Review: Love in Pavilion (2025) 淮水竹亭
Summary: In a time long ago, humans and spirits co-inhabited the world. The Yi Qi Alliance was formed by powerful human clans. Humans also established the Ji Cha Si to inspect and oversee the matters of the alliance. However, this alliance has become fragile as Wang Quan Hong Ye (ft Zhang Yun Long 张云龙) tries to maintain peace between humans and spirits. The younger members of the different human clans including the Wang Quan, Yang, and Zhang families form their own mini-alliance called the Mask Squad. On one mission, the Mask Squad encounter Dong Fang Huai Zhu (ft Liu Shi Shi 刘诗诗). They, along with Dong Fang Hua Zhu must uncover the world’s mysteries, maintain peace between humans and spirits, and uphold justice.
Platform: iQiYi
Episodes: 36
Airing Date: April 28, 2025
Initial Rating 6.5/10 – This fantasy drama falls flat, largely due to Liu Shi Shi’s lackluster and uninspired portrayal of Dong Fang Huai Zhu. In contrast, Zhang Yun Long delivers a far more compelling and layered performance. The rest of the star-studded cast is merely adequate, limited by thin material and underdeveloped writing
Dong Fang Huai Zhu 东方淮竹 liu shi shi 刘诗诗
Eldest daughter of the Dong Fang Clan and possesses spirit fire
wang quan hong ye 王权弘业 zhang yun long张云龙
Young master of the Wang Quan clan and leader of the Mask Squad
Wang quan zui 王权醉 wu xuan yi 吴宣仪
Younger sister to Wang Quan Hong Ye and fellow member of the mask squad
yang yi tan 杨一叹 zhai xiao wen 翟潇闻
Heir of the Yang family and has the special ability of the Eye of Heaven
dong fang qin lan 东方秦兰 shen yue 沈月
Younger sister to Dong Fang Huai Zhu
li qu zhuo 李去浊 zhao yi bo 赵一博
Second son of the Li clan and fellow member of the Mask Squad
nan gong chui 南宫垂 zhang bo zhi 张博之
Young master of the Nan Gong clan who seeks dominance against other humans and spirits
jiu huo 九惑 lin bo rui 林柏叡
A powerful spirit who aims to release the powerful black fox spirit into the world
bai mu yao jun 百目妖君 hou ming hao 侯明昊
Hundred Eye Demon King who sacrifices much for love
du niang zi 毒娘子 chen yu qi 陈钰琪
The Poison Mistress who suffered much in her youth
yang yan 杨雁 zhang ruo nan 章若楠
Daughter of the Yang family and best friends with Dong Fang Huai Zhu
mu xiao wu 木小五 chen ruo xuan 陈若轩
Guard at the local mine who loves Yang Yan
zhang zheng 张正 ding yu xi丁禹兮
Swordsman of the Zhang clan who has considerable skill
mu qing yuan 青木媛 meng zi yi 孟子义
Intelligent businesswoman who sells secrets to the highest bidder
jia lan 珈蓝 peng xiao ran 彭小苒
Black fox spirit who sustains herself on the hatred of others
Cui yu ming luan 翠玉鸣鸾 zhou jie qiong 周洁琼
A water leech spirit who possesses unique powers
Initial Thoughts
Love in Pavilion, formerly titled Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Bamboo Pact, is the highly anticipated prequel to Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Red Moon Pact, which famously flopped last year despite its high-profile cast of Yang Mi and Gong Jun. The title change by iQiYi appears to have been a strategic move to distance this new installment from its predecessor, and initial curiosity did help the show trend on social media. However, much of the online attention has been overwhelmingly critical.
As a viewer unfamiliar with the original Fox Spirit Matchmaker IP, I approached this series with no expectations and found it to be serviceable, if somewhat shallow. The storyline follows a familiar setup: a world divided between humans and spirits. Some humans want to enslave spirits while others want to keep the peace. Unfortunately, the protagonist Dong Fang Huai Zhu, played by Liu Shi Shi, lacks drive or emotional weight. Despite her unique powers, she opts to watch the struggles from afar, only joining to save a friend. It makes for a weak lead and a protagonist who feels disconnected from the broader stakes of the narrative. Her love interest, Zhang Yun Long’s Wang Quan Hong Ye, is a much more compelling character, whose political maneuvering and internal struggles add some much-needed complexity. The supporting cast is visually striking but underutilized, given minimal development or screen time.
