The first 2/3 of this show were pretty decent overall, especially if you enjoy wuxia-style medical/alchemist type stories. The cast was good and the plot, though cliche, was interesting enough. During the last 1/3, however, the plot holes, excessive pathos, contrived melodrama, and over the top acting ruined most of the story for me (except for the very end).
Aside from the actual storytelling, there were also some technical nitpicks which I felt were distracting and dragged down the quality of the show:
*Too much camera shake during overly prolonged/bloody fight scenes
*Unimpressive CGI
*Amateur special effects makeup
*A number of reused ambient scenes
*Some thin/amateur sounding musical scores
However, if you don't mind a bit of "camp" with your kung fu, angst and intrigue, then this might be right up your alley! And on the bright side, it does have a happy ending, so there's that.
ROMANCE RATING: * * * 6/10. If you feel that a love story without an invested kiss is like an egg roll without the filling, then you are likely to leave this film feeling unsatisfied. As is typical with C-Dramas of this genre, there are few hugs (5+) and fewer kisses (3-4 chaste scenes), with lots of restrained emotion and no sexual tension. However, if pure love is your thing, then this will suit you to a T.
