Cenizas de Amor (2018)

A storyline that has potential, yet quickly grows repetitive and frustrating.

For the sake of this review, I watched the Netflix version of this show, which has all 63 episodes.

Ashes of Love has so much potential going for it, yet it sadly manages to fall flat in areas that should hold it in a stronger light. Before I talk about the things that hurt this show for me though, let me start by mentioning some of the positives:

- The show is visually beautiful. The set designs are so vivid and colourful, the costume and makeup design is stunning, and even the visual effects are great for the year of the show's release.
- The musical score for this show is lovely. No tracks feel tired of overused, and I could easily see myself listening to this soundtrack again in the future whilst working.
- The cast of actors themselves are very talented. For all I complain about the characters themselves, the actors did a fantastic job with what was given to them to work with.
- Yes, Luo Yunxi's Runyu steals this show. His character is probably the most fully fleshed out, well-rounded in the entire cast. Luo Yunxi's acting only enhances this, and his work shines despite the plot's strange directions.
- Other notable characters that brought me joy anytime they were on the screen were Suli, Kuang Li, Yan You, and Yuan Ji. (Yuan Ji, my beautiful fate immortal! How I wish you had more screentime in this show).

Now, to the negatives:

- This isn't a love story.
Oh, Ashes of Love tries to be one. It even classes itself as one. But for all intents and purposes, the romance in this is questionable. For the first half of the drama our main female lead, Jinmi, doesn't even have the ability to know or understand what love is. While her breaking of the curse which stops her from experiencing this could have been a fascinating journey, instead the viewer is stuck with watching as the two princes of the Immortal Realm - Deng Lun's Xufeng and Luo Yunxi's Runyu - take advantage of her naivety to fight over their own affections for her. Heck, even other characters outside of this love triangle are doing their best to plot about whom Jinmi should marry, while Jinmi herself is just 'sure, whatever, I'm just having fun'. Even later, when she does break the curse and learn what love is, neither Xufeng nor Runyu are deserving of her, as they continuously use her as a pawn in their own petty game.
The only time I ever felt that the romantic relationships between the characters in this love triangle were truly well written and fleshed out were during the arc where Jinmi and Xufeng experience their trials as mortals. During that period the viewer thinks 'oh, okay! So after they finish the trial and return to the Heavenly realm, they'll come out more experienced in life and better their understanding!' Haha no, that doesn't happen at all. In fact, the happenings after their return are probably the most frustrating on the entire show for me.

- This show gets repetitive.
So many interesting things happen storywise in this show. Yet ... they're all in the background, an almost secondary addition to the constant ping-ponging between the main love triangle. I hope you're in for 63 episodes of Jinmi going 'I'll marry Xufeng' 'no wait! I'll marry Runyu, because that's what was promised' 'no no, wait again! I'll marry Xufeng for sure, because I actually love him (I think?)' 'haha no, I'll marry Runyu because Xufeng hates me now' 'but ... if I visit Xufeng this one last time ... maybe he'll at least forgive me!'
Even the side pairing in this show - Liu Ying and Muci - spend a good thirty episodes running backward and forwards between one another. It's so irritating! The same problems keep happening for this cast, and yet instead of the show solving them and letting the story naturally evolve, it just rehashes them again under a new umbrella.

- Xufeng and Jinmi are self-obsessed.
Okay, so. This is actually a problem that also lies with other characters too - even Runyu suffers from it - but I noticed this particularly with Xufeng and Jinmi once they returned from their mortal trial. So this focus will be the main example I use for just how frustrating this show can get.
During Xufeng and Jinmi's trials in the mortal realm, the story also begins to take us in the direction of - in my opinion - one of the most important and interesting plots Ashes of Love has to offer. Through Yan You's guidance, Runyu learns the truth of his childhood, including his parentage and why it is the Heavenly Empress hates him so. I won't spoil too much of this arc, but tragedy strikes during this arc which is the catalyst for pushing Runyu's character to make the decisions he does later.
When Xufeng and Jinmi return, Runyu is secluded and grieving. Now, throughout the show up until this point, the viewer has been shown that Xufeng cares deeply for his brother, and Jinmi has developed a very strong friendship with Runyu, her fish Immortal friend.
Neither one of these two characters check in on him at any point in time.
It's not due to them not knowing what happened to him - they do, it's made very clear - but instead, they're so absorbed in their own honeymoon happiness that nothing outside their own bubble matters. It's another act of the show forcing this romance on us, without making it feel natural, or letting these characters continue their other important relationships outside of their romantic interests. Later, when Runyu finally strikes back for all that's been done to him, there's very little sympathy the viewer can feel towards the other characters because ... yeah, we saw this happening. We saw the neglect, abuse, and trauma this character was put through that suddenly we don't feel bad for him acting as he does.

