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| ‘Love in the Clouds’ Hit by Douban Spam Storm, Fans Debate Fairness and Fake Ratings |
It’s been a wild ride for Love in the Clouds (入青云). After wrapping up as Youku’s first historical drama to break the 10,000 heat index mark in 2025, the fantasy-romance epic found itself tangled in a fresh kind of storm — a flood of one-star spam reviews on Douban.
For anyone unfamiliar, Douban (豆瓣) isn’t just another ratings site. It’s China’s cultural hub for film, drama, music, and book lovers — basically IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, and Letterboxd all rolled into one.
It’s also known for having some of the most outspoken and analytical viewers around.
So when a drama’s score starts dipping there, people pay attention.
Rating War or Genuine Critique?
Right after the latest ep aired, Love in the Clouds saw its Douban score hover around 5.8 — sparking a wave of arguments online.
Some KOLs insisted the number was “fair”, claiming that Hou Minghao’s acting as Ji Bozai — dubbed a “Cold-Faced God of War” by critics — didn’t quite hit the emotional notes.
Ironically, fans were quick to point out that Ji Bozai isn’t even a “Cold-Faced God of War” in the original story, proving that many reviewers hadn’t actually watched the series closely.
Meanwhile, others accused organised spam accounts of deliberately tanking the score.
Several posts warned viewers in advance to “not believe fake Douban gua” and to treat pre-rating rumours with scepticism.
Hou Minghao’s Calm Response
Amidst the uproar, Hou Minghao himself decided to clear the air. In an interview, he said he hadn’t been checking “heat indexes or ratings” lately — preferring to focus on his ongoing and upcoming projects.
The actor admitted that “online ratings aren’t what they used to be”, acknowledging that many are now “influenced by bots or fake reviews”, whether positive or negative.
It’s a pretty grounded take, especially considering how much weight Douban still carries in the industry.
For Chinese dramas, that score isn’t just a random number — it can shape reputations, guide investors, and even affect casting choices.
The Drama Beyond the Drama
Adapted from Bai Lu Cheng Shuang’s fantasy novel, Love in the Clouds dives deep into the mythic world of the Six Realms of Hexu — a place brimming with secrets, deceit, and destiny.
The story follows Ji Bozai, a warrior from Jixing Abyss with a criminal past, who shocks everyone by defeating the undefeated goddess general Ming Yi at the annual Qingyun Conference.
Starring Hou Minghao as Ji Bozai and Lu Yuxiao as Ming Yi, the show weaves a tale of love, disguise, and fate with lavish visuals and intense emotional beats.
Viewers praised its world-building and cinematic quality, though some felt the pacing wavered towards the end.
TL;DR: A Storm of Ratings, A Calm from the Cast
Despite the noise, Love in the Clouds remains a commercial success and one of Youku’s biggest fantasy dramas of the year.
The Douban controversy might sting a little, but the drama’s popularity proves it’s more than just a number game.
As one fan put it, “Douban can rate what it wants — we’ll still be watching Ji Bozai fly through those clouds.”