Jeremy Tsui

4 Things We Loved About The Premiere Of C-Drama “The Journey Of Chong Zi”

3 Ways “Legend Of The Phoenix” Differentiates Itself From Other Palace C-Dramas

Under the alias of treacherous minister Wei Zhao, the young lord of Moonfall City Xiao Wu Xia (Ren Jia Lun) has dealt with constant humiliation and strife in his years-long quest to infiltrate the Liang Kingdom and uncover the truth behind his family's tragic past. Unfortunately, his meticulous plan to abduct the sole survivor of the incident is thwarted by the sudden appearance of a young woman named Jiang Ci (Landy Li), who's been seriously injured. Taking advantage of the situation, the scheming nobleman Pei Yan (Jeremy Tsui) brings Jiang Ci into his residence, hoping to find the mastermind behind the incident. However, Jiang Ci finds herself moved by Wei Zhao's tragic past and loyalty to his people, and the more they interact with each other, the more they begin to fall for each other. Can Wei Zhao, Jiang Ci, and Pei Yan manage to set aside their personal grudges and stand strong against the Liang Kingdom? This 2024 Chinese fantasy period drama was based on a novel by Xiao Lou and directed by Zhou Jing Tao.

Love of Nirvana

The Fallen City Revivers

Pei Yan

When a bridge over a canal collapses, the city of Yong An descends into chaos. The Emperor scapegoats his construction minister and has him thrown in prison. The minister’s family is left destitute, with his now-penniless daughter Shen Ran (Xia Nan) and her sister Shen Zhen (Ouyang Nana) forced to somehow make ends meet as they care for their ailing brother. Imperial prosecutor Lu Shi Yan (Jeremy Tsui), meanwhile, has been dispatched to investigate the bridge. But he is troubled by a recurring dream where he sees a mysterious woman’s face. When he meets Shen Zhen, he realizes that she is the woman he keeps dreaming of. Eventually, they decide to work together, but their quest leads them to develop unexpected romantic feelings. Can they discover the truth about the bridge? And will they find love on the way? This 2024 Chinese drama series was based on the novel “Chang’an’s First Beauty” by Well-Developed Lachrymal Glands and was directed by Huang Bin, Deng Wei En, and Chen Qiang.

Yong An Dream

💫Dreaming Love💫

Hua Liu Li, the daughter of a powerful military family, is sent to the capital to dispel rumors about her family's loyalty. Feigning weakness to avoid attention, she captures the interest of the cold and calculating Crown Prince Ji Yuan Chao, who quickly sees through her act but is intrigued by her duality. Determined to outsmart each other, Yuan Chao and Liu Li engage in a fierce battle of wits. As their fiery spirits collide, unexpected sparks of romance begin to fly. Based on the novel “The Times Spent in Pretense” by Yue Xia Die Ying, this 2023 Chinese series was directed by Zhou Jia Wen.

Royal Rumors

Psst! Guess What I Heard

Tencent

With the annihilation of their king, the surviving members of the demon clan had no choice but to flee the immortal realm, including Chong Zi (Yang Chao Yue), who searches for sanctuary to no avail. Luckily, she finally finds a new home when the venerable teacher Luo Yin Fan (Jeremy Tsui) agrees to take her on as a disciple. While the two share romantic chemistry, fate delivers the duo a cruel and tragic hand. They’re able to reunite in their next lives, but their paths will not be easy in this incarnation either, with seemingly insurmountable obstacles in their way. As destiny threatens to destroy them again, can they fight back and ensure that love wins the day? This 2023 Chinese drama series was based on the novel “Chong Zi” by Shu Ke and was directed by Roger Lau.

The Journey of Chong Zi

Star-crossed Lovers

Luo Yin Fan

Ming Wei (Zhou Jie Qiong), an aspiring actress, lands an audition for a period drama featuring top star Mu Ting Zhou (Jeremy Tsui). To her surprise, she aces the audition, earning the role of a princess who falls for the male lead. Their on-screen chemistry leads everyone to expect great things for the series. But disaster strikes when an accident leaves Ting Zhou’s memory in tatters, and he wakes up believing Ming Wei is a real-life princess who needs his help. She agrees to play along, hoping this will help him recover. But the plan hits a hurdle when Ming Wei starts to fall for Ting Zhou in real life. Can she really help recover the star’s memories, and will this lead them to love? This 2022 Chinese drama was based on a novel by Xiao Jia Ren and was directed by Tien Jen Huang.

Be My Princess

👑Princess' Team👑

As the eldest daughter of an influential scholar and Vice Minister of Works, Qiu Yan (Qiao Xin) ought to have been highly favored within her family. Alas, as the daughter of her father’s concubine, the favor Qiu Yan should have received often went to her younger sister, Qiu Min (Kabby Hui). Often overlooked and frequently mistreated, Qiu Yan’s only chance of escape from her less-than-fortunate life comes in the form of an arranged marriage. Unfortunately even that goes awry at the last minute, leaving Qiu Yan an object of scorn and mistrust.

Determined to clear her name, Qiu Yan takes on the investigation herself; but she isn’t the only one looking into the case of her newly departed husband. As head inspector of the government’s investigative agency, Duke Liang Yi (Jeremy Tsui) is determined to uncover the truth. Often crossing paths with Qiu Yan, the two form an unlikely friendship, which works out advantageously for both, as the closing of their case gets them both what they want most. But the fates that tie Qiu Yan and Liang Yi together aren’t finished meddling just yet.

