Second half explains it all
Well, I took notice that this drama had quite some divided opinions when it aired. I can't remember the content of those opinions, but I do have my own issues with it. Fact is, I was definitely swept away by the second half of the show.Things, the first half lacked were that there was just not enough information about the characters which made me question their behaviour all the time. Esp. Hong Ye (ML) was a mystery to me. His actions, the fast change in his attitude towards Xiao Yao (FL) didn't have any explainable footing for a long time. Only way later it got explained (which was, after getting to know it, actually satisfying). Regarding him being the demon king, I believe some people found him a bit too "nice". I was never bothered by that, I must say. I liked the different approach and never expected some prejudiced stereotype.
I also kind of had a problem with the FL having a somewhat too childish behaviour at first. I did like her character and all, but it was difficult to feel that "fast blooming romance" between her an Hong Ye. Even more so because he was some thousand years old. The side stories conveyed more emotion and even the brother/sister relationship of Bing Zhu (SML) and Tan were more relatable. I was also very intrigued by his character development. He took quite a rough path which caused his soul to be quite torn. I enjoyed his encounter and relationship with Pian Pian (SFL).
Third thing that bothered me in the first half, was the somewhat chaotic and non organized storytelling. Then, the story of the Realm of Mist and Void began and they invested way too much time with that, almost bringing the story to a halt.
What kept me going? The two soul demon cat Xiao Ming/Xiao Mu! ...Just kidding. Though he was great, he wasn't the only reason. I don't really know actually. There were glimpses of it getting better in the early side stories. And maybe I just hoped that it would get better since Hou MingHao wouldn't chose total trash, right?
And suddenly the second half of the story started and it got so much better. Finally things were explained, the relationship of the main couple got a deeper bond and an understandable explanation for its weird speedy development in the beginning. Xiao Yao also seemed more grown up which made it easier to feel for her and Hong Ye. The more they showed the past of the characters, the more I got invested in the romance. So much, that it did made me shed a lot of tears in the end (which I didn't expect until a certain point in the story).
They also introduced more important side characters (the dragons) and made the story more interesting, since those new people were way too charming - each of them in their own way.
I might not agree with the outcome of some characters, and the closer I got to the finale, the more it felt like the writers were at a loss to find a suitable closure for everyone at some point. Somehow it still worked, but that didn't make me less angry about it (and I'm not talking about the ending). Though that might just be my very personal impression.
Visual contradictions:
CGI and make-up were quite well done sometimes, also the costumes of the leads and some side cast were stunning, yet other demon costumes and facial masks/add-ons were just junk. And don't get me started with those obvious fake flowers, leafs, branches. On the other hand, the fake snow was well made again.
Music was great. I love those pieces where you hear bells? Though I'm not even sure if it were those or some other instrument (a flute?). Wonder if you get what I'm talking about. Those sometimes eerie sounds that make you feel like you're in the middle of some ritual.
And I just loooooove Hou MingHao's voice in songs.
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A Beautiful, Flawed Fantasy
Initial Expectations vs. Reality 🎬After Love in the Clouds, I genuinely looked forward to Unclouded Soul. I loved Hou Minghao’s pairing in LITC, so I went into this drama determined to be fair and open-minded. Unfortunately, despite giving it multiple episodes and trying to understand the narrative direction, this drama never truly worked for me on an emotional or logical level.
Main Couple: Individually Fine, Together Mismatched 💔
Let me be clear first: both the ML and FL were okay as individual performances. I neither dislike nor strongly favor the female lead actress here. However, as a couple, they simply did not make sense to me.
There was a persistent lack of romantic chemistry. Their emotional beats felt forced rather than natural, and I never felt convinced that their bond had grown organically. Ironically, the chemistry between the FL and the SML was noticeably stronger, more emotionally grounded, and far more engaging to watch. That contrast only made the main romance feel weaker.
Romance Logic: Love That Came Too Easily ⏳
The biggest issue for me lies in the emotional logic of the love story.
A century ago, the ML was betrayed and killed by the woman he loved. That kind of trauma should leave a deep psychological scar. Yet when he meets a girl who looks exactly like her, he:
conveniently forgets the pain
falls in love again far too quickly
shows almost no internal conflict
Even in fantasy dramas, emotions must follow logic. This wasn’t tragic romance—it felt rushed and careless. There was no convincing buildup, no meaningful struggle, and no sense that the ML truly processed his past.
Plot Structure: Familiar, Predictable, and Disjointed 🔄
I watched five episodes in one day, and that alone says something—I wasn’t confused, just underwhelmed.
