On CCTV-8, yes, it’s scheduled for October 16 since it has already been published in the newspaper (not a rumor). We’ll know soon whether it will be broadcast simultaneously on Youku and CCTV-8 (but I guess it will be). The release date announcement is expected to be finalized after the Golden Week/National Day Holiday. For now, let’s wait.
Really? but on Chinese version of youko it says 24 episodes?
@Vince As I previously said here, 24 or 30 episodes are still tentative. Yes, Youku lists 24 episodes on the app, but Youku can still put the tentative episode count.
Any episode count listed before a drama passes censorship or officially airs is still tentative. The confirmed episode count will only be known once the drama officially airs or passes censorship. However, in some cases, even after a drama has passed censorship, the network can still cut episodes under certain circumstances.
Youku can edit the episode count if it is different from the actual number of episodes submitted or the final cut version.
Even if the drama is already seeking sponsors, they can still list the tentative 30 or 24 episodes.
Let's wait until the distribution license is issued or the release date is officially announced. For now, let's wait.
at the poster below for where the mask ends. 执金钗 (zhí jīn chāi, “holding the golden hairpin”) is…
Zhi Jin Chai《执金钗》It’s based on an original script. The screenwriter listed on the poster is Zhou Mo. It’s also from the same production house, Damai Entertainment. I’m not sure who the director will be.
Here’s the synopsis from the Youku Mainland app:
During the bitter winter, the beggar girl Jing Zhu freezes to the brink of death in a dilapidated temple. With her final breath, she makes a desperate wish: to never enter the cycle of reincarnation again, in exchange for one year of wealth and prosperity in her present life. When she opens her eyes once more, she finds herself reborn as the principal consort of Prince Zhuang, Liu Xiang. Surrounded by luxurious comforts, warm brocade bedding, lavish meals, and the gentle attentions of her handsome husband, Jing Zhu initially believes that Heaven has taken pity on her and granted her long-awaited dream.
However, what appears to be a life of fortune soon reveals itself to be a carefully orchestrated trap. Her powerful princely husband seems to possess two very different faces, while the two consorts who preceded her both met violent and mysterious deaths. Behind the splendor of the seemingly magnificent Prince Zhuang's residence lies a series of deadly schemes, with one life-threatening “accident” following another. As Jing Zhu and Liu Xiang struggle to survive amid these hidden dangers, they find themselves caught in a deadly battle that forces them to break through the confines of their gilded existence.
Yet Jing Zhu has no intention of merely escaping. Taking up an axe, she resolves to shatter the golden cage that confines her, piece by piece, and ultimately claim the entire golden world for herself.
WTH Now recent rumours suggest it'll be aired next year as Youku just launched its 2027 lineup drama posters
No, that’s not how it works. It doesn’t mean the majority of the dramas in the lineup will actually air in 2027. It’s a 2026–2027 lineup, with some dramas potentially airing later in 2026 and others in 2027.
This is also how previous Youku conferences and other networks have worked. The annual conference presents the platform’s overall lineup for the upcoming period, not a guarantee that every drama announced will be released within that specific calendar year.
Hujing Digital Media & Entertainment Group — Youku 2026 - 2027 Drama Lineup
Earlier this March, this drama was showcased at the Hong Kong International Film & TV Market. Based on the information given there, it’s tentatively planned to have 24 episodes × 60 minutes.
We’ll know the actual episode duration once it airs, as the 60-minute runtime is only tentative for now.
Also, the 24-episode count is tentative. We will know the actual confirmed episode count once the distribution license/permit is issued. Any episode count listed before the drama obtains its license is still tentative and will only be confirmed once the license is issued.
Also, I checked the Youku Mainland app, and it is currently listed as having 24 episodes. So, we will know soon whether this is actually confirmed. Youku can list an episode count on its app even if it is still tentative, and they will update it if the final episode count is different from 24.
The poster about the iQIYI lineup was not directly posted by iQIYI. It was made by a TV drama blogger. However, some of the dramas included on the poster are actually confirmed, such as Abyss on September 9 and Spring of the Blade on September 17, while others, like Shadow Punisher is rumored for late September. A Prophet is rumored for September 23, while others are rumored for October.
