Over the past week, Mango TV, Tencent and iQiyi have released teasers and promos for select dramas that will probably air next year (follow the links for more information). Which ones are you looking forward to most?
A Love Never Lost – Li Xian, Chun Xia
Often lauded as director Zhang Jizhong’s best Jin Yong drama, his adaptation of Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils has all of his fortes without any of his weaknesses. A perfect combination of solid hand-to-hand combat and artistic license in the action choreography, a stunning cast in equally stunning on-location scenery, a focus on the grandeur of the stories but finally with nuanced relationships and chemistry between the characters. Hu Jun is truly one of the few actors who pulls off the rugged-at-large-soft-in-the-heart Xiao Feng, while Jimmy Lin’s idol-drama-take on Duan Yu makes him much more likable than the original character. Liu Tao’s Ah-Zhu was the first TV character who made me cry, while Jiang Xin’s Mu Wuantong remains her most gorgeous role to date. Chen Hao and Shu Chang also gave amazing performances as two complex female antagonists.
The impeccably cast series stars Hu Jun, Jimmy Lin, Gao Hu, Liu Tao, Chen Hao, Jiang Xin, Shu Chang, Liu Yifei, Yang Rui, Xiu Qing, Tong Chun-Chung, Christy Chung, Diana Pang, etc.
Standing Together 在一起 revolves around China’s pandemic response, and will be split into 10 X 2 episode stories:
The drama is slated to premiere on all major television networks in October.
If Time Flows Back stars Jin Dong, Li Zonghan and Li Naiwen as fortysomething men who try to escape their failed marriages by livin’ the high life, only to find that it doesn’t solve anything. Jiang Xin, Zuo Xiaoqing, Zhao Ziqi and Fu Jing costar.
The 45 episode drama airs daily on Dragon TV / Beijing TV.
A flashback series of photos of Chinese Paladin 仙剑奇侠传 featuring Hu Ge, Liu Yifei, Ady An, Esther Liu, Bryan Wong, Eddie Peng and Tse Kwanho among others. Unlike many of the recent xianxia / 仙侠 dramas that focus solely on the romance or fantasy aspect and forgo the equally important code of chilvalry (侠), this one had equal parts romance, adventure and friendship.
The remake of Bai Baihe’s hit drama film is titled Living Toward the Sun 向阳而生 and stars Jiang Xin as Xiong Dun, an illustrator who published her struggles with terminal cancer through a humorous series of cartoons. Gao Weiguang stars as the heroine’s dreamy doctor and subject of her hilarious fantasies.
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Tong Liya promos for her upcoming dance drama
Magazine spreads, photoshoots and cover art that recently caught our eye.
Sun Li once again reigns supreme as the queen of Chinese dramas
Flying Apsaras Awards represents the government branch of Chinese drama awards, and are usually held on odd-numbered years to avoid clashing with the Golden Eagle Awards.
Because the awards shows are government endorsed, the Flying Asparas are taken very seriously, and that means all nominees turn up, which makes the live stream that much more interesting. Red carpet round up and winners list below.
If We Could Turn Back Time 如果岁月可回头 (lit.) stars Mr. Right actors Jin Dong, Li Zonghan and Li Naiwen as three strangers who end up going on a healing journey together after their marriages fall apart. Jiang Xin (Miss. Puff) plays Jiang Xiaomei, a tour guide and bar owner who befriends all three of them.
Eighteen Springs / Half a Lifelong Romance 半生缘, the adaption of Eileen Chang’s eponymous novel, has released its first trailer featuring Carina Lau as older sister Gu Manlu (who seems to have gotten a personality makeover) and Jiang Xin as the younger sister Gu Manzhen.