For over a decade, Allen Ren Jialun (任嘉伦) has reigned as Chinese television's undisputed "Costume Drama King"—a master of emotional depth who transforms mythical worlds into visceral human experiences. From tortured immortals to morally complex half-demons, his performances fuse breathtaking aesthetics with soul-wrenching storytelling. Here's your definitive guide to his seven most iconic roles.
Under the Power 锦衣之下
Under the Power 锦衣之下
- Aired: December 2019
- Period Background: Ming Dynasty
- Genres: Historical Suspense, Romance, Detective.
- Main Roles: Ren Jialun (Lu Yi), Seven Tan (Yuan Jinxia)
- Adapted From: Blue Lion's novel
Set in the Ming Dynasty's Jiajing era, the series centers on Lu Yi, a feared Jinyiwei commander whose icy efficiency masks a tormented past, and Yuan Jinxia, a street-smart detective from the Six Gates investigative bureau. Initially adversarial—Lu Yi views Jinxia's optimism as naïveté, while she resents his ruthless methods—their dynamic shifts when ordered to collaborate on a high-stakes corruption case involving royal intrigue and salt smuggling. As they uncover layers of conspiracy, their friction evolves into mutual respect, then forbidden love, complicated by Jinxia's discovery that Lu's father orchestrated her family's massacre years prior. The plot masterfully balances political tension with emotional stakes, culminating in their alliance against a common enemy: a royal faction exploiting state power for personal gain.
Unlike typical romance-centric historicals, Under the Power anchors its love story in procedural rigor. Each case—from coded ledgers to murder investigations—advances both plot and character development. Jinxia's forensic ingenuity (e.g., reconstructing crime scenes from trace evidence) complements Lu Yi's strategic brilliance, making their partnership intellectually compelling.
The Jiajing court's decadence isn't just backdrop; it directly fuels their conflicts. Lu Yi's loyalty to the emperor clashes with his moral code, while Jinxia's quest for justice forces him to confront systemic rot. Their romance thrives because of these tensions, not despite them.
Ren's portrayal redefined the "cold male lead" archetype by weaponizing subtlety:
In early episodes, Lu Yi's disdain for Jinxia flickers through barely tightened jaws or averted eyes. As attraction builds, Ren conveys longing via lingering gazes during covert watch duties or the slight tremor in his hand when bandaging her wounds—never through exposition.
His infamous eye-acting became a cultural phenomenon. In a pivotal scene where Jinxia drunkenly confesses affection, Lu Yi's eyes shift from shock to tenderness to panic, all within 10 seconds—communicating internal chaos without a single word1. This technique humanizes a character who could easily veer into caricature.
Their rapport thrives on asymmetric balance. Tan's Jinxia is all radiant spontaneity—grinning through setbacks, teasing Lu Yi into vulnerability. Ren counters with coiled intensity, making his rare smiles (like gifting her his cloak) feel like seismic victories. Their banter during stakeouts—mocking each other's methods while saving each other's lives—grounds the romance in authenticity.
One and Only 周生如故
One and Only 周生如故
- Aired: August 2021
- Period Background: Northern/Southern Dynasties
- Genres: Tragic Romance, Political Drama
- Main Roles: Ren Jialun (Zhou Shengchen), Bai Lu (Cui Shiyi)
- Adapted From: Forever and Ever by Mo Bao Fei Bao
Set against the turbulent backdrop of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the series follows Zhou Shengchen, a revered military general who renounces marriage and heirs through a sacred vow to dispel imperial suspicions about his ambition. His life intertwines with Cui Shiyi, the noble-born disciple sent to study under his guardianship. As political unrest escalates, their master-disciple relationship deepens into a profound, unspoken bond—forbidden by both Zhou's oath and Shiyi's arranged engagement to the crown prince. The fragile peace shatters when Zhou is falsely accused of treason, culminating in his brutal execution. In a devastating final act, Shiyi renounces her royal betrothal and leaps from a palace tower in mourning robes, choosing death over a life without him. The narrative masterfully interweaves personal sacrifice with the era's ruthless power struggles.
Unlike formulaic love stories, the series weaponizes restraint. Zhou and Shiyi's bond thrives on unspoken glances—shared scrolls in the library, silent walks through snowy courtyards—where every gesture carries the weight of words they cannot utter. Their tragedy stems not from miscommunication, but from impossible societal constraints.
The court's paranoia isn't mere set dressing; it actively dismantles their world. Zhou's execution—ordered by the very throne he protected—exposes how loyalty becomes a weapon against the virtuous. Shiyi's suicide isn't despair, but a final act of agency against a system that commodified her.
Ren elevates Zhou Shengchen beyond the "stoic hero" trope through physical sublimation:
The Language of Stillness: In pivotal scenes, Ren communicates seismic emotion through minute shifts—a slight stiffening of posture when Shiyi enters the room, the controlled tremor of his hand as he pours tea knowing it might be their last meeting. His restraint makes the character's rare smiles devastatingly poignant.