The costume drama #WheretheMaskEnds, starring #TianXiwei and Yan An has topped the chart of the top 10 most anticipated upcoming dramas, following rumors of a mid-October premiere. [2026.09.11]🏆
K-Drama 
1 
It’s definitely coming out on October 16, based on the CCTV program schedule.
https://kisskh.at/760859-jia-jin-chai#comment-27770944
https://weibo.com/7077796653/5349253249761961
https://weibo.com/7077796653/5349253249761961
https://weibo.com/9155650263/5349257847505381
https://x.com/txweei/status/2107032363507327427
Main Source:
https://weibo.com/6469394452/5350697542617645
Any episode count listed before a drama passes censorship or officially airs is still tentative. The confirmed episode count will only be known once the drama officially airs or passes censorship. However, in some cases, even after a drama has passed censorship, the network can still cut episodes under certain circumstances.
Youku can edit the episode count if it is different from the actual number of episodes submitted or the final cut version.
Even if the drama is already seeking sponsors, they can still list the tentative 30 or 24 episodes.
Let's wait until the distribution license is issued or the release date is officially announced. For now, let's wait.
Youku Reservation：http://t.cn/AXy4Y1Ge
Here’s the synopsis from the Youku Mainland app:
During the bitter winter, the beggar girl Jing Zhu freezes to the brink of death in a dilapidated temple. With her final breath, she makes a desperate wish: to never enter the cycle of reincarnation again, in exchange for one year of wealth and prosperity in her present life. When she opens her eyes once more, she finds herself reborn as the principal consort of Prince Zhuang, Liu Xiang. Surrounded by luxurious comforts, warm brocade bedding, lavish meals, and the gentle attentions of her handsome husband, Jing Zhu initially believes that Heaven has taken pity on her and granted her long-awaited dream.
However, what appears to be a life of fortune soon reveals itself to be a carefully orchestrated trap. Her powerful princely husband seems to possess two very different faces, while the two consorts who preceded her both met violent and mysterious deaths. Behind the splendor of the seemingly magnificent Prince Zhuang's residence lies a series of deadly schemes, with one life-threatening “accident” following another. As Jing Zhu and Liu Xiang struggle to survive amid these hidden dangers, they find themselves caught in a deadly battle that forces them to break through the confines of their gilded existence.
Yet Jing Zhu has no intention of merely escaping. Taking up an axe, she resolves to shatter the golden cage that confines her, piece by piece, and ultimately claim the entire golden world for herself.
Irreplaceable in its app name when you try to download it!
"Youku Video - «Irreplaceable» Exclusively Streamed Online"
Xu Chi is coming real soon!!
https://x.com/randmpersonjk/status/2100557898539831454
This is also how previous Youku conferences and other networks have worked. The annual conference presents the platform’s overall lineup for the upcoming period, not a guarantee that every drama announced will be released within that specific calendar year.
Hujing Digital Media & Entertainment Group — Youku 2026 - 2027 Drama Lineup
https://weibo.com/1642904381/5343713321815651
https://kisskh.at/photos/JjPl0p_3
We’ll know the actual episode duration once it airs, as the 60-minute runtime is only tentative for now.
Also, the 24-episode count is tentative. We will know the actual confirmed episode count once the distribution license/permit is issued. Any episode count listed before the drama obtains its license is still tentative and will only be confirmed once the license is issued.
Also, I checked the Youku Mainland app, and it is currently listed as having 24 episodes. So, we will know soon whether this is actually confirmed. Youku can list an episode count on its app even if it is still tentative, and they will update it if the final episode count is different from 24.
https://kisskh.at/760859-jia-jin-chai#comment-25461656
https://weibo.com/5854375696/QwBxekSL1
http://xhslink.com/o/1iE0xXD7b2b
The poster about the iQIYI lineup was not directly posted by iQIYI. It was made by a TV drama blogger. However, some of the dramas included on the poster are actually confirmed, such as Abyss on September 9 and Spring of the Blade on September 17, while others, like Shadow Punisher is rumored for late September. A Prophet is rumored for September 23, while others are rumored for October.
source: https://weibo.com/5634177799/5342345705029790
https://x.com/luvutianxiwei/status/2098690320682950791
https://weibo.com/2949989907/QpZFja3pf
https://weibo.com/6161773526/QpZGKftlh
Based on the latest rumors, it is tentatively scheduled to air in mid-May and will be broadcast on iQIYI and Youku.
• Everything is subject to official confirmation.
https://weibo.com/2949989907/QvitHiTi9
https://weibo.com/7824190977/QviuL4VGP