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

Vote for your favorite Chinese dramas in 2018. 

Source: 1

Office Posters from Standardized Life Starring Wu Jinyan

Standardized Life 标化人生 is a workplace drama that stars Wu Jinyan (The Legend of Hao Lan) and Yin Tao (The Years You Were Late).  They are joined by Liu Mintao (The Love Hypnosis), Zuo Xiaoqing (Ordinary Glory), Peter Ho (Age of Rebellion), Hong Yao (Story of Yanxi Palace), Zhang Tao (Gossip High) and Zhang Nan (Long For You). 

It is an interesting concept to feature each character's workspace which gives the impression that this could be a story that's reflective of the average salaryman. Like in real life, office desks are an extension of a person's personalities and gives a little window into these characters. It seems that corporate politics will largely revolve around the ladies in the sales department. 

Wu Jinyan plays Zhang Xiaoyu, the new personal assistant of Lin Rui, the company's sales director.  She is the owner of the messy desk, always on the go and at her boss's beck and call. 

Yin Tao plays Lin Rui, the very capable sales director of the company who serves as mentor to Zhang Xiaoyu. She is next in line to become the GM. 

Liu Mintao plays Shu Wanting, the General Manager of the company who worries about being replaced. 

Zuo Xiaoqing plays Fang Jing, Lin Rui's rival and head of the second sales department.

Peter Ho plays Wen Zhe, a company manager. It's not hard to guess which desk he owns, it's the one with the fancy watch.  

Hong Yao plays Dan Ding, a computer genius. 

Zhang Tao plays Jin Xiaobei, a rich heir.

Zhang Nan is Ling Xiaoxiao, Fang Jing's assistant. Her workspace is decorated in pink. 

Source: 1

Monarch Industry with Zhang Ziyi and Zhou Yiwei wraps filming

Monarch Industry 帝凰业 has wrapped this week after 273 days of filming. Taking almost nine months to complete puts the production on the lengthier side though I would have expected nothing less from Zhang Ziyi's first drama. It is a long drama to begin that is expected to run for 80 episodes.  

A number of cast members shared photos from their last day on social media. I was hoping to catch a tiny glimpse of the behind the scenes, but the pictures reveal nothing. Neither Zhang Ziyi (Forever Young) nor leading man Zhou Yiwei (Entrepreneurial Age) have so much as made a single mention about the drama, and the drama does not have an official account. We wouldn't even have known about the cast lineup if not for the video that was going around online. 

Based on a novel by Mei Yu Zhe, the story revolves around the decay of imperial authority and a woman who gets caught in the political struggles of the time. Although she already has a lover, her father marries her off to another man whom she later learns to love. Other cast include Tony Yang (Monster Hunt 2), Shi Ke (Mother's Life),  Zuo Xiaoqing (My Bittersweet Taiwan), Guo Jiaming (Secret Mission) and Yu Hewei (The Drug Hunter).

Yu Hewei who played Cao Cao from Advisors Alliance photoshopped himself into the group picture after cheekily grumbling about not being in it.  

Source: 1, 2, 3