Yu Gu Yao

Beautifully made drama with eye stopping main character acted by Xiao Zhan and jaw dropping special effects for a TV drama. The calm, gentle, albeit reserved but fun character ShiYing is superbly acted by Xiao Zhan! Just can't move my eyes away from him. He is the essence of xianxia Chinese dramas with his impeccable physique, and empathic acting; he is simply irresistable. He really took the Shakespearean tragedy of the exiled prince to the next level. Unlike those similar charcaters before him, Xiao Zhan's ShiYing is kind and calming to all those around him even though he is strong willed and extremely powerful. He just pulls the audience into the character through the windows of the spike of the characters.

The story of ShiYing is a story of the exiled prince who should have came back for revenge to those who cause the death of his mother and his own exile. But he in turn became the savior, rather than the avenger. To do this, he has to go against his love, a student of his, who is destined to end his life as told by prophesy. The drama is well made with beautiful scenery and wonderful costume design. The resistable Xiao Zhan will be the epiphany of xianxia charcater for many years to come. It's the Chinese drama to watch this summer!

Watched 4 episodes so far, I can honestly say this fantasy drama is very well made. Xiao Zhan is at his best in both his look and his acting. Unlike his role in the Untamed, this time Shiying, is a very elegant, calm, a bit cold most of the time but occasionally witty character. Xiao Zhan's temperament just perfectly suits this role. And his look is just beyond this world. I can't find suitable words for it. His acting ability has notably matured comparing to his last fantasy drama in my opinion, more subtle but still very powerful in delivering the character's emotions. His acting is always very genuine and touching, especially in sad scenes.

Other casts are doing pretty good jobs too. The costumes are stunning and special effects although not prefect, are definitely better than most of the dramas in this genre. If you are a fan of Chinese fantasy drama, don't miss this gem!

I have waited for 2 years for this drama, and I'm not disappointed! XiaoZhan is just as gorgeous as I expected, and the female lead is pretty and cute. The whole show is in very high quality, beautiful costumes, magnificent sceneries, and interesting story lines. All other supporting roles and side plots are very good too. The only thing is that I am distracted by XiaoZhan's handsome face, and would miss what they are saying. I had to go back and replay the parts multiple times LOL. This makes me so happy, what a nice summer vacation gift! I am so excited and looking forward to the rest of the episodes!

I have waited to see half of all episodes before writing a review, but now I can confidently say that this is a great drama series! It shines in may aspects:

• Storyline

While it takes an episode or two to fully understand the setting, from then on it's a captivating story with good setups and payoffs, never letting plotlines drag on for too long but also not cutting interesting story elements short.

• Characters & casting

The stars of the show, Xiao Zhan as Shi Ying and Ren Min as Zhu Yan, are the heart of the show. Shi Ying is the tragic center of the story, while the character of Zhu Yan adds the necessary sweetness and a bit of lightheartedness to the story. Especially Xiao Zhan's performance of Shi Ying brings a lot of nuance and heart to the character.

The supporting cast is also very strong: they are well acted and all have their own motivations, ambitions and struggles. They are all written 3-dimensional and make the world and its inhabitans seem more alive (with the only exception so far being the Ice Clan).

• Visuals & CGI

This series is simply beautiful to watch. Sets, costumes, lightning, fight choreography, "magic", CGI background and creatures - they are all masterfully done and really work well with each other. For that alone it's a great watch.

• Music

I often don't notice music, even when it's well done. In this drama however I often notice music in a positive way, consciously realising that it imroves the scene I'm watching even further and motivating me to go back and watch the scene again.

All in all a great drama to watch for any fantasy fan, and definetly a must-watch for any xianxia drama fan.

I recently completed watching 12 episodes of "The Longest Promise," and I must say, this fantasy drama is absolutely breathtaking. Xiaozhan's acting prowess is truly remarkable. His profound understanding of the characters shines through, enabling him to flawlessly portray their essence.

Furthermore, the scenery throughout the drama is truly amazing, immersing the viewer in a visually captivating universe. The scenic vistas and finely created sets lend depth and charm to the overall look. Furthermore, the action sequences are extremely powerful, demonstrating the production team's passion and skill.

The producer and the entire crew clearly put their heart and soul into creating this outstanding series. The attention to detail and obvious hard effort make "The Longest Promise" a remarkable watching experience.