Tzuyu 쯔위

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Tampilkan postingan dengan label Palace Politics. Tampilkan semua postingan
Tampilkan postingan dengan label Palace Politics. Tampilkan semua postingan

Minggu, 14 Februari 2016

First Look: The Imperial Doctress

After years of being teased with 5-minute trailers, oh-so-picturesque stills and then being peeved that Wallace Huo might end up the 3rd wheel, Imperial Doctress 女医明妃传 finally airs last Saturday and the first two episodes look promising.

Liu Shi Shi in 2016 popular cdrama The Imperial Doctress



Episode 1 begins by setting up the stage for a Ming dynasty where a woman's place is relegated to the home. Hang Yun Xian (Liu Shi Shi) attends a birthday celebration in her father's stead but her family can only afford a modest gift, which is regarded with contempt by the other guests. However, Yun Xian is not the least bit concerned as she cares more about a rare medicinal herb that she finds in the compound.

Huang Xuan in 2016 popular cdrama The Imperial Doctress



Suddenly, Zhu Qi Yu (Huang Xuan) springs out from hiding threatening Yun Xian to handover the medicinal herb. Qi Yu is the king's brother and he is being chased by assassins to stop his meeting with the Empress Dowager who intends to make him king. Realizing that the man before him is desperate because he is poisoned, Yun Xian ends up helping him instead. 

Gina Jin in 2016 popular cdrama The Imperial Doctress



Dong Chang eunuchs enter the scene in search for Qi Yu and a series of events transpire with the end result being that Qi Yu escapes with the help of Wang Mei Lin (Gina Jin) and Yun Xian is punished harshly by her father for practicing medicine.  

First Impressions: Gender inequality is still a topic for discussion in this day and age so I can't begin to fathom how women survived in ancient China where the times were far more restrictive. 

Nevertheless, the drama might be exaggerating the circumstances stating that women were not even allowed to accept cure from a doctor for fear of gender differences. I have never heard or seen that before but then again, my references are mostly works of fiction so I'm hardly a reliable source. 

Regardless of whether it is fake or factual, the prejudice and societal pressures that Yun Xian has to overcome makes for a very riveting account of her rise to become a royal doctor.

Liu Shi Shi knows how to choose her projects and she delivers as the strong-willed, intelligent and principled Tan Yun Xian who dives headfirst to question the blind foolishness of adhering to tradition.

Wallace Huo and Liu Shi Shi in 2016 popular cdrama The Imperial Doctress



Wallace Huo as the emperor did not appear in episode 1 but the narration seems to portray him as someone terribly misguided for placing trust in the eunuchs of Dong Chang. I already sneaked a peek at episode 2 and I think, I hope, surely there is more than meets the eye behind the emperor's careless facade.

The writing is fast-paced, solidly introducing many of the characters with enough depth to be intrigued by their motivations both good and bad. It is not chock-full of angst as one might have anticipated and I can't wait for more.


For synopsis, cast and ratings, see 2016 popular cdrama listing.

Kamis, 04 Februari 2016

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. 

Chronicle of Life is a 2016 Chinese historical drama starring Hawick Lau and Zheng Shuang


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.

Chronicle of Life is a 2016 Chinese historical drama starring Hawick Lau and Zheng Shuang



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.

Chronicle of Life is a 2016 Chinese historical drama starring Hawick Lau and Zheng Shuang

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).

Chronicle of Life is a 2016 Chinese historical drama starring Hawick Lau and 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!

Chronicle of Life is a 2016 Chinese historical drama starring Hawick Lau and Zheng Shuang
Chronicle of Life is a 2016 Chinese historical drama starring Hawick Lau and Zheng Shuang
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. 



Kamis, 28 Januari 2016

Imperial Doctress Stills Released

Imperial Doctress stars Liu Shi SHi and Wallace Huo in a romance period drama.


Imperial Doctress 女医明妃传 is loosely-based on historical events telling the tale of Tan Yun Xian, a physician of the Ming dynasty. She lived during a time wherein women had no place in society, yet 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 with former co-star Wallace Huo (Journey of Flower). The two have developed a good on-screen rapport from numerous projects together and it will be a treat for fans to see them in tandem once again. 

