It definitely had potential. Key word is HAD : (
Zhou Ye was experimenting here with a new type of personality for her, and she definitely pulled it off. The outfits and set were cute. The romance could've been cute. The script was not, throwing all potential this could've had into the gutter.Like every other comment here, the whole thing ended before anything actually started. You get some 18 episodes of bickering, weird coincidences, and basically nothing else? It's interesting to see though, because this drama seemed like it aimed for the no-love-triangles and no-weird-breakups trope which I actually appreciate. I guess it was a good effort, but it also proves that conforming to stereotypes and following the trends don't actually make for good works sometimes : (
That being said, if you love Zhou Ye and Lin Yi, you might give this a try. The first few episodes are funny and fine. In fact, I probably enjoyed them. That's my two cents : )
(Review written 4/11/24 and published 5/30/24)
In case I ever edit this which I probably won't
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Misleading Trailer but Decent Show Nonetheless
"Love in the Clouds" is advertised as a dark, angsty enemies-to-lovers romance in the trailer.However, the drama itself is much more a fluffy, light-hearted fantasy romance than anything angsty. While there is a healthy dose of both trauma and lies in the leads' interactions, the love story itself is incredibly pure; there is no true hatred or vengeance despite the hurt both characters experience. For those who enjoy watching intimacy, there's a surprising amount of those scenes that somehow passed the CCP's censorship. The chemistry between the ML and FL elevated the romance significantly and may have "carried" the show a little.
Regardless, I would say, overall, that this show was enjoyable. The abundance of comedic sound effects and one liners (cue 27) combined with the beautiful visuals give the show a distinct, charming quality. This lighthearted charm helps the show balance poignancy, reality (well, as much as a fantasy can afford), and romance without spiraling into the C-drama "tragedy and angst" rabbit-holes where emotion is singlehandedly delivered through crying scenes, betrayals, and blood-vomiting.
Additionally, I found the use of "strong FL" tropes to be well-executed in this show. Both the FL and the 2FL are imperfect but resilient in different ways, and they genuinely have personalities that are likable and extend beyond being symbols for the feminist empowerment movement (this year, many C-dramas seem to be set on the strong FL trend and as a result create characters that are a little too obviously manufactured to fit a certain mold).
My only and main gripe with the show is its one-dimensional antagonists. While the protagonists all undergo reasonable character development and have mostly flushed out character arcs, the villains are underdeveloped and carry underwhelming/simple motivations. The lack of complexity in the antagonists sadly flattens a lot of otherwise dramatic climaxes in the show and makes some episodes/arcs feel slower pacing-wise.
All in all, I found "Love in the Clouds" to be a cute show that's honestly worth a watch!
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Huh... well I actually really liked this
I know I typically enjoy non-problematic tropes. Seeing a bad boy x good girl sort of trope with a multitude of side characters who hurt and create obstacles in their relationship would usually never appeal to me.I guess it's just because I never saw it done well... until now.
Lighter and Princess is a must watch, with a compelling storyline (it's very thorough) and well thought-out character arcs. Characters truly have their own distinct personalities, and there's a lot of realism in their development. They all have their strengths and their flaws, and the drama does make you question what's really good or bad or in the gray zone. It doesn't hurt that the cast is absolutely eye candy, including Jenny Zeng, Arthur Chen, and Zhang Jingyi.
I was one of the people putting off watching it because I thought it'd be one of those stories where a female lead revolves and orbits around a toxic male lead. I found instead that the female lead, Zhu Yun, really found her independence, identity, and goals in life after working with Li Xun, something she didn't have before. Li Xun received care and learned love from Zhu Yun. It was a complementary relationship that I enjoyed watching. Of course, no sane girl should go after a Li Xun like character in real life; however, I really thought this relationship was one of my favorites watching the show. I don't see the anti-feminist or misogynist implications that a lot of people try to place here.
The storyline is a great revenge/strategy plot like you'd see in a Wuxia drama seamlessly woven into a sweet romance. I really enjoyed it and binged watched this whole thing in three days (yeah, definitely not good). It is melancholy, it can be dark, and it does explore themes such as depression, monopolization, jealousy, etc.
Overall, a masterpiece. I think 2022 was a really good year, yielding both Reset and this.
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This review may contain spoilers
For better or for worse, this is "unrealistic realism" in a drama.
PROs:1. Good acting. Xu Kai has matured and has expressive eyes. Seven is consistently wonderful throughout all her scripts.
2. The ML, Han Ting, has some growth + character development throughout.
3. Relationship is portrayed in a less delusional, awkward way than most other dramas. There are highs, lows, and a lot of romantic scenes (for those who enjoy romance).
CONS:
1. 40 episodes for a romance is a little much, and the result is a rather draggy drama with many filler scenes from side character plots or the business side of this drama (not particularly useful in enhancing the drama though it may more closely resemble the book).
2. The FML, a supposedly smart and talented entrepreneur, makes the same mistakes over and over. Although I quite liked her general character in the beginning, I think her arc falls far too flat given how much time the drama had to develop it.
3. ABAY has some beautiful moments but a LOT of rather boring moments, too.
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