Love in the Clouds

Nicely delivered

I really got hooked to the story from ep 1. Their chemistry was top notch and their kissing scenes were fire. But ep23 introduced us to the misunderstanding which felt really inconsequential. Of course the story wouldn't move on without it, but I had hoped to be delivered better. I loved the first villain he had me boiling from anger and the shifu/father relationship had me in tears. But the second villain left me bored and I truly didn't care about his arc. Everything was so predictable, that they had the chance to kill him in ep34 but they didn't so as to have the final showdown in the last episode. Who does that? They didn't even have him detained or imprisoned. I ended up fast forwarding almost half the drama.

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THIS COUPLE HAVE MY WHOLE HEART!!!

I was so tired of seeing couples in dramas where either one of them is extremely stern faced,never showing any emotions in any circumstances and the other one would be too bubbly, childish to the extent it would annoy you!

Ji Bozai and MingYi filled that void for me. Both of them being very kind soul despite having hellish childhood,fighting besides each other to save their people,always helping each other(even though they had ulterior motives before),expressing their emotions not only through actions but also through words....even their misunderstanding arch felt painful enough cause both had valid reasons.This couple was a breath of fresh air for their chemistry,understanding and methods of showing of affection.Despite having flaws, they understood each other well,even after being manipulated by each other,their soul was connected so deep that the heartbreaks only made them stronger!

Ji Bozai was such a great character done by Hou Minghao! I was actually looking for something done by him where he gets some real romantic action with happy ending and not gonna die multiple times by stabbing(FoF/BftB),gonna live miserably (Dashing Youth) or a monk( I am nobody). Love in the Clouds full filled my demands. Ji Bozai is so attractive, not only in looks, but also in his actions. Even though he was a warrior, he was kind,selfless,smiling,seeking for love like a puppy,a character you want to adore. He's so cunning,charismatic yet so vulnerable.He never let his traumatic past shape his kind personality which was really refreshing.Probably one of the best characters done by Minghao. And I have nothing to say about his acting,this man always excels at whatever he does!He can portray emotions with his eyes so beautifully!

Ming Yi...another character so close to my heart. She's not that childish annoying brat,shes responsible, smart,knows how to handle situation (sometimes little to much by telling lies lol),but when she loves,she loves with with her whole heart.Lu Yuxiao is such a great actress...She has such a girl next door look who is like a sunshine!She gave Mingyi life, a girl strong enough to protect herself and fight for the ones she loves,a.true warrior princess. She is a girlboss but not in an irritating way,she is still beautifully feminine, kind compassionate soul who can command power when it needs.

And these two clicked so beautifully. Ji Bozai who was looking for love after having the nightmare of a life and Ming Yi who had the love he was looking for even though her trauma was something so terrible. They were sworn enemies but they fought beside each other,fought for each other, looked out for each other even when they weren’t together. Both of them manipulated each other,but understood each others motives. Even when Bozai understood MingYi was lying,he was hurt, heartbroken but the moment he realized the truth,he let go of his most his most valuable possession,Golden Millet Dream even without telling her,not in a dramatic way,but in a very subtle way that would melt your heart.They never pushed each others boundary, respected what situation wanted from them.Every moment of them being together was so cherishable,the way Ji Bozai looks at MingYi,the way MingYi calls Ji Bozai's name,the way they both yearns for each other...everything. Their sensual moments was on fire,Minghao-Yuxiao really put their everything to bring those characters in life.I loved the fact that despite being the most powerful warriors in the realm,they were never arrogantly proud. They were kind,sweet,caring people. Their trauma never defined them. They knew each others strength,vulnerability, weakness and shaped their relationship accordingly.

You could feel how much insecure Ji Bozai was in that bath scene when he couldn’t understand who was Mingyi talking to as she was under a spell....was it him? Was it Ming Xian? But he never pushed hard cause what mattered at that moment was Mingyi's well being. He asked calmly while trying to sooth her. But the moment he realised Ming Yi was confessing her love to him again and again....his eyes got teary. He could feel Ming Yi's inner struggle,her battle with herself. Only then he proceeded with the kiss cause he himself was struggling way too hard. This whole scene was shown so beautifully, their understanding level peaked there.


All other characters were good too! The princess was amazing at her works,she saved them from lots of trouble,loved to see a princess who actually understands her position as the next empress and acts according to it. And the other casts were also complementing each other so well.

