Amid a sluggish market for costume dramas, especially xianxia in 2024, Love Game in Eastern Fantasy has emerged as a breath of fresh air, receiving widespread positive responses.
A Fresh Take on Xianxia Dramas
The Tencent drama, starring Esther Yu and Ding Yuxi, has wowed audiences with its unique storyline and stunning performances. By reviving the once-popular “transmigration” genre, the show proves that this theme can still captivate viewers when paired with an engaging plot.
Esther Yu and Ding Yuxi’s Love Game Tops 2024 Xianxia Ratings
It’s no surprise that the drama has won over Chinese audiences, earning an initial Douban rating of 7.5 based on 76,000 reviews. This score is particularly impressive considering that other costume dramas in the latter half of 2024 have received much lower ratings. In fact, Love Game in Eastern Fantasy now holds the highest rating for a xianxia drama in 2024, surpassing The Legend of Shen Li, which had a score of 7.2.
An Engaging Storyline
The drama follows Ling Miaomiao (played by Esther Yu), a regular worker in the modern world who accidentally gets transported into a game called Demon Hunters. Inside the game, she inhabits the body of Ling Yu, a cheerful, easygoing, yet ambitious girl who is the third main character.
Ling Miaomiao crosses paths with Mu Sheng (played by Ding Yuxi), the adopted son of the Mu family. Mu Sheng is the second lead and younger brother of the story’s female lead, Mu Yao (Zhu Xudan). He is a noble man with a gentle nature but can be protective and possessive of what he loves, including his older sister who is often bullied by Ling Yu.
Unprepared for her sudden entry into the novel’s world—and as a character she dislikes—Ling Miaomiao discovers she must complete a series of missions to return to her own reality.
