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5
Interesting plot and a fun First Half but can't sustain till the End.
Subjective Gut Rating: 7.75
I can’t say I am not surprised when I see the MDL rating of “Love in the Clouds” is at 8.8. That’s a really high score for a drama that I’ve read with mixed reviews. I was interested in checking this out because I like both Neo Hou and Lu Yu Xiao. A good looking pair that have proven themselves that they can act pretty well. It shouldn’t be too bad of a drama, right? Well, yes and no.
Plot/Pacing
Finally a drama that gave us a realistic approach and explanation to a woman disguising as a man. Magic! I quite enjoyed the first half of the drama. We have two smart characters who are supposedly equally powerful. This is another version of enemies-to-lovers trope, which I like. Although deception is central to the storyline, at least it makes sense in this drama. I like that the leads try to outsmart and outscheme each other, while testing and teasing along the way. The chemistry was great, and flirting is fun. Some might find FL’s antics a little much, but I am fine with it. I do think the secret identity lasted a little long, but not to the point that I start to get frustrated. However, the second half of the drama, especially the last 5 episodes (or so) start to lose my attention a bit. When the scheming and fun flirting die down, the politics start. The storytelling of the politics and the villains is not as well-written and exciting. I was especially disappointed in the big battle in the last couple episodes. That was like child’s play compared to other dramas. The only storyline I like in the second half is the transition and character development of 2ML, Situ Ling. His character did not change dramatically overnight. You can see the slow change in him, yet the drama did not forget about the inner turmoil and struggle, and continues to show the lingering emotions and humanity in him. Of course, you can say it’s just his obsession. Nevertheless, I really enjoy his story. I also find the pacing of the drama pretty well. It’s only 36 episodes, and though I lose a little interest at one point, I don’t think it’s because it was dragging.
Acting
I have high expectations for Neo Hou and Lu Yu Xiao. I think because of that, I end up being a teeny bit disappointed. I don’t think “Love in the Clouds” is their best performance. That’s not to say they are bad, I was just expecting more. On the other hand, I have the opposite feeling for Yu Cheng En, who played Situ Ling (2ML). I still vividly remember him as the sweet and innocent young suitor in “Love like the Galaxy”. I wasn’t expecting much from him because he wasn’t that great in “Coroner’s Diary” either. But he surprises me here. I already said earlier how much I enjoy his storyline. I was able to forget about his innocent look, and focus on the intensity and pain of his gaze. I’m so happy to see such improvement from this young actor. The rest of the supporting cast is fine. I have mixed feelings about He Nan (Princess). I can’t say she acted poorly but she always gives off this weird pouty look. Her fake smile in the early episodes was really fake. LOL.
Romance
I think romance lovers would be satisfied watching our leads. The chemistry is good and the early episodes are fun. FL is flirty and ML tries to make sense out of her aggressive pursuit. It’s great to follow their romantic journey, the up’s and the down’s and it’s not too angsty. There’s plenty of kisses (and good ones, too!), hand holding and hugs. The final proposal put a silly smile on my face and wrapped up their romance nicely. The love triangle (or square) isn’t too bad either. Despite 2ML’s obsession, it was not to the point of annoying. Of course, I might also have a soft spot for 2ML. On the other hand, the secondary romance between the Princess and Yang Xiao could have been so much better. They have much more chemistry when they are at odds with each other. I can feel the longing and the pain. But when everything is resolved, the chemistry disappears. It’s not the fault of the actors, but the writers. The whole romance was pretty much dropped and the bread crumbs of their scenes are just not enough. What a waste of their early chemistry!
Production
When I write my reviews, I tend to leave a section to talk about production quality. I understand many viewers don’t care as long as the plot and acting are good. So, if you are such viewers, you can ignore this whole section, as I am going to complain a little. The production quality (based on the budget, of course) can really affect my viewing pleasure. The CGI and fight scenes are average at best. The last big battle looks like child’s play and is so unexciting. Visually, everyone looks handsome and pretty in the first half of the drama. But you can see that the quality of the costumes deteriorated towards the end. The fighting outfits/uniforms by different teams look cheap. When we have someone as handsome as Neo in the final battle wearing a flimsy outfit that looks too large for him, you know the costume dept needs to do better. The dubbing is actually below average for a drama of this calibre and cast. I am usually a strong advocate of using actors’ voices and not voice actors. However, I can’t deny I thought the drama might be better if Neo and Lu Yu Xiao are both dubbed. Not only are the lines not matching the movement of the mouths, I also found the actors not enunciating their lines clearly and sounded a little slurred. I’ve definitely watched dramas where both Neo and Lu Yu Xiao speak their lines so much better than in this drama To end on a positive note, I really like the song 《若你的世界没有暖阳》or “If Your World Had No Sunshine” sung by Neo Hou. It might be a little overplayed, but I love the melody.
Would I recommend this drama? Only if you are a romance lover and fans of Neo Hou and Lu Yu Xiao. It’s an average drama with an interesting plot. But with so many Chinese costume dramas out there these days, this could be a pass if you don’t have a lot of time. I wouldn’t say I have wasted my time, because I did enjoy the first half or two-thirds of “Love in the Clouds” quite a bit.