The companion beasts were adorably loyal.Buxiu was great but Er Shiqi was extremely adorable.

The actual pain was Situ Ling.....like....my goodness,boy,get a life already!!!! I don’t know how thickhead someone can be after being rejected by someone bazillions of times!!!!He was'nt inherently annoying but my God was he testing my patience!!!

Story wise....okay let me tell the truth. The story fell apart when Situ Ling started to get more screentime than the main lead couple, even more than the second main lead couple. His obsession was way too much,but did it actually deserve that much of screentime?? It annoyed me a lot. Also....there was not enough MingZai moments to the end. The whole Mingyi-Ming Xian-Crown Prince part was stretched too long that I even started to miss the main couple even though they were in the screen. Break ups after break ups, heartbreaks upon heartbreaks wasn’t necessary. And the lying part by MingYi was dragged too. We could get so many more MingZai scenes if she was'nt lying half the episodes.There was political storyline and to be honest,it wasnt much necessary imo.I just wanted so many lovey dovey moments from a married couples that were deleted for God knows what reasons!! Also there was so many classic cliches like self sacrifice, child swapping,obsessed villain...but they were ignorable cause the chemistry was touching the sky!!!

Cinematography was great! Styling was amazing! The only complaint I have is about the story telling which got stretchy towards the end and so many deleted scenes which could add more flavour to the MingZai couple! I don’t remember the ost's except the one by Minghao,it was pleasant to the ears.

However overall I am happy cause this couple won my heart! The amount of fiery chemistry they hold,really wanna see them in another drama,a modern drama perhaps?

Bdw..... I REALLY WANTED TO BURN THOSE CURTAINS. I WISH I COULD!!!!!

Iykyk lol!

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A Drama I Wish I Could Watch for the First Time Again

What a masterpiece! I came for this guy from I am Nobody. Man, what a great actor he is! Also, the female lead is no exception. All of them beautifully portrayed this story, I am just filled with love. Enemies to lovers is my favourite genre and it just took me 0.1s to give a full rating, because it deserves! I just finished watching, and if there is one drama I can forget, it would be this, because I want to experience this drama again for the first time. I wish I could post pictures of my most favourite scenes, but it would be 1) ep 19 - he appears in his demonic form and she endures everything until he finishes his duty 2) When they carve their names for the first time.
Overall, a pure perfection!

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MAJOR SPOILERS!!

This was a masterpiece literally! Everything was so pretty when it came to this drama. The actors' visuals, the setting, the music, and the story were all done so well. This story flew so harmoniously that I couldn't stop watching. This is definitely a drama where you have to binge watch it because you just can't stop. I also loved the HAPPY ending, thank goodness. I don't think I could have dealth with a sad ending for these 2 characters. They just went through so much together, so they deserved their happy ending. This drama also came full circle at the end which was so comforting to see.

PS. Hou Minghao and Lu Yuxiao are the perfect pairing. The natural chemistry and banter that they are able to engage in around each other is so refreshing to see. Their personalities just connect perfectly with eachother. ❤️❤️

BIG SPOILERS NEXT:

"My love for you isn't just a little. You don't know how much I care about you. My heart just has you in it." That whole bath scene was so touching, with Ji Bozai realizing that Ming Yi loves him too. And his softened gaze after hearing that. The way that they both claim to not have any feelings, but then always show up for each other. Ming Yi is so strong too as a person.

Bro, when 27 died...I sobbed (I wrote this before I knew he comes back). Genuinely, he was such a strong support system for Ming Yi and always showed up for her physically and emotionally. Also, him and Bu Xiu's relationship is not talked about enough.

AHHH...骗子(pianzi), finally the famous saying (also Ji Bozai's smile:)). That scene was amazing. Ji Bozai realizing that he knows who she truly is and her still trying to be in denial.

"You're far more important to me than I imagined." Aww...Ji Bozai's teasing with Ming Yi is so cute. I love the parallel between her getting poisoned through her favorite food and then Ji Bozai secretly giving her the antidote through her favorite food too. His smile when doing that was so genuine.

