The Love Without A Trace

Tong Liya headlines The Love Without A Trace 爱无痕, a Chinese historical drama depicting the chaotic times surrounding the late Tang Dynasty. It seems like another palace drama rife with intrigues, conspiracies, a fight for power and the pre-requisite love triangle.

Only hearing about Tong Liya for the first time but she looks amazing in the stills. The series is expected to premiere some time this year.

For synopsis, cast and ratings, see 2016 popular c-dramas.

Source: Weixinyidu

Song of Phoenix (2017)

Song of Phoenix 思美人 is an 81-episode Chinese historical epic starring Ma Ke (The Journey), Viann Zhang (Border Town Prodigal), Qiao Zhenyu (Hero's Dream) and Jackson Yi Yang Qian Xi (Legend of Chusen). 

It tells the story of Qu Yuan, a Chinese poet and government official known for his accomplishments during the Warring States Era. In the fictionalized dramatization, Qu Yuan falls in love with a slave girl named Mo Chou Nu. Theirs is a forbidden romance but complicated by palace politics and the affairs of the nation. Motivated by a love for his country, Qu Yuan embarks on a difficult endeavor to save his people.

This drama which was filmed early 2016 serves as Ma Ke's comeback to grand scale costume dramas ever since he shot to fame playing Sha Qian Mo in Journey of Flower. It's been more than a year-long wait for its release and it has finally been slated to broadcast following the finale of the hit political drama In the name of People. 

Release Date: April 28, 2017 Hunan TV and iQiYi (eng subs on viki)

Source: Duitang, Official Weibo

Princess Jieyou (2016)

Princess Jieyou 解忧公主 will premiere on Feb 18 along with many other upcoming wuxia series to welcome the Chinese new year. Doing away with the highly-commercialized productions prevalent nowadays, the series goes back to basics and tells the story of Liu Jieyou, a Han Dynasty princess sent to the Western regions as part of a marriage alliance. 

Princess Jieyou has spent two years in the back burner so finally, it will grace our screens this Feb. I don't know most of the cast except for Yuan Hong (Hua Xu Yin) but looking forward to it nonetheless.

For synopsis, cast and other info, check out my 2016 Chinese historical drama recommendations.

Source: Duitang, Ent163

God of War Zhao Yun (2016)

There's too much good stuff to watch that I would've been overwhelmed if not for the limits imposed on broadcasting historical dramas. The end result is a long list of Chinese dramas waiting on the sidelines for an air date, one of which is God of War Zhao Yun 武神赵子龙 aka Wu Shen Zhao Zi Long whose filming ended back in May 2015. 

God of War Zhao Yun is a Chinese drama that boasts a collaboration between international artists. It tells the tale of Zhao Yun, one of Liu Bei's loyal generals during the Three Kingdoms era. It's no secret that I like c-dramas and k-dramas so this is kind of the best of both worlds also made more meaningful because it focuses on the Three Kingdoms era, a piece of history that is relevant to Chinese and Korean culture.

Lin Geng Xin 林更新 (14th prince in Scarlet Heart) stars as the courageous warrior Zhao Yun opposite none other than SNSD Girls Generation Im Yoona 林允儿. Wow, it's quite a pointless observation but I just noticed the two leads have the same surname. Gu Li Na Zha (Chinese Paladin 5), Godfrey Gao and Kim Jeong Hoon (the other prince in Princess Hours) also join the cast as supporting characters. Watch with eng subs on Viki.

For synopsis, cast and other info, check out my 2016 Chinese wuxia recommendations.

Source: 3Lian, Viki

First Episode Recap: Shine or Go Crazy

Anyone who has seen their fair share of Korean historical dramas would know that these dramas usually revolve around a cursed prince or princess or twins who will be cast away to live in exile until their eventual return as an adult.

Shine or Go Crazy is one such k-drama where Prince Wang So (Jang Hyuk) is born during the night when the Star of War was at its brightest. His birth precludes him from having the privileged life that all royalties are accustomed to and for fear that he will bring forth more chaos and destruction to the palace, Wang So is sent to the mountains to fend for himself.

Years later, the King sends for Wang So reaching out for his help in making a great Goryeo empire that is free from the control of the nobles. The King has found a way to change Wang So's fate via an arranged marriage with a lady born of the North Star. Wang So adamantly refuses and his pain from being abandoned all those years come pouring out in a wave of resentment directed at his father. 

Their meeting is disrupted by a group of assassins and despite everything that has been said, Wang So readily comes to his father's defense. The King narrowly escapes with just a scratch, yet Wang So earns a slap from his mother, the Queen who wants him immediately out of her sight. Determined to track down the perpetrators, Wang So leaves peacefully. 

Wang So and the King's faithful guard follow the group of assassins all the way to China where through an unexpected chain of events, Wang So finds himself in a contract marriage with Shin Yool, a Korean merchant living in China who was desperate to fake a marriage in order to escape an aging general's marriage proposal.

First Impressions: I'm beginning to understand the dynamics within the royal family. The benevolent father king is actually good despite having sent his son away and the mother queen is irrationally misguided for pushing all the blame towards her younger son Wang So.

I almost gave up watching halfway through the episode. The fight scenes were subpar and the plot a repeat of every other period drama out there and don't get me started on Oh Yeon Seo's atrocious wig. As for the acting, I notice historical dramas tend to be different in the sense that it requires actors to over-enunciate their lines but Jang Hyuk was emoting on a whole other level that was way too exaggerated for my taste, which is weird given that I absolutely loved him in Volcano High and many other dramas.

Nevertheless, I powered through and I'm so glad I did. The latter half of the episode was devoid of drama and it showed me what this k-drama can be, which I think is better off focusing on the romance between Shin Yool and Wang So. Their meeting was quick - he was put in a bag and voila, their married. 

Oh Yeon Seo's character as Shin Yool is quick-witted, capable and looks like she's pretty lucky herself, which is just the perfect balance needed to pair up with Wang So's unlucky streak and his uncouth, foul-tempered ways. And Wang So's infectious laughter, it bothered me so much but now it's beginning to grow on me.


For synopsis, cast and other info, see 2013-2015 k-drama recommendations.

Imperial Doctress (2016)

Imperial Doctress 女医明妃传 is loosely-based on historical events telling the tale of Tan Yun Xian, a physician who lived during the Ming dynasty. At a time wherein women had no place in society, she was able to climb the ranks to become a renowned doctress of the imperial court. 

After a short hiatus from television, Liu Shi Shi is back in a Chinese drama opposite former co-star Wallace Huo. The two have developed a good onscreen rapport from numerous projects together and it will be a treat for fans to see them in tandem once again (myself included). 

Liu Shi Shi reminds me of a classic Chinese beauty with her elegant and delicate features such that I find her particularly convincing as a woman who can capture the heart of an Emperor. She did it successfully in Scarlet Heart with onscreen partner turned real-life husband Nicky Wu, so this should be no different as her character gets caught between two regents vying for her affections.

It premieres February 13, 2016. For more 2016 c-drama recommendations, click here. 

 

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