I can go on, but this review is already getting long.
If, like me, you're tired of out-dated clichés and female characters who aren't allowed the chance to grow and be themselves, then this show isn't for you. I mentioned on my Tumblr that this is probably perfect for a younger audience who do love shows that aren't heavy on substance, but if you're looking for something with complex characters and story and a romance that feels authentic ... it's not Ashes of Love. Save yourself time and watch something else.

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This drama is so good, it has a very good cast, the costumes are beautiful (except for the wedding dress in the celestial wedding) the main couple has very good chemistry which I liked a lot. The CGI was great. I feel so happy about this drama, like someone who read the book before watching the drama, I'm just delighted. I liked that they followed the story so well, also and above all I loved that the new thing that they added (in the human world and the demon princess and Migu) was tender, sad, totally full of emotions and adapted great to the story,
I liked that, they did not fill the drama with great scenes of the villains planning, nor great monologues about how they were going to develop their plan, which Chinese dramas usually do a lot. For being mostly a love story, there was not so much political struggle, that was great.
I'm just disappointed in the final episode because I do not understand why they made Xufeng stop being a Demon Lord, but besides that it was just 10/10

I do not understand why people say that it's the same as TMOPB, the stories are so different, because both are fantasy dramas have similar elements but everything that involves the story and personality of the characters is so opposite that I simply do not understand how people can compare

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I wont say its bad, its very watchable if you like similar series and watched Ten Miles Blossom

First off, this is my opinion and there will be some spoilers so read at your own risk, I know lots people dont mind spoilers to get the idea of the series. This show's has quite big plot holes. There's only a couple or so from the main last half plot series. Love is really a big topic but thats where the plot holes comes in, displaying their kind of Love. There will be quite a few Angst moment but I walk into this drama knowing that, but still got hit with the feel territory. Comparison series explain after plot hole review.

Spoiler 2 plot hole reveals:

1. FL display full body love to ML and believe in him from the beginning of the series but end up not believing his word that he did not do it at mid point???? But i kinda understand the no love feeling fruit she had gotten which makes it part of her decision. But but.........

2.ML ask FL to kill him if she doesn't believe him to rid her revenge, but then when she did kill him, he returns evil, pissed, at her for betraying him? He showed quite a lot of love and he would sacrafice himself for her but it turns out not at the moment of plot. Too many suspicion that never quite make him or her think and understand.


Soo the question you guys would ask how is it compare to Ten Miles Blossom.
Although I see some likes this more than Ten miles, I for one love Ten Miles more. The fact I think Ten Miles is better is due to ML and FL are powerful characters. The plot in Ten miles to me seems more addicting to follow than this. The side characters in Ten Miles are addicting to follow as well. I like both dramas but FL in this drama is too weak. They only display as strong but never really felt it. FL here also is an airhead but very cute for the big half of the show until the final 3rd. My angst is still here after watching it so I had to write this to cool off my head. It ends happily so as long as you got thru til the end, its feelings in and out.


If you dont mind a slightly weaker with angst plot holes, but still like the type of immortals with love, go give it a shot, you might like it more than the others. My rating stays true at a 7.5 and this is not being bias to Ten Miles.

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I need a support group to get over this drama.

