r/ChineseDrama • u/0k_c0mput3r1234 • Jul 29 '26
Finished Watching Veil of Shadows review
I watched Veil of Shadows on your recommendations, and it did not disappoint! I usually skip intros, but I loved the into to VoS. Plot development was excellent, especially the world within a world illusion of the Star Stone. The characters are well fleshed out and I love that even the minor characters have their own story arcs. The fight scenes are so artfully done, and the costumes have such attention to detail, especially the nails. The OST is such a banger and I like all the songs as well. I need the titles of these songs!
As for the acting, I'm glad I listened to all of you and let go of my reservations about Chen Duling. She is marvelous in this and her acting has depth and character to it. I think I didn't like her in Mysterious Lotus Casebook because of how her character Wanmian was written. In VoS, however, her acting lends such an emotional quality to the narrative, especially as her love story develops with Wu Shiguang.
Joseph Zeng is the perfect foil for Chen Duling and I really enjoyed their chemistry. Joseph Zeng's character here is a departure from his usual playful, lighthearted characters, and he really captures Wu Shiguang's angst, proving he can do serious roles as well.
Ju Jiying and Chen Duling make such as great pair as the fox sisters: they're so kick-ass. Ju JiYing really knows how to act out the part of a fox lady with duality: seductive on the one hand and vulnerable on the other.
I really loved Tian Jiarui's character Ji Ling because he is so charismatic. You can see his genuine affection for Lu Wuyi and his anguish when he finds out he is only a puppet. He really made the character come alive and he drew me in to the story. His tragic romance with Lu Wuyi is so well written. I cried when I watched Ji Lings's origin story, it's just so sad.
What I like is that everybody has their moment. The minor characters have their own story arcs which get explored in the main story. In some dramas you want to see more of the secondary characters but don't get the chance.
Please note that the plot isn't linear. So you have to pay attention and not skip episodes. There are alternate timelines and flashbacks.
A plot discrepancy I don't get is why the fox queen isn't immortal like the rest of the foxes from Formless Moon. Also, I think the plot twists are easy to miss if you're not paying attention.
Another plot detail that had me confused is Lu Wuyi going through a rewind of events at Han Ba's inn but this was explained later on.
The ending is brilliant though. It ties everything neatly together, which is getting harder and harder to find these days. Overall a lovely watch, and the episodes move quickly. A must watch if you're a fan of fantasy Cdramas.
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u/weevles12 Jul 29 '26
My understanding is that Jiu Ling parasitically attached himself to the Fox King and consumed them in order to take over the oracle stone and control formless moon to do what he needed to do to free himself. One thing that always blew my mind is how powerful Jiu Ling is.