Eyes as Narrative Anchors: Ren's gaze operates as a silent soliloquy. When Shiyi performs a ceremonial dance for her betrothed, Zhou watches from the shadows; his eyes shift from pride to anguish to resignation in one unbroken take, mapping his internal ruin without exposition.
Chemistry Through Choreography: His dynamic with Bai Lu relies on spatial tension—maintaining exact distance in court scenes, or the deliberate hesitation before returning a fallen hairpin. Their most intimate moment is a wordless scene where he carries her sleeping form to bed, his expression oscillating between devotion and torment.
The Destiny Of White Snake 天乩之白蛇传说
The Destiny Of White Snake 天乩之白蛇传说
- Aired: July 2018
- Period Background: Mythological Tang Dynasty
- Genres: Fantasy Romance, Xianxia
- Main Roles: Ren Jialun (Xu Xuan/Zi Xuan), Yang Zi (Bai Yaoyao)
- Adapted From: Legend of the White Snake folklore
The drama reimagines the classic Legend of the White Snake folklore within a mythological Tang Dynasty setting, centering on Bai Yaoyao, a 1,000-year-old snake spirit whose innocent curiosity draws her into the celestial realm. She encounters Zi Xuan, an immortal general bound by duty to eradicate demons. When Bai Yaoyao faces divine punishment for trespassing into heaven, Zi Xuan sacrifices himself to save her—shattering his immortal form and condemning his soul to mortal reincarnation. Bai Yaoyao endures a millennium of isolation, awaiting his rebirth as Xu Xuan, a human physician with no memory of his past. Their reunion ignites a new crisis: Xu Xuan is prophesied as the "Kill-Star" destined to eradicate demons, including Bai Yaoyao. As celestial forces hunt them, the couple must navigate Xu Xuan's conflicted identity, Bai Yaoyao's unwavering devotion, and a conspiracy threatening the balance of the three realms.
The series boldly reinterprets the traditional "Xu Xian" character—often portrayed as passive—into two distinct personas: Zi Xuan's ethereal nobility and Xu Xuan's rebellious humanity. This duality transforms the love story into a clash between cosmic determinism and free will, where Xu Xuan's defiance of his "Kill-Star" fate becomes an act of existential rebellion.
Yang Zi's portrayal of Bai Yaoyao injects levity into the epic tragedy. Her childlike wonder (e.g., mistaking human customs for absurd rituals) and mischievous antics—like drunkenly shape-shifting into a tiny snake to hide in Xu Xuan's sleeve—offset the narrative's heavier themes of persecution and sacrifice.
Unlike conventional xianxia tales, the celestial conflict is deeply personal. Heaven's persecution stems not from abstract rules but from Zi Xuan's "betrayal" of divine order—a critique of blind obedience. Bai Yaoyao's 1,000-year wait symbolizes devotion that defies time itself, grounding fantasy in emotional authenticity.
Ren's portrayal of Zi Xuan and Xu Xuan transcends technical duality, embodying the series' core conflict between duty and desire:
As the immortal general, Ren conveys authority through stillness—a slight tilt of the head when issuing commands, eyes hardened by centuries of combat. His sacrifice scene is wordless: a single tear falling as he dissipates into light, his gaze locked on Bai Yaoyao with sorrowful resolve.
In contrast, Xu Xuan is all restless energy. Ren adopts looser posture, impulsive gestures (snatching herbs to treat the poor), and a sardonic smile when defying celestial enforcers. His chemistry with Yang Zi peaks in scenes where Xu Xuan's skepticism wars with latent memories—like instinctively shielding Bai Yaoyao from thunder strikes, his hands trembling with deja vu.
The Demon Hunter's Romance 无忧渡
The Demon Hunter's Romance 无忧渡
- Aired: April 2025
- Period Background: Fictional Tang Dynasty, human-demon coexisting society
- Genres: Fantasy Mystery, Romance, Psychological
- Main Roles: Ren Jialun (Xuan Ye), Song Zuer (Ban Xia)
- Adapted From: Semi-ming Semi-mei's novel Ban Xia
Set in a fictional Tang Dynasty where humans and demons uneasily coexist, the series follows Xuan Ye, a half-demon exorcist tormented by his dual nature, and Ban Xia, a mortal woman gifted with spirit-sight—the ability to perceive supernatural entities invisible to ordinary humans.
Forced together after a demon attack links their fates, they investigate paranormal disturbances tied to the "Wuyou Realm"—a hidden sanctuary for persecuted demons. Uncovering a celestial conspiracy to destroy this refuge forces Xuan Ye to confront his demonic lineage, while Ban Xia challenges his self-loathing. When allies are poisoned by a curse linked to the realm's destruction, Xuan Ye wields the mythical Sword, capable of rewriting time. He sacrifices himself to reverse events, erasing all memory of his existence and condemning himself to eternal isolation. Ban Xia becomes the sole keeper of their lost history.