I don't know how to feel about Situ Ling. For one, I feel bad for him because he spends so much time and effort to save Ming Yi. But, also I don't know where that care comes from. Because with Ji Bozai, you can clearly see that he is doing it to help Ming Yi no matter what. Even with giving her the Golden Millet Dream, he never told her that he did it and even let her believe that Situ Ling helped heal her. This is because Ji Bozai doesn't care about who gets the credit as long as Ming Yi is healthy. I mean, yes, he did get jealous, but he still didn't reveal his actions. But, Situ Ling is not the same. He wants to use his help in order to gain Ming Yi's favor.

Also, oh my goodness. The plot twist is insane. Ji Bozai is poisoned by the Heavenly Grief, but gave the only antidote meant for him to Ming Yi without even batting an eye. It could poison him at any time, but he didn't care about himself. That is actual true love. Not only that, but Ming Yi is the daughter of Bo Yuchen and Master Shen!!!

What in the world is this 2nd plot twist? Broo..Ji Bozai has suffered through so much, always getting abandoned by everyone around him. He relapsed with the Heavenly Grief to save Ming Yi and even through sacrificing their love did he save Ming Yi from having to see him in that state. Ji Bozai is always thinking of other people.

"We live together and we die together." That literally summarizes their relationship. The last battle was so harmonious and beautifully done. You can fully see the trust they have in each other.

Side Note: I also loved the little bit of the relationship we got to see between Yan Xiao and the Princess. It was so sweet, as they have always been each other's support system to them growing into a couple.

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Love in the Clouds - An Epic love

This year has delivered some truly amazing Wuxia dramas, and for me, « Love in the Clouds » stands among the best, alongside « Love of the Divine Tree » and « When Destiny Brings the Demon ». It’s certainly my personal favorite!

💙 The Romance and Chemistry 💗

This drama showcases the "enemies-to-lovers" trope at its absolute finest. The story is captivating and what truly makes it stand out is the incredible chemistry between the two main leads.
Hou Ming Hao and Lu Yu Xiao are extremely talented young actors and their on screen presence is exceptional. There was no inhibition in their acting. They held nothing back, much to our delight.

An absolute feast for romantic fools like me.
Everything from the dialogues to the kisses, and especially the sensuality in their interactions, felt magical *oh the butterflies*. It's the kind of romance that makes you believe in epic love.

Beyond the powerful acting and romance, the entire production (story, cinematography and costumes) is a success.

And I can't forget the wonderful OST. Hou Ming Hao’s song « If Your World Had No Sunshine », in particular, is a true masterpiece that will stay in your head (and heart) for a long time. 🎶🎶🎶🎶

A must-watch!

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A Masterpiece of "Sacrificial Intelligence

The brilliance of this version lies in its refusal to use the "misunderstanding" trope. In Episode 23, when Ming Yi discovers there is only one dose of the Golden Millet Dream antidote, she doesn't lie out of malice. She leaves Ji Bozai because she knows his noble heart—if he knew she was also dying from the Heavenly Grief poison, he would sacrifice himself to save her.
By choosing to leave and hunt for an "impossible" second antidote, she protects his life. This sets the stage for a dual-narrative of sacrifice that is far more impactful than any standard betrayal plot.
The "Abyss" Arc: From Tragedy to Godhood
The storyline takes a breathtaking turn at the Cloud-Reaching Peaks. The Second Queen of Yaoguang, a mastermind who seeks to destroy the Golden Millet bloodline to empower her Netherbeast, traps Ming Yi. In a heart-shattering climax:
The Ultimate Gift: Ji Bozai, having decoded the "dots" of Ming Yi’s true identity, forces his own antidote into her and falls into the deep abyss to save her.
The Tearing Rage: Ming Yi’s transformation as she kills the Queen in a fit of divine fury is the most cathartic moment of the series. Her regret—wishing she had shared the truth—becomes the fuel for her multi-year search for his body.
The Transcendence: Decoding the Void
While Ming Yi searches the surface, the story reveals Ji Bozai’s survival. He didn't just fall; he used his brilliant mind to decode the "hidden meanings" in Ming Yi’s final words to find a safe landing.
The God-Level Grind: Trapped in a void, he meets the dying Owner of the Golden Millet Dream. For years, he faces "infinite difficult challenges," training until he reaches God Level.
The Romantic Shortcut: In an act of ultimate devotion, he doesn't just gain power for himself; he researches a "shortcut" for Ming Yi so they can achieve immortality together.
The Reunion: A Soul-Deep Satisfaction
The reunion isn't just a romantic hug—it is a cosmic alignment. After years of separation and "longing that couldn't be held back," Ming Yi finds a man who has literally conquered the laws of the universe to get back to her. Her realization that her "delayed revenge" allowed them to meet as equals (rather than dying in a suicide mission) adds a layer of divine destiny to their love.
The Final Battle: Wits Over Power
The climax against the Immortal of the Netherbeast (the "Evil Immortality") is the most satisfying end to a series in recent memory.
The Strategy: Before the swords are drawn, they use their "joined smart brains" to dismantle the villain's mind-games.
The Message: It proves that while their God-level power is immense, their coordinated intelligence is their greatest weapon