Despite reaching a respectable 8500 on iQIYI’s popularity index, the drama seems to have peaked early, raising concerns for the platform, which has heavily invested in the Fox Spirit Matchmaker universe. With one final entry in the trilogy still to come ,Fox Spirit Matchmaker Wang Quan Pact starring Cheng Yi and Li Yi Tong, only time will tell if the franchise can recover its footing.
What I Liked
- Zhang Yun Long as Wang Quan Hong Ye: I might be in the minority, but I genuinely enjoy Zhang Yun Long’s performance as Wang Quan Hong Ye. He effortlessly shifts personas depending on who he’s interacting with, sometimes even literally wearing a mask, and brings subtle nuance to each version of his character. As a character, Wang Quan Hong Ye is far more developed than the female lead, and Zhang Yun Long convincingly portrays him as a well-meaning hero who occasionally finds himself out of his depth. Ironically, while Zhang Yun Long shares great chemistry with nearly everyone, the one pairing that falls flat is with Liu Shi Shi’s Dong Fang Huai Zhu. Despite his efforts, their dynamic feels forced and lacking spark. I’ve always considered Zhang Yun Long a solid actor, and he proves it once again here. His presence in period and fantasy dramas has been missed. He brings a polished, grounded quality that many male leads often lack in the genre.
- Starry Cast of Supporting Characters: Despite limited screen time, the supporting cast in Love in Pavilion has left a lasting impression. Many currently popular actors and actresses appear only briefly, sometimes just for an episode or two as cameos, but their performances often outshine their recent leading roles. Take Zhang Ruo Nan, for example. As Dong Fang Huai Zhu’s best friend Yang Yan, she brings agency and quiet strength to the role, making her captivating to watch. She is far more compelling here in the few episodes I’ve seen in this drama than her stiff performance in The First Frost. Another standout is Wu Xuan Yi. While she was just passable in The Perfect Match, she’s far more natural and charming here as Wang Quan Zui, the spunky little sister with a good heart. Though these supporting characters don’t get much screentime, they consistently add energy and surprise to the series, making them a highlight of the show.
- Unapologetic Antagonists Drive the Drama Forward: The early antagonists are refreshingly straightforward in their motivations. It’s greed, power, recognition, or love and that simplicity works in the show’s favor. The single-minded pursuits of the antagonists allow them to be unapologetically ruthless, which adds intensity to the narrative and a sense of dread for whether or not the protagonists will win this round. While the antagonists goals may be a bit surface-level (i.e. one man turns evil because he wants to keep his family’s legacy), their unpredictable behavior injects a wild energy that at least keeps the story interesting.
What's Didn't Work
Liu Shi Shi as Dong Fang Huai Zhu: Despite being headlined by Liu Shi Shi, the drama definitely struggles due to her underwhelming performance. While she carries herself with grace and poise, her acting remains stiff and emotionally distant. From her first appearance in the show, her gaze is vacant and she seems disengaged, as if she’s reciting lines rather than inhabiting the role. This stiffness creates a disconnect with the rest of the cast, especially in her scenes with Zhang Yun Long, where the chemistry feels forced. She does get better as the character becomes more animated but it’s still not enough. Her character, Dong Fang Huai Zhu, is similarly lackluster which I will blame the screenwriter. The character is passive and lacking personal motivation, which makes her storyline pale in comparison to the more driven female characters around her despite the fact that they don’t have much screentime. Visually striking but emotionally unengaging, both the actress and the role leave much to be desired.
Questionable Main Romance: The main romantic arc feels unearned and contrived. It’s hard to grasp why Wang Quan Hong Ye develops feelings for Dong Fang Huai Zhu after just one brief encounter. It might not be love at first sight but the two sure are put in many situations together where Wang Quan Hong Ye continues to develop feelings for Dong Fang Huai Zhu even though she makes it clear she is not interested. There’s a whole mistaken identity plot in there too. Their so-called romantic moments often involve lengthy “dates” drenched in distracting, low-quality CGI that breaks immersion. It’s disappointing, especially considering how much better the effects were in Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Red Moon Pact. Sadly, the same visual polish didn’t carry over to this installment.
Frustratingly Lenient Protagonists: One of the most aggravating aspects of the drama is how overly forgiving the protagonists are. In the name of “honor” or “family,” they keep giving the antagonists second chances. The villains aren’t advancing because they’re clever or powerful; they’re simply getting a free pass every time. It’s disheartening to watch the heroes repeatedly suffer while the antagonists walk away unscathed, all because the leads refuse to hold them accountable. This leniency undercuts the tension and makes the storyline feel more irritating than engaging. I acknowledge enjoying watching the antagonists behave in an unhinged manner but I need them to face consequences.
