Seige in Fog

Siege in Fog 迷雾围城 starts out mired in controversy as author Fei Wo Suo Si 匪我思存, who also wrote Chronicle of Life sues the production for breaching a 5-year contract that ended March 2016.

In their defense, the producers claim that a substantial investment has already been made since December of last year with no objections from Fei Wo Suo Si and for her to suddenly demand an extravagant sum is unfair and unwarranted.

Not sure what will happen here but stills are out for Siege in Fog, which is a romance drama starring Elvis Han and Sun Yi. Elvis Han has been getting major exposure since Monster Killer with the potential to become the next big star thanks to his smoking physique and onscreen charisma and I swear, I don't ogle every single time but he seriously looks mighty fine in a suit.

Seige in Fog will revolve around a love-hate relationship between its leads where the protagonist is a cut below the average immature male by forcing his love interest into a marriage she never wanted.

To make matters worse, lies of epic proportions are uncovered, putting the married couple at odds with each other. Already, it sounds like Chronicle of Life in a Republican setting, no thank you.

For synopsis, cast and ratings, see 2016 c-drama recommendations.

Source: EntPeople

First Look: Chronicle of Life

The opening scenes of Chronicle of Life evoke a sense of nostalgia befitting the pervasive theme of unspoken melancholy that was apparent from its promotional stills and music accompaniment. 

Episode 1&2 starts with an aged Emperor Kangxi (Hawick Lau) basking in all his glorious achievements yet not without a wave of sentiment as he looks back to a time when he fell in love. 

Flashback to a teenage Kangxi who he sets in motion an elaborate plan to defeat Ao Bai, a veteran official greedy for power after serving three generations of Qing Dynasty emperors. Undeterred by several close calls, Kangxi succeeds and issues an edict to capture or kill any of Ao Bai's followers that attempt to resist.

The traitor in question is none other than Liang Er's father and her entire family is slaughtered by the imperial guards on her tenth birthday. As the sole survivor, Liang Er wanders the streets and gets captured by conmen. This is also the moment when she meets Kangxi who also happens to be on the run from a group of assassins. They escape on a horse and become close confidants oblivious to their tragic connection.

In order to lure the pursuers away, the two part ways and Liang Er arrives at the Na La residence where her childhood friend Na La Rong Ruo vows to protect her despite his father's objections over harboring a fugitive.

To help Rong Ruo's father, Na Lan Yi tries to kill Liang Er if not for Rong Ruo who stops him in the nick of time. However, the damage is done and Liang Er has lost all recollection of her past. In a way, the circumstances helped her case as she can now thrive as a palace maid under the name Wei Lin Lang (Zheng Shuang).

First Impressions: The Kangxi versus Ao Bai storyline has been retold time and again and it's an exciting moment for Kangxi's reign as emperor. However, I wasn't expecting that the epic takedown will be handled by a bunch of kids. Sure, the mini me versions of the adult cast are cute and their performance solid but it feels odd to say the least especially with the not-so-subtle hints of childhood romance for a ten year old Liang Er. I mean - the horse scene - they're just kids!

The stage has been set in just two episodes and it's not hard to guess where the story is heading especially since the drama never fails to remind us with its indiscriminate use of flashbacks and rose petals. I definitely see the makings of a melodrama and I'm not sure if I have the bandwidth to watch it unfold. Given that two episodes are posted everyday on LeTV, it should be done in no time. 

For more synopsis, cast and ratings, see my 2016 Chinese historical drama listing. 

Chronicle of Life Stills

Chronicle of Life 寂寞空庭春欲晚 is just four days away and it is uncannily similar to the Imperial Doctress, which is also one of the Chinese dramas coming this Feb. except the former is in the Qing dynasty while the latter is set during the Ming dynasty.

Hawick Lau plays Emperor Kangxi, a historical figure that graced our television sets every so often in dramas like The Deer and the Cauldron 鹿鼎记 and Scarlet Heart (Bu Bu Jing Xin 步步惊心). The story will revolve around Kang Xi's ill-fated romance with Zheng Shuang's character named Wei Lin Lang as the two get entangled in a love triangle made even more convoluted by drama tropes that include memory loss and a revenge plot.

For more 2016 c-drama recommendations, click here. Chronicle of Life premieres Feb 1st. 

Source: Sina