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Entertaining storyline tainted by gratuitous midpoint & lackluster climax | FL's vexing self-guilt

"When the water is too clear, no fish can survive. If one seeks an uncorrupted rule, perhaps the first step is to cast away purity itself." - Mu Tian Ji

Looking back, I must admit I was a little inattentive during the first five episodes of this drama, which mostly incorporated the typical idol drama tropes I've grown tired of. However, everything shifted the moment the second male lead, Situ Ling, was introduced. His arrival was the definitive turning point that captured my attention and drew me completely into the narrative. It was not because I was bored or dissatisfied with the main leads, but rather because the energy and aura he exuded brought brightness to the romance that rivaled the male lead and elevated the drama's overall synergy—leaving me captivated and utterly hooked.

The story as a whole was, in fact, entertaining. I enjoyed the execution of the enemies-to-lovers trope and thoroughly appreciated how the plot gradually and consistently developed the main characters' relationship. It went from:

• Ming Yi trying to figure out how to navigate her life around Ji Bozai.
• To Ji Bozai relentlessly gauging, doubting, and guarding himself against Ming Yi's every action.
• To their mutual cooperation on several occasions to defend themselves against their enemies.
• To him slowly warming up after getting to know her better.
• To them finally developing feelings for one another and, eventually, falling in love.

The overall development of the first half was genuinely fun, gripping, and compelling. This dynamic was made even livelier and more interesting by the initially pure and completely smitten disposition of the second male lead, Situ Ling, toward Ming Yi; the emotional conflict and drama surrounding the second couple, Mu Tian Ji and Yan Xiao; and the combination of the ever-adorable Er Shi Qi (Twenty Seven) alongside the ingenuous and childlike yet charming Bu Xiu—our main leads' Companion Beasts who made the show increasingly enjoyable to watch.

My main issue with the story, however, arises at the midpoint shift, when Ming Yi firmly refuses to reveal her condition—which requires the Golden Millet Dream to cure her—to Ji Bozai. This is where the plot started to shatter and crumble, as it severely disrupted what had been a logically consistent run of the story, leaving me utterly baffled and infuriated by how stubborn the FL was in sticking to her principles.

Believe it or not, I strived to look at Ming Yi's perspective with a pair of objective eyes—trying to understand where she was coming from, while considering and justifying her every action and decision. I thought that it might have been highly influenced by the strong guilt over her continuous lies to deceive him, even after he had laid himself completely bare to her. However, I don't think it was entirely necessary to go as far as letting herself suffer to death just to prove a point on how remorseful she was. It may sound noble, yes, but in reality, it was a display of insanity in the form of self-sacrifice—an act of an overactive conscience that I find to be totally uncalled for. This is why, despite my genuine attempts to consider her upbringing, experiences, and every other aspect there is that must have influenced her to act that way, I always still ended up frustrated. Even Ji Bozai himself had expressed his acceptance, trust, and leniency toward her, hoping that she'd also come clean and be true to him. Yet, she still chose to remain firm and continue with her theft scheme. Like gurl? I am so sorry, but what is this unnecessary extra drama for? *Exasperated sigh*

At one point, I even thought she was just being incredibly egoistic—guilt-tripping herself because, unlike Ji Bozai, she couldn't be completely genuine with him. Which later translates to her character becoming inconsiderate to the people around her. She thought she was the only one who was going to shoulder all the repercussions, but little did she know that her choices and sufferings were connected to and could greatly affect the ones who deeply cared for her—namely Er Shi Qi (Twenty Seven), her companion beast. His sacrifice to keep her safe is what cemented my irritation toward Ming Yi's self-inflicted, dramatic plight. I was so extremely furious at that time; it itched my skin to think they created a dramatic scene for this plot when it was completely avoidable. If she had not been overly self-flagellating and excessively guilt-tripping herself, he would not have had to sacrifice himself, and they would not have been in that miserable situation at all. So, it was such a relief that they created a redemption plot to revive Er Shi Qi later toward the climax. It would have been truly unacceptable if he had died, not in a battle, but by sacrificing himself for a cause that was absolutely preventable.