Liu Shi Shi reminds me of a classic Chinese beauty with subtle features that exude elegance. I find her particularly convincing as a woman who can capture the heart of an Emperor. She did it in Scarlet Heart (Bu Bu Jing Xin) with on-screen partner turned real-life husband Nicky Wu, and Imperial Doctress will be no different as Liu Shi Shi's character Tan Yun Xian finds herself caught between two regents vying for her affections.

For more 2016 c-drama recommendations, click here. The series premieres Feb 13.

Imperial Doctress stars Liu Shi SHi and Wallace Huo in a romance period drama.
Imperial Doctress stars Liu Shi Shi and Wallace Huo in a romance period drama.
Imperial Doctress stars Liu Shi SHi and Wallace Huo in a romance period drama.

Imperial Doctress stars Liu Shi SHi and Wallace Huo in a romance period drama.

Rabu, 27 Januari 2016

Chronicle of Life Stills

Chronicle of Life (2016 Chinese melodrama) starring Hawick Lau and Zheng Shuang


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. 

Hawick Lau as Emperor Kangxi in Chronicle of Life

Hawick Lau and Zheng Shuang reunited in Chronicle of Life


Chronicle of Life (2016 Chinese melodrama) starring Hawick Lau and Zheng Shuang

Chronicle of Life (2016 Chinese melodrama) starring Zheng Shuang
Chronicle of Life (2016 Chinese melodrama) starring Zheng Shuang
scene from Chronicle of Life



Source: Sina

Minggu, 24 Januari 2016

The Princess Weiyoung

Princess of Weiyoung is a Chinese drama starring Tang Yan and Vanness Wu

The Princess of Weiyoung 锦绣未央 is a Chinese historical drama that started garnering attention before filming even began due to a poster release of Tiffany Tang Yan (Chinese Paladin) as Li Weiyoung. 

The rights to broadcast online have already been purchased by QQ and media outlets are eagerly anticipating this multi-million project that has put together a powerhouse cast and a script that has spent 2 years in the making.

Tiffany Tang Yan deviates from her typical roles to become Li Weiyoung, a princess of the late regime who experienced the harsh cruelties of life yet comes back wiser, stronger and with a vengeance. The plot already sounds like the female version of Nirvana in Fire but I remain a skeptic that it can even come close to the former's glory.

The series also stars Vanness Wu and and Luo Jin and avid fans of the original novel can only further fuel the hype. Looking at the stills, I just have two questions. Does Vanness Wu get with someone else? And dreadlocks, really?

For more Chinese drama recommendations, click here.

Tang Yan in Chinese historical revenge drama Princess Weiyoung

Tang Yan in Chinese historical revenge drama Princess Weiyoung

Tang Yan in Chinese historical revenge drama Princess Weiyoung

Tang Yan in Chinese historical revenge drama Princess Weiyoung

Princess Weiyoung

Princess Weiyoung

Princess Weiyoung

Princess Weiyoung

c-drama Princess Weiyoung starring Tiffany Tang Yan and Vanness Wu

c-drama Princess Weiyoung starring Tiffany Tang Yan and Vanness Wu
c-drama Princess Weiyoung starring Tiffany Tang Yan and Vanness Wu


c-drama Princess Weiyoung starring Tiffany Tang Yan and Vanness Wu


c-drama Princess Weiyoung starring Tiffany Tang Yan and Vanness Wu


c-drama Princess Weiyoung starring Tiffany Tang Yan and Vanness Wu
c-drama Princess Weiyoung starring Tiffany Tang Yan and Vanness Wu


c-drama Princess Weiyoung starring Tiffany Tang Yan and Vanness Wu
c-drama Princess Weiyoung starring Tiffany Tang Yan and Vanness Wu

c-drama Princess Weiyoung starring Tiffany Tang Yan and Vanness Wu

Princess of Weiyoung is a Chinese drama starring Tang Yan and Vanness Wu
Princess of Weiyoung is a Chinese drama starring Tang Yan and Vanness Wu


Princess of Weiyoung is a Chinese drama starring Tang Yan and Vanness Wu

Princess of Weiyoung is a Chinese drama starring Tang Yan and Vanness Wu


Tang Yan in 2016 c-drama Princess Weiyoung
Luo Jing in 2016 c-drama Princess Weiyoung
Vanness Wu in 2016 c-drama Princess Weiyoung
Mao Xiao Tong in 2016 c-drama Princess Weiyoung
Sources: Croton, Yesky, Yesky2, Yule



 
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