The summer drama season is in full swing, with various streaming media releasing their long-awaited high-quality drama series, bringing continuous surprises to different genres. Among them, the Xuanhuan drama genre has been shining brightest with the exceptional performance of "Lost You Forever". Since its premiere, this drama has achieved remarkable viewership and has continuously broken popularity records, expanding its influence among the audience and most securing the title of this year's summer popular drama. In a market where excellent films and TV series are frequently released recently, what sets "Lost You Forever" apart from other major productions? What innovations does this work bring to the Xuanhuan & costume genre?   Record-breaking Popularity Since its debut on July 24th, "Lost You Forever" quickly climbed to the top of online streaming indexes. It became the highest-rated drama series for June-July period across all online platforms with an impressive index score of 90.58. This trend propelled it into the ranks of blockbuster dramas for the summer season. Furthermore, it maintained its position at the top of daily charts for multiple days consistently. The unwavering popularity surrounding "Lost You Forever" ignited a fervor among viewers during this summer season. In an era where major…

Once again, the annual summer season has arrived, and multiple top-tier S+ drama projects are being released. The competition among these prominent historical costume dramas is intense, as they strive to break viewership records. On one hand, there's the attention-grabbing cast of "Destined" that has sparked discussions; on the other hand, "The Longest Promise" makes a sudden appearance in an attempt to capture audience interest and attention. Amidst this fierce battle between major productions, a low-budget self-produced drama called "An Ancient Love Song" manages to carve out its own space in the realm of public discourse. Upon exploring the series synopsis, it becomes clear that it neither relies on conventional online literature adaptations nor boasts renowned actors; however, it surprisingly gains audience traction during this highly competitive summer season. Distinct from grandiose productions vying for attention through lavish displays, "An Ancient Love Song" primarily relies on passionate recommendations from its audience.   A Nonconventional Time-Travel Drama In terms of genre,"An Ancient Love Song" falls into the category of time-travel dramas wherein a modern-day male protagonist encounters an ancient "demonic queen," leading to a captivating love story. Notably innovative within this time-travel framework is its utilization of dual reverse chronological travel.…

As the first half of 2023 draws to a close, various Chinese video platform' top-performing drama statistics have been released. According to the data collected, there have been changes in audience preferences and creative directions within the industry. Despite an overall improvement in Cdramas' quality this year, with particular emphasis on high-scoring productions such as "Three-Body," "The Knockout" and "The Long Season," few stand out as true blockbusters based on viewership numbers alone. After "The Knockout", the second-highest-ranked series was Xuanhuan cdrama "Till The End Of The Moon," with a total view count of 2.71 billion. So far this year, only “The Knockout” has exceeded three billion views during its initial broadcast period; none have reached three billion or more since then. Of course, some of the highly popular works with limited airplay are closely related to the short number of episodes. For example, the summer hottest cdrama "Love Between Fairy and Devil", with a total of 36 episodes, had a playback volume of around 2.2 billion during its hit period. Last year's hottest cdramas like “A Lifelong Journey”, “New Life Begins” and “Love Like the Galaxy,” all had episode counts exceeding forty episodes, with “Love Like the Galaxy” split…

With the official start of the summer broadcast season, there is a flood of new drama information. On one hand, "Destined" has already become very popular upon its release, while on the other hand, "Snow Eagle Lord" is eager to compete with it. There are also several costume dramas that have not been aired yet but have already gained popularity. Among them is "Romance on the Farm," starring Zeng Shunxi and Tian Xiwei which recently obtained its distribution license. With its unique plotline, all-star cast with excellent looks and acting skills, and strong creative team leading the way behind-the-scenes, once this show airs it may just be another hit cdrama for viewers to enjoy. Unlike typical historical dramas that focus on imperial or wealthy households, "Romance on the Farm" takes place in ancient rural China with a time-travel element added into the mix. The story follows a modern girl named Lian Man'er who travels back in time where she meets her male protagonist counterpart and together they embark on an adventure of becoming elite farmers and achieving wealth as well as ultimately finding love. This fresh take on themes and storyline makes "Romance on the Farm" highly intriguing for audiences.…