Many scenes felt overly familiar, almost recycled from other xianxia dramas. I could often predict where the story was heading, which removed any sense of tension or anticipation.
Worse, the narrative progression felt jump-cut and fragmented. Important motivations, consequences, and transitions were either rushed or skipped entirely, making the plot feel illogical rather than complex.
Demon Valley & World-Building: A Missed Opportunity 👹
The Demon Valley should have been one of the strongest elements of the drama—but instead, it felt strangely unserious.
The demons often behaved like comic relief rather than fearsome beings, and the ML, despite being the Demon King, lacked the authority, menace, or gravitas expected of someone in that position. His behavior didn’t match his title, which weakened both his character and the world-building.
Time Travel & Ending: Conceptual but Unsatisfying ⏳
The FL experiences three flashback events. In the first two, she fails to change the past—understandable, since she lacks foreknowledge.
But the final time?
She does understand future events—yet we’re supposed to believe everything will magically turn out differently.
Personally, I couldn’t trust that outcome.
I don’t mind open endings. I don’t even mind tragic endings. What I mind is an ending that feels emotionally unearned. This one left me unsatisfied—not because it was sad or ambiguous, but because it lacked conviction.
Side Characters: Confusing Choices ❓
The actions of the SFL and SML in the final episode felt unclear and unnecessary. I struggled to understand their narrative purpose at that point, which made the conclusion feel even more scattered.
Ironically, the SML was one of the more compelling characters throughout the drama—his motivations, inner conflict, and emotional restraint felt far more believable than the ML’s arc.
Production Value: Mixed Feelings 🎨
CGI & costumes: acceptable and sometimes visually pleasing ✨
Background settings: personally not appealing
Visuals couldn’t compensate for narrative weaknesses
Final Thoughts: Why It Didn’t Work for Me 🧊
Unclouded Soul had potential—a strong cast, a fantasy premise, and philosophical ideas about fate and desire. But in execution, it felt:
emotionally rushed
logically inconsistent
narratively predictable
Even if the creators intended a complex Möbius-loop structure, complexity only works when clarity exists first. Without emotional grounding, the drama felt cold rather than profound.
In the end, this wasn’t a drama I hated—but it was one that never truly touched my heart. And for a romance fantasy, that’s the most disappointing outcome of all.
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A Multi-Lifetime Fantasy That Wasn't Perfect, but Deeply Enjoyable
I really enjoyed this one. It wasn’t perfect—there were moments when the script or certain sub-arcs didn’t quite work for me, and it didn’t end up being a top-shelf favorite—but it was still a story I genuinely loved following.The setting was beautiful, and the characters were lovable and engaging. I especially enjoyed the layered storytelling that unfolded across three lifetimes. It’s a fantasy narrative that made me feel sad, happy, angry, and disappointed—and it even made me laugh. I was emotionally invested, and I loved discussing the story in the comments with everyone here, which isn’t always the case when I’m watching along week to week.
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Good acting and technology but...
I finished watching The Unclouded Soul last night and while I think the cast, make up and technology are really good, the story didn’t grasp my attention as I thought it would. I think, ultimately, it’s a script problem because it uses all the tropes but not in a fun or fresh way.Long time cdrama watchers will understand when I say this was wasted potential because, sadly, we have seen this story before over and over again. But new cdrama fans might want to give it a try and figure out if xianxia is for them, this is a good option if you haven't seen any before.
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This didnt hit me :(
I feel like I am the only one who was struggling with this drama. I get the storyline about 3 Lifetimes and finding each other.Here is the thing, I really like Hou Ming Hao fantasy dramas because he know how to play his roles and I like Tan Song Yun work because I have watched alot of her dramas too.
They had great chemistry, dont get me wrong and that is why I pushed through to finish it but for me, there was just something about each episode that I cant put a pin on.
Xiao Yao character was so childish and her voice in the drama was a bit annoying. I started to deal with it when she was playing a different her other selves.
And then the "little demons" were too childish for me.
I didnt really get much of Xiao Yao being a very strong FL in this series and I love a strong ML and FL.
Fast forward to the end, I knew I was going to expect an ending like but it was good and other persons seems to enjoy it and I am glad they see and enjoy what I didnt.
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This review may contain spoilers
This drama has a Bad Ending - Not Sad but Everything Else was Nice
The story was illogical. Don’t get me started on the plot holes! I liked the idea of the first time loop. It wasn’t the cliché reincarnation or erased-memories trope. But the OG life also being a time loop? No. That idea was senseless. They should have pulled a 'Till the End of the Moon 'there, like Sang Jiu’s story.Bing Zhu killing off the most powerful demons like bed bugs—were they a joke to the storyline? Xing Mu dying in that scenario, and then Bing Zhu comes along and says, “Sorry bro, my bad, I’ll repent for it.” Really? The villains were so weak, while the other side was shown as extremely powerful—the Emperor, Bing Zhu, Hei Wui. Hei Wui had so much potential in the beginning, but even he became a joke halfway through.