This is totally uncalled-for, nonsensical writing. It's just not convincing at all, considering that even Ji Bozai lied and deceived Ming Yi for a good amount of time. The only difference is that he gradually learned to accept, trust, and be truthful to her, while she remained forever stuck in the sturdy bubble of guilt she created for herself, until Ji Bozai finally burst it and discovered her true objective and real identity.

To some, Ji Bozai's decision to leave a trap using the Golden Millet Dream to catch Ming Yi may seem like a contradictory action, given how he mentioned he trusted her. But for me, it was his high-stakes gamble on their relationship, born out of desperation. He knew that she was still keeping secrets from him, while he, in numerous instances, never failed to make it clear that he was no longer hiding anything and would understand her objectives as long as she genuinely bared herself to him. It was his final ray of hope to keep his faith in her—a way of telling her that he could overlook everything and that her honesty was all he needed in return. Consequently, this turned from a clever yet petty trap into a tragic confirmation of her betrayal and fake sincerity. By being caught in the act of stealing the GMD, she proved that she was still hiding her real agenda despite feigning disinterest over it on multiple occasions. This turn of events instantly crashed their fragile relationship, the foundations of which greatly relied on Ji Bozai's genuine love and affection but lacked Ming Yi's trust and sincerity. It was like a brutal slap of reality, proving that Ming Yi's true intention and goal all along was the GMD, which automatically invalidated the credibility and sincerity of the feelings she had shown him. It was also an indirect confirmation that she had approached and stayed with him for the GMD, and that alone. What's worse is how she refused to tell him the truth even after getting caught, and despite Er Shi Qi's persuasion to get her to tell Ji Bozai the truth! Good grief!

This brings to mind a scene where Ji Bozai told his master's (Bo Yulan) portrait that he didn't care who Ming Yi was or what her real motive was; all he cared about was that her feelings for him were true. He even went ahead with openly letting her into his spiritual well and undoing the spell on the Golden Millet Dream, ultimately putting his guard down. It could have been the perfect chance for her to confide in him and tell him the truth; however, Ming Yi still opted for an irrationally stupid path instead of sincerely telling him the actual reason why she had approached him. She really made me pull my hair out in frustration! She didn't want him to go against his master's wish of prohibiting the GMD from resurfacing again, so she chose to steal it instead? My goodness! Make that sh*t make sense!! Everything could have gone the peaceful way, keeping the narrative shorter and unspoiled, but she still chose otherwise. I guess, I will never fully comprehend her rationale for choosing that outrageously dumb path, which could have been completely avoided in the first place. In the end, I have decided to label it as her noble yet utterly stupid self-flagellation—her compunctive guilt, which acted up and went far above and beyond!

I understand that the writers wanted to add drama and conflict to their premature relationship; however, the reasoning and the way it was executed were both so stupid that it left me wondering and asking myself: What is up with this unnecessary additional drama? *Shakes my head*

To conclude this part of my review, let me say that the whole midpoint plot greatly derailed the story for me. Her gratuitous penance and extreme exhibition of self-reproach truly pissed me off. It was just extremely baffling how she chose to steal it, even when Ji Bozai had already given her permission to take it and didn't really mind defying his master's will since it was for her. In the end, it was still used to save her, right? Grr! To set the record straight here, let me say that Ji Bozai was open to her taking it, but definitely not through stealing it. He only got mad out of sheer disappointment when she decided to steal it instead of sincerely asking him for it. This is really the plot point that changed the trajectory of the story, and it easily became my biggest frustration with the show.

Fortunately, after all that illogical drama, the narrative finally got back on the right track. The unraveling of both the main leads' true identities was executed flawlessly, untangling and answering all the hidden knots in the plot. This section of the story also greatly exhibits Ming Yi's profound understanding of Ji Bozai, which redeemed her character for me! I'm glad the writers finally came to their senses. If not, I would have had unfinished beef against Ming Yi until the end.