With the development of time, many Chinese traditional crafts and techniques have fallen into oblivion due to time-consuming nature. In order to protect their inheritance, Intangible Cultural Heritage was born. Recently aired TV culture cdrama "Hi Producer" is a series that involves intangible cultural heritage themes. Directed by Gao Han, written by Zhou Mo, starring Guo Xiaodong as the lead actor alongside Zhang Nan, Li Xiaoran, and Zhang Bo among others; it fully showcases the exquisite craftsmanship and inheritance of intangible cultural heritage skills. The plot of the drama "Hi Producer" revolves around a major cultural program "Chuan Cheng (传承, Heritage)". The program directed by Gu Shiyong (Zheng Kai), and the female lead writer-director Yu Zaizao (Zhang Nan) join in, competing with Yuan Jiaying (Sun Yihan) for the position of chief writer-director. In order to form a high quality production team of programs, the team also invites veteran host Wang Xinin (Li Xiaoran) and young cultural relic expert Tao Tang (Zhang Bo) to join. Through their collective efforts, "Chuan Cheng" finally becomes a phenomenal cultural program. During the filming process, Yu Zaizao initially lacked empathy but gradually opens up his heart and eventually gains fulfilling friendships as well as career…

It has always been difficult to make sequels to Chinese costume dramas, and they always go through all kinds of twists and turns. Even for high-quality dramas with a large audience demand, it is not an easy task to gather the same cast and crew. It is possible that the actors have moved on to other projects, and scheduling conflicts make it difficult to coordinate everyone's availability. As a result, delays are inevitable, making it hard to gather the original team. While replacing a few supporting roles may be acceptable, changing the main cast would seriously affect the show's quality, leading to a completely new drama. However, this situation has improved this year. Many popular dramas have returned for a second season, such as "Young Blood 2," "Strange Tales of the Tang Dynasty 2," "Joy of Life 2," and so on, with the original cast and crew. "Young Blood 2" has already been approved and will premiere next month. "Young Blood" was a unexpected drama when it premiered, with only Zhang Xincheng gaining some recognition from his role in "My Huckleberry Friends." As for Zhou Yutong, Wang Youshuo, Su Xiaotong, and others, they were all new faces with little recognition.…

"Gender Swap" is not an uncommon theme in film and drama works, especially in recent years where almost every year sees at least one such work being released. Due to the different ways men and women think, the natural gender mismatch after their souls swap bodies adds a certain degree of drama and often leads to many hilarious gags, making it a popular genre that continues to attract audiences. Among the current wave of "Gender Swap" dramas in the domestic film and television market, this setting often performs well, thus becoming a favorite story content of creators in recent years. However, when a theme falls into the red ocean, it will inevitably fall into the trap of homogenization, making creativity the primary productive force. The costume fantasy romance drama "The Trust (恩爱两不疑)" is directed by He Zhenhua, starring Song Yanfei, Zhang Haowei, Ma Li, Cao Junxiang and others. The drama tells the story of the city lord (played by Zhang Haowei) and his wife (played by Song Yanfei) who accidentally swap bodies. In the process of playing each other's roles, the two reconciled from mutual distrust and suspicion to true love and support for each other. "The Trust" is light-hearted,…

If you're a fan of Chinese dramas, then you've probably heard of Xianxia and Xuanhuan genres. These two popular genres revolve around ancient Chinese myths, legends, and folklore and they have become increasingly popular in recent years due to their unique storylines, stunning visuals, and captivating characters. From epic battles between good and evil to intricate plot twists, Xianxia and Xuanhuan dramas offer a mesmerizing escape into a world of magic and adventure. In this article, we have compiled the top 10 Xianxia and Xuanhuan dramas that will take you on a thrilling journey through mystical lands and fantastical creatures. Whether you're a hardcore fan or just starting to explore this genre, these dramas are sure to keep you hooked till the very end.   Chinese Paladin · 仙剑奇侠传 "Chinese Paladin" is a Chinese Xianxia Xuanhuan drama adapted from the RPG game of the same name. It stars Hu Ge, Crystal Liu, Ady An, and Eddie Peng in leading roles. Also known as: Xian Jian Qi Xia Zhuan Aired: Jan 24, 2005 Episodes/Duration: 34/50min Period Background: Alternative reality Genres: Xianxia, Romance, Wuxia, Fantasy Main Role: Hu Ge as Li Xiao Yao, Crystal Liu as Zhao Ling Er, Ady An as…