The series subverts genre tropes: the Wuyou Realm frames demons as victims of celestial oppression, transforming Xuan Ye's exorcisms into profound ethical dilemmas. The finale avoids cliché; Xuan Ye's erasure is a devastating self-annihilation, amplified by haunting subtlety: allies ignoring him, his empty seat at meals, with only Ban Xia's fragmented dreams hinting at the void. Supernatural unease is crafted viscerally—demons emerging from ink paintings, curses as creeping frost on skin.
Ren Jialun delivers a career-defining performance, mapping Xuan Ye's duality through physicality:
Lethal economy of movement—eyes slitting, fingers curling like claws (Episode 7 pivots from stillness to savagery, veins glowing faintly blue).
Chemistry with Ban Xia in trembling touches; agony shown through suppressed flinches and rapid blinks when she tends his wounds.
The finale's wordless horror: watching saved lives from the shadows, his eerily placid face broken only by a single tear—embodying cosmic loneliness.
The Demon Hunter's Romance transcends conventions, using the supernatural to explore human fragility. Xuan Ye's arc—a half-being seeking belonging only to become a ghost in his own life—mirrors universal struggles with identity and sacrifice. Ren's mastery of "haunted stillness" elevates the ending beyond tragedy into a meditation on memory's cruelty: the true horror isn't death, but existing as a forgotten footnote in the story of those you saved.
Love of Nirvana 流水迢迢
Love of Nirvana 流水迢迢
- Aired: 2024
- Period Background: Fictional Liang State vs. Yueluo City
- Genres: Political Intrigue, Revenge, Romance
- Main Roles: Ren Jialun (Wei Zhao), Li Landi (Jiang Ci)
- Adapted From: Xiao Lou's novel
In a fractured world of warring kingdoms, Prince Xiao Wuxia of Liang State witnesses his family's massacre orchestrated by Yueluo City's ruler. Swearing vengeance, he infiltrates the enemy court under the alias "Wei Zhao"—a cold, calculating strategist rising through Yueluo's ranks. His mission: dismantle the regime from within. The plan fractures when he encounters Jiang Ci, an idealistic healer unaware of his identity, who disrupts his assassination plot to save innocent lives. Her unwavering compassion forces Xiao Wuxia to confront the collateral damage of his vendetta. As political tensions escalate, he battles conflicting loyalties: to his fallen kin, to the civilians he now governs as "Wei Zhao," and to Jiang Ci, whose presence threatens to expose him while awakening his buried humanity. The climax erupts when Yueluo's ruler discovers his true identity, triggering a siege where Xiao Wuxia must choose between slaughtering his enemies or forging peace at the cost of his revenge.
The political machinations rival Nirvana in Fire in complexity, but with a psychological edge. Wei Zhao's sowing discord tactics reveal his deep understanding of human weakness, making his own vulnerability to Jiang Ci devastatingly ironic.
Ren crafts a landmark antihero by embodying contradiction in every gesture:
As Wei Zhao, Ren moves with predatory elegance—fingers steepled during negotiations, eyes glinting like daggers over wine cups. His voice, a controlled monotone, softens only when quoting classical poetry (a subtle nod to his princely education).
In Episode 12, he calmly composes a death warrant while blood drips from a wound Jiang Ci bandaged hours earlier. Ren's pen strokes grow increasingly jagged, betraying inner turmoil.
With Li Landi, Ren avoids romantic tropes. Their tension lives in charged silences—like a scene where Jiang Ci tends his injuries. He grips her wrist to push her away, but his thumb unconsciously brushes her pulse point, revealing longing he cannot voice.
Love of Nirvana elevates wuxia intrigue into a harrowing character study. Xiao Wuxia's journey—from prince to spy to reluctant peacemaker—deconstructs revenge tropes by asking: Can bloodshed heal bloodshed? Ren's masterstroke lies in the finale's ambiguity: having exposed Yueluo's corruption, Xiao Wuxia spares the king not out of mercy, but to force him to live with his crimes. This poetic justice, delivered with Ren's world-weary gravitas, cements the drama's brilliance.
The Blue Whisper 与君初相识
The Blue Whisper 与君初相识
- Aired: March 2022
- Period Background: Mythological ancient China
- Genres: Fantasy Romance, Xianxia
- Main Roles: Ren Jialun (Chang Yi), Dilraba Dilmurat (Ji Yunhe)
- Adapted From: The network novel by Jiu Lu Fei Xiang
In a mythic realm where spirit masters enslave supernatural beings, Ji Yunhe, a powerful spirit tamer tasked with breaking the will of Chang Yi, the innocent mermaid prince of the Northern Ocean.
