Reviews

Felt like I wasted my time_ The storyline could have been way better

I honestly feel like this drama was a waste of my time.
It started off so strong. The first half was engaging, and I was genuinely excited to see what the future had in store for the main characters. But when the story finally reached that point, it just didn't deliver the way I expected.
Once the female lead returned, the pacing completely lost me. Several episodes felt like they were full of nothing, and I kept wondering whether I was watching a romance or an office investigation. The story seemed to lose sight of what made it so compelling in the beginning.
This might be an unpopular opinion from the reviews but I found the drama boring. Ironically, I thought the younger version of the female lead was much more mature and interesting than her adult self. The romance also felt almost nonexistent. One episode the leads would share a kiss, and in the next they would act as if nothing had happened. There was barely any emotional progression, making it difficult to become invested in their relationship.
On top of that, so many plot points and questions were left unanswered, which made the ending feel unsatisfying.
Overall, I didn't find this drama as poignant or emotionally impactful as I had hoped. I went into it expecting something with the emotional depth of Twelve Letters or The First Frost, but it never came close. It left me wondering whether the drama would have been as successful if the two main leads weren't already such popular actors.

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One of the most craziest shows i have watched

I think this show is good but a few things could have been different. For starters i thought it was kinda weird that anytime the main couple were happy, one of them had to either get seriously hurt or do something problematic. but at the same time at least it kept you wtaching because you find out something new every episode and that makes you want to keep watching i also wanted to talk about how we practically lost the plot after the first few episodes it was almost too much happening and also the end was SOOOO rushed i would have been happier with a sad ending than a happy ending episode 12 was was absolutely stupid i mean its the last episode and sae on still hasn't found hee Jo its already dumb to start off the last episode with the mc still being lost the whole purpose of a last episode is too show how he main characters life's are going and i also give credits to this show for making me cry almost every episode and the characters and plot in general was pretty smart and good so im still gonna rate it high bc it has its goods and bads but every show does doesn't it 🤷‍♀️.

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Forgot to keep watching

For the first 15 episodes or so I was really enjoying this drama. I really loved the premise and the switching between the video game world and real life. I also really liked the main couple, they are super cure together and their story for the most part didn't feel overdramatised. The pacing of the show is a bit all over the place, they spend AGES on things that really only needed one scene while plots that could have been an entire 5 episode arc, were half an episode? Like the whole car accident and the hacker plot lines were both over wayyyyy too fast. On top of that, the thing that made the show interesting (to me at least) was the use of the video game world and this gets used less and less after the couple get together in real life, so the drama became rather dull to watch by the mid-way point.

I also found that they loved to talk about how independent and intelligent Wei Wei is but in practice, she largely depends on Xiao Nai. I felt she was rather infantilised at times, like when she does chores to get money from her parents for a new phone, while he's off starting a whole damn company. (even though they are only one year apart at the same university). And when she eventually comes to work at the company with him...she's just an intern?? Like?? She's supposed to be one of the best in her department. Even the chef from the cafeteria got more to do than that! It would have been a lot more interesting had she helped them found the company/develop the game they were making.

Finally, I found the secondary couple's guy (Cao Guang) extremely unlikeable to the point where I was yelling at the TV for Er Xi to PLEASE find someone better. I have no desire to watch them fall in love, I'll be honest.

I dunno, I eventually just forgot to continue watching because I didn't particularly care anymore. The show is cute and has a strong cast and premise but kinda lost itself in the middle. Maybe I'll eventually come back and finish it, but at this point I've left it so long that I don't really feel motivated to.

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so disappointing

As a huge fan of ZLH – I'd happily watch him reading the back of a packet of cornflakes for an hour or two – but even his presence and energetic attempt at providing this drama with a degree of pizzazz will not make me want to watch further than the first three episodes. I'm sorry, but the ridiculous pace, the clichéd filming, the poverty of character development meant that this drama offers nothing for this viewer to latch on to. I admit to not having watched a 'Republican' drama before, and reading some of the reviews below, I gather it is a genre that has its own specificities, tropes etc. Even so, the drama's inability to credit viewers with a brain, a critical eye, and dramatic sensibility means, for me at any rate, that this drama is a flop. I truly wish I could say otherwise. This is one of the very few dramas that have not wanted to see through to the end before I made up my mind.