The climax, on the other hand, was a total letdown. They built it up to be the absolute pinnacle of the drama, only for the execution to fall completely flat. My heightened anticipation went right down the drain because the ending was so perplexingly underwhelming and anticlimactic. I can't wrap my head around how a single combined attack—one that didn't even look that formidable—instantly destroyed the massive, seemingly indestructible Sky-swallowing array. Like, how does that even make sense? I am completely at a loss for words. All I can say is that it was incredibly disappointing.

On the bright side, I am glad they at least gave us a satisfying happy ending. I particularly adore the Ji Bozai drunk scene. Heaven knows I was feeling kind of sad that I didn't see much of Neo Hou's adorable side in this drama, but I was immediately struck with great joy upon seeing him acting all cute and mushy during the drunk marriage proposal scene. Let me also just commend the cinematography of this scene, especially the backdrop and the high-angle shot. It captured the romantic atmosphere of their kissing scene perfectly. I am so grateful! Cravings satisfied! Therefore, I would say that this greatly compensates for the ridiculous midpoint plot and underwhelming climax they served us with.

I hereby conclude that the writers of the midpoint plot and the climax are either the same person or somehow related. Why? Because they both write such crappy plot.

Lastly, it's ironic how the character (Yan Xiao) whom I initially loathed for being servile turned out to be a genuinely nice person, while the character (Situ Ling/Chao Yuan) I initially adored for his absolute loyalty and purity turned out to be the final antagonist, whom I now hate and pity for how miserable and despicable he has become.

"To cower before the possibility of failure is to set ourselves up for failure. You don't surrender to your fate. You write your own fate." Ji Bozai

Story - 9.0 - Despite the underwhelming execution of the climax and midpoint plot that greatly spoiled my watch experience, I must say that I still enjoyed and was incredibly entertained by this show. I love all of the comical scenes, especially the ones that revolve around Er Shi Qi & Bu Xiu. Their chemistry is really 'giving.' Will it be strange if I say that they're my favorite ship in this drama? I swear, I could create a BL story out of them. Hahaha!

Acting/Cast - 10, The actors' and actresses' execution was spot on! Like, there's nothing more I could ask for. Heck, I can't even bring myself to hate the antagonistic characters because of how brilliant their performances are. My standout performances here are Yu Cheng En, He Nan, and Yu Yao. Special mention to Lu Qi and, of course, Neo Hou, who never fails to captivate me every time.

Music - 10, Truly one of the rare dramas that has an excellent roster of beautiful songs—the ballads! I can literally listen to the entire soundtrack on repeat multiple times.

Rewatch Value - 9.0, The poor writing of the midpoint plot and underwhelming execution of the climax really tainted this drama for me. I still had an enjoyable time watching this, though.

Overall - 9.0, If only they had not messed up a couple of times... I still blame the writers for incorporating such poor, irrational, and cliché writing.

IF you find my review helpful please let me know.

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This is a sweet romance story. Problem is? I expected Sizzling hot.

That is not to say the drama isn't good. Quite the opposite, it's very nice, that's why I rated it 8/10 and not 4.
But it's like drinking water when you're expecting vodka... Where's the burn?

And NO I am not saying the story is boring or anything like that, as I said above, it's actually pretty good, very romantic and sweet. The thing is, based on the plot summary (and the trailers much later- yes I had been waiting for this for a long time and was super excited) I honestly was under the impression that this would be more of a "dark romance" kind of story. Instead this leans more toward the "fairytale" category. Again not a bad thing, but still VASTLY different, especially when you're expecting a sizzling hot romance filled with passion, mystery and love woven together with hatred. Okay maybe not hatred exactly, but.. you get the idea. In my opinion the "enemies to lovers" trope wasn't fully utilised.

This is a well made and enjoyable drama , the CGI is also really nice, and I honestly like it a lot, but I just can't help but feel disappointed. I expected a bit more.
The story slowed down its pace after the first few episodes and I found myself fast forwarding a lot.
According to the plot summary here: "...engaged in a thrilling dance of deception and attraction.", the descriptions promises a dark and thrilling romance story filled with mystery and sizzling chemistry. The drama though, despite the chemistry of the leads (which got to admit, was quite good), clearly leans towards the "sweet romance with a hint of mystery" type.