Heavy Sweetness, Ash-Like Frost *so* easily became one of my personal all-time favorite dramas. I knew I was going to enjoy this ride as soon as I got through the beautiful opening sequence. Then the leads showed up and stole every bit of my heart. I've become a huge fan of Yang Zi after watching her portrayal of Jin Mi from who she is in the beginning of the drama to who she becomes at the end. It's so raw and dynamic, you really feel all of the emotions Jin Mi goes through in this story. I couldn’t imagine any other actress, Yang Zi was perfect for the role. Her chemistry with Deng Lun's Xu Feng is *off the charts*! There are so many details in their interactions i.e. the way she lights up when she sees him, his smiles when she isn't looking, they are the ultimate OTP from the get-go.

Jin Mi’s naivety is not a new character trope, but it’s well done in a way that makes her uniquely endearing, not annoying. Even those who found her annoying will agree with me when I say we wish she could go back to the way she was by the end of the drama. Xu Feng doesn’t enjoy the same character development; in fact, I’d argue that he was pretty much set up to be an alpha male lead from the beginning. But what I love about him is that his strengths (i.e. his compassion) are also his weaknesses. The second male lead, Run Yu, also goes through dynamic character developments, and though I don’t agree with his choices, he’s a very interesting character you both wish to condemn and comfort simultaneously.

The team behind this drama did not gimp on effects. Though I can overlook bad CGI, it does take away from the drama. You don’t get awful CGI in this drama! The music is also so beautiful and haunting, I only wish that there were more OSTs! The overall plot is well-done and interesting, but I have to critique the way that the two main leads did not run the show in the latter half of the drama. It felt like they took to the backseat and there was a surge of side-stories, and though this did all contribute to the main plot, I thought that it could have been more concise, and that things could have been introduced in the first half to better flow into the second half instead of being introduced for the first time halfway through. The ending was both perfect but also left me wanting so, so much more at the same time, probably because I’m just too attached.

Regardless of it’s flaws, Xu Feng and Jin Mi’s love story resonated with me. I think xianxia fans will easily find something engaging within this, and those new to the xianxia genre, this could be your introduction! Other than fantasy elements, there’s comedy, romance, angst, family, friendship, drama—a little bit of everything for everyone!

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This is really good

After years of watching Chinese dramas, Ashes Of Love remains number one on my list! This drama is so crazy and really good. I'll tell you a little (not a spoiler) before that I'm a fan of Legend Of Yun Xi and Legend Of Fuyao. I haven't watched this drama even though many recommended number 1 is always this drama, I think what's good? I was not really interested in the synopsis, then one day, my heart was knocked to try to watch episode 1 Ashes Of Love, different from other dramas. Usually the first time I watch it I feel like I want to just stop but I finally like it. I like Ashes Of Love right away, this story is very interesting and I like it when Jinmi's part is known to be a girl. In Eternal Love I always waited when Bai Qian attended banquets and everyone knew he was Bai Qian, but that didn't happen and actually I was a little annoyed but it's okay. the point is you have to watch this drama, maybe you are lazy when you see the many episodes, but when you watch it maybe you will think 63 episodes are lacking, thank you

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I am an avid drama fan and have seen countless dramas; many of which I connected to emotionally. And yet, somehow, this show affected me far more than any other on so many levels. It touched my heart, then broke it into pieces, only to put it all back together to create an even bigger love for the show. I suffered from withdrawal for days in the aftermath.

There is a lack of substance about the show initially that appeared to support misconceptions that its popularity is undeserving. But let me tell you, as someone who had this exact thought, you'll miss out on a great and thrilling ride if you let that carry you away.

The drama begins with the unexpected meeting of a fairy named Jinmi (Yang Zi) and Phoenix (Deng Lu), heir to the throne of the heavenly realms. Soon after, she becomes sort of like his apprentice, and gradually, he falls in love with her. Jinmi is a cute, little airhead with a wide-eyed view of the world. Phoenix is playful, good-natured, and protective. There is something about his demeanor that gave me peace. I recall watching the first half passively and that's not to say the first half wasn't worth the time. It was certainly a pleasant watch, fill with beautiful people in lavish costumes; mythical creatures and characters rich in backstory to keep you thoroughly entertained. I think China's long, prolific history in art is to thank for such abundance of interesting fantasy material. And there are plenty of funny, sweet, romantic moments between our two leads to keep any romance buff happy. Add to that an exciting OST and you've already got a good show.