Compared to costume dramas and Xuanhuan dramas, the Wuxia and Xianxia genres drama have less momentum in 2022. But there are quite a few that are worth adding to the waiting list for martial arts fans, such as Who Rules The World, The Young Flying Fox, and Heroes. Likewise, there are still some popular dramas still in production on the martial arts to-be-broadcast list for 2022, check them out here. This article summarizes some of the Wuxia cdramas to be broadcast in 2023.   A Journey to Love · 一念观山 Also known as: Yi Nian Guan Shan Period Background: Alternative Reality Genres: Romance, Martial Arts, Adventure Main Role: Liu Shi Shi as Ren Ru Yi, Liu Yu Ning as Ning Yuan Zhou Plot summary of A Journey to Love The Wuxia cdramas A Journey to Love is Liu Shi Shi playing ancient cdrama again after five years. It tells the story of Ren Ruyi (任如意, played by Liu Shi Shi) and Ning Yuan Zhou (宁远舟, played by Liu Yuning) building a strong alliance, establishing trust, and defending their faith.   The Blood of Youth · 少年歌行 (Aired) Aired: December 26, 2022 Also known as: Song of Adolescence Period Background: Alternative…

"Unchained Love" is the ancient romantic political drama which stars Dylan Wang, Chen Yu Qi, Peter Ho, and Zeng Li, and aired on December 27, 2022. The drama is based on the novel of the same name by You Si Jie, which tells the story of Xiao Duo, the leader of the powerful Zhao Ding Division, and Bu Yin Lou, a concubine of the previous emperor, who bravely defy fate and feudal rituals, and support each other through life and death to win their freedom. In the eleventh year of the Long Hua period, Da Ye Dynasty (fictional), all the concubines who had no children had to be buried together with the deceased emperor. As a newcomer to the imperial palace, Bu Yin Lou faces the threat of death as soon as she appears. Xiao Duo, the leader of the Zhao Ding Division, who is in charge of decides the list of concubines to be buried with. He noticed that Bu Yin Lou had saved herself in various ways from the beginning and thought she was actually quite intelligent. At the critical moment, Xiao Duo saved Bu Yin Lou. Although Bu Yinlu has not even seen the emperor once since…

On December 15, the last Xianxia cdrama of 2022, "Song of the Moon (月歌行)", was launched online. The drama is adapted from the original novel "Ben Yue (奔月)" by author Shu Ke, In the drama, Vin Zhang and Xu Lu as the leads, and Wang You Shuo, Zheng He Hui Zi, Riley Wang, and Ma Yue as supporting actors. On the second day of release, the popularity index of "Song of the Moon" has been soaring, ranking first in the broadcast charts of web dramas in mainland China. The netizens' evaluation of this drama: "fast-paced", "sweet but tearjerker", "perfect special effects" all show's production team has put a lot of effort into the production. The original "Song of the Moon" has a heartbreaking storyline in which the female protagonist, under the influence of several male characters, forms her worldview, values and ultimately chooses to move towards a set ending. In the episode, while retaining the worldview of multiple worlds of immortal, human and demon realm, the story of immortal love between the male lead Lu Li (陆离, palyed by Vin Zhang)/Luo Ge (洛歌) and the female lead Liu Shao (柳梢, played by Xu Lu) is told, and the sense of…

The new record of the fastest topping on the IQIYI drama list, seven consecutive days of the Chinese broadcast market share of the first, "New Life Begins (卿卿日常)" has become the biggest dark horse in the early winter drama market with its extremely high popularity. "New Life Begins" is produced by New Classics Media. In a marriage election, girls from all over the country gather in Xinchuan to marry the young prince of Xin Chuan. The 6th Prince, Yin Zheng (Bai Jingting), who is hiding his light, and Li Wei (Tian Xi Wei), who just wants to go back home and live comfortably, have a laughable marriage. This drama features a fresh style, a cheerful plot, and delightful characters. It combines love, cuisine, humanities, and history together, supplemented by comedy and laughs, ultimately presenting a life story. "New Life Begins" is different from the usual sweet comedy, the sweetness and joy presented are not a mindless spoof, but a romantic distillation of the fragments of life. Some people think that this drama wins in the background and the freshness of the persona, but after watching a few episodes, you will be able to feel the deep skills of the team…

"Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty" is a detective cdrama with the mystery and thriller theme, which was co-produced by Changxin Media and iQIYI, starring Yang Xuwen and Yang Zhigang, and co-starring Zhang Zijian, Wang Jinsong, and Luo Jialiang. The drama is adapted from the original work of the same name by writer Wei Fenghua. It tells a series of anecdotes that happened in the prosperous Tang Dynasty. Chang’an royalty guard general Lu Lingfeng (卢凌风) join hands with Di Renjie’s disciple Su Wuming (苏无名) to solve the mystery, protect the people life, and take on the mission of saving the country in danger. The drama was broadcast exclusively on iQIYI on September 27, 2022. First of all, although "Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty" takes detectives as the main line, but the story is connected to the court and all corners of the country. There are not only the street prosperous of capitals, but also the gloomy and strange "ghost market", as well as the uninhabited wilderness and the remote small town of reverie, presenting a rich three-dimensional and layered Tang Dynasty. Secondly, the atmosphere is well created, and the visual style highlights the "weird" and "strange" without losing the texture of…

With oriental mythology as the base to interpret the magnificent three realms, the traditional cultural core to build a solid humanistic heritage, the traditional Chinese intangible cultural heritage elements perfectly mixed into the scene creation, the oriental fantasy romance cdrama "Love Between Fairy and Devil" through the new world view, the audience can totally experience what is the immersive oriental cultural imagination. "Love Between Fairy and Devil (苍兰诀)" is a costume fantasy cdrama starring Yu Shu Xin and Dylan Wang, with Xu Hai Qiao and Cristy Guo in special roles. The drama is adapted from the novel of the same name by Jiu Lu Fei Xiang, which tells the story of a sweet and sadistic love story between the fairy Xiao Lan Hua and the Moon Goddess Dong Fang Qing Cang, who accidentally swap bodies. The drama aired on August 7, 2022. The Xi Lan family was exterminated, the goddess of Xishan, Xiao Lan Hua, was protected by the clan and was reborn as a low-level fairy in the heavens after ten thousand years, and she accidentally resurrected the Moon Goddess Dong Fang Qing Cang who was trapped in the Haotian Tower. To gain freedom, Dong Fang Qing Cang has…

From the details of dramatized family daily life to the emotional struggle of characters growing up and the emotions of family and country, Love Like the Galaxy contains many highlights worth watching. The ancient legendary cdrama Love Like the Galaxy was launched on July 5, adapted from the novel work "Xing Han Can Lan, Xing Shen Zhi Zai (星汉灿烂, 幸甚至哉)" by novel author Guan Xin Ze Luan, starring Wu Lei, Zhao Lusi, Guo Tao and Zeng Li in the lead roles. In addition to being broadcast exclusively on Tencent Video, the series is also available on Viu, YouTube, Viki, and iTalk, which cover multiple regions. In the future, the series will also be broadcast on AsiaN in Korea and mainstream TV in Japan. Love Like the Galaxy portrays the ancient family group, with a huge and complicated family construction that holds up the vast and long story. The drama tells the story of Ling Bu Yi, who is burdened with a blood feud, and Cheng Shao Shang, who has lacked love since childhood, growing up together through life and death together. The drama in the structure of the narrative, to grow the main male and female to drive the audience…

China has a long history of tea drinking, which emerged in the Tang Dynasty and became prosperous in the Song Dynasty. It is in this context that the story of A Dream of Splendor takes place. In the drama, Liu Yifei as Zhao Pan'er, together with two girlfriends, opened a tea store in Bian Jing, the capital of the Song Dynasty. With Zhao Pan'er's excellent marketing skills, Sun San Niang's delicious pastries, Song Yin Zhang's wonderful Pipa performance, and most importantly, Pan'er's extensive experience in Dian Cha, as well as Cha Bai Xi, their tea store has achieved initial success. Dian Cha (点茶, whisking tea), as an important part of Chinese tea culture, is the main tea drinking method in the Song Dynasty, and also an important way of leisure and entertainment for the literati and ordinary people. Cha Bai Xi (茶百戏, tea painting art), also known as: Fen Cha (分茶), Shui Dan Qin (水丹青). Firstly, the finely ground tea powder is injected into the tea bowl with boiling water, while stirring with a tea whisk, the tea froth floats up and forms a suspension. Then use the teaspoon and water to draw words and patterns on the surface. Cha Bai…

