Love in the Clouds

Six Episodes of Doubt, Then It Clicked: A Romance That Won Me Over

I had a difficult time getting through the first six episodes. I usually love offbeat and exaggerated satire, but the stylized deliveries and constant misunderstandings just weren’t my cup of tea. I’m not sure if it would have worked better with a different lead, but something about the execution didn’t quite land for me. Still, I had a feeling the underlying storyline would eventually shine through—and I’m glad I stuck with it, because it ended up becoming one of my favorites.

It’s not quite top-shelf for me, as those six rough episodes are hard to ignore, and the plot occasionally relied on convenient or hard-to-believe twists that separated the main characters one too many times. Even so, it was a drama I couldn’t pull myself away from, and it made for an easy, comforting watch while I was stuck at home recovering from a terrible cold.

The cinematography was beautiful, and the themes reflected many of the elements I love in Chinese dramas. I found myself connecting with both major and minor characters, and the villains were especially compelling—complex, morally gray, and backed by layered stories that made it difficult to truly despise them, even after witnessing the harm they caused. I also appreciated the character dynamics, the steady plot growth, and the overall narrative arc. While I don’t always enjoy the style of romance often found in popular Chinese dramas, this one suited my tastes perfectly. I absolutely loved the main couple and their relationship.

Overall, this was a win for me.

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Lies in the vally

While I admit there is love in this drama and indeed some clouds, there are just so many more mountains, vllies and lies in this to make me fully agree with the title.

The leads are extremely smart yet oddly oblivious and a blast to watch or at least most of the time, they also have quite a few frustrating moments as well as oh that turned fast... chemistry and gases are decent and so are the kisses. Their spirit animals are adorable too.

The second male lead had such SLS potential but the writers did him wrong, yes it did forward the plot and stand fore some of the twists but honestly cut those parts out and the drama may have been shorter but it would also have been better.

The other side characters are fun to watch and if we ignore parts of the secound male leads plotline there are no annoying characters, not a single really stupid cousin that shows up to ruin the mood.

the first 23 episodes are better than the last 13 but the last 13 are still highly bingeable.

All in all a decent easy binge

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Best enemies-to-lover/fake lovers drama

Insane face cards and chemistry. The visuals are mesmerizing. Fake lovers trope is incredibly well done with misunderstandings being understandable and resolved well.

I love that it has the he fall first and harder trope. The misunderstandings are painful but at least it's understandable that it only occurs because one is afraid of hurting the other.

My only problem is the rushed ending. It ends with the ML breaks up and tries to make the FL hate him to spare the pain of his death cliche. I also hate that the second ML has too much screen time. It's easy to feel pity for him as the second lead but when he turned obsessive and pouting villain, it got annoying.

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A Master Piece

“Love in the Clouds” is an absolute gem of a drama—beautiful, heartfelt, and wonderfully immersive from start to finish. With its dreamy visuals and enchanting fantasy world, the series effortlessly transports you into a realm where destiny, romance, and adventure intertwine.
The chemistry between the leads is one of the show’s biggest highlights. Their relationship develops with the perfect blend of sweetness, tension, and emotional depth, making every interaction feel meaningful. The actors deliver captivating performances that make you root for their love story through every twist and challenge.
The storytelling is equally engaging—well-paced, layered, and refreshingly heartfelt. Whether it's the sweeping romantic moments or the unexpected plot turns, the drama keeps you invested without ever feeling rushed. The cinematography and costume design also deserve praise; every scene is visually stunning and adds to the fairytale-like atmosphere.
Overall, Love in the Clouds is a delightful and uplifting watch—perfect for fans of fantasy romance who crave strong character chemistry and a beautifully crafted world. It’s a drama that leaves your heart full and your mind lingering in its magical universe long after the final episode.

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haven't been able to watch dramas for years, saw a random edit about litc, i'm hooked

the cinematography, the chemistry between the lead roles, the soundtrack, love in the clouds has got me hooked on watching c-dramas again.

enemies to lovers energy, angst, the intimate moments!?, yearning, he fell first and he fell harder

ever since i started the first episode i could not put it down, each moment leaving me hungry for more, so much so that i was binging it late into the early mornings of the day despite having work the next day. i still haven't moved on from it and i'm struggling with starting another drama. sure there were moments where i wished the plot would pick up or move on to another plot point, or the yearning arc was longer, but everything i loved about this show has made up for it undoubtingly.

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Chemistry Above the Clouds

Count me among the people who genuinely enjoyed this drama. I completely understand the hype surrounding this drama and can honestly see why so many people love it. From the very beginning, Lu Yu Xiao steals the spotlight with a character that's effortlessly charming, playful, and flirtatious (arguably one of the roles that suits her best). Her bright, mischievous personality makes the character incredibly lovable and impossible not to root for.

