Layarhijau– The historical drama The Legend of Rosy Clouds, starring Li Yitong, Joseph Zeng, and Deng Wei, has finally premiered after being shelved for quite some time. The series, adapted from a famous light novel, was highly anticipated by fans. However, since its release, it has become a major talking point among Chinese drama enthusiasts. Its Douban score has become a focal point, sparking discussions about the story adaptation, the lead cast’s chemistry, and the guest star’s screen time.
Adaptation of a Famous Novel with Major Overhauls
The Legend of Rosy Clouds is adapted from the popular Japanese light novel The Story of Saiunkoku. The story follows the journey of “Fan Yun” (Li Yitong), a girl from a fallen noble family living in poverty, and “Qi Zheng” (Joseph Zeng), a city lord with a hidden, manipulative side. They are initially cautious of each other but slowly build trust as they fight for the welfare of the people.
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However, the drama finished production back in 2023. Due to the impending expiration of the original copyright, the production team was forced to make major overhauls. Character names and plotlines were changed to avoid legal disputes, effectively downgrading the story from a political female-led drama into a standard, lighthearted romance.
Minimal Screen Time for Deng Wei
One of the main attractions of this drama is the involvement of Deng Wei, who was cast in dual roles. Many fans were looking forward to his performance, but reality fell short of expectations in the early episodes.
In the first six episodes, Deng Wei’s total screen time amounts to only about 20 minutes. In fact, in the premiere episode, he only appears briefly for a single second. This has certainly become a point of discussion for fans who hoped to see more of him. Additionally, the chemistry between Li Yitong and Joseph Zeng has been criticized by some viewers as lacking, which affects the overall dynamic of the story for them.
Comparisons with Other Dramas and Li Yitong’s Trajectory
Recently, the Douban score for The Legend of Rosy Clouds was revealed, landing at a 3.8. While this is slightly higher than the drama Rebirth, which scored a 2.9, it is worth noting that Rebirth’s low score was heavily influenced by a controversy involving one of its cast members, which triggered review-bombing by netizens. In terms of actual viewership, The Legend of Rosy Clouds is falling short. The industry estimates the average viewership per episode for Rebirth is around 2 million, and The Legend of Rosy Clouds is predicted to have even lower numbers.
When compared to other dramas airing around the same time, such as Never-Ending Summer and Ashes to Crown, which scored 5.1 and 4.9 respectively, the performance of The Legend of Rosy Clouds looks somewhat underwhelming.
This situation has once again brought Li Yitong into the spotlight. Netizens have labeled her as an actress who is somewhat “unlucky” when it comes to carrying a drama’s popularity. Although she consistently gets acting offers and the opportunity to work with many popular actors, the dramas she stars in rarely become massive mainstream hits. Her previous drama, A Dream Within a Dream, was considered a huge success largely due to the built-in popularity of the male lead, Liu Yuning.
The Reason Behind the Three-Year Delay
Some fans have tried to defend the show, arguing that because it was delayed for three years, it is understandable if the styling and plotlines feel a bit dated. They suggest watching it simply as light entertainment.
However, this argument immediately received pushback from netizens. They pointed to the drama Love Has Fireworks, starring Tan Jianci and Wang Churan, as a comparison. That drama was also shelved for three years before finally airing. Although it didn’t get a fantastic score, Love Has Fireworks at least managed to secure a 5.1 on Douban.
The underwhelming performance of The Legend of Rosy Clouds has also reportedly led several sponsors to pull out. This might be the reason why the cast doesn’t seem too active in promoting the drama, letting it air out quietly without much publicity.
What do you think about the story adaptation and the journey of The Legend of Rosy Clouds? Are you still following the series, or have you moved on to another drama? Share your thoughts in the comments section!
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