Xu Kai x Zhou Ye's 'Yi Ou Chun' releases latest footage, anticipating a dark power-play romance.Hualiu 2026/7/27…
Hualiu 2026/7/27 16:00 The Chinese historical drama 'Yi Ou Chun,' starring Xu Kai (許凱) and Zhou Ye (周也), has released its latest special footage, gathering anticipation for its broadcast.
'Yi Ou Chun,' a screen adaptation of popular author You Sijie (尤四姐)'s novel of the same name, wrapped up filming last July and obtained a broadcast permit in December. The fact that its original 40 episodes were significantly re-edited down to 30 episodes also became a topic of discussion. It is expected to be broadcast within the year and is counted as one of the most anticipated works from autumn onwards.
Recently, the official account of China's SNS Weibo (微博) released a special video of about 2 minutes. The highlight is its profound atmosphere centered around a dark power struggle and a fated love story, with a dual structure incorporating the perspectives of both male and female protagonists, depicting their turbulent lives.
'Shen Run,' played by Xu Kai, is a character who, after the downfall of his family, overcomes numerous hardships and devises strategies to rise to become a high-ranking official in the imperial court. As a calm, collected, patient, and inscrutable strategist, he skillfully navigates power struggles. On the other hand, 'Xie Qingyuan,' played by Zhou Ye, is a heroine who harbors a deep desire for revenge after losing her mother. She transforms from a solitary figure into a strong-willed woman vowing revenge.
In the special footage, the tense psychological battles woven by the two characters with dark charms are also a major highlight. Furthermore, in this work, key scenes were filmed in Puyuan Ancient Town, a water town located in Tongxiang City, Zhejiang Province. Attention is also drawn to the visual beauty, which blends the unique scenery of Jiangnan water towns, light and shadow effects, and the aesthetics of Song dynasty architecture. (Mathilda)
Li Yu (not LXY). Maybe i just haven't' watched enough of his dramas. I saw him in Moonlight Mystique and the character is so wacky left me a bad impression.
thats not really true, i was active in the never ending summer discussion section while it was airing and plenty…
I don’t watch every drama, so when I wrote that I was mainly thinking of a few big romance blockbusters/hits that I actually saw. Even though they also have those cheesy/tropey/micro-drama-style moments (quick hooks, heightened emotions, etc.), they were still very well-received and praised overall. That’s why I felt Overdo isn’t alone in this — it just stands out more and gets more criticism for it. So, as long as the drama is done well, it gets overlook. Overdo is getting more flak partly because the execution makes the micro-drama influences more obvious.
I heard from the one who actually read the script that they had made substantial changes from the novel.For example.…
If the characters’ personalities stay true to the novel and the overall setting is basically the same, then yeah — I think it’s worth reading. It gives you a better feel for the characters and the world they’re supposed to exist in.
The usual complaint is that this drama feels like one of those short micro‑dramas. But it’s not just this show. Recent romance blockbusters and other romance hits are doing the same thing; they just blend those elements together better. Everyone wants their long‑form dramas to have that same quick hook to compete with the growing micro‑drama market, so it’s become a trend. This drama stood out more. But I don’t see people calling out the other dramas that use the same hooks.
it's crazy that zhou ye's Hello 1983 is already getting a second run on satellite TV tomorrow while this drama…
Xu Kai has dramas airing across multiple platforms, but the platforms tend to promote only certain projects very heavily. Those dramas get a huge wave of hype — even before filming — with labels like “most anticipated” or “highly anticipated.” Xu Kai’s dramas usually don’t receive that level of early attention. His shows rely much more on word of mouth, and his audience spans a very broad range of age groups.
Best Choice Ever was an exception. It did get stronger promotion because it’s a Yang Zi drama, and it aired only eight months after wrapping, which makes it an outlier in his lineup.
I think I get a part of why this is so 'short drama' vibes...it's the sound effects as wellThe heels clicking…
I hear that AI will be able to make full length movies by next year, even the voice is AI generated I think less and less people will enter acting profession.
The Chinese historical drama 'Yi Ou Chun,' starring Xu Kai (許凱) and Zhou Ye (周也), has released its latest special footage, gathering anticipation for its broadcast.
'Yi Ou Chun,' a screen adaptation of popular author You Sijie (尤四姐)'s novel of the same name, wrapped up filming last July and obtained a broadcast permit in December. The fact that its original 40 episodes were significantly re-edited down to 30 episodes also became a topic of discussion. It is expected to be broadcast within the year and is counted as one of the most anticipated works from autumn onwards.
Recently, the official account of China's SNS Weibo (微博) released a special video of about 2 minutes. The highlight is its profound atmosphere centered around a dark power struggle and a fated love story, with a dual structure incorporating the perspectives of both male and female protagonists, depicting their turbulent lives.
'Shen Run,' played by Xu Kai, is a character who, after the downfall of his family, overcomes numerous hardships and devises strategies to rise to become a high-ranking official in the imperial court. As a calm, collected, patient, and inscrutable strategist, he skillfully navigates power struggles. On the other hand, 'Xie Qingyuan,' played by Zhou Ye, is a heroine who harbors a deep desire for revenge after losing her mother. She transforms from a solitary figure into a strong-willed woman vowing revenge.
In the special footage, the tense psychological battles woven by the two characters with dark charms are also a major highlight. Furthermore, in this work, key scenes were filmed in Puyuan Ancient Town, a water town located in Tongxiang City, Zhejiang Province. Attention is also drawn to the visual beauty, which blends the unique scenery of Jiangnan water towns, light and shadow effects, and the aesthetics of Song dynasty architecture. (Mathilda)
Hualiu 2026/7/27 16:00
https://t.co/LKhxsSUr88
says that it is anticipated in "autumn onwards"
Best Choice Ever was an exception. It did get stronger promotion because it’s a Yang Zi drama, and it aired only eight months after wrapping, which makes it an outlier in his lineup.
https://youtu.be/SVkEJ4VycBI