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2ML - The Most Intriguing Character
The Legend of Rosy Clouds is a pretty weird watch. Parts of it are honestly super boring, but the humor is quite good that it kept me hooked. I think the drama has a low rating because it starts with a trope that a lot of romance fans aren't crazy about: an immediate divorce and a messy love triangle. The main couple gets married right in the first episode, but they split up almost immediately, even though they still care about each other.
The reason? The female lead, Fan Yun (played by Li Yi Tong), doesn’t want to be a traditional housewife. Her dream is to become a government official. Her husband, Governor Qi Zheng (played by Joseph Zeng), sees her potential, grants her the divorce, and actually helps her chase her dreams. He is totally devoted to her, but unfortunately, she just doesn't feel the same way. Then we have a second guy who also adores Fan Yun. He will do absolutely anything to protect her, in his weird way, even though Qi Zheng usually beats him to it.
At its heart, this is a story about a woman fighting for equal rights so that everyday people and women can work in the government. It feels really modern, and it definitely reminded me of the real world, where older men still hold all the power.
The show takes way too long to get going. The first 20 episodes are a slow burn just setting up Fan Yun’s character, her goals, and her relationships with the two guys. Because it takes so long to build up, the first half of the drama feels like a drag. If it weren't for the funny moments, I might have dropped it.
Things finally pick up after Episode 20, but the writing is still all over the place. For example, a massive rebellion randomly happens out of nowhere. There is no buildup and no introduction to the rebels; they just suddenly appear. It felt like lazy writing just to force a plot twist. The villains are confusing too. One of the powerful "Elders" starts off looking like the big bad guy, but by the end, the show tries to make him a hero. It’s fine to keep the audience guessing, but it doesn't work when the character is just unlikable. To top it off, a whole new family (the Zheng family) pops up in the final episodes. Most of them are totally flat characters, yet they suddenly become a huge part of how the story ends, making the finale feel messy.
The best part of the show is how weird and quirky the characters are, though the writers didn't really do much with them.
There is a guy who constantly gets lost, but somehow he is a top official. There is a guy who plays a flute that everyone hates; he wins second place in the court exam and then just vanishes from the show for no reason. Then there's a boy medical genius who wins first place in the court exam and turns into a master martial artist whenever he drinks alcohol. He was cool, but his character development just stops, and he becomes background decoration. There is even a masked official who wears super bright, colorful outfits but never takes off his mask or contributes much after his introduction. They are all fascinating concepts, but they end up being pretty one-dimensional.
On the bright side, Joseph Zeng does a great job as Qi Zheng. The character isn't written very well, but Joseph’s acting and his big, expressive eyes completely save the character. I also really liked Deng Wei’s character, Zheng Shi (who goes by Lou Qi Yan when pretending to be a foreign trader). He leads a double life, defying his grandfather's wishes to become a top official so he can live a free life as a merchant instead. He’s a morally grey character, and Deng Wei totally aced the role.
For me, the sweetest part of the whole show was the relationship between Zheng Shi and his grandfather. It was so heartwarming. Honestly, I gave the drama a higher rating just because of them. It really hits home because anyone who has lost a parent or grandparent knows that feeling of regret for not listening to them while they were here.
Because I loved that relationship so much, I am disappointed about how the writers ruined Zheng Shi's ending. He was such a cool, complex character who started as a villain (kind of) but became a trusted friend to Fan Yun. But in the end, the writers turned his love into a toxic obsession. It totally ruined his image and ruined what could have been a really tragic, beautiful love triangle.
My Final Verdict
The Legend of Rosy Clouds has major pacing issues and sloppy writing. It spends way too much time spinning its wheels on character introductions and side characters that don't matter. But even with all the plot holes and frustrating choices, the comedy and the occasional emotional moments make it a decent watch. Watch it when nothing else to watch.
The reason? The female lead, Fan Yun (played by Li Yi Tong), doesn’t want to be a traditional housewife. Her dream is to become a government official. Her husband, Governor Qi Zheng (played by Joseph Zeng), sees her potential, grants her the divorce, and actually helps her chase her dreams. He is totally devoted to her, but unfortunately, she just doesn't feel the same way. Then we have a second guy who also adores Fan Yun. He will do absolutely anything to protect her, in his weird way, even though Qi Zheng usually beats him to it.
At its heart, this is a story about a woman fighting for equal rights so that everyday people and women can work in the government. It feels really modern, and it definitely reminded me of the real world, where older men still hold all the power.
The show takes way too long to get going. The first 20 episodes are a slow burn just setting up Fan Yun’s character, her goals, and her relationships with the two guys. Because it takes so long to build up, the first half of the drama feels like a drag. If it weren't for the funny moments, I might have dropped it.
Things finally pick up after Episode 20, but the writing is still all over the place. For example, a massive rebellion randomly happens out of nowhere. There is no buildup and no introduction to the rebels; they just suddenly appear. It felt like lazy writing just to force a plot twist. The villains are confusing too. One of the powerful "Elders" starts off looking like the big bad guy, but by the end, the show tries to make him a hero. It’s fine to keep the audience guessing, but it doesn't work when the character is just unlikable. To top it off, a whole new family (the Zheng family) pops up in the final episodes. Most of them are totally flat characters, yet they suddenly become a huge part of how the story ends, making the finale feel messy.
The best part of the show is how weird and quirky the characters are, though the writers didn't really do much with them.
There is a guy who constantly gets lost, but somehow he is a top official. There is a guy who plays a flute that everyone hates; he wins second place in the court exam and then just vanishes from the show for no reason. Then there's a boy medical genius who wins first place in the court exam and turns into a master martial artist whenever he drinks alcohol. He was cool, but his character development just stops, and he becomes background decoration. There is even a masked official who wears super bright, colorful outfits but never takes off his mask or contributes much after his introduction. They are all fascinating concepts, but they end up being pretty one-dimensional.
On the bright side, Joseph Zeng does a great job as Qi Zheng. The character isn't written very well, but Joseph’s acting and his big, expressive eyes completely save the character. I also really liked Deng Wei’s character, Zheng Shi (who goes by Lou Qi Yan when pretending to be a foreign trader). He leads a double life, defying his grandfather's wishes to become a top official so he can live a free life as a merchant instead. He’s a morally grey character, and Deng Wei totally aced the role.
For me, the sweetest part of the whole show was the relationship between Zheng Shi and his grandfather. It was so heartwarming. Honestly, I gave the drama a higher rating just because of them. It really hits home because anyone who has lost a parent or grandparent knows that feeling of regret for not listening to them while they were here.
Because I loved that relationship so much, I am disappointed about how the writers ruined Zheng Shi's ending. He was such a cool, complex character who started as a villain (kind of) but became a trusted friend to Fan Yun. But in the end, the writers turned his love into a toxic obsession. It totally ruined his image and ruined what could have been a really tragic, beautiful love triangle.
My Final Verdict
The Legend of Rosy Clouds has major pacing issues and sloppy writing. It spends way too much time spinning its wheels on character introductions and side characters that don't matter. But even with all the plot holes and frustrating choices, the comedy and the occasional emotional moments make it a decent watch. Watch it when nothing else to watch.
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