Rookie Agent Rouge

Believe it or not, the sheer number of films depicting the war and the era when China embarked on its path to communism is too many to mention and I tend to steer clear of them because such dramas always strike me as having an agenda other than entertainment. Nevertheless, the ones I'd seen rarely included an idol cast.

Disguiser bucked the trend by breaking into mainstream popularity. Now, there's Hunter & Sparrow joining the fray and every one of them is headlined by today's top stars like Hu Ge, Huang Xuan and Li Yi Feng.

Rookie Agent Rouge 胭脂 is no different starring Zhao Li Ying, Lu Yi and Yuan Wen Kang and it is set to premiere in September. Finally, a title that is more than one word, clever and to the point. Is it actually a spy thriller with a touch of comedy or is that too far-fetched?

Rookie Agent Rouge follows the story of a warm-blooded student activist with a burning desire to serve her country. She becomes a Nationalist but is quickly discouraged by the rampant corruption within their ranks until she meets an upstanding member of the Communist party who helps her become a true patriot.

On another note, Yuan Wen Kang got on my radar after watching Imperial Doctress and it's good to see him in different projects as of late, maybe a lead role down the line?

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

Source: FSBUS, Cri

First Look: Princess Jieyou

I never would have guessed that Princess Jieyou 解忧公主, which was devoid of heavy promotional efforts and sans the glitz and glamour that often comes with an idol cast would turn out to be such an incredible find.

Granted that the lead actor Yuan Hong does have his fair share of fans (myself included), his star power still wasn't enough for me to commit 41 hours of my life to this underrated historical cdrama, at least not initially.

Episode 1 is a combination of blood, tears and romance. Due to the unfortunate passing of the Han Dynasty princess who happens to be the wife of the reigning monarch of Wu Sun, Wu Sun sends an emissary to Han along with a proposal for a new marriage alliance in order to keep a united front against the Xiong Nu.

The group is ambushed en-route and General Wong Gui (Yuan Hong) narrowly escapes a ferocious battle in the desert. 

Jieyou (Zhang Xinyi) is a member of a traveling circus searching for a source of water and she witnesses Wong Gui single handedly slaying all the men in sight, therefore contaminating the water in the process. Fearing for her own life, she and her troupe are both relieved and indignant when a nonchalant Wong Gui simply walks away.

During Jieyou's turn to perform a magic act, Wong Gui attempts to hide from the Xiong Nu assassins but is shot after Jieyou's frantic screams give away his location. She later discovers that a critically injured Wong Gui was a stowaway in her trunk of supplies and she ends up saving his life albeit after a sadistic streak of literally scraping off the poison that has seeped into his bones, which despite the way it sounds was actually a rather funny scene.

First Impressions: I'm not familiar with any of Zhang Xinyi's works but her character as Princess Jieyou is quite endearing. Perhaps it's largely due to a story that is set in the Western borders of ancient China where the people tend to be more carefree and passionate but Jieyou is the perfect example of such a person and it's refreshing to see a female lead that is uninhibited yet principled, feminine yet daring.

Yuan Hong as Wong Gui compliments our feisty heroine by embodying the qualities of a courageous and occasionally wayward hero. He is undoubtedly a warrior and a flirtatious one at that, which makes for a fairly entertaining OTP. 

For anyone who has seen the City of Devastating Love also starring Yuan Hong as General Shen An, it's reasonable to conclude that he seems to always be typecast as the manly man.  Thankfully, the similarities end there as General Wong Gui seems to be a way smarter version who hopefully won't repeat the mistakes of Shen An because that other drama ripped my heart out then stomped on it again and again and again.

The first few episodes of Princess Jieyou have been enjoyable overall with enough action and conflict to keep things interesting. It may not look as polished as the highly-publicized productions nowadays but the scenic views across the vast deserts of China are breathtakingly panoramic with a cinematic feel to it. On to episode 2 recap.

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

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.

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.

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. 

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 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.

Princess Jieyou

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

Imperial Doctress Stills Released

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.

Upcoming Chinese period dramas this Feb 2016

The Lunar New Year is fast approaching and in true Chinese fashion, we are ushering the year with a fresh batch of TV series. It is common practice to impose a limit on historical dramas for what good reason, I really can't comprehend. For us viewers, it basically means that the number of historical dramas per channel can never exceed 15% of the total shows allotted for the same slot. 

Nevertheless, period dramas have proven time and again that they fare extremely well in the perpetual battle for ratings with hits like Journey of Flower and Sword of Legends to name a few. Lucky for us, this is why a number networks have chosen to welcome the Year of the Monkey with a lot of wuxia series.

Imperial Doctress 女医明妃传 premieres Feb 13 where Liu Shi Shi (Ballad of the Desert) will make a comeback in a palace drama opposite Wallace Huo (Journey of Flower). The promotional pictures alone feel and look like a Korean drama so I wasn't the least bit surprised that this is dubbed as the Chinese version of Jewel in the Palace.

Chronicle of Life 寂寞空庭春欲晚 premieres Feb 1 starring Hawick Lau (Legend of Flying Daggers) and Zheng Shuang (Sword of Legends). Set in the Qing dynasty, it depicts the tragic love story of a young Emperor Kangxi and seems to lean heavily towards a melodrama.

New Xiao Shi Yi Lang 新萧十一郎 premieres Feb 9 starring Yan Kuan and Gan Ting Ting. Unlike its predecessor, New Xiao Shi Yi Lang is expected to have a different take on Gu Long's classic wuxia. I classify this as a romance drama through and through but it is precisely my favorite because it masterfully combines romance and wuxia into one brilliantly written storyline.

Legend of Zu 蜀山戰紀之劍俠傳奇 was pre-released as a web drama last year and only began its TV broadcast on Jan 20 but to keep things interesting, the production team has prepared two separate endings. In a way, Zhao Li Ying reprises a role similar to Hua Qian Gu in Journey of Flower because she is once again in a fantasy wuxia. 

The Three Heroes and Five Gallants 五鼠闹东京 is about the misadventures of the noble martial arts heroes Zhan Zhao aka Imperial Cat and the Five Mice. The drama stars Chen Xiao, Yan Kuan and Zheng Shuang. Guessing it's double the fun for Yan Kuan and Zheng Shuang, both of which have two of their own dramas airing concurrently this Feb.

Princess Jieyou 解忧公主 premieres Feb 18 starring Zhang Xin Yi and Yuan Hong. The character stills remind me of a more traditional historical drama depicting the life of Princess Jieyou.

Last but not the least is The Legend of Nine Tails Fox 青丘狐传说 starring Jiang Jin Fu (Legend of Qin) and Gu Li Na Zha (Rift of the Sky), which will be seen on Hunan TV starting Feb 8. Since I actually get this channel, I might start with it for convenience sake. Which one will you be watching?

Also see upcoming dramas in March and April 2016.

Sources: Taizhou, Tianjinwe