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The contrast between them made their chemistry even more enjoyable.

An enjoyable watch from start to finish. It blends thriller and drama beautifully, telling the heartbreaking story of two souls who were deeply scarred by the cruelty they endured at such a young age.

At first, I was worried the series would lean too heavily into the thriller side and neglect the emotional aspect. Thankfully, that wasn't the case. It turned out to be engaging, emotionally compelling, and surprisingly sensual.

This is a BL that stands out from the crowd. The writers clearly know how to tell a good story, striking the perfect balance between emotion, suspense, humor, and romance. It's not overly sweet or unrealistically happy, and that's exactly what makes it work.

I couldn't help but smile watching such a broad, rugged prosecutor completely overwhelm Chae Ha, who is so slight, shy, and slender. The contrast between them made their chemistry even more enjoyable.

I'll admit that, since this is a Korean production—and Korean BLs tend to be more reserved when it comes to romance and intimacy—The Prosecutor's Proposal was a wonderful surprise.

Without trying to be overly ambitious, it delivers a talented cast, solid production values, confident direction, beautiful cinematography, and a few intimate scenes that are tasteful rather than excessive. (That said, after the final scenes of Payback Episode 8, every other BL's intimate moments seem "tame" by comparison. 😂)

Overall, I really enjoyed it. A well-made series with a compelling story, memorable characters, and just the right amount of emotion, suspense, romance, and humor.

Highly recommended!

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A Heartfelt Tale of Love, Sacrifice, and Hope

The Cloud Embracing the Moon is a beautifully crafted historical romance that blends political intrigue, emotional storytelling, and unforgettable characters into a captivating journey. From its opening moments, the drama draws viewers into a world where love must survive betrayal, duty, and the weight of destiny.

The female lead shines with quiet strength and resilience. Rather than relying on grand gestures, her courage is revealed through her compassion, intelligence, and determination to protect those she loves. Her emotional growth throughout the story makes every triumph and heartbreak feel genuine.

The male lead is equally compelling, carrying the burdens of responsibility while struggling to follow his heart. His devotion, patience, and willingness to sacrifice for the people he cares about make him a character worth rooting for. Together, the leads share a natural chemistry that grows through trust, mutual respect, and countless emotional moments, creating a romance that feels both sincere and timeless.

Visually, the drama is stunning. The elegant costumes, breathtaking cinematography, and beautifully designed sets immerse viewers in a world filled with grace and tradition. Combined with a moving musical score, every emotional scene leaves a lasting impression.

While palace politics and personal conflicts keep the story engaging, the heart of the drama is its message that love can endure even when fate seems determined to pull two people apart. *The Cloud Embracing the Moon* delivers romance, heartbreak, hope, and healing in equal measure, making it a memorable historical drama that lingers long after the final episode ends.

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A hero who really sacrifices for his heroine . . .

The wonderful thing about this plot device is its life threatening drama in a modern context. Multiple attempted assassinations, life ruining blackmail etc. all make sense in a modern world where there's still a Korean Royal Family directly linked to the Joseon era.

This allowed for my favorite romance trope - a couple equally matched, as its modern times, but where the hero is willing to truly sacrifice for the heroine. Who is protective and puts her above all else.

It's a shame that the second half is a bit more diluted. Hui Ju/IU takes a backseat as the plot resolves.

But I truly loved this main couple, and their romance and characters. When Hui Ju proudly announces when she fell in love with the prince. The prince and the audience can't but smile at the hidden truth of how long and how much the prince has loved her.

A great ending, and a world I'm sorry to leave behind.

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One of the original and fantastic dramas to watch.

I'll start of by admitting that as a veteran or seasoned cdrama fan this drama is definitely original and spectacular to watch.I really loved the unique sense of the plot following it's deep involvement in football overally since we r used to plot being rooted in basketball and stuff and that made me glued to my tv(I found myself binge watching it🤭)

I also want to emphasize on the friendship the kids shared amongst themselves,their coach and also Ms Lin Wanxing.I really enjoyed their time together and their strategy to solve misunderstanding amongst themselves.ooh and I must say during the first few episodes I found their interactions a bit unnatural,"boss and Lin Lu but then I got to understand that they r just highschool students who r goofy and easygoing and I loved it.
I must kuddos the cast for their epic acting and execution of their respective characters especially the painful scenes and the times they made us laugh🥹

I was really looking forward to this dramas to bash off the haters who say that Esther Yu can't act mature roles since this is one of the dramas that prove that she can execute mature roles as much as the cute ones too.
Well I have to say that I really loved the scenes where Wen Chengye would trash talk his fellow football teammates since I found it funny and annoying at the same time😂,and he is actually one of my fav characters.
Generally for those searching for a fresh plot and sweet interactions this is Ur go to drama.

