Fantasy films and TV series are usually a good go-to if you need to escape daily life. However, these days, you’d be hard-pressed to find a fantasy series that doesn’t look and feel dark, making that escapism a little trickier to come by. Thankfully, one Chinese drama series is here with not only a lighter, more colorful visual aesthetic but also a careful balance between the silly and serious. Love Game in Eastern Fantasy is here to fill that niche.
Based on the novel The Guide to Capturing a Black Lotus by Bai Yu Zhai Diao Gong, Love Game in Eastern Fantasy takes an ordinary woman and throws her into a work of fiction. It is arguably the scariest form of gamification ever. One in which the main player has no control. For those familiar with the Chuānyuè subgenre (essentially, traveling to a different world or time period,) that alone may be enough to convince you to watch this series.
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If you are on the fence about investing in this 32-episode series, here are the three reasons why you should give Love Game in Eastern Fantasy a chance, especially if you need some escapism right now.
The Wild Premise
As an author and a critic, I find the premise of Love Game in Eastern Fantasy brilliant. After growing frustrated by what she feels are useless NPC-like supporting characters, Ling Miaomiao (Yu Shuxin) leaves a scathing review blasting the novel Catching Demons. In an act of fate that every creative has likely dreamed up after receiving comments from haters, Miaomiao gets yeeted into the world of the novel — that also behaves like a game in some ways — and embodies one of the “useless” characters she so cruelly tore apart.
Now embodying the villainous Lin Yu, she’s forced to undergo specific challenges that the world’s “system” throws at her. Through her experiences in Catching Demons, Miaomiao learns that the characters themselves aren’t as “useless” as she thought.
The premise works so well because how many of us have left a negative review of something without thinking of the consequences? In Miaomiao’s case, the consequences are immediate and literally world-altering. With a hook like that, Love Game in Eastern Fantasy starts things hilariously, and Miaomiao’s attempts to learn the world’s rules hammer home the reality of her situation. It is a fun lesson to be mindful of what you post online.
The World of Love Game in Eastern Fantasy
The world of Love Game in Eastern Fantasy is both familiar and strange to Miaomiao. As an avid reader of Catching Demons, she knows more about the world’s structure, mechanics, and plot points. But there is a difference between reading the action happening on the page and experiencing it. Through her experiences, we learn of the Mu family, the dangers of demon hunting, the various demons occupying the world, and its politics.
As the audience surrogate, we also learn the rules of this universe with Miaomiao. It’s also where the rules get a little muddy, with the web novel mechanics evolving into a sort of game. The first couple of episodes show “the system” teaching Miaomiao how to accomplish tasks, “rebooting” her each time she fails. This humorous trial-and-error process shows how her actions can influence the plot and how one poor move can spell the end.
This becomes apparent once “the system” deems her ready to move past the beginner level. However, there are no more resets. Any time Miaomiao messes up, there will be no do-overs. In a way, this turns Love Game in Eastern Fantasy into a game for viewers. With how the writing sets the stage for Miaomiao’s future decisions, viewers will quickly react to everything she does, especially when she messes up epically. The world is dangerous, and the stakes are higher than ever, making for exciting viewing.
Mu Sheng’s Love Story
After Miaomiao has graduated from beginner status, “the system” assigns her the secret mission of winning the demon hunter Mu Sheng’s (Ding Yuxi) approval. On the surface, Mu Sheng embodies the Grumpy Black Cat trope found in romantic pairings. The only person he cares for is his sister, Mu Yao (Zhu Xudan), the only one who has ever been there for him. However, with Miaomiao’s arrival, that is soon to change.
One of the biggest joys of Love Game in Eastern Fantasy is watching Mu Sheng slowly start to trust and develop romantic feelings for Miaomiao. His resistance at the beginning makes sense. Their characters in Catching Demons were destined to despise each other. Still, Miaomiao’s influence on her character, Li Yu, changed their fate regarding how Mu Sheng interacts with Li Yu. Miaomiao’s acceptance and understanding of Mu Sheng, even if they don’t always see eye to eye, start cracking open his shell.
The transition of the relationship between Mu Sheng and Miaomiao is so well done, thanks to the chemistry between Yu Shuxin and Ding Yuxi. Their love slowly builds, and its impact is felt once major conflict is introduced, generating emotional devastation that cuts to the core. This is the kind of relationship romance fans live for. If you need another grumpy/sunshine character romance, Love Game in Eastern Fantasy provides it.
With everything happening worldwide, Love Game in Eastern Fantasy offers a fun escape into its land of make-believe and demons. Don’t forget. Remember to be careful when writing a nasty review to creators. You may accidentally trigger a freak accident and get thrown into the world you’re vilifying. Just ask Miaomiao!
The first 20 episodes of Love Game in Eastern Fantasy are streaming now on Netflix, and more will be available on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