One of my favorite parts of the drama is Jinmi and Phoenix's time spent in the human realm, partaking in a "trial," which is kind of like a rite of passage for an individual as they seek permission to transform into an immortal god. As the story progresses and layers are peeled back from the rosy hued world, however, we begin to see the deadly and irreparable ramifications caused by the hero's seemingly good, godly parents. You'll start to question whether you were really seeing heaven when it felt like hell. This culminates in an episode that, for me, elevated the show from good to exceptionally amazing. It was a game changer. From here on out, there was no going back. You see, Jinmi is led to believe Phoenix killed her father, and in a moment of intense pain, confusion and anger, she stabs him, literally, in the back. And the most heartbreaking thing was, even at his last breathe, all he cares about is whether she loved him in return. And to which she coldly responds, "never." I was shocked by the turn of events, to say the least. Don't worry though, he will be back.

And back he is as the King of the Demon realm. Now jaded and debauched, Phoenix is unrecognizable (and super hot!). His hatred for Jinmi and revenge for what he had lost, plays out along side Jinmi's efforts to repair their relationship. The level of angst in this part of the story increases exponentially and had me completely fascinated. I pretty much plowed through the remaining episodes with zeal, no longer passively watching.

Now would be a good time to mention that Phoenix has a half brother, Runyu, who also loves Jinmi. It is his machinations that put into motion the events in the second half. After learning she has fallen victim to his trick, causing her to wrongfully "kill" the person she loves the most, in the depths of her despair as the realization hits hard for Jinmi, she confronts Runyu for all that he has done. If you thought you had any doubts about Yang Zi's talents as an actress, this would be the scene to see. You'll be blown away by her monologue; it was heartbreaking to watch.

After much hardship, Phoenix and Jinmi's reunion, which is made possible by the help of a trio of lovable characters, was so gratifying to see. But before the finale, there is an epic battle to be had (great watch in and of itself), in which Jinmi sacrifices herself for humanity, and here is where Deng Lu shines as an actor. As he sits staring into space in the immediate aftermath, you can clearly see how there's absolutely nothing left inside of him. Watching his anguish over losing the love of his life, I felt so sad for him in these scenes I don't even know how to describe it. That's why their eventual happy ending was a mend for my broken heart as much as theirs. And believe me, after what these two have gone through, they deserve every ounce of that happy ending.

I have never seen a drama with such high rewatch value before. I was amazed to learn I couldn't get enough of the scenes from the first half, the same ones I had watched without much regard the first time around. Knowing how the show would progress and conclude was in no way a detractor to enjoying it multiple times. In fact, the rewatch created opportunities to see things in a new light and appreciate the things I had overlooked. It's kind of like when you fall in love with someone you've known for a long time and you discover these wonderful things about them as a result that made you question how you could have missed it all before. The look back also made me marvel at how much change there is to Jinmi and Phoenix's relationship dynamic over the course of the story.

I cannot praise this show enough. It will forever go down as one of my favorite love stories ever, and if anyone ever ask me why I love dramas so much, I'll show them Ashes of Love and it would be more than enough to serve as an explanation.

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Absolute fluff and no stakes for a xianxia

Fell in love with Luo Yunxi after Till the End of the Moon, and I heard this drama is where his popularity exploded. And the masses are right; his character, Runyu, is the only interesting thing about this drama. I honestly NEVER get 2nd lead syndrome (the kdrama Startup is the rare exception), and Runyu takes the cake here.

ML (Xufeng/Deng Lun):
He is just a spoiled mama's boy. He has no character development at all. His only character trait is "I want Jinmi", yet witnesses his mother attempting to KILL HER, and he still protects her. He ignores all the abuse that Runyu gets from his stepmother, and does nothing to rebel against his parents even though they all want him to marry Suihe. Where are his motivations? What does he actually do to get what he wants? He just kinda sits there and reacts to whatever is happening around him. It really makes it hard to root for him, because he really doesn't deserve Jinmi.

FL (Jinmi/Yang Zi):
I'll give her a pass for her childishness, since I guess that part of the plot but she is absolutely useless. Why two people fall in love with her baffles me. Really nothing else to say, just a really bland girl. I liked her mortal arc character because she actually had some skill and spunk.