And the ending. Oh, the ending. She goes into the loop again just to relive the memories. That’s when I understood—we were the joke. Did I get closure, even though everyone conveniently moved on in the last 10 minutes? HELL NO.
The OST was nice. It suited the drama very well, but they could have used all the songs more equally. They barely used the others compared to the title track.
All the actors and their costumes were beautiful. Even the minute details were well done. The Valley was beautiful. The human world was beautiful.
Their romance was also cute. It wasn’t very burning or steamy; it gave innocent, first-love vibes. There was no confession per se—they were already an unspoken couple. There were no unnecessary misunderstandings or a green-tea female lead following the ML around calling “gegegege” like a turkey.
Overall, it’s an 8/10 from my side—mainly for the pretty ML, FL, the other actors, the sets, and maybe the OST.
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Plot is not interesting - Review up to 20
This is a review up to eps 20. I will be dropping the drama because the story is not interesting to me. Please don't comment/attack my review because this review is not attacking you, "your actors," or your values. It's just about how I feel about the story up to 20.I like both actors. Up to episode 8, the drama was great.
However, the script can't hold my interest. The love story is not compelling, especially when the ML disappeared for awhile. Then he lost his power. The SML seems to have equal screen time.
I normally like TSY. Here, when she was in the Princess role, she looks beautiful. However, in the XY role, her hair always looks unkempt. I love her when she was in Under the Power. She was really funny and cute there. I think it's the script.
The resolution of the Sui Meng Xian Jun [Dreamshard immortal] story doesn't make sense.
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Okk But is it just me or you might agree that
Hou Minghao would be a great choice for Playing Inuyasha. If only there ever was a live action adaptation of "Inuyasha" An Japanese Anime that I love & grow up watching.
Maybe, just maybe? I maybe trying to manifest this light bulb idea in my head. Who knows it could actually be good, cause after watching all his fantasy dramas where he either plays a demon or a fox. His getup, his costume and his makeup is always on point & super slik. I would differently tune in for just that.
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Lazy writing at its best ?
After the huge success of Love In The Clouds, The Unclouded Souls was definitely something I was looking forward to. Can't say I'm fully disappointed cause I could see both Hou Minghao and Tan Songyun did everything they could to save this lacklustre of the plot...but even they had their limits!Lets talk about the pros.
Well,HMH as the Demon King Hong Ye was absolutely gorgeous. He's a king,who is not someone with arrogance or show off but a leader who has this huge responsibility to protect his people from human...a King with morality,sense of duty,someone you can always rely on.But when he's with Xiao Yao,he's a lover,a protector who has been betrayed in his previous life but still his heart belongs to her and he acknowledges it really well. HMH did real Justice to this role.He had that calm,elegant,gentle sophisticated aura that immediately makes you respect him as a King who is always ready to protect his subjects or a lover who despite being hurt deeply, loves with his everything. I could feel Hong Ye's sadness in his sorrowful eyes before that first time travel and loved how eventually his eyes changed after he finally fell in love with Xiao Yao.
Tan Songyun,even though she was older than HMH,was so lively,beautiful as Xiao Yao who is naughty,cheerful,vibrant,cheeky, always smiling and making everyone smile. She was weak but never solely depending on others. When needed,she delivered powerful performance. As a dragon lord from 10,000 years ago,she was looking majestic.She was one of the reasons for me to finish this drama,loved her as Xiao Yao/Ning'an.
And this pair worked. Not in a "set the screen on fire" way,but in a mature,more understanding, subtle way. Hong Ye who even after everything,his past with Ning'an,his enmity with human,his responsibility as Demon King, still loved his Xiao Yao till his last moment. Xiao Yao even after her heartbreak 10000 years ago due to Hong Ye,after everything she went through,still loved her Hong Ye till she found him again and again. They understood each others sacrifices,their past never became a hindrance to their love.They were destined to be lover,a miserable pair mocked by destiny who just wanted to live with each other in every timeline. HMH and TSY was sweet as a couple, understood their character and delivered well.
Cinematography and cgi was good. OST's were really lovely, I absolutely loved "Afraid It's Only A Dream". Comedy bits were good too,some were really laughable.
Now...cons.