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Not much more to say than ok.

I fell in love with TutorYim in 2022 when Cutie Pie was airing and I didn't really feel like watching this while it was airing and saved it for later so here I am. I was so scared when I opened it and saw copy a Bangkok.... For people who don't know, copy a Bangkok often has extreme NC and sometimes no plot and just straight up p/rn. I hate that. It ruins many shows.Like Playboyy and Peach Lover tried to have a plot but... yeah. Honestly, I was immediately scared. Should I have been scared? Idk..

I normally like these type of drama's and one specific romance genre like starting a small shop or just in general a business. It starts messy but that's nice. The whole ex thing was done quite well but it was a little too early in the series to actually feel along, this is something I normally have and I'm not changing my rating on this. The whole business was a big mess. It seemed like the bar was far from ready to open and then all of the sudden everything was done while it felt like they never really worked on it.

About the NC, I'm not a big fan. Honestly, no hate to TutorYim but if they really wanted to add this much NC they should've used a different pair. TutorYim's boundaries seem to not like too much explicit content and I can 100% get that. But the NC felt like it was lacking. I don't watch series for the NC but this just caught me off guard. They keep talking and teasing each other about it but the actual thing is 1 kiss and then quickly a jump in the future. Some scene's didn't even feel like they did something because the skip was SO fast.

I hate to say it but there is too much romance. Like 0 drama and everything between Intha and Oeng seems to be going extremely well. I love how healthy they are but at some point it started to just bore me. It felt like that fire was added to make it a bit less boring but there was no fire damage at all and it was fixed immediate?? Also, the ex only came back like 6 times and even that wasn't serious.

Yim plays a characters I've not seen him previously do. He seems way more masculine and less 'shy' or his usual 'innocent' role. Holy shit I liked that extremely. Also I never noticed he has quite some muscle, it looks so good on him. I really hope he will get a similar role in the future. As for Tutor, he kinda had the same role as before. I was soooo surprised that they added Buddhism again and I'm so happy about it!! It really reminded me of cutie pie and it just made me happy.

Domundi is fucking peak lately and they just keep releasing more and more good series, to the point where everything is just better and I need to be honest, I switched from being a Gmmtv fan boy to a Domundi boy. The DWY refrences AND khemjira?! Yes this made me sooo happy. I loved seeing master Peem again and can't wait until the Khemjira special episodes. Do I suggest watching it? Meh. It just really has to be your type of series. I do see people hate on this more than I expected.

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A TRUE MASTERPIECE

Key to the Phoenix Heart is the kind of drama that reminds you why historical C-dramas are so addictive. over other genres. Without relying on cheap twists or over-the-top melodrama, it delivers a gripping story filled with political intrigue, emotional tension, & characters whose motivations keep you invested from beginning to end. The pacing is perfect, with every episode revealing just enough to leave you eager for the next. I had to pause several times because there’s a lot to digest over the course of 28 episodes

Hou Ming Hao absolutely owns this drama. I love him!! His portrayal is magnetic and he’s incredibly expressive with just a glance. He brings remarkable depth to his character and, dare I say, XWY is my fave character of his to date?!

I’ll be re-watching. I can’t move on. I LOVE HMH!!

