If Time Flows Back

If Time Flows Back 如果岁月可回头 is a 40-episode drama that follows the story of three men: Bai Zhiyong (Jin Dong), Huang Jiuheng (Li Zonghan), and Lan Tianyu (Li Naiwen). The three are strangers who happen to be from the same city. 

After experiencing heartbreak, they decide to start over at a new place where they meet the mysterious Jiang Xiaomei (Jiang Xin). Through their time together, the four become good friends and learn to support each other through rough times and they come out of the journey with a renewed outlook towards family, towards love and towards work. (ChineseDrama.Info)

Jiang Xin has quite a lot of projects in the pipeline and this is yet another one where she takes the female lead. The same seems to be for Jin Dong who has a reputation for working nonstop. I've only watched Jiang Xin in historical dramas so I can't really picture her in a modern setting. As for Jin Dong, he has proven to have good ratings in The First Half of My Life in 2017 and Mr. Right in 2018. We'll have to see what 2019 will bring. 

Other casts include Zuo Xiaoqing, Zhao Ziqi, Fu Jing, and Chen Bing.

Release Date: TBD

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Eighteen Springs

Eighteen Springs 半生缘 is a 35-episode Chinese drama based on the famous novel Half a Lifelong Romance by Eileen Chang. Two sisters struggle against societies expectations, telling a heart-wrenching tale of romance in twentieth century Shanghai. 

As the Gu family loses its glory, Gu Manzhen (Jiang Xin) gets hired as an assistant in a factory, while her sister Gu Manlu (Carina Lau) becomes a hostess in a nightclub. 

Shen Shijun (Joe Cheng) is the colleague and true love of Gu Manzhen. Despite being engaged to Shi Cuizhi (Dong Yue), Shen Shijun still chooses to form a forbidden relationship with Gu Manzhen in the name of love. Shi Cuizhi on the other hand, falls in love with Shen Shijun's good friend, Xu Shuhui (Zou Tingwei).

Gu Manlu eventually marries the cunning and manipulative Zhu Hongcai (Guo Xiaodong) and leaves her old life to start anew and become a respectable housewife, but she discovers how her husband had violated her sister. 

Years pass as Gu Manzhen and Shen Shijun once again meet both wedded to someone else. Yet, the two still remember their love from almost a decade ago.

While writing this summary of Eighteen Springs, I think I can smell an Austen-type love story, with our love interests fighting against societal standards but with the tragedy dialled up tenfold. Maybe this type of plot is what made readers consider the novel to be a modern classic. 

As the story's punchline goes, "Life is too short to be too late," (quoted from Eileen Chang) I feel like aside from love tips, I will pick up some life lessons along the way.

The cast include Jiang Xin (Ordinary Person Character), Joe Cheng (Partners), Carina Lau (The Destiny of White Snake), Guo Xiaodong (Tong Tian Detective Dee), Zou Tingwei (Ashes of Love) and Dong Yue (Born in the 70's).

Release date: TBA

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Miss Truth

Miss Truth 大唐女法医 is a web drama series based on a novel of the same title by Ran Yan 冉颜 that stars Pinky Zhou Jieqiong (Kyulkyung), Toby Lee and Pei Zitian. Also in the cast are Wang Yizhe, Sonia Yuan Ziyun and Tu Hua. The drama is still filming which means it will take a while before we even get to talking about the release date but they have teased us with several new stills. 

Miss Truth follows the story of forensic examiner Ran Yan, as she investigates the truth around her mother's suicide and solves murder cases one at a time. Ran Yan is an eighteen year old destitute noblewoman who grew up learning about autopsies and finding clues through corpses. She encounters a judicial official and an assassin by chance and finds true love through the course of searching for the truth. 

It seems that what was originally a time-travel novel has turned into a detective drama set in the Tang Dynasty. I personally would have been intrigued to see how a modern day forensic scientist, without the convenience of modern technology, can solve murder cases and establish herself as a valuable asset in such a time period.  

Release Date: TBD Youku

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Fearless

Fearless 霍元甲 is a 40-episode web drama featuring the life of renowned martial artist, Huo Yuanjia, who brought glory to his nation. It stars Vincent Zhao once again as Huo Yuanjia. It's a character he has played several times before, his first being the 2001 Huo Yuanjia drama series.

Other casts include Nikita Mao Linlin, Wu Chao, Heizi, Yang Zhigang, Sui Mingyang, Eddy Ko Hung, Hasi Gaowa, Tay Ping Hui, Wang Zhiyi. The five students of the famous martial arts federation known as Jing Wu Men are played by Jia Hongwei, Xu Zhengguo, Kou Chia-jui, Zhou Bin and Zhou Yu Jing Hao.  Zhang Chunzhong and Ashton Chen who made a career in the martial arts genre round up the cast. 

Vincent Zhao

Synopsis from chinesedrama.info:

After the Hundred Days' Reform failed to achieve its purpose, the 'Six Gentlemen' who spearheaded reform were executed. Huo Yuanjia (Vincent Zhao) is a hot-blooded patriot who aspires to do good for his country. His efforts are always met with resistance, and he could only watch helplessly as people became martyrs for their beliefs. Shortly afterwards, the Eight-Nation Alliance launched an attack on China. Wang Wu dies trying to defend against the invaders. Upon hearing news of his death, Huo Yuanjia has gone to collect his remains without knowing that his action would bring great harm to the Huo Family. 

One year later, Huo Yuanjia goes out of hiding to become a bodyguard. He falls into a trap laid out by his enemies once again and barely survives the ordeal. Dejected, he decides to go to Shanghai and forms the Jing Wu Men. His success becomes a threat in the eyes of the Japanese and they engage in a battle of wits and will.

Nikita Mao

I've only seen the 2006 movie version of the same and did a little bit of background research on the character after. Apparently, the movie loosely based on the martial artist's life has angered his descendants, earning Jet Li a lawsuit for missing some important figures and for the way Huo Yuanjia was portrayed. It leads back to the question of the significance of historical accuracy in these kind of adaptations. 

Regardless, with a cast like this, expectations are surely high for this new drama to bring an impressive display of traditional martial arts choreography. 

Release date: TBA iQiYi

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Wu Chao

Hei Zi

Yang Zhigang

Sui Mingyang

Eddy Ko Hung

Hasi Gaowa

Tay Ping Hui

Wang Zhiyi

Jia Hongwei

Xu Zhengguo

Kou Chia-jui

Zhou Bin

Zhou Yu Jing Hao

Zhang Chunzhong

Ashton Chen

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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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