FOR those unfamiliar with the sprawling, spirit-summoning world of xianxia dramas, Love Game in Eastern Fantasy might sound intimidating at first glance. Ancient costumes? Cultivation? Demon hunters with long names and even longer grudges? It is a lot to take in. But this 2024 Tencent series, now recently added on Netflix, based on The Guide to Capturing a Black Lotus by Bai Yu Zhai Diao Gong, pulls off an unexpected trick, it makes the whole thing delightfully accessible. And not just accessible, funny, modern and above all, watchable.
Right from the first episode, it lobs viewers into a world of fantasy novels, demon clans, heavenly missions and metaphysical chaos. Yet somehow, it all makes sense, thanks to one mischievously relatable protagonist, a tongue-in-cheek premise and a structure that gamifies each story arc with clear rules and escalating stakes.
For any viewer wondering where to start with the genre: this is it. Try one episode and the rabbit hole practically digs itself.