When her family is threatened by an unexpected accusation, Qiu Yan and Liang Yi must work together once more, to save her family from ultimate disgrace. As they work to clear her family’s name, the sparks that often fly between them eventually ignite a much bigger flame. But can love blossom in the midst of a major family crisis?

A fantastic story of clashing wills and melting hearts, “The Autumn Ballad” is a 2022 Chinese romance drama directed by Ding Ying Zhou.

The Autumn Ballad

JSTV

Campus couple and budding young designers Yi En (Gülnezer Bextiyar) and Qi Lei (Yang Shou) decide to set up a fashion label together when they finish university.

Despite some early success, the couple’s partnership appears to have been cut tragically short, when the scheming of a ruthless rival appears to cause the death of Qi Lei.

The grieving Yi En refuses to give up on the dream she once shared with her sweetheart, and – though her talent, hard work, and dedication – eventually succeeds in building up a powerful fashion company.

What Yi En does not know, however, is that Qi Lei is not dead after all. The “accident” that appeared to have taken his life actually only left him badly wounded.

Once he recovers, he takes up the moniker Lu Zhun and returns to the fashion world, looking for answers and revenge. He is appointed as the head of a successful fashion company – and finds himself in direct competition with his former girlfriend and business partner Yi En.

In the meantime, another figure from Yi En’s past – her childhood friend and fellow fashion designer Qin Ye (Jeremy Tsui) – has appeared on the scene, intent on winning her heart.

And in a further unfortunate twist of fate for Yi En, her closest friend and the editor-in-chief of an influential fashion magazine, Cen Wei, (Zhao Han Ying Zi) now has romantic designs on Lu Zhun.

Will romantic rivals win the day, or could love bring Yi En and Lu Zhun/Qi Lei back together? Would reigniting their old love for one another really be enough to reverse their destiny? Or will the pressures of life at the top of the Chinese fashion industry take its toll on their romance…and the dreams they once shared?

This drama was filmed in Paris, Shanghai, and Suzhou.

“Return the World to You” is a 2019 Chinese drama directed by Jeff Chiang.

Return the World to You

The Cursed Lovers

Qin Ye

Tencent TV

As a member of a circus performing group in the Eastern Liang Dynasty, Ye Ningzhi (He Hong Shan) has never given much thought to the events in the imperial palace; the imperial family lived in their world, and she lived in hers. But on the day her circus troupe receives an invitation to perform at the Empress Dowager’s birthday party, all that changes. 

Suddenly caught up in the Crown Princess’ (Liu Min) mischievous plans, Ningzhi finds herself being framed for treason. Unable to escape the trap she’s been ensnared in, she’s saved at the last moment by a court advisor and brilliant political strategist, Wei Guang (Jeremy Tsui). Free from danger, Ningzhi puts the whole ordeal behind her and yet, she can’t help but hold a special place in her heart for her gallant savior. 

Two years later, Ningzhi returns to the palace as one of the Empress’ (Cao Xi Wen) handmaidens. In such a position, Ningzhi witnesses first-hand, the misconducts of those living in the palace. Choosing to do what’s right, Ningzhi stands up for her fellow servants, refusing to back down in the face of corrupt power. 

Proving herself intelligent, courageous, and kind, Ningzhi inadvertently catches the attention of not only the Empress but the Emperor (Wayne Lai) as well. Of course, the imperial couple isn’t the only ones paying attention to this bold new handmaiden. Wei Guang hasn’t forgotten the circus performer he had saved all those years ago. 

Reunited at last, Wei Guang and Ningzhi might have a chance to find true happiness but their bliss will have to wait. Caught up in the Crown Princess’ plans to overtake the throne, Wei Guang and Ningzhi must work together to stop the usurper before it’s too late. 
 
A 2019 historical romance drama, “Legend of the Phoenix” is directed by Wei Han Dao.

Legend of the Phoenix

Immortal Flame

Love can drive a man to great accomplishments. 

Yi Lian Kai (Elvis Han) is a flirtatious playboy from a wealthy family. When he falls in love at first sight with Qin Sang (Sun Yi), the daughter of a high-ranking official, he will do anything to marry her. 

Qin Sang is already in love with Li Wang Ping (Jeremy Tsui), but the two are separated when he is sent to Japan to study at a top military academy. Under pressure from her family, Qin Sang agrees to marry Lian Kai for the sake of her father and her family. Despite Qin Sang’s cold treatment toward him, Lian Kai becomes a devoted husband and enters the armed forces to become a commander in order to protect Qin Sang during the turbulent time of war.

Just as Qin Sang begins to change her feelings about Lian Kai, Wang Ping returns with a new identity of Pan Jian Chi and becomes Lian Kai’s second-in-command. Between her husband and her first love, who will Qing Sang choose?

“Siege in Fog” is a 2018 Chinese drama series directed by Hou Shu Pui. It is adapted from the novel Mi Wu Wei Cheng by Fei Wo Si Cun.

Siege in Fog

Siege in Fog Team

Pan Jian Chi

As the chaotic era of the Northern and Southern dynasties comes to a close, a single prophecy sets in motion a chain of events that will change not only the lives of three sisters but history itself... 

“He who has Dugu, has the world”.

Daughters of a court official, Dugu Banruo (Ady An), Dugu Mantuo (Li Yi Xiao), and Dugu Jialou (Hu Bing Qing) were always destined for greatness. Blessed with beauty, intelligence, and connections, the Dugu sisters grew up knowing they were the subjects of a prophecy that could someday tear them apart. Determined to remain loyal to each other, they vowed to always put their relationship first. But time has a way of changing things, and