The Spirealm (2024)

 

The Spirealm (2024) – 100/10

Chinese Psychological Horror / Survival Game • BL‑Adjacent Masterpiece

Oh my god, where do I even start? The Spirealm isn’t just a show—it’s a full‑blown emotional and psychological assault in the best possible way. Imagine being thrown into a VR world where each of twelve doors is a twisted reflection of your deepest fears, traumas, and desires—and you can’t leave until you face them. That’s the roller‑coaster ride Ling Jiushi (Huang Junjie) and Ruan Lanzhu (Xia Zhiguang) take us on, and I LIVED for every second.

Huang Junjie as Ling Jiushi brings the perfect mix of cynicism and vulnerability. You see his PTSD, his guilt over creating this nightmare‑machine, and you feel it. Then there’s Xia Zhiguang’s Ruan Lanzhu—the calm, unflappable leader who melts under Ling’s fierce protectiveness. Their chemistry? Off the charts. Even with China’s censorship rules, every stolen glance and subtext‑packed scene screams devotion.

The world‑building is INSANE. One door is a haunted mountain village where the dead stalk you. Another is a bleak, neon‑lit city where you have to barter your own memories to survive. And it never feels repetitive—each nightmare‑realm is a new gut‑punch. The production design, the lighting, the score—all of it drips with dread and beauty at once.

Yes, it got pulled from iQIYI (thanks, censors), but that just proved how powerful it was. Fans rallied, international platforms picked it up, and now we all have this gem on Viu and Viki. Because this show deserved to be seen.

Li Dongyuan (Liu Xiaobei) and Cheng Qianli/Yixie (Liu Ruogu) round out the cast with their own heartbreaking backstories, adding layers of family trauma and betrayed trust. And the female characters? Finally, real, supportive women who hold their ground in this men‑only nightmare arena.

I’m a sucker for painful, tragic, mind‑bending stories, and The Spirealm delivers all of it. I wanted it more brutal, closer to the novel’s raw horror—and yeah, I’ll always crave the uncut version—but even in its edited form it’s a masterclass.

100/10—for the twisted thrills, the tragic beauty, and the unbreakable bond between Ling Jiushi and Ruan Lanzhu. If horror and heartbreak are your jam, drop everything and watch this now.