“The Legend of Shen Li” Off to a Strong Start

Chinese stars Zanilia Zhao Liying (趙麗穎) and Lin Gengxin (林更新) reunite for the second time in xianxia fantasy drama The Legend of Shen Li <與鳳行>, in a mythical story that transcends the three realms!

High Viewer Expectations 

Listed on Tencent Video’s most anticipated top 10 dramas list and scoring stellar viewership in its premiere episode, the drama is off to a good start. Adapted from “The Prince is Here” by novelist Jiulu Feixiang, Zanilia plays Shen Li (沈璃), the strongest general of her realm with a magnanimous personality, who falls to earth while escaping romance. She meets Lin Gengxin’s Xing Zhi (行止), the lone ancient god who is kept from falling in love as he must safeguard the three realms. As two extraordinary figures saddled with huge responsibilities, this is nary your everyday love story, but a romance that comes with repercussions for the rest of humankind.

The anticipated drama promises both the sweetness of romance and stunning cinematography of the three realms, while not lacking in all-out, stunning fight scenes between immortals.

Forgoing the formulaic agonizing love plotlines of costume dramas, The Legend of Shen Li refreshes expectations of ancient costume romances with its first episode, where the intriguing circumstances under which our lead characters first meet in the backyard, manages to traverse both the mundane and the poetic, evoking audiences’ emotions organically.

As Zhao Liying’s return to the costume drama genre after several years, viewers are naturally eager to witness the female god’s comeback, while netizens even commented that the actress manages to look not a day older than in 2017 classic C-drama hit Princess Agents <楚喬傳>. Many even echoed sentiments that she looks “even more gorgeous”!

With its powerful female lead premise, and Zanilia at her peak beauty, it remains to be seen if the drama will live up to the palpable thrill about the sparks the couple shall bring in their awaited onscreen return.