Jiang Chao plays a part-AI doctor in this rom-com with Mao Xiaotong. My Robot Boyfriend 我的机器人男友 airs two episodes on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays beginning on the 21st. No words on overseas availability yet. You can watch it subbed on Youtube.
Jiang Chao and Cecilia Boey walked by their owners
When Xiaoqi joins civilian puppy rescue team ran by human An Xin (Cecilia Boey), he becomes partners with competitive gamer Bian Mu (Jiang Chao). Through their training process, the two become friends and overcome their separate fears. After a veteran dog sacrifices himself for Xiaoqi, Xiaoqi becomes the new head of the puppy rescue team. When Xiaoqi loses his smell in a new rescue mission, how will he be able to regain his sense and save the day?
The third of the Hero Dog 神犬小七 dramas, featuring an all-new story and new humans (Jiang Chao, Cecilia Boey, Wang Yang, Wang Shuo), airs beginning the 27th. Two episodes come out every Monday- Thursday night on iQiyi here, with VIP members getting eight extra episodes. It’s currently not region-blocked.
If you want more puppies, this is actually the fourth drama of a series of separate stories all featuring a dog named Xiaoqi. You can watch Season 2 starring puppies, Zhang Yunlong and Wang Yang with English subs here; Season 1 starring puppies, Jin Shijia and Bea Hayden here ; My Partner 神犬奇兵 starring puppies and Yang Shuo here.
Long trailer:
Clichéd and senseless but cute and watchable for the leads.
I’ve been looking forward to a Jiang Chao lead since 2013, and … The Fox’s Summer
狐狸的夏天 is kind of exactly what you would expect from him. He’s hot, she’s cute, and they reenact every cliche idol drama device possible without too much attention to coherence.
I think the main plot of the story is about a fashion designer (Tan Yunsong) and her pursuit of her fashion dreams. Or maybe her fight to win her mom and step-family’s love and respect? Most of the time it’s about how she somehow ended up living with the President of her company while working for him as a maid, because even though she’s from a rich family, has a good education, is a famous designer, and becomes the chief creative director at one point, somehow she still can’t afford to pay rent? Maybe it’s actually an ode to how expensive rent is in Shanghai.
The President (Jiang Chao) of this bra company, of course, is a 30-year-old with OCD and is allergic to lies, so he decided that the best solution to get rid of his opponent’s plagiarizing designer is to let her live with him? In an attempt to keep his adopted brother interest in the company, Mr. President decides to hire his brother’s ex, our female lead. Bringing back a woman who dumped your brother is exactly how to ensure his happiness.
There’s a couple of other angles in this love story, but you get the idea. It’s a co-habitation idol drama with lots of accidental sexual tensions and misunderstandings. Once you get past how annoying she is before they move in together, Tan Yunsong works her cuteness to her advantage. Jiang Chao’s good-looking enough for the role, and has just enough acting to make me not want a dubber, so the couple works.
Also, I really like some of her outfits. They made her look fashionable without being too over-the-top. Maybe it’s in contrast to how crazy some of the other women dress in the show.
The series is currently airing on Tencent, with the second season being released today.
No CGI explosion in the background? I’m proud.
The Legend of Kaifeng gives us a peak at battle scenes. Starring Huang Weide, Zhang Meng, Gan Tingting, Jiang Chao, Winston Chao, Qi Kui, Ji Chen, Wang Wanzhong, and Zheng Siren, more costuming and sets coming our way.
More below the cut.
The stills do get a bit better… just click below the cut to see…
The Legend of Kaifeng has released a couple better stills. Starring Huang Weide, Zhang Meng, Gan Tingting, Jiang Chao, Winston Chao, and Qi Ku , I am still a bit iffy on this drama but I guess I feel a little better…?
More stills below the cut.
When palace protocol requires you to wear tacky bright colors despite being able to choose from all the clothes in the land…
The Legend of Kaifeng gives us a look at more stills this week. Starring Huang Weide, Zhang Meng, Gan Tingting, Jiang Chao, Winston Chao, Qi Kui, Ji Chen, Wang Wanzhong, and Zheng Siren, this weeks stills seem to focus more on the palace.
More below the cut.
Song dynasty headgear, the art of turning your head into an antenna…
The Legend of Kaifeng gives us a look at the different costuming and set locations this week. Starring Huang Weide, Zhang Meng, Gan Tingting, Jiang Chao, Winston Chao, Qi Kui, Ji Chen, Wang Wanzhong, and Zheng Siren, costume coloring seems to be either bright or bland with very little in between.
More below the cut.
… and we’re piling on the headgear with a Phoenix Crown…
The Legend of Kaifeng has released more stills. Starring Huang Weide, Zhang Meng, Gan Tingting, Jiang Chao, Winston Chao, Qi Kui, Ji Chen, Wang Wanzhong, and Zheng Siren, those looking forward to this rendition can get a better look at the costuming.
More stills below the cut.
There was a time not long ago when Chinese drama costuming wasn’t where it was today… now that I can be picky, I’ve discovered I increasingly dislike overly-bright sets and clothes…
The Legend of Kaifeng has released more stills. Starring Huang Weide, Zhang Meng, Gan Tingting, Jiang Chao, those looking forward to this rendition can get a better look at the costuming.
More stills below the cut.
I feel like the Song dynasty has it’s own unique sense of beauty. It’s a pity that dramas have not been able to capture it for me yet… :(
The Legend of Kaifeng has started filming. Starring Huang Weide, Zhang Meng, Gan Tingting, Jiang Chao, Winston Chao, Qi Kui, Ji Chen, Wang Wanzhong, and Zheng Siren, the plot will follow Bao Zheng in the Song dynasty.
More stills below the cut.