Also, I was expecting the fl to showcase more of her strength and most of all her intelligence and cunning in order to achieve her goals, especially from the beginning to middle of the story. This was a source of disappointment for me. I really wanted Ming Yi to shine more on her own, through her own power and smarts, to be ambitious. To be a bit more cunning, unapologetically striving for her goals and less childish. I wanted to see the "the cold warrior goddess who had reigned supreme for seven consecutive years" as the summary describes her, who even at her lowest point tries her best to rise again. Although Ming Yi did have some of these traits, her character setting in the drama left a lot to be desired, she was a fairy, not a goddess. She was strong but it wasn't shown as much throughout the story, she wasn't that cunning nor was she cold... at all. She was mostly pure and sweet and very childish. Yes we were told that she is smart, but in my opinion it wasn't properly showcased. I expected Ming Yi to be a bit more like Shangguan Qian (Lu Yu Xiao's character in My Journey To You), resourceful, seductive, a bit cold, ambitious and cunning to achieve her goals.

Hou Ming Hao's acting was really great, the main leads' chemistry was really really good. I especially have to mention the fl's teacher She Tian Lin portrayed by Lin Jiang Guo, because he stole the show along with 27 (fl's cat) played by Yu Yao. They were very funny and I genuinely enjoyed it every time they were on screen. Hu Yun Hao did amazing as Mu Qi Bai / Lord Hanfeng, his character was quite intriguing, he was both complex and flawed. Hu Yun Hao's portrayal of him was honestly magnificent.

One of the characters I didn't like is Fu Yue. Fist of all she is supposed to be Situ Ling's subordinate, she might love him, but the fact remains, she works for him, he is basically her boss. Thus shouldn't she have at the very least TRIED to refrain from expressing her emotions so obviously to him all the time? I understand she loves him, but she's still his subordinate she should've tried. Instead of that though, she's doing the complete opposite. This just feels off to me, based on her character's setting. Most times she's acting like she's his childhood friend or fiancée instead of his subordinate. I believe it'd be better had she been a bit more subtle about her love towards SL in the beginning and only slowly got more and more expressive about it till she "'couldn't hide it any longer"' when SL was punished by his dad. It'd be way more impactful that way.
Also She's a bit too harsh on others, especially for someone who's been through a lot, I expected her too be a bit more sympathetic to people in bad conditions (short example bellow)
SPOILER
SPOILER
SPOILER
(eg she was willing to sacrifice innocent lives in the 27 or 28th episode).

I'm still going to rate it 8.0/10 bc I did enjoy it, I just think it had even more potential. I personally expected something different, but at the end, what can we do, each has their own preferences.

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And as if by magic....

I could really rip into this on a number of counts, but I think that would be unfair. Because, on its own terms and in its own genre, it’s quite good and sometimes really good. I try to resist the temptation to criticise something for what it never set out to be, and this one is clearly teenage fantasy land as far as romance and politics goes. Therefore to ask it to be sophisticated is not fair. There is a naivety about it that can get quite eye-rolling, particularly as far as the politics goes. But unlike, for instance, Alchemy of Souls, it is well directed with some good performances that help to carry you through the credibility gaps. But unfortunately there are quite a few of those…

But first the good bits. Apart from the CGI, which I’ll get to later, I loved the colour palette for the series. It was rich and saturated and provided a sumptuous backdrop for the action. This was supported by dynamic camera work that helped to focus in on the action.

Having been adapted from a book, there had been some thought put into the formation of the characters which were varied. Because of this, I was never in doubt as to who was who. In general the cast stepped up and delivered, managing to lift an at times banal and clumsy script. You know it’s not good when during the climax you are explaining backstory and the tension plummets. The ultimate villain of the piece however, was fairly cringey. The character was a good idea and Yu Cheng En tried his best, but I don’t think it will be one for his CV. The writing didn’t help him, it was laboured and repetitive. Such a character is hard to get right.

The lovers delivered in spades and there were plenty of opportunities for romantic and playful interaction. I suspect this is the basis for the high rating and if romance is your primary interest, then this is definitely worth a watch. I agree with PeachBlossomGoddess, Hou Ming Hao being drop dead gorgeous doesn’t do any harm and easily papers over any deficiencies in his acting. Lu Yu Xiao melted nicely into his arms and wasn’t too pouty petulant either. There was both chemistry and affection aplenty.