Completed: 11/1/2025 Review #638
I can’t say I am not surprised when I see the MDL rating of “Love in the Clouds” is at 8.8. That’s a really high score for a drama that I’ve read with mixed reviews. I was interested in checking this out because I like both Neo Hou and Lu Yu Xiao. A good looking pair that have proven themselves that they can act pretty well. It shouldn’t be too bad of a drama, right? Well, yes and no.
Plot/Pacing
Finally a drama that gave us a realistic approach and explanation to a woman disguising as a man. Magic! I quite enjoyed the first half of the drama. We have two smart characters who are supposedly equally powerful. This is another version of enemies-to-lovers trope, which I like. Although deception is central to the storyline, at least it makes sense in this drama. I like that the leads try to outsmart and outscheme each other, while testing and teasing along the way. The chemistry was great, and flirting is fun. Some might find FL’s antics a little much, but I am fine with it. I do think the secret identity lasted a little long, but not to the point that I start to get frustrated. However, the second half of the drama, especially the last 5 episodes (or so) start to lose my attention a bit. When the scheming and fun flirting die down, the politics start. The storytelling of the politics and the villains is not as well-written and exciting. I was especially disappointed in the big battle in the last couple episodes. That was like child’s play compared to other dramas. The only storyline I like in the second half is the transition and character development of 2ML, Situ Ling. His character did not change dramatically overnight. You can see the slow change in him, yet the drama did not forget about the inner turmoil and struggle, and continues to show the lingering emotions and humanity in him. Of course, you can say it’s just his obsession. Nevertheless, I really enjoy his story. I also find the pacing of the drama pretty well. It’s only 36 episodes, and though I lose a little interest at one point, I don’t think it’s because it was dragging.
Acting
I have high expectations for Neo Hou and Lu Yu Xiao. I think because of that, I end up being a teeny bit disappointed. I don’t think “Love in the Clouds” is their best performance. That’s not to say they are bad, I was just expecting more. On the other hand, I have the opposite feeling for Yu Cheng En, who played Situ Ling (2ML). I still vividly remember him as the sweet and innocent young suitor in “Love like the Galaxy”. I wasn’t expecting much from him because he wasn’t that great in “Coroner’s Diary” either. But he surprises me here. I already said earlier how much I enjoy his storyline. I was able to forget about his innocent look, and focus on the intensity and pain of his gaze. I’m so happy to see such improvement from this young actor. The rest of the supporting cast is fine. I have mixed feelings about He Nan (Princess). I can’t say she acted poorly but she always gives off this weird pouty look. Her fake smile in the early episodes was really fake. LOL.
Romance
I think romance lovers would be satisfied watching our leads. The chemistry is good and the early episodes are fun. FL is flirty and ML tries to make sense out of her aggressive pursuit. It’s great to follow their romantic journey, the up’s and the down’s and it’s not too angsty. There’s plenty of kisses (and good ones, too!), hand holding and hugs. The final proposal put a silly smile on my face and wrapped up their romance nicely. The love triangle (or square) isn’t too bad either. Despite 2ML’s obsession, it was not to the point of annoying. Of course, I might also have a soft spot for 2ML. On the other hand, the secondary romance between the Princess and Yang Xiao could have been so much better. They have much more chemistry when they are at odds with each other. I can feel the longing and the pain. But when everything is resolved, the chemistry disappears. It’s not the fault of the actors, but the writers. The whole romance was pretty much dropped and the bread crumbs of their scenes are just not enough. What a waste of their early chemistry!
Production
When I write my reviews, I tend to leave a section to talk about production quality. I understand many viewers don’t care as long as the plot and acting are good. So, if you are such viewers, you can ignore this whole section, as I am going to complain a little. The production quality (based on the budget, of course) can really affect my viewing pleasure. The CGI and fight scenes are average at best. The last big battle looks like child’s play and is so unexciting. Visually, everyone looks handsome and pretty in the first half of the drama. But you can see that the quality of the costumes deteriorated towards the end. The fighting outfits/uniforms by different teams look cheap. When we have someone as handsome as Neo in the final battle wearing a flimsy outfit that looks too large for him, you know the costume dept needs to do better. The dubbing is actually below average for a drama of this calibre and cast. I am usually a strong advocate of using actors’ voices and not voice actors. However, I can’t deny I thought the drama might be better if Neo and Lu Yu Xiao are both dubbed. Not only are the lines not matching the movement of the mouths, I also found the actors not enunciating their lines clearly and sounded a little slurred. I’ve definitely watched dramas where both Neo and Lu Yu Xiao speak their lines so much better than in this drama To end on a positive note, I really like the song 《若你的世界没有暖阳》or “If Your World Had No Sunshine” sung by Neo Hou. It might be a little overplayed, but I love the melody.
Would I recommend this drama? Only if you are a romance lover and fans of Neo Hou and Lu Yu Xiao. It’s an average drama with an interesting plot. But with so many Chinese costume dramas out there these days, this could be a pass if you don’t have a lot of time. I wouldn’t say I have wasted my time, because I did enjoy the first half or two-thirds of “Love in the Clouds” quite a bit.
Completed: 11/1/2025 Review #638
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