Where should I start this review on The Legend Of Shen Li starring Zhao Liying and Kenny Lin (Lin Geng Xin)? As we all know, The Legend Of Shen Li reunites Kenny Lin and Zhao Liying after their collaboration in Princess Agents seven years ago. Fans take The Legend Of Shen Li as a consolidation price since Princess Agents season two is not possible. After watching Yong’an Dream, I jumped on The Legend Of Shen Li together with Burning Flames. I have to say, My expectations were met.
The Story
Side note: I don’t make drama reviews based on what the novel covers, I’m just reviewing what I saw in the drama. Anyways the story is good but I wouldn’t say it’s the best storyline out there.
There were times it felt off especially when you look at this Fu Sheng character. He’s the main villain but the way I see it, he shouldn’t have been the main villain. The main villain here should’ve been the former lord of the immortal clan. He’s the reason behind all the troubles people are facing. Fu Sheng was turned into a very powerful character and let’s be honest, his kind shouldn’t have that much power.
Yes, I do understand that the drama would be so boring without him and all that, but he went against the immortal clan and the divine clan alone. If you think about it, Fu Sheng would’ve died long ago but always escaped or let go. In the arc where Shen Li and Xingzhi went to investigate Fu Sheng Sect, Fu Sheng was let go. The immortal clan and the divine clan had many chances to end him. Like I said, I get why he survived till the end.
Besides that, I have no problem with the storyline. I just wished they had given us more of Qingye’s story. They did summarize it but that story deserves its special episode. Qingye is one of the ancient Gods who’s also Xingzhi’s best friend. He was banished to the mortal realm for going against the natural law of love. The natural law made him endure the sufferings of the mortal world and miss his beloved one in every lifetime. He always encountered Jing Xi and Shi Luo in every lifetime and it all ends in a love triangle. The real question is, who does he love?
Speaking of Ancient Gods, I always wondered why the natural law didn’t state anything about the mission of Xingzhi. It is said that Gods are born with a mission from the natural law but Xingzhi didn’t have one. This got me invested in Xingzhi and his actions just to know his mission and it finally got revealed.
Loutia Goddess Youlan Represents
We all know Jackie Li is always bringing laughter wherever she goes. She’s one of my favorite comedic actresses and she gets the job done. Jackie Li as Goddess Youlan represents us fans. Her behavior and obsession on knowing more about Shen Li and Xingzhi’s love story is exactly how we behave when we watch dramas. It even got to a point where she brought snacks and spent nights watching Shen Li and Xingzhi’s story. She became a shipper🤣🤣🤣. I think they purposely brought this character just to add some relation between watchers and the character. I mean, The Legend Of Shen Li isn’t a serious drama, it’s fun to watch.
Furong and Xingzhi
Out of all characters in this drama, Furong had the best development and became a fan favorite. At the beginning, I thought he would bore the hell out of me. He was so immature and always causing trouble, I hated that. But he improved when he started following Xingzhi. These two are the best.
People treated Xingzhi as an Ancient God, but Furong treated him like a normal person while remaining respectful.
Their relationship became a brotherhood with Xingzhi taking the role of a big brother. Furong also influenced Xingzhi, Xingzhi began to be more free around Furong. Xingzhi never saw himself as an Ancient God when he was around Furong. Xingzhi found a friend in Furong and so did Furong.
Soldier Chemistry
You got to admire the chemistry between the soldiers in the immortal realm. It is also rare to see palace guards acting more humans instead of statues. I mean, there are many times where palace guards showed concern and emotions to people who are entering the palace, especially their fellow soldiers. It is rare to have this kind of chemistry between palace guards.
Leads Romance
I’m mind blown by the chemistry between Zhao Liying and Kenny Lin whether it’s on screen or off screen. These two respect each other and they enjoy each other’s company. They really had fun working together after 7 years. Their on-screen chemistry is nothing but amazing. They knew fans will be excited to see their reunion and they made sure they don’t disappoint. Lots of intense kissing scenes with eye contact… My God! Now I’m behaving like Goddess Youlan.
The Legend Of Shen Li Ending
The Legend Of Shen Li has a happy ending but I still don’t like the way they solved the problem. Wasn’t there another way to solve the problem without using the same trick they didn’t in the past? What I mean is it’s kinda useless to end the solve the problem by eliminating whatever wanted to start the problem. Confusing? Like I said in the beginning, Fu Sheng was made invincible and he was the one who started the problem. They only solved the problem by eliminating Fu Sheng, which is something they should’ve done a long time ago since it was the only solution.
Another thing about the ending is the final episode. Episode 39 was nothing but a special episode to watch and laugh. The story actually ends in episode 38.
Conclusion
Did I really enjoy watching The Legend Of Shen Li? Absolutely! This was one of the best dramas I’ve watched this year. The heavenly lord was unique and funny. I love dramas that create a balance between comedy and action. The CGI was good, great music selection. In fact, The Legend Of Shen Li’s OST playlist can only be matched by Till The End Of The Moon playlist. I highly recommend the drama. This drama was also produced by Zhao Liying, flowers to her🌹.