This year's hottest costume drama: A Dream Of Splendor (梦华录, Meng Hua Lu), started broadcasting. Crystal Liu, Chen Xiao, Ada Liu, and Jelly Lin lead the cast. Since the airing, Meng Hua Lu's popularity has been high. Over 200,000 netizens have rated the drama 8.8 out of 10 on Douban. It is worth mentioning that among the TV dramas in the past five months of 2022, there are only four cdramas with a rating of over 8 on Douban: 8.3 for "The Record of Strange Things", 8.2 for "Beyond", 8.1 for "A Lifelong Journey " and 8.0 for "The Wind Blows From Longxi ". A Dream Of Splendor tells the story of Zhao Pan Er (Crystal Liu), a tea store owner in Qiantang, waiting for news of her fiance, Ou Yang Xu (Xu Hai Qiao), who has gone to the capital (Bian Jing) to take the imperial examination. Unexpectedly, when Ou Yang Xu was admitted to Tanhua, he betrayed Zhao Pan Er and married the daughter of a high-ranking court official. Zhao Pan Er is puzzled and sets off for the capital to ask for clarification. In the process, she befriends Gu Qian Fan (Chen Xiao), the commander of the…

Cdrama Heroes (Say Hero Who is Hero, 说英雄谁是英雄) launched on May 23rd, the drama stars Joseph Zeng, Yang Chao Yue, Liu Yu Ning, Baron Chen, and Meng Zi Yi. It tells the story of Wang Xiaoshi, a kind-hearted teenager who goes down to the mountains and enters the Jianghu. He meets Bai Choufei, Wen Rou, Su Mengxiu, and others by chance and builds a deep friendship. In the adventure of the capital Jianghu, they experienced the brotherhood and romance of youth, and gradually grew up from ignorant teenagers to become unique heroes. Martial arts has always been a favorite genre of film and television, a series of classic martial arts works, such as "The Return of the Condor Heroes" and "The Legend of the Condor Heroes", have left a deep impression on the audience. However, the times have changed, and the martial arts drama of our time should be how to shoot? This is the question that every martial arts drama creator thinks about. And "Heroes" has given its answer. "Heroes" are adapted from the martial arts novelist Wen Rui'an's work of the same name, and he is one of the four great masters of the new martial arts, along…

In the past two years, the development of Chinese short length series has become more and more rapid, and this year, there has been a succession of "Please Don't Spoil Me", "Got Old Recently", "The Killer Is Also Romantic" and other popular series. While the influence of short length series is being developed rapidly, innovation and quality are becoming more and more important. On April 16, a Chinese short length series about ancient women's sumo wrestling, "Women Wrestling (瓦舍之素舞遥)", caught the attention of netizens in particular. The short length series industry has never been short of quality episodes, but Women Wrestling is willing to step out of its comfort zone and seek more possibilities in the industry, acting as a pioneer to find a breakthrough and actively try new topics, which makes us feel the vitality of the micro-short series industry.   New China-chic style theme "Female sumo wrestler of Song Dynasty?" Many netizens are attracted by the plot of the series on social media platforms. This has brought hot intuitive feedback to "Women Wrestling". Since the start of the broadcast, Tencent Video has broken 65 million viewers. "Women Wrestling" is the first part of The Theatre Trilogy (瓦舍三部曲). The whole…

  A new cdrama, Royal Feast, recently aired! This culinary and palace drama set in the Ming Dynasty stars the original cast of the hit drama Story of Yanxi Palace. As the name implies, Royal Feast (尚食, Shang Shi) is a historical drama that focuses on the palace cuisine of the Ming Dynasty. The story takes place during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, where the young cook Yao Zijin, played by Wu Jinyan, enters the palace and shows her "culinary talent" step by step, and eventually becomes a female official of the Food Bureau of the Imperial Palace. Royal Feast not only presents many court food, but also the sweet palace love between Yao Zijin and Zhu Zhanji, the imperial grandson. In this article, we will share the highlights of Royal Feast from food, costumes, and props.   Palace cuisine in Royal Feast The cuisine is the most important part of the drama! For the important Food Bureau of the Imperial Palace scene design, the team carefully drew a detailed structural model drawing, and made a detailed restoration of each place. In order to restore the menu of the Forbidden City in the Ming Dynasty, the non-heritage team…