As someone who rarely enjoys xianxia, I was surprised by how much I loved this drama. The romance takes center stage, making the fantasy elements easy to follow. If you're here for romance, you won't be disappointed. Hao Ming Hao and Lu Yu Xiao share sizzling chemistry that elevates the classic fake marriage-to-lovers trope, making every flirtatious exchange and emotional moment a joy to watch. What I enjoyed most wasn't just the romance, but the dynamic between the two leads. Their banter is witty, their chemistry is sizzling, and watching their relationship gradually evolve made every episode engaging. I also loved Ming Xian's adorable bond with her pet, along with the constant tension created by her hidden identities. Since the main leads are originally equally powerful, their enemies-to-lovers dynamic feels refreshing, with neither one constantly needing to be saved by the other.

The overarching plot—centered around the competition for the title of champion and the pursuit of the Golden Millet Dream—is admittedly simple and occasionally borders on being childish. But somehow, none of that really matters when the romance is this entertaining. You don't have to be a xianxia fan to enjoy Love in the Clouds. If you're looking for a romance with lovable leads and fantastic chemistry, this drama is an easy recommendation.

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world building lacks a bit

Throughout the whole show I was wondering how certain details about the world building each kingdom's cultivation techniques, etc. work. I'm not sure whether that information was lost from book to series adaptation or if it never existed in the first place. It makes me want to read the book.
I also felt that the dialogue was weak at times and the script could've been better to have a stronger sense of relationship between certain characters or to build up tension in moments of danger and through hardships.
The story itself was very enjoyable, although I think the ending happened a bit too quick. The final battle lasted way less than I thought it would, as though it was too easy.
Aesthetically it was very pretty and I liked all the actors on it.

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Could have been great but they just kept going...

I finished the show and I just had to create an account to rate it after seeing the amount of praise it got...

This show had so much potential. It could have been great. It could have been one of my favorites even! When I started watching it, I yapped about it to anyone willing to listen... but then it just wouldn't finish...

THE STORY: I enjoy the beginning. I love the secrets, the mystery of who poisoned the FL, the attraction between her and the ML, their lies and plotting and the ML's revenge plotline. This should have been the entire story. It should have ended around the time the ML takes revenge on his dead master.

I could feel the chemistry between our leads and they were so fun to watch. The way they both had their own agendas and were using the other to further their own plans without any shame was great entertainment. They both knew the other was up to something too and I applaud the writers for not making them clueless.

Unfortunately, the show just didn't know when to end. The first three antagonists were great and the third one should have been a bigger problem for longer. There was still potential with him causing more chaos, but they just had to finish him off...
When the problems become grander and the plot introduces an enemy from another realm, it looses my interest. That part of the story should have been introduced at an earlier stage and executed better for me to care for it. Every time they finished a storyline, they just had to introduce something else out of thin air to the audience... Every plotline should be established before we get halfway through the show, but no... Suddenly the SML decides to turn all wacko on us, the ML's previous golden millet dream was not the complete cure, our leads have been switched as babies, there's an array in the fighting arena that will suck up everybody's powers, the ML becomes a prince of another realm, the FL suddenly has no loyalty for her previous realm, the divorce like 6 episodes before the end and on it goes...

Many decisions characters made didn't make sense and we're there just to prolong the drama (the FL continuing to lie long after she could have confessed, the ML suddenly starting to lie after finding out who his parents are, for example).
Big plot points didn't make me feel anything. The FL's "younger brother" started her entire journey but his demise was almost an afterthought. The FL's father reveal was underwhelming. The second leads getting together and everything that had to do with them afterwards was boring. The death of the final big bad had no impact.

Also, they introduced new artefacts to help them deal with problems way too much (the umbrellas to fight the netherbeasts, the sudden appearance of a long dead plant that can heal our main lead but that's by chance in the hand of the enemy, something to show who controls the netherbeasts, something to find Ming Xian and Ming Xian only, something to make the interrogated party speak the truth, the mushroom to bring a dead familiar to life... Every time the plot demand something, an artefact specific for the situation appears... If it happened one or twice it would have been okay... But it was every other episode...

It could have been so great if they finished it after like 22-25 episodes with only a few changes to wrap it all up. Or... making the second half of the show a second season (but that's wishful thinking with C-dramas for the most part).

THE CHARACTERS: The leads are incredible. By the end, as I've gotten bored with the plot, they too didn't seem to shine so much in my eyes and yet I cared enough about them still. I love their chemistry and tension (which was better at the beginning), their intelligence, resourcefulness, independence (and dependence in moments of weakness).

The dragon, 27 and the moth lady were entertaining and I loved seeing them. Honestly these characters needed bigger and more important roles in this drama. I loved their interactions with each other and our main leads. The dragon needed more character development and his relationship with his lordship could have been expanded. 27 and Ming Yi had a wonderful relationship, but I think his sacrifice lost meaning with his imminent return to the land of the living. The tragedy of his death was a heart-wrenching but incredible conclusion to his character and it could have helped further develop the dragon and given another reason for the FL to continue fighting her demise.

