WK1

Guan Xiaodi is like really long ago!! So, she has been popular around that region that far back? Maybe they are fascinated with a girl who can fight? Reba was really dynamic in that show. Maybe after PE, she can act in a modern drama that will make use of her kicking and punching skills. Like a crime solving police detective?? Or an adventurer in an Indiana Jones kind of drama?

Yes, I noticed that you have keeping away from MDL, and you should, if you are busy with more important stuff. Especially, when there are no subs. By the time you finished clearing your other important stuff, we should get the subs.

TBW is doing really well in China, likely the best drama that Youku has streamed over the past 4-5 years. And the last few episodes are going to be really epic, so it will end on a really high note.

If you spot a nice Turkish drama with good English sub, do let me know. I can watch that while waiting for Legend of Anle. Right now, I am just watching TBW raw, while at the same time waiting for the Eng subs.

Yes, they have released two previews so far, and these are good indications that the subs will be out really soon. Very likely, if we wish to binge watch, we need to pay. Else, it could be 2 episodes a day, if we wish to watch it free. Let's wait and see how they will release it.

With the current oil prices, UAE can surely pay good money for broadcasting rights. I am not surprised that she has fans in UAE. Just googled. Dilraba has facial features that resemble lots of Emirati girls, so it is not a surprise she has fans there.

I also missed many things while watching it raw, although someone already made episode summaries which just about explains everything. But, re-watching when the subs is definitely worth it, as we will able to listen to all the dialogues on our own and may have our own interpretations of events that took place in the drama.

I think the subs will be out real soon, as Youku also needs to release Immortal Samara and Legend of Anle once those dramas get their airing license. We are expecting Part 1 subs to be out by late April, and then maybe Part 2 subs by middle of May??

Thanks so much. I watched an earlier raw version, but watching this again with Eng sub is so much better.

I think the last part catches my attention most, when he said he would want to try something different all the time. TBW did give him that opportunity, same character, but different personalities as Changyi undergo changes. I think his next drama will also show that he truly wants do something different, and want to show that he does not only perform well in historical dramas, but also in modern dramas.

Apart from the colour, many people in Twitter noted that the designs are very intricate. Ji Yunhe's dress has Changyi's fishtail right in front. And on Changyi's sleeves, we can see the merman.

These costumes are really beautiful and also symbolic of their relationship.

TBW will also be shown in Thailand. And later, I am sure it will be announced that countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan, Japan and Philippines will be screening this drama. I see some Arabic text in Twitter, so some of the middle eastern countries would be showing this. Pretty sure Huace/Croton Media will be making decent money from TBW.

They have just released the 2nd preview for the series. Our wait should not be long now.

We all are. Yes, good to put this on hold, till the subs are out. Its successful airing in China shows that this is a great drama. Well worth our wait.

Please note that official Eng subs are not out yet. Lots of us are waiting. Expecting them to be out soon, maybe toward the end of April?

Just read in Twitter, S Korea will be airing TBW. This should be good news for Huace/Croton Media. The Koreans are rich. They can pay big money. And they have been in love with Reba since Eternal of Dream. Now, they will get to fall in love with Allen too.

We will need a new bucket.

Saw this in Twitter just a few moments ago. Really beautiful, what both of them are wearing. These last six episodes next are going to charm all of us. Maybe we will cry buckets again.

Your first sentence, 'rmb 1mm per episode' you mean 1m rmb per episode? So, since there are a total of 42 episodes, that would mean 42m RMB? In US $, that would mean US $ 6m for the whole series per platform showing this overseas? I would say some countries will be able to pay that kind of money, but not sure how many. I think they will try to sell to as many countries as is possible, and, at the end of the day, just get whatever they can. Advertising dollars isn't just difficult in China, but everywhere else (I think).

Previously, you said total investment for this drama is 200RMB, which means it is about US $ 35m?

I do not know all the details regarding investments in the TBW project and the revenue sharing model the various investors used they agreed to collaborate on this project.

What I can tell, judging from its immense popularity in China, if Youku gets to keep all the revenue from advertisers and subscription fees, etc., I can see that Youku will be making lots of money. Perhaps this is what they have agreed upon, that Youku will invest most, and hence they get the broadcast rights in China and Huace gets the overseas' rights (hence all overseas revenue).

Huace can make use of TBW immense popularity in China to sell TBW to as many countries as possible, at the highest price as possible for each of those countries, and later on, maybe even to Netflix.

The final few episodes will be shown in China. If they are as well received as the most recent 6 episodes, we can say that this is definitely a very succcessful drama. And we can then use that as an indication of possible success in the overseas market.

