This review may contain spoilers
Visually Stunning But That's It
This is one of those dramas I really wanted to love. I went into it with high expectations especially with the cast, the visuals, the fantasy setting, everything screamed potential but honestly, I came out feeling pretty underwhelmed. I know a lot of people are absolutely obsessed with this one, so don’t come for me, but it just didn’t hit the way I hoped it would. I wanted to like it so badly, but overall, I just wasn’t convinced by the chemistry between the leads. Hou Minghao and Lu Yuxiao looked great together on screen, sure, but emotionally? It felt flat. Something about their dynamic just didn’t click for me.
I actually managed to finish the drama though I’ll admit, I was skipping through most of the last 10, 15 episodes because by that point, it just started to drag. The constant back-and-forth, the endless miscommunication (or really, lack of communication) between the two leads drove me insane. Like, what do you mean she had so many chances to just tell him the truth and didn’t? I get that secrets and misunderstandings are staples in these kinds of love stories, but here it just made everything feel unnecessarily frustrating. Their relationship was meant to come off as playful, cute, and maybe even a little flirty, but to me, it all felt kind of forced even when they finally got together officially, the spark just wasn’t there.
As for the supporting characters… honestly, I couldn’t have cared less. None of them stood out or added anything meaningful to the plot. It felt like they were just there to fill space or stretch out the runtime. Hou Minghao did okay. He had his moments and definitely looked the part of a charming fantasy male lead, but his performance didn’t really mesmerize me. He’s undeniably handsome though, I’ll give him that. Lu Yuxiao’s acting was fine, but compared to what she delivered in MJTY, this was a step down. Ever since MJTY, I’ve been waiting to be wowed by her again, but so far her newer projects haven’t really done it for me, which is a shame, because she was so good then and I genuinely wanted to root for her.
If there’s one thing I can’t complain about, it’s the visuals. The CGI was stunning, absolutely beautiful, from the fight scenes to the ethereal costumes/settings. The production team clearly put a lot of love into the look and feel of the world, and visually it’s a treat. But that’s just it. It’s all look, no depth. Love in the Clouds ended up being one of those dramas that’s gorgeous to watch but kind of empty once you look past the surface. I don’t regret watching it, but it’s definitely not one I’ll be revisiting anytime soon.
I actually managed to finish the drama though I’ll admit, I was skipping through most of the last 10, 15 episodes because by that point, it just started to drag. The constant back-and-forth, the endless miscommunication (or really, lack of communication) between the two leads drove me insane. Like, what do you mean she had so many chances to just tell him the truth and didn’t? I get that secrets and misunderstandings are staples in these kinds of love stories, but here it just made everything feel unnecessarily frustrating. Their relationship was meant to come off as playful, cute, and maybe even a little flirty, but to me, it all felt kind of forced even when they finally got together officially, the spark just wasn’t there.
As for the supporting characters… honestly, I couldn’t have cared less. None of them stood out or added anything meaningful to the plot. It felt like they were just there to fill space or stretch out the runtime. Hou Minghao did okay. He had his moments and definitely looked the part of a charming fantasy male lead, but his performance didn’t really mesmerize me. He’s undeniably handsome though, I’ll give him that. Lu Yuxiao’s acting was fine, but compared to what she delivered in MJTY, this was a step down. Ever since MJTY, I’ve been waiting to be wowed by her again, but so far her newer projects haven’t really done it for me, which is a shame, because she was so good then and I genuinely wanted to root for her.
If there’s one thing I can’t complain about, it’s the visuals. The CGI was stunning, absolutely beautiful, from the fight scenes to the ethereal costumes/settings. The production team clearly put a lot of love into the look and feel of the world, and visually it’s a treat. But that’s just it. It’s all look, no depth. Love in the Clouds ended up being one of those dramas that’s gorgeous to watch but kind of empty once you look past the surface. I don’t regret watching it, but it’s definitely not one I’ll be revisiting anytime soon.
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