I did not care about the princess. I liked her once she took her fathers place at the throne and was trying to bring peace and prosperity to her realm. Before that she was whiny and arrogant and wanted too much out of every other character without ever offering anything in return. I think she and her love interest should have been older and wiser. For her love interest... I kept confusing him with Situ Ling. He didn't leave a lasting impact.
I liked their third friend and how naive and endearing he was.
I also liked the kid who was hanging out with him and later became Ming Yi's student. I would have loved to see more scenes with him and Ming Yi.

Situ Ling was cool at first. I liked how he had his own agenda. He wanted golden millet dream but that posed a problem for out FL as she needed it too. Unknowingly, they met when they were younger and Situ Ling held Ming Xian in high regard as the teenager inspired him to keep fighting for his place under the sun. Unfortunately, the writers just had to make his love for Ming Xian romantic the second it turned out he was in fact a she... And then Situ Ling just had to become an obsessed brat who would do anything to get Ming Xian to be his, started colluding with a nether beast, became our biggest bad and turned out to be a prince of another realm... If he just stayed a loving younger brother type of character, someone who supports the FL and is there for her, someone who our main leads can count on to have their backs for sure... It could have been great.
I didn't care for the fox girl.

The master turned father was an unlikeable character from the start. He was too unserious and annoying. The father reveal was an unnecessary plotpoint. I liked him sacrificing his hand to get the knowledge needed. There should have been more situations like that for our characters.

As already mentioned, the first three antagonists were very fun and I'd like to point out that the fox was my favorite. He was so messed up. The Emperor's brother was also cool as well as his loyal subordinates.
The girl who was a witness against her father and who died a tragic death was a wonderful side character and it's a shame there weren't more side characters that held such importance to the plot and bettering of our leads.
The ML's master was cool too. I like the messy-ness of their relationship in the end. She made mistakes, but she tried to right her wrongs.

Other characters were annoying or unimportant.

THE SET AND CHARACTER DESIGN was gorgeous. I loved every scene and almost every outfit. 27 had the best character design. I adore his make up and clothes but he looked better with his original hair color. The fox antagonist is my second favorite. He was just perfect. Situ Ling and Yan Xiao had wigs that were too similar. I confused them often at the beginning. They should have kept Ji Bo Zai's outfits darker in the end.

THE MUSIC was nothing to write home about but it is recognisable and soothing. It didn't distract me from the plot nor was it an annoying addition. It bettered the scenes it was in.

THE CGI was great when used sparsely or smartly. For the most part it was done nicely. The dragon form, for example, was cheap looking and distracting. I hated how it looked.

REWATCH VALUE: For those who find the plot enjoyable to the end, it's probably rewatchable, but that isn't me. I'll never return, but there are scenes that I'd love to see again on my fyp.

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Beautiful drama with a great couple

I would say the story is great, interesting (with some good plot twist) but the drama is way too dragging especially at the end. I struggle to finish it (I did skipped some scenes)

However I did really like both leads - actors are great and have good chemistry. I really do like the scenes when they're only both characters because the emotions delivery is top notch. And those scenes like in the pool aaaaah that was hot haha

I really like the decors, the OST, and the whole universe: one of the reason why I'm always tempted by those chinese historical dramas. It's so pleasing to watch really.

I would definitely rated 8/10, 8.5/10 if I did not get bored towards the end

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Refreshing story and great cast

This drama is a fun watch. It brought me out of a wuxia slump -- we all know these types of dramas can feel overdone and heavy-handed. Love in the Clouds feels refreshing and unique, and avoids falling into typical wuxia tropes -- the story keeps you on your toes. The plot is a tight and self-contained without a lot of extra fat. 36 episodes was the perfect length. It doesn't try to do too much, and I didn't find myself skipping any episodes or fast forwarding to avoid boring character arcs.

The cast is great and the drama is well-acted. I almost skipped this one, then realized the female lead is played by Lu Yu Xiao who was phenomenal in My Journey to You. Her acting really drew me into a character type that I don't normally enjoy watching (the manipulative female lead). Ming Yi is played as a more self-aware, less frustrating version of Bai Lu's role in Til the End of the Moon. Her character is believable and very likeable.

I also found Hou Ming Hao to be a delight as Ji Bozai. At first I found his performance to be too understated, but as the show goes on you realize that's just part of his character, and also serves to keep the spotlight on Ming Yi.

The supporting cast is great as well -- of note, Love Like the Galaxy's Yu Cheng En plays an amazing second male lead. His character gets more and more interesting as the drama goes on. The animal companions were fun to watch, especially Twenty-Seven. The Shouhua Academy group helped break up the story in an interesting and fun way. I found myself just as interested in Tianji and the warriors' stories as the main story.

The only reason I didn't rate this show a perfect 10 is because it feels like it's missing something that's hard to name. This was a fun watch and a tier above the average Wuxia, but it didn't capture my heart like my all-time faves. Maybe there wasn't quite enough angst between the main leads. Either way, I really enjoyed and highly recommend this drama.

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