Runyu:
The screenwriters really were like "What are all the things a main character can suffer?" and gave them all to Runyu. His infamous scene where his mother dies gave me LITERAL CHILLS as I watching his transformation from begging on the ground to finally rebelling against his unfair life. I found myself rooting for him, even though I knew he was inevitably going to be doomed. I never cried over the main CP because I really didn't see any stakes in their love, but I cried at Runyu's unrequited love all the time.

Music:
I love the opening and ending songs, and by themselves, and they are wonderful to listen to. But because there are literally only 4 songs total on the soundtrack, they are all heavily overused in a 63 episode show and it is very easy to get tired of them. The music editing is also VERY awkward, and instrumental tracks will suddenly start or stop, and it really takes you out of the atmosphere of a scene.

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Because this drama is often compared to Eternal Love, I will be writing my review with reference to Eternal Love to give you readers a sense of where this drama's at. Here's my review:

Story: I will not repeat the drama's synopsis here which you can read from the drama description. Instead, what I'll say is the story in Ashes of Love is much more addictive than its most popular rival, Eternal Love. Both dramas belong in the same genre with similar themes:- gods and goddess, demons, heavenly politics, war, rebirth into the mortal world, triangle love, missed chances, three lifetimes of romance involving three worlds, angst and more angst etc. While Eternal Love has a good story, Ashes of Love has a better story pace and story development. Therefore, Ashes of Love wins by a small margin over Eternal Love when it comes to story rating. Those of you who love excellent story and story pace, you will probably rate Ashes of Love slightly higher than Eternal Love, but I did not. I gave both dramas the same rating and the reason why can be found below under "Acting/Cast".

Acting/Cast: This is the part where Ashes of Love rated slightly below compared to Eternal Love. Those of you who had watched Eternal Love probably couldn't forget Mark Chao's Ye Hua. Because of his portrayal of Ye Hua, Mark Chao went from an almost unknown drama actor in China (he's popular in Taiwan but not in China and the world in general) to an overnight International success! It was as if the man's born to take on the Ye Hua character! The charisma....the aura.....the screen presence....the silent gentlemanly smoldering look.....everything was perfect! He was totally reborn as Ye Hua!

Now, we go from Mark Chao's Ye Hua to Deng Lun's Xu Feng. Sure, Deng Lun did a good job, especially towards the end of the drama where he demonstrated some good crying skills, but somehow I feel that the role of Xu Feng was a little too big for Deng Lun to fill. He failed to attract me the way Mark Chao's Ye Hua attracted me. And I feel he lacked that heavenly princely-general aura. It was clear that he was acting. This is not to say that Deng Lun did not do a good job. He did. It's just that, in a baker's term, once you've tasted natural vanilla, you will not go back to using artificial vanilla/vanilla essence. Both get the job done but the natural vanilla's a class of its own! However, if you haven't watched Eternal Love before watching Ashes of Love, you will not notice this difference in the acting skills of the male leads.

As for female leads - both female leads in Eternal Love and Ashes of Love are of the same par in terms of acting, Same goes for the supporting cast. They all did a great job! So the slightly lower rating for "Acting/Cast" I gave for this drama was due to the fact I thought that Deng Lun's Xu Feng didn't quite impressed me. Instead, it was Ashes of Love, THE DRAMA AS A WHOLE which impressed me.

Music: The music's good. Check them out!

Re-watch value: It's 60 eps (DVD version) or 63 eps (TV version). That's quite a bit to be re-watching. So, I've rated the re-watch value as mediocre. In the meantime, if you are unable to immediately let go of this drama after watching it, you can fuel your need to slowly say goodbye to it by watching snippets of the main couple or your favourite scenes.....unless of course, if you are suicidal or fanatic enough to re-watch the entire drama again!

Overall: As an overall rating, I've given Ashes of Love a rating of 9/10. Definitely worth your time, effort and box of tissue!

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Overall it’s a good drama, but I wouldn’t recommend this drama if you don’t like triangle love story, male lead and the other support character fighting over for a girl.

