IMMORTAL SAMSARA

Cheng Yi and Yang Zi. Two of the most popular Chinese drama stars in one series. Who would not be tempted to watch? So I caught myself once again spending hours and hours of valuable time enjoying this story of love and sacrifice and what it means to be responsible to the person you love and the world at large.

After 59 main episodes I'm still not bored and that's unquestionable proof that this series is worth the many hours of binge-watching. The costumes, designs and cinematography are feasts to the eyes. The love story between the main leads might be common to most wuxi/ fantasy dramas but still how it was presented and supported by the presence of side couples is something worth appreciating too. Not to mention how wonderful their chemistry is.

I totally appreciate also the love triangle of Yingyuan, Yandan and Yuma which turned into solid friendships that bring blessings to the six realms. Contrary to how sad this kind of relationship dynamics can be, theirs turned out beautifully. Thanks to the second male lead character who selflessly supports his friends even while putting his own feelings to the side. For me, this character's contribution to the overall strength of the story is no less valuable than that of the main couple's characters.

Let me make a special mention of this fact. Cheng Yi portraying his father's character as Asura clan king is formidably impressive. The white hair, the costumes, the character's mannerisms and even the slightly different but more commanding voice is Cheng Yi at his finest. Even with just a few scenes, the impact is palpable. He gives me chills with just a smirk and romantic excitement with just a stare. It made me invariably wish I could see him in another series with this same bearing and characteristics.

Then just like the reality we are conscious of, Immortal Samsara is also riddled with greed, abuse of power and betrayals. It showed the fact that no matter how long we have known a person already, there will always be something we would be pleasantly surprised or totally disgusted with.

However, as long as we hold on and believe, good will always triumph over evil. As clearly portrayed in this show, goodness in the six realms also abounds. There is loyalty, kindness and sacrifice among family and friends. Protecting each other is instinctive and caring is a way of living. So when we make the right choices, things will eventually fall into its proper place and love always wins.