Not sure about Allen's overseas fan base, but I do know that Reba's international fan base is huge. I suspect his should be as well, due to the success of his most recent dramas. Hence, I do suspect that they will indeed be able to make a very reasonable return on their (Huace) investment. Even if Huace cannot hit the target of 20% return on investment for TBW, I would say, it will be well above their average return of 10%.

It would not be too difficult to figure this out. We just need to compare how many countries they managed to market TBW to, with how many countries in previous dramas. You mentioned 180tv stations and platform. Assuming prices are roughly constant across the stations/platform, if previous number is much lower, Huace would have scored a big hit. For instance, if the average number of overseas TV stations/platform they managed to sell to is 100, and now they hit 180, I would say TBW is a huge success for Huace.

Thanks so much! It is always nice to watch such interviews (hers and Allen's), to know things from the cast's perspectives, how they feel about the characters they play, in this case, Reba's perspective regarding Ji Yunhe, and Ji Yunhe's relations with other characters in the drama.

Productive way to keep us entertained, while we wait for the finale next week.

1. Based on many different statistics, this is the best Chinese drama currently airing in China. So, yes, it is good.

2. The novel has a happy ending for the leading couple, so it will be a happy ending.

3. Please watch and enjoy the drama, when the English subs are out, and you will know which episode they get together. It is more fun this way. And, different people may well feel differently about when they actually get to like or love each other.

This one is really funny!!

I told myself not to come here, till the subs are out, because I do not wish to straddle between two MDL pages, Too giddy for me. But, reading of the comments here, I felt compelled to leave one comment, before going back to Part 1 page.

1. This drama is doing extremely well in China. For three days in a row, for the past three days, it hit the Youku heat index of 10,000. Prior to this, no Youku drama has even hit 10,000. But TBW did it three days in a row. And next week being the final six episodes, I will not be surprised that it will hit another 3 in a row heat index of 10,000

In contrast with Tencent, Youku does not use view count to track popularity, and Heat Index is a composite of several indices such view count, discussion of the drama in Weibo, etc.

2. Secondly, someone mentioned that this drama has been marketed to something like 180 foreign TV stations and platforms. showing just how popular it is overseas.

Whichever way you look at it, this drama is a success, which can only mean one thing, the director and scriptwriter did a good job, and all the cast members did a good job (which include Allen, because clearly there is a Cheng Yi lover here who, for obvious reason, do not like Allen).

For people who said this drama is a mess, please use the above facts and figures to push back against them.

For people who said the director and scriptwriter do not know what they are doing, please use the above facts to push back against them. Especially those who are trashing this drama outright and cannot find anything good at all to say about it. I am sure you know what are the intentions of these individuals.

Numbers do not lie. And numbers say that this drama is doing extremely well in China and overseas.

I watched all the episodes raw, and if the final few episodes I do not feel rushed, if TBW scores another 3 in a row heat index of 10,000, it shows that the director and his team know how to read the Chinese viewers' taste, and this adaptation has been a great success. It is one of the pluses of those who watched this drama completely clueless, not knowing what happened in the novel. As long as the subs are good, we should be able to understand the plot, even if we may miss some fine details found only in the novel. We are not fixated to any of the scenes there, no matter how good those may appear to novel readers.

Someone on the page of Part 1 put it really nicely. The novel and drama are both works of art. Please appreciate each on it own and not expect the drama to be a mirror image of the novel.

I find it really strange that when the drama follows the novel, people said it is too draggy. Yet, when the director added some additional characters, we said, why on earth did he do that, why not stick to the novel?? It would appear that some people are really difficult to please.

For your information, this director has had years and years of directorial experience, and has directed so many bit hits. Please do check his CV on your own, and you will agree with me.

Inclusive of TBW, he was worked with Dilraba 4 times; and Allen 2 times. He knows what are their strengths, their acting styles and is able to bring out the best in them. And not just the two leads, but the entire cast.

I do not for one moment feel that he is perfect, cause no human is. But, a person with that kind of track record, if you do feel that you can do a better job than him, please submit your CV to the next Tencent, Youku or Iqiyi production. I would love to see how they respond to your submission.

I have said what I want to say and will now return to Part 1, waiting for the Eng subs and all my pals from the days of TLB and YAMG to come to that page and try to recreate the fun time we had on the page of TLB.

180tv stations and platforms. We can smell the kind of money they will making (not including what they will be making from the China market).

All the producers and investors are going to be mighty happy with TBW. Goes to show just how good the entire production team, cast members and post production people are.

Dilraba looks amazingly youthful, with this short hairstyle. I can sense that their chemistry upon their reunion will totally charm us. Looking forward to the grand finale next week.

And then, re-watch with Eng sub.

Thanks for the these posters. Lovely!

We don't have an official date but do have reasons to believe that subs for Part 1 will be out before the end of April, and Part 2 shortly after that.