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Endless Love

Love in the Clouds is a drama that truly comes alive because of Hou Minghao and Lu Yuxiao. While the story follows familiar xianxia tropes, their performances make every emotional beat feel fresh and memorable.
Hou Minghao delivers one of his most captivating performances. He perfectly balances confidence, quiet vulnerability, and unwavering devotion, making his character both charismatic and emotionally compelling. His expressive eyes and subtle acting speak louder than dramatic dialogue ever could, especially in the quieter, more intimate scenes.
Lu Yuxiao is equally outstanding. She gives her character strength, warmth, and emotional depth without ever losing her natural charm. Whether she’s teasing, fighting, or breaking down emotionally, every scene feels sincere and effortless.
What impressed me the most was their chemistry. Hou Minghao and Lu Yuxiao don’t just look good together—they genuinely make you believe in their relationship. Their interactions are filled with natural tension, playful banter, and heartfelt emotions, making even simple conversations enjoyable to watch. The romantic scenes feel tender rather than exaggerated, while the emotional moments hit exactly where they should.
The beautiful cinematography, elegant costumes, and enchanting soundtrack create the perfect backdrop for their performances. Although the plot occasionally follows familiar fantasy-drama formulas, the outstanding acting from the leads keeps the drama engaging from start to finish.
If you’re someone who values believable chemistry and emotionally rich performances over complicated storytelling, Love in the Clouds is absolutely worth watching. Hou Minghao and Lu Yuxiao carry this drama beautifully and are, without a doubt, its greatest strength.

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A Hou Ming Hao Show All The Way

Positive Points
1. ML and FL's acting was good. Hou Ming Hao absolutely nailed his role. FL, though, was miscast; she performed her role well.
2. The action scenes were good, and the overall screenplay and direction were also good. The comic timing was good and felt natural.
3. Except for the childish FL's character and her weak A'mao and his meek sister, I liked how the female characters in this drama were written. All of them had their own purpose and goals in life.

Negative Points
1. FL's character is absolutely childish and silly. No one can take her seriously. She feels more like a comic relief instead of being an independent character. She plans to run off to her lover by boarding a boat alone, along with trunks filled with gold, while she does not know proper self-defense except for some petty tricks. She does things on impulse and needs the ML to come to her rescue. As soon as the ML comes to her rescue, she gives the ML her 2 cents on how she understood the schemes, but still is willing to get herself caught in it, but did not plan how to get out of it. Moreover, her character was inconsistent. She was so attached to her maid but didnot gave much reaction when she got killed. Her father gave her such a shock, but she turned absolutely normal within a few hours. Should she not be a little bit upset at least? Also, how old is she exactly, as she was saying she built her reputation of being miraculus weapon creator for the past 16 years. Was it a sloppily written dialogue or a wrong translation? The FL all day thinks about the trinklets she made and her A'mao. No idea about the political situation and politics, but loves to insert herself into it in the name of rescue. No sense of self-protection, as how in real she went to the peace negotiation team without telling anyone. If anything had happened to her, what would she have done then? Later, I thought when she would get a bit older she will not do such foolish things and she failed to prove me right. At the last episode, she herself comes to the enemy territory in the name of love, but only manages to be used as leverage against her husband. Wasn't she given a deadly poison to keep her husband in check? How come nothing happened to her? All in all it was an absolutely poorly written FL. The ML liking her itself was a wonder to me.

2. The political scheming seems a bit weak. The initial palace coup ends just like that? Why would Empress Cui want the only military commander (ML) to die, as this will lead to a border invasion by the enemy troops? How did the mutiny get resolved that easily? None of the antagonists hardly feels like antagonists except for the Empress Cui. That Li Mao was not an antagonist at all. I don't know what the writer was trying to portray by trying to redeem everyone towards the end. I understand it was partially to portray complex human nature but it reduced the impact of the ending for me. I was just watching Xiao Wu Yi scheming and making big plans while rest of the characters were watching. I prefer a proper, equally powerful antagonist who can match the level of the protagonist.

3. The relationship between the leads does not make any sense. Its typical cliche romance with a misunderstood heartless ML and a bubbly love-brained kind FL. Moreover, it does not help that both actors have 0 chemistry and give off a more sibling vibe. Aimi is good in her acting, but she is absolutely miscast with Hou Ming Hao. None of them communicates with each other at all. None of them tells the other what they are planning. Moreover, it was a serious turn-off for me seeing a minor actress with an adult actor who is a decade older than her. Aimi should do roles suitable for her age, along with actors who are closer to her age. Heavy makeup was not enough to hide how young she is compared to the ML. She will get her turn in the future. Impatience is never a good trait.

Overall, if you are a fan of Hou Ming Hao, you can watch it as he gave a stunning performance but story-wise it was nothing special (certainly not bad but not that excellent either) and I certainly hope Aimi will take the hint and stay away from romance drama for now (especially with actors a decade older than her).

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