The pacing for the first thirty episodes was very good. It skipped along at a pace that managed to leap across the yawning chasms of the plot holes, giving you no time to reflect on how you nearly crashed and drowned. Unfortunately the last six episodes didn’t make it, more about that in a minute.

Now for the negatives… The basic idea was sound, but the execution of it was sadly lacking. The fantasy magic was an all purpose anti-biotic which cleared up every sort of woe. Just point your fingers and mumble some words that preferably include heart and array, throw in some agonising pain, then without exception it all gets cured. All sorts of previously unheard of miraculous spells and occurrences leap in to quickly dispense with a dilemma. It’s a sign of a badly thought through world building exercise. If the scriptwriter has no concept of how things should work and what the limitations are, then how can the audience invest credibility into it. Yes, it isn’t real, it isn’t possible, it’s fantasy, but, that doesn’t mean that the imaginative element should not have structure and reasoning behind it, rather than just be a convenient way to solve plot problems.

Those last six disastrous episodes… As I said it rips along perfectly well until that is you get to the big plot twist around episode 30. Which instead of landing with a bang, sort of flopped into existence and everything after that just fell apart and underwhelmed. There was too much plot to be adequately explained for the time available and as a consequence the chasms started swallowing chunks of storyline, so that all that was left was random happenings desperately straining to hold onto one other.

But the main reason it didn’t come up to expectations can only be laid at the door of the budget. The CGI and fight sequences were bad. Sorry but there’s no other word for it. The CGI for the qi was very basic and not well integrated into the image. It had a sameness to it that became predictable and unconvincing. The green screens were often lurid instead of subtle, with a colour palette totally out of synch with the overall feel. In a story about warriors, there is naturally an expectation of at least some decent fights. But even the finale followed the same limited point and shoot style and was so easily solved that it made a nonsense of the whole build up beforehand. As for the spinning parasols, I must admit I couldn’t suppress the laughter, you’d think that auto-twirl would have been built into the design, but obviously the props budget couldn’t stretch that far.

This one is for the romance junkies who can overlook its glaring faults.

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All Hype, No Heart: A Disappointing Watch

Love In The Clouds is the definition of “It’s good waiting for it to be great.” I was originally intrigued because many people were hyping this up to the sky. You know that feeling you get when you’re watching such a great drama? Well, unfortunately, this drama didn’t give it to me.

My main problem was the continuous lying of both the ML and FL, and there is only so many misunderstandings that a couple can go through before it becomes utterly ridiculous. This was a main portion of the drama, and most of the issues could have been solved by a simple conversation.

The plot is also not very propelling and has major flaws, and I reached a point where I just wanted this drama to end already. The screenwriting is very poor, and at times it’s confusing to understand why things occur or why characters acted the way they did. It seems very sudden and rushed.

The actors’ performance was great, however I strongly do not recommend this drama. Love in the Clouds does not really bring anything to the c-drama scene, and your time is better used watching something else.

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One of the most beautiful couple in Xian Xia

Story:
The story is a typical xianxia idol drama, all of the inhabitant in these six realm wants to be a warrior, to be the strongest then can be the hero of their own realm. But watching this drama after a drought of outstanding xianxia drama is really a fresh cool water. The plot is a little dragging for the first half, it didn't get me hooked until episode 18-20. And the emotional scenes also mostly happened after 20 episodes. However, I adore xianxia drama with sweet passionate romance and this one is not disappointed at all

Acting:
Actually I don't think all the actors acting are excellent, lack of deep emotion. But I can feel that the two main lead are all out in creating their chemistry, hence I can feel their intimacy is pure and passionate. Somehow, I like how Lu Yuxiao delivered her dialogue, she has a unique tone and dialect, like murmuring, but it makes her more cute and adorable. And in this drama, I found out Neo Hou's cry scene is beautifully touching. On the other hand, the side characters are not that impressive. The villains are not emotionally dark and the friends of the MLs also lack of sympathetic feelings despite the 'animal companion' characters.

Production:
I like it, a lot. The costumes and the hair styles are particularly different with other xianxia I've watched. It is very graceful style yet give some seductive hints. And the soundtracks are all suitable for the vibe, I specially notice the one sung by Neo Hou. Although the CGI is not remarkable, I still enjoy the scenery

Overall:
Like I said on the top, this drama is very refreshing, like an oasis for my xianxia drama craving. The romance is unforgettable, and this is the kind of xianxia that make me want to rewatch it again and again.

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