What the majority of us will probably look like while watching this drama… except not as pretty-looking.

Huang Xiaoming and Joe Chen Qiao’en recently finished filming for Cruel Romance (锦绣缘·华丽冒险), a Republican-era romantic drama that takes place in Shanghai and tells the love story of country girl Rong Jinxiu (Qiao’en) and triad leader Zuo Zhen (Xiaoming). We still have a way to go until an air date is announced, although a cast member said on Weibo that he expected the drama to air in September. In the meantime, tide yourself over with an action-packed trailer and some newly released stills.

 
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If you were Chen Qiao’en, would you pick Huang Xiaoming or Kimi Qiao?

We weren’t supposed to see Huang Xiaoming star in a drama after he did Dark Fragrance (暗香) in 2009, but then Summer’s Desire (泡沫之夏) came along, and then he got the chance to film The Patriot Yue Fei (精忠岳飞). Now he’s back to 1930s Shanghai with his currently filming drama, Cruel Romance (锦绣缘·华丽冒险), which also stars Taiwanese actress Joe Chen Qiao’en.

Based on a novel by Nian Yi, Cruel Romance is the risky love story of Zuo Zhen (Huang Xiaoming) and Rong Jinxiu (Chen Qiao’en). This will be their second collaboration after Xiaoming’s guest appearance in Breaking the Waves (激浪青春), which does not appear to have ever aired in theaters, and Xiaoming’s first drama after he won this year’s Best Actor at both the Golden Rooster Awards and the Huabiao Awards.

Cruel Romance will also feature appearances from Kimi Qiao Renliang, mainland actress Lv Jiarong (Schemes of a Beauty, Swordman), Hong Kong actor Gardner Tse (The Mad Phoenix), and mainland actor Qi Ji (The Last Tycoon). Check behind the cut for the drama’s first batch of stills.
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