Watching this cdrama hurt on so many levels. It started as a very promising fantasy fighting series with a dramatic plot and gorgeous cast. Xu Kai and Gulnazar look quite amazing as a couple, although the girl does seem a bit cold and the chemistry wasn't really hot and sparkly, but they looked good together and the romance was okay. But then the plot just went down the hill so fast that it was hard to keep watching.

☼From smart to stupid in a heartbeat☼

Xukai's character, XueYing, as well as his Shifu and a bunch of other characters, started off as being smart, brave, and resourceful. They played well against the Demon clan, seeing through their schemes. But then, in a matter of a few episodes, everyone seemed to suddenly lose their intellect. The most obvious traitors were overlooked and the Demon clan was always one step ahead of the good guys in a very unnatural manner. It's not that they were super smart, it's just that the Xia clan guys suddenly became super stupid. Not to mention XueYing's brother who ignored the bad girl being super bad despite everything XueYing was saying (indeed, he was the smartest of the bunch, but it didn't help them in the end). Very questionable actions of Shifu (Chi Qiu Bai), who could have avoided the disaster if he only talked to someone about what he was going to do. Like seriously, he didn't have to do any of the weird stuff he did in the name of the greater good.

☼Too many deaths and sacrifices☼

This is a George Martin-level amount of deaths in a series, like Game of Thrones style. But in Snow Eagle Lord many of the deaths were unnecessary and the plot didn't really logically lead to them. But the director was going for a super drama, maybe that's why the plot turned out like this. Sacrifice is one of the main themes in the series, so be prepared to see many of the characters not valuing their lives or effortlessly dying because of a screenwriter's whim. At some point, it started to get annoying even, and I stopped connecting to what was happening on screen because it was kind of rushed and illogical. But I know many people suffered along with the characters and were really sad to see them go.

☼The cast was still amazing☼

The cast did an amazing job - all the main and secondary characters were great, believable, and looked cute in their roles. Seriously, a very nice group of actors who had lovely chemistry between them playing friends, rivals, and love interests. In this regard, I can't say the show is bad because I did enjoy watching many of the episodes and interactions. I have to say that Xu Kai did an outstanding job portraying XueYing - he did a lot of fighting scenes, as well as many other characters, and depicted a very determined and strict young man, who still got a little bit more human with time, falling in love and making some friends. But he was hero material and you could feel that in the portrayal of the character. All the elders were great, as well as Shifu, who didn't get to enjoy a peaceful life with his loved one because of an untimely character death. All the bad guys looked cool and acted well, too. Some of them were too pretty to hate, but believable nonetheless.

☼Conclusion☼

In the end, I can't say this drama is a complete waste of time, but it's not so good either, in many aspects. It's hardly worth re-watching, but if you're a fan of Xu Kai or any other actor from the series, you should probably give it a try. I enjoyed all the fighting scenes very much, as well as the special effects and training sequences in the series. It was interesting to watch.