Yunhe finds herself drawn to Chang Yi's genuine wonder at the human world and his unwavering honesty, even under torture. However, pressured by clan leaders and her own conflicted loyalties, she orchestrates his brutal mutilation – severing his tail to prevent escape, crippling his essence, and shattering their fragile trust. Profoundly betrayed and physically broken, Chang Yi plunges into despair.
Six years later, he resurfaces as the tyrannical Lord of Beiyuan, wielding immense political and supernatural power to dominate the world that enslaved him. His icy vengeance targets Yunhe, now imprisoned and dying, forcing a collision where love and hatred become tragically blurred.
The series elevates typical xianxia tropes through psychological depth. Chang Yi's evolution from wide-eyed prince to frost-hearted ruler is a trauma response, not caricatured villainy. His cold tyranny mirrors his earlier desperate plea to Yunhe: "Why cut my tail if you cared?" His fall is devastatingly logical. The acclaimed "cloud romance" visuals serve narrative purpose: luminescent flight scenes externalize ephemeral hope, while Beiyuan's glacial palaces reflect Chang Yi's entombed heart, contrasting beauty with psychological ruin.
The climax avoids facile forgiveness. Chang Yi's eventual understanding of Yunhe's sacrificial motives (her staged betrayal aimed to save him) doesn't instantly heal his deep wounds. Ren Jialun's masterful performance physically embodies this duality:
Early Chang Yi: Liquid grace, soft voice, childlike awe ("The surface world has colors deeper than coral").
Trauma: The tail-cutting scene is his tour-de-force – screams morphing from shock to guttural betrayal, eyes conveying shattered comprehension.
Lord of Beiyuan: Rigid posture, controlled raspy voice, dominating stillness radiating menace, yet instinctive reactions (like lurching when Yunhe collapses) betray unresolved pain.
Burning Flames 烈焰
Burning Flames 烈焰
- Aired: 2024
- Period Background: Mythical Three Realms
- Genres: Fantasy Epic, Action
- Main Roles: Ren Jialun (Wu Geng/A Gou ), Xing Fei (Bai Cai)
- Adapted From: The Legend of Wu Geng anime
In a mythic era where the "Three Realms" are tyrannized by godlike beings known as the Celestial Clan, Ren Jialun stars as Wu Geng, crown prince of the Xin Kingdom, who witnesses his father's execution and his kingdom's annihilation for defying divine rule. Stripped of his identity, he's enslaved under the degrading name "A Gou" (despicable dog) and forced into brutal labor in a sulfur mine.
Wu Geng's survival depends on suppressing his fiery spirit behind a mask of fearful submission. Discovering his latent power to wield "Void Energy," he secretly unites enslaved humans, oppressed Beast Clan warriors, and disillusioned Celestial defectors. Their rebellion aims to shatter the divine hierarchy exploiting mortals as "spirit batteries" – drained of life force to fuel the gods' decadent immortality. The conflict culminates in a siege against the Celestial King's citadel, forcing Wu Geng to reconcile his dual identities—the strategic prince and the traumatized slave—to ignite revolution.
Wu Geng's core struggle is psychological: the prince's arrogance clashes with A Gou's trauma, compelling him to lead from shared suffering, transforming the underdog trope into a raw study of post-traumatic agency. The Celestial Clan's opulent floating palaces symbolize their literal and figurative elevation above mortal suffering, framing the conflict as dismantling systemic oppression.
Ren Jialun's performance masterfully dissects this duality through physicality:
Prince Wu Geng (Flashbacks): Regal stillness, resonant voice, measured gait, sharp eyes commanding authority.
Slave A Gou: Hunched shoulders, shuffling steps, darting eyes, fractured raspy whispers, flinching at threats. His animalistic desperation during a mine collapse (Episode 5) is visceral.
Identity Collision: When recognized as royalty, A Gou's trembling denial ("I'm just a dog!") cracks, revealing the prince's posture momentarily. Rallying troops, Ren layers A Gou's raw anguish into Wu Geng's speeches – fists clenched with survivor's fury, not just royal resolve.
Lie Yan transcends its anime origins by grounding myth in human resilience. Wu Geng's arc argues true leadership is forged in collective struggle, not inherited. Ren's performance—his "body as battlefield"—exposes revolution's cost: every triumph carries the ghost of A Gou's trauma. Despite fantasy trappings, the core conflict (mortals vs. entitled elites) echoes universal struggles. Ren ensures Wu Geng is no bland savior, but a leader whose rage and empathy are two sides of the same scarred coin. The cathartic finale revelation, "gods bleed too," resonates because we've felt every lash that brought him there.
Ren's upcoming Republican-era spy drama Wind and Tide (2025) promises new frontiers, but these seven sagas remain immortal—each a testament to how "costume drama" can be a vessel for existential poetry.
