LayarHijau – The xianxia fantasy drama The Unclouded Soul (逍遙) has officially premiered and immediately drawn public attention. Starring Tan Songyun and Hou Minghao as the leads, the drama marks Tan Songyun’s very first xianxia project throughout her career. Adding to the excitement, The Unclouded Soul also features Zhao Liying as a special guest star, a surprise said to fulfill a promise made ten years ago.
Directed by Xu Jizhou, best known for the hit drama The Knockout, The Unclouded Soul centers on the conflict between the human clan and the demon clan over the “Yuli Divine Spring.” Amid the clash between the two races, a forbidden love story between a human and a demon unfolds, spanning three lifetimes.
In the drama, Tan Songyun plays two characters at once. She appears as Xiao Yao, a cheerful and compassionate young woman in the present life, and as Ning’an, a royal princess in a past life who bears heavy responsibility for her country and people. For Tan Songyun, acting in a xianxia genre filled with visual effects was not the hardest part. The biggest challenge, she said, was maintaining emotional authenticity while acting largely against imagination in front of green screens. She even admitted that she almost burst out laughing the first time she saw Hou Minghao performing a teleportation move on set.
According to Tan Songyun, Xiao Yao’s main appeal lies in her kind-hearted yet firm nature. The character dares to stand by her principles without losing her conscience, even delivering the powerful line, “If I am powerless, I will pray when I meet Buddha; if I have power, I will destroy demons when I meet them,” symbolizing unwavering resolve untouched by ambition.
Hou Minghao, meanwhile, once again takes on a demon role after previously playing a powerful demon in Fangs of Fortune. This time, he transforms into the King of All Demons, complete with striking red eyes, a flowing red robe, and an overwhelming aura that has earned praise from viewers. Many netizens believe Hou Minghao has become increasingly impressive in demon-type roles.
Speaking about his collaboration with Tan Songyun, Hou Minghao expressed admiration for her acting. He said Tan Songyun often becomes so immersed in her role that she seems to truly believe everything happening in the story is real. This, in turn, triggers unexpected emotional responses from him during their scenes together.
Off camera, their chemistry also appears warm and natural. Tan Songyun and Hou Minghao caught attention after singing JJ Lin’s song “Xiu Lian Ai Qing” together. Hou Minghao described Tan Songyun as a “flower fairy” or “little fairy,” warm like a sunflower and capable of spreading positive energy to those around her. His joke about the Demon King casually snacking on sunflower seeds at any time made Tan Songyun laugh. In return, Tan Songyun likened Hou Minghao to a gentle little lion—calm on the outside, yet responsible and strong on the inside.
Another highlight comes from Zhao Liying’s appearance. Director Xu Jizhou revealed that her involvement stemmed from a promise they made about ten years ago while working together on Rookie Agent Rouge (胭脂). As The Unclouded Soul is the first costume drama he has directed, Xu Jizhou said he received full support from Zhao Liying. The actress even adjusted her schedule, was willing to delay production, and shared her experience filming costume dramas on set, showing solidarity and loyalty as a long-time collaborator.
Zhao Liying’s appearance as a beautiful antagonist quickly became a hot topic, further boosting the appeal of The Unclouded Soul from its very first broadcast.
