilarious because his dislike for her is so extreme, and watching her struggle to win him over is pure comedy gold. It’s like trying to befriend a brick wall—if that brick wall occasionally shot icy glares your way.

It’s no surprise that it takes her forever to make progress. Mu Sheng is stubborn, distant, and skeptical of everyone around him. Aside from his sister, he doesn’t have any close friends. His guarded nature makes every tiny bit of favorability earned feel like a hard-won victory. But seeing her chip away at his defenses little by little? Totally satisfying.

🌸 What I Loved 🌸

“Dreams are like snowflakes in your hand, the more you try to hold on, the quicker they disappear.” — Ling Miao Miao

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The humor and romantic tension between the lead characters kept me hooked. I love how Miao Miao eventually becomes so immersed in that world—it made me feel a little jealous. It seems like a peaceful time (minus all the demons), although I’d miss having air conditioning.

Now, let’s talk about that plot twist. I did not see it coming. The most powerful demon that must be beaten, the Resentful Woman, turned out to be Mu Sheng’s late mother! To make things even darker, Mu Yao’s father killed Mu Sheng’s mother to level up as a demon catcher. But the twist doesn’t end there.

Because Mu Sheng’s mother had a pure heart, ripping it out transformed her into a powerful demon—the Resentful Woman. She possessed Mu Yao’s body and, while in control, wiped out the entire Mu family. That’s why Mu Yao was the only one left alive. Mu Sheng witnessed the Resentful Woman controlling Mu Yao’s body as she tried to kill him. Mu Sheng’s headband, which protected him from slipping into his half-demon form, also shielded him from the Resentful Woman’s power.

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The scene where the Resentful Woman was killed and Miao Miao was able to go home if she pushed the button. This really had me wondering—what would I have done once the game was completed, knowing all the characters had died or were about to die? Seeing how tired she was I would have just pressed the button to go home!

From the outside, it’s easy to say that since I wasn’t as deeply immersed in their world or as in love as she was. Even though the characters weren’t “real,” her choice to sacrifice herself to bring them back to life was undeniably heroic. All of that for NPCs? That’s devotion.

I liked the ending, but I can’t lie—I wish we could’ve at least seen them hug in the end, wearing their normal-world clothes and forms. Just a little closure to tie everything together.

🌸 Final Thoughts 🌸

A lot of fans complained about the lack of kissing scenes between the leads. Sure, Mu Yao and Liu Fuyi shared a kiss after their wedding, and there was a kiss between Miao Miao and Mu Sheng in the ending credits. But aside from that, all we got was a kiss on her brow at the end.

Rumor has it the lack of romantic scenes was because the main leads didn’t get along during filming. Apparently, they’ve patched things up since, but it was surprising to hear considering they had previously worked together on another drama.

Would I have loved to see more romance? Absolutely. But the story, the twists, and the chemistry between the leads still made it worth watching.

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What would you have done at the end? Would you go back and save everyone or go home? Let me know!