1.Story writing was really lazy...perhaps bad at some points.There were times when I had to skip cause it was so boring.The whole plot with Dreamshard Immortal was so painfully boring...making Hong Ye almost disappear for like 4/5 episodes,making him a prisoner with no power, the trials with those girls,suddenly Dali becoming evil for no reason..... Nothing was appealing at all. Later they again made Hong Ye powerless only to make Xiao Yao have time travel and when she came back,she had to go back again...there has to be some limits of stupid writing! Also Bingzhu-Pianpian plotline was another headache! Bingzhu who always hated Demons suddenly becoming one and Pianpian behind all these calamity that fell upon Demon valley for no apparent reason....nothing makes sense.
2.Since time travel contains a huge plot of the story,some effort should've given to make it somehow logical. Now the " chicken-egg" theory makes everything questionable.Xiao Yao kept going back, sometimes she's clueless,sometimes she remembers,she knows whats gonna happen but still did the same thing...it was painful to watch.Also after the story unfolds,it felt like it was Xiao Yao as Dragon Lord and her obsession with Hong Ye that started everything. Didn’t understand how it was Hong Ye's fault 10000 years ago when it was him and his people who was tortured,killed by demons and he deceived them only to protect his people. Yes,he did deceive Xiao Yao too,but he didn’t deserve to be killed by her for that,that part was illogical. Also,why Hong Ye didn’t go with Xiao Yao in time travels when he also was a main part of whatever happened??
3.Bringing back three big Demons,giving them likable characters only to kill them so easily was another bad turn of the plot. Other small demons and Demon valley also got sidelined since the story started to heavily base on past incidents.
4.The ending could be much much better if they didn’t take the typical sad xianxia route. Hong Ye already got punished and suffered in the past two timelines. Even after becoming a demon, he's been atoning for his sins for 5000 years.....so why make him punished again for eternity??? Why nothing happened to Bingzhu who been killing demons left and right?He suddenly became a demon and out of nowhere Tan'er appeared on Pianpian's body and he stopped fighting???? Why Pianpian not punished who's been behind everything? How can that greedy emperor die so easily and after that suddenly human and demons were on good terms???? Out of all these people who deserved to die,why Hong Ye was the one who had to sacrifice??? Its not like people will forget about Yuli Spring,they will keep finding it and make chaos.Hong Ye's sacrifice was'nt needed.
Overall if we ignore the plotholes and that bizarre nonsense ending, its really enjoyable as a eye pleasing drama with sweet mature likeable leads.The story wasn’t that bad,a better writing could actually give us something really memorable.
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1Another masterpiece after Fangs of Fortune
I love the drama.... It is so interesting . If you are hesitating in starting the drama, you shouldn't. Go ahead and watch it. True to my expectations.Hong Ye-
Our ML is just woww...I have no words for expressing my feelings. Hou Ge really portrayed it in the best possible way.
Lord demon Hong Ye became my favourite character with ZYZ. How beautifully Hou Minghao (ML) can convey his characters' inner thoughts (cry, pain, smile, laugh everything) even without using a word, really appreciable. (Just through his eyes and expression) Truly a great actor. ✅
Xiao Yao- Naughty but smart FL...did a good job alongwith HMH.
I will write a full review after finishing the drama.
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Can't wait for the new episodes!
It’s funny— I started 2025 watching Neo’s Fangs of Fortune, and it feels really fitting that I’m ending the year with another one of his series, The Unclouded Soul. I’m only 16 episodes in so far, and here’s what I’m loving:The cast, especially Seven and Neo as the leads. I’ve always admired Seven’s work and completely fell in love with her in Go Ahead. She consistently has great chemistry with her male leads, which is why I enjoy following her projects. I’m also not surprised to see Neo playing another Demon King—he fits these roles incredibly well. At this point, he might just be the king of playing Demon Kings.
One thing I really love about iQIYI dramas is their consistent CG style. The cinematography and color palette are absolutely beautiful.
The story hooks you right away—a flashback to an unforgettable love story between the leads, paired with a puzzling moment from the past that leaves you questioning what really happened and what was left unresolved. So far, I’m enjoying the pacing and where the story seems to be heading. Maybe it’s the cast, or maybe it’s how lighthearted the drama feels. After watching so many intense historical dramas filled with heavy politics and intricate details, this was a refreshing change of pace for me.
I also love how this drama reminds me of classic wuxia. It gives me vibes similar to Ashes of Love, Fangs of Fortune, Love Between Fairy and Devil, and Back from the Brink.
This is one series I cannot wait for the new release!! I hope this continues till the end! Currently this is a 8/10 for me!
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