Love Beyond The Grave (Chinese title 白日提灯 “Lantern in Daytime”) is the love story between He Simu, the Sovereign of Spirits and the young general Duan Xu.

Thoughts

So far, I have watched until episode 14. Based on what I have watched, I’d rate this drama a 2/5. I wasn’t really expecting much from this drama to begin with and I have to say, I got exactly what I knew I’d get. However, I wanted to give it a try to see how it goes.

Production

The production is very decent. I’m not super picky when it comes to production as long as the story delivers but a good production is also a good indicator of much effort was put into the project.

Sets & Landcapes

The sets and backgrounds are lacking. They feel fake and unnatural and it affects my immersion. One example is the cemetery during one of the early episodes and the city of Liangzhou where the leads first meet. There’s also a heavy use of CGI which makes things feel out of place. But on the other hand, CGI looks good for the fantasy aspects like the Fusang Tree and the Void Spirit World.

Cinematography

I gotta say, the cinematography is one of the parts that is lacking the most. The visual storytelling of this drama is basic. The drama would be so much better if the cinematography was more engaging. The camera angles, lights, color and camera movement are non-existent in this drama. Not to mention there is just no color harmony. Watching this drama feels so hard on my eyes. A good storytelling uses all of these elements to its favor so that the viewer gets immersed and invested in the story but this drama feels very plain in that aspect. It doesn’t necesarily mean the drama is bad or unwatchable, but it doesnt feel very engaging.

Despite the lack of a better cinematography, some scenes did evoke emotions in me. For example, the scene where He Simu gained the sense of touch and the sense of smell. Both of these scenes were beautiful.

Costumes

I don’t have much to say about the costumes. They are not bad, neither good. I gotta say though, that scene in early episodes of the Imperial Court, looked bad mainly because the costumes looked cheap. Even the emperor’s robes looked extremely cheap. Aside from that, the rest of the costumes are decent.

Storytelling & Writing

And this is my biggest problem with this drama. The writing. Right off the bat in episode one, we get the annoying narration of events by the mysterious old man voice that we get in many dramas. I understand this is usually done to provide background and place the audience in the story, but it becomes lazy writing when it’s overused. The narration continues for almost 5 minutes into the first episode without the viewers being unable to actively engage in the story. The narration introduces the Sovereign of Spirits, He Simu and explains what she’s after: the Powang Sword so she can acquire the 5 human senses. A good storytelling shouldn’t rely on constant narration to tell a story. It should show the audience, not tell them. Getting the most important details from the main character in a narration just breaks my immersion and connection with the character.

This same tactic is used to introduce the male lead as well. We learn about him in a conversation between He Simu and Fengyi that Duan Xu, the male lead, fell from grace and was forced to be a general. Why can’t we see these events unfolding in real time on screen instead of being narrated?

Story

This drama depicts a very simple story: He Simu, the Queen of Spirits wants to become human by acquiring all 5 human senses. She meets general Duan Xu, who’s the owner of the Powang Sword and the only one that can help her get achieve her goal. They obviously fall in love while navigating their own desires and struggles. It’s a story easy to follow. So far there aren’t any complicated plotlines. Characters are one-dimensional and basic. But I struggle to understand where the story is going. It feels there isn’t an incentive to continue watching because there is nothing to look forward to.

Characters

He Simu, Sovereign of Spirits

She is the Sovereign of Spirits and the most gifted one within the last 10 generations. She’s regal, sassy and badass. She wants to have human senses. Her life as a ghost is boring and flat and she wishes to experience the world like a human.

Although I like her character overall, I have some issues with how the character is written. She’s meant to be powerful and skillfull but so far the story hasn’t really shown much of that. It was hard for me to connect with her during the first episodes because her interactions with the world felt very limited (plus the annoying narration). We only see her interacting with Duan Xu 90% of the time. Not much is shown about her actual role as sovereign. Perhaps, the story will explore more of that later on.

Duan Xu, General of Liang

He’s the bearer of the Powang Sword. He’s a kind-hearted general that wants to protect the people of Liang. He has a hard past.

Against all odds, Arthur Chen managed to convince me in this role. I like his character here. I never really liked any of his previous roles. But this role is more versatile. Duan Xu is a relatable character. He’s kind and emotionally open. It’s refreshing to see a male character that is not stoic and rude. Despite this, I’m not very convinced of his portrayal of a general. He doesn’t have that fierce, authoritarian demeanor that I’d consider a general should have.

I also don’t understand why he fell for Simu. What qualities he sees in Simu that makes him fall so hard? Simu is a badass but is that all it takes for him to fall deeply in love? Or maybe there’s a more deeper story between them that hasn’t been shown yet?

Yan Ke, Right Hand of The Void

He’s He Simu’s right hand. He is the second in command and keeps the Void Spirit Wolrd under control while Simu is in the human world. I call him “Mr Nice Guy”. He is friendly with Simu and likes sending her presents but it gives me the impression he’s only doing this to make her like him. Around others, Yan Ke is ruthless and cruel.

I feel his character is going to rebel against Simu probably due to the jealousy he feels towards Duan Xu.

I like this character so far. I have watched Miles Wei in other roles before but none of those roles were interesting enough for me.

Other Characters

Some other side characters include Xue Chenying, the little boy saved by Simu. I honestly have no idea what is the purpose of this character in the story so I feel his scenes are unnecesary for the most part.

We also have Han Ling Qiu, the mysterious and quiet guy that can’t remember who he is. I think the show hinted some clues about his real identity but I honestly don’t care enough about his character.

And of course we have the male lead sidekicks. I find these characters extremely boring and they add nothing to the story. The female captain is supposed to be a strong female and all of that but her acting is not very convincing. She grew on me though and I like that she gets along with He Simu and even stood up for her. I’m all for the sisterhood. The Commander Xia is just another dude that likes the captain but he’s too shy to tell her.

I haven’t seen much of Fang Xian Ye. I believe he’s Duan Xu’s enemy (or frenemy?). I’m not interested in his charater either. I have seen this actor is other works like Love Like the Galaxy. I like his previous roles but I find his acting very stiff.

Then there’s the second female lead Jiang Ai. She was just introduced in episode 14 and I liked her personality. She seems very laid-back so maybe she’ll be a good character.

Final Thoughts

After watching for 14 episodes, this drama hasn’t convinced me to invest my time in it. Aside from the main couple, there isn’t really anything interesting that keeps me hooked. The story progression doesn’t give me much to look forward to and I don’t feel emotionally involved in it. I’d only recommend this drama if you’re a fan of the leads.

Where to Watch