China Daily Global Edition (USA)
SERIAL THRILLERS With their lavish productions, set in exotic locations, online Chinese drama serials are seeing a shift toward storylines that encourage empowerment, Xu Fan reports.
Generating nearly 14 billion “clicks” in around 50 days, the fantasy series Legend of Fuyao has become the most viewed online drama of the summer — the most competitive season for reaching young audiences.
Adapted from the hit novel of the same title, the series, co-headlined by Chinese mainland actress Yang Mi and Taiwan actor Ethan Juan, debuted on streaming platform Tencent Video on June 18, and was also aired on Zhejiang TV from June 18 to Aug 13.
Set in a fictional world that is divided into five kingdoms, the 66-episode story follows the adventures of the titular protagonist, Meng Fuyao, a low-ranking servant girl brought up in a martial arts clan.
As she attempts to figure out why she possesses mysterious yet hard-to-control powers, the protagonist embarks on a journey across the five kingdoms upon which she uncovers a thrilling conspiracy and falls in love with the most powerful ruler’s crown prince, Zhangsun Wuji.
Thanks to the star power of the actress who plays Fuyao — Yang is followed by 88 million fans on Sina Weibo and is known for her roles in a string of hit fantasy serials — Legend of Fuyao has sparked much online debate, generating over 17 million posts on the micro-blogging platform.
The series has also been welcomed in overseas markets, exemplifying the rising international interest in Chinese drama productions.
In recent years, television dramas set in ancient China have become a popular genre for foreign audiences, with their exquisitely-tailored costumes, detailed sets and exotic locations — from ancient royal palaces to dramatic natural landscapes — capturing the imagination.
Simultaneously released on global streaming services, such as YouTube, Viki and Dramafever, on the same day as its release on the Chinese mainland, the drama has also aired in Malaysia and Singapore. More countries, including Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and South Korea, will make local languagedubbed versions, according to an online report by the People’s Daily.
Yang Xiaopei, the drama’s chief producer and vice-president of the Shanghai-based Yang Xiaopei, studio Linmon Pictures, told reporters at a news conference in Beijing on Aug 15 that she read the novel around four years ago and immediately felt a connection with the protagonist.
“Fuyao is not shy to express her feelings, both love and hatred. She is very brave and independent as she attempts to fulfill her dangerous mission,” explains Yang.
Even though the story is set in an era when women in China were considered inferior to men, Fuyao sets out to subvert the historical view that women were not as capable as their male counterparts.
“We’ve infused modern values into the characters to make them easier to identify and resonate with contemporary audiences,” adds Yang.
Interestingly, online novels and screen productions revolving around the theme of gender empowerment have become a trendy genre favored by millions of domestic viewers, especially women.
Taking shape from the 2011 hit series Empresses in the Palace, also known as The Legend of Zhen Huan, the genre has seen a flood of such tales, including the Jing Tianled The Glory of Tang Dynasty, Yang Mi-led Eternal Love and Princess Agents.
With the slowdown in China’s film industry from mid2016 to mid-2017 and the expansion of the drama series Yang Xiaopei, industry — thanks to the unprecedented growth of Chinese internet users which have surpassed 800 million — a bunch of A-listers who previously only worked in film have switched their focus to the smaller screen, with many of them choosing these kinds of feminism-themed tales.
The latest series in the genre includes Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace, which stars Zhou Xun, one of China’s leading stars and a winner of the best actress award at both the Hong Kong Film Awards and the Taipei Golden Horse Film Festival.
These changes in the film and TV industries also owe a lot to the cash-rich internet giants, which have steadily
vice-president of Linmon Pictures, alongside Han Zhijie, senior vice-president of Tencent’s Penguin Pictures, promote Legend of Fuyao at a Beijing event. We’ve infused modern values into the characters to make them easier to identify and resonate with contemporary audiences.” Legend of Fuyao’s chief producer
increased their forays into drama serial production since 2014.
A number of top faces, from Zhang Yimou, the first Chinese director to take home a Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival, to iconic Hong Kong star Andy Lau Tak-wah, have joined serials tailored for the online market.
The decisionmakers, backed by leading internet companies, say they plan to expand their investment in broadcasting to a wider range of genres to increase their audience base.
Han Zhijie, senior vicepresident of Tencent’s Penguin Pictures, says the company has kept storing various new serials in genres tailored to particular groups of viewers, such as campus thrillers and financial crime stories.
“For instance, The Trading Floor has just five episodes, but is very innovative in terms of its theme and storyline. It is well received and we plan to explore more of these genres,” he says.
Starring award-winning actor, Francis Ng, and Taiwan actor, Chang Hsiao-chuan, The Trading Floor, produced by Lau, is a Wall Street-inspired series revolving around a tale financial fraud. of