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| C-Drama ‘Take Me Where the Clouds Rise’: All Hype, No Release — What Went Wrong? (Pics: iQIYI/Weibo) |
Chinese heartthrob Deng Wei became a household name after his breakout role in the epic drama Lost You Forever, where his swoon-worthy chemistry with Yang Zi pretty much made the internet melt. Fans were counting down the days to see him again in a lead role, this time in a dreamy, high-budget historical fantasy titled Take Me Where the Clouds Rise.
But guess what? Despite being fully shot, edited, and even teased with a jaw-dropping trailer, the drama never aired. Two years later, it’s still locked away, lost in the cloud (literally and legally).
Let’s break down what went down.
🎬 The Drama That Had It All — Except a Broadcast License
Take Me Where the Clouds Rise was built to be a visual feast — think royal palaces, forbidden love, political conspiracies, and a strong female lead rising from nothing.
It’s based (quite heavily) on a legendary Japanese novel, and starred Li Yitong as Fan Yun, a noblewoman-turned-revolutionary who shakes up the kingdom.
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Alongside her were Joseph Zeng Shunxi and Deng Wei, caught in an emotionally loaded love triangle that had netizens already crying from the teaser alone.
The production was lavish, the chemistry electric, and the vibe? Total hit.
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But the catch? The producers never secured the adaptation rights.
Yeah. They actually started filming a drama based on someone else’s IP without proper legal clearance, banking on sorting it out “later.” Bold move. Spoiler: it didn’t work.
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🚫 No License, No Go: The Classic Industry Blunder
Here’s where it all came crashing down. Because the drama didn’t get official adaptation rights from the original Japanese author or the agency managing the novel’s IP, it couldn’t even apply for the standard review and broadcast clearance in China.
That’s right — no license means no approval, no streaming, and no TV slot. The whole thing is stuck in limbo, legally un-airable even though the production is 100% complete.
Even worse? This issue came to light after the trailer had already built serious hype online. Fans were ready to binge it. Now? It’s as if the show never existed.
🔄 Rebrand Attempt Flopped Hard: “Clouds” Can’t Hide Copyright
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In a last-ditch effort to save the project, the production team went into rebranding mode. The original title The Legend of Rosy Clouds got switched to Take Me Where the Clouds Rise, and all the character names were changed too.
But C-drama fans ain’t fools. They immediately noticed that the core storyline still mirrored the novel almost beat-for-beat. Social media dubbed it a “bootleg in disguise,” calling out the studio for trying to sneak past copyright issues with some cosmetic edits.
Unsurprisingly, the author still didn’t give the green light, and Chinese broadcast regulators weren’t buying the name-change trick either.
🎭 The Cast Is Thriving — But Their Best Work Might Never Be Seen
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Adding salt to the wound? All three leads — Li Yitong, Zeng Shunxi, and especially Deng Wei — have only grown bigger since the shoot wrapped. They're now leading massive productions, gracing magazine covers, and taking top-tier endorsement deals.
Take Me Where the Clouds Rise could’ve ridden that momentum and turned into a blockbuster drama. Some insiders even said Deng Wei’s role here is his most complex and emotionally rich performance to date.
And yet, it’s stuck on a hard drive somewhere. Finished but forgotten.
At the end of the day, Take Me Where the Clouds Rise is turning into a cautionary tale for everyone in the entertainment industry. Talent, visuals, hype — none of it matters if the legal foundation is shaky.
Even the most beautiful drama can become completely useless if the people behind it cut corners on copyright and licensing.
Will this drama ever get rescued? Will the author change their mind or sign off after renegotiations? No one knows.
But for now, Take Me Where the Clouds Rise remains a lost masterpiece — a gem buried beneath the legal clouds, tragically out of reach.
🗣️ TL;DR:
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Drama Title: Take Me Where the Clouds Rise
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Stars: Deng Wei, Li Yitong, Zeng Shunxi
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Status: Fully filmed but never aired
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Why?: No official license to adapt the original Japanese novel
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Producers tried: Rebranding and name changes — didn’t work
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Fan reactions: Frustrated and heartbroken, especially for Deng Wei’s lost performance
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Future?: Uncertain. Could be shelved forever unless copyright issues are resolved.
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