The Eight

Filmmaker Chen Kaige has recently joined forces with Chinese streaming platform iQiyi to give us what looks to be a kickass Chinese drama series. 

The Eight 外八行 takes place in both Paris and China during the Republican Era and centers on a young Chinese man who is drawn into the criminal underworld while fighting for China's independence against several hostile forces.

The cast includes Oho Ou, Tan Songyun, Wang Zixuan, Qin Lan, Jin Shijie, Cheng Xingyuan, Liu Jianyu, Gong Wanyi and Jiang Han. I'm especially looking forward to seeing Qin Lan. She was so gentle and elegant in Story of Yanxi Palace whereas the characters of The Eight seem like they could kill with one look. 

What differentiates this from the usual Chinese online drama series is the attachment of Chen Kaige, a big shot industry veteran whose works in wuxia films can be visually mesmerizing. Chen Kaige, who is also the executive producer, says,"The rise of premium internet dramas has opened up a huge space for creative innovation."  He further explains, "With this freedom, directors can now approach storytelling from many different dimensions and create deeper, more richly drawn characters." 

After watching the trailer, I do think that this series is one to watch out for. 

Release Date: TBD

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The Learning Curve of a Warlord (2018)

The Learning Curve of a Warlord 大帅哥 is a 30-episode Hong Kong drama that stars Dicky Cheung as Di Qi. He starts out no different from a ruthless warlord, a man who only cares for himself but eventually transforms into a great general. The last Dicky Cheung drama that I saw was probably Monkey King. Looking back, many of his dramas made my childhood and perhaps the most iconic one is his portrayal of Wei Xiaobao in The Duke of Mount Deer. 

The main protagonist which is described as not bad, not good and a bit cowardly is sounding a lot like Wei Xiaobao to me, or at least I'm hoping that it's similar in some ways because the exaggeratedly cartoonish vibes can either work really well or fail terribly. This is Dicky Cheung's comeback to TVB after 20 years and it's quite certain to bring some of his trademark comedy. 

Filming was completed since 2017, yet the drama's been endlessly delayed (and they announce the next day). On a side note, for a man in his fifties, Dicky Cheung has not aged. The series also stars Sisley Choi, Tony Hung and Raymond Cho. 

Release Date: December 3, 2018 TVB Youku (Monday to Friday 9:30pm)

Vote for your favorite Chinese dramas in 2018. 

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