Acting: They are did a good job with acting. Luoyunxi’s acting really touched me. The other actors also did a great job on carrying the storyline.

Plot: Honestly, I would say this drama’s storyline makes no senses. Other characters are okay except for Jinmi, she annoyed me so much, that I have to skip her scene. She just annoyed me so much, like every time she gets in trouble and someone have to go and save her. Like she rarely defended herself. And this character is just brainless, like she’s literally so extra. The story would be better without her. The other liu ying is more likable.

Thank you for reading, bye. :)

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Ashes of Love has become my favorite c-drama of all time. And this is coming from a person who never watches dramas with more than 20 episodes, dramas with heavy cgi, and dramas that are melodramatic. Ashes of Love broke all of these rules, so I was highly skeptical when I started it, but by the time I had completed the series, its effects on me were irreversible, and I experienced the worst withdrawal syndrome in my life. I found myself constantly re-watching the scenes with the OTP, quoting the lines from the drama, and singing along to the theme songs. Ashes of Love was THAT good. It is a roller coaster of emotions, from the heartwarming moments of a blooming love that never cease to bring a smile to your face, to the most melancholic nights of separation and loss that can drive tears down your cheeks. It has the most realistic and genuine portrayal of love, and how different people approach love. There’s one love that never extinguishes even if death does you apart, there’s another love that’s filled with yearning and the desire to possess, and lastly, the love that’s hard to notice but is always there to protect, the love that wishes you eternal happiness with another person.

Story (9.5/10)
The story is beautiful, sad, bittersweet, and at times humorous. Character interactions are fun and witty, and it is easy to resonate with some characters or understand where they are coming from even if you do not agree with their actions. The main couple had overflowing chemistry and all their dialogues are quote-worthy. The plot development and pacing are mostly proportionate, and the story can be separated into several distinct arcs, each serving a good purpose to provide depth and weight to the characters. The only downside is that too much focus is given to Yunyu in the latter half of the story and less on the main couple, causing him to be the most established character throughout. Luckily, most of the important characters had backstories that explained their personalities and motives, and all the main characters either had major character development or were given a good closure by the end of the series.

Characters (10/10)
All the actors did an excellent job portraying their characters, except for the Empress whom I felt was too over the top in her facial expressions (especially her glaring eyes). Whenever the characters cried I also felt heartbroken with them. And since the drama spanned across quite a lot of episodes, I felt emotionally attached to the characters like they were my friends. As for the individual roles, Yunyu was exceptionally well-portrayed and the most 3-dimensional character I have ever seen in a c-drama. The casting of Luo Yun Xi was perfect, as he looked, sounded, and emoted exactly like how Yunyu should be. Luo Yun Xi is not acting as Yunyu, he IS Yunyu. Yang Zi also nailed the role of Jinmi, which if done wrong would have caused the character to become stupid or obnoxious. Deng Lun, in comparison, was more tame in his facial expressions, but his aura matched the character of Xufeng like no other person could. Other side characters like Yianyou, the Water God and the Moon God were also memorable and sparked my interest. The entire cast was very fitting for their roles, and there was no single character that was out of place.

Music (10/10)
The OST kept ringing in my ears even weeks after I finished the series. I now have to listen to the opening song several times a day to move on with my life, and whenever I do, scenes from the drama would flood into my mind and I feel an urge to re-watch the drama again.
Fun fact: The artist who sang the ending song, Sa Ding Ding, also played one of the characters in the drama. She was a funny character and did a good job considering that she is not a professional actress.

Conclusion
This drama is a must watch. Do not shy away due to the number of episodes. A good drama will make time zip by, and before you know it, you will be wishing it to never end.

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Don't let the number of episodes hold you back !

I was debating for quite a while before I decided to watch this drama since it has 63 episodes, but I'm really glad that I ended up watching it. This is now one of my favorite Chinese romance drama. The story was so interesting that it kept me glued to my screen and impatient to start the next episode. All the actors were incredible and portrayed their character amazingly well. The chemistry between the leads is undeniable and they obviously know how to make our heart flutters. I honestly have nothing bad to say about this drama. I just wished it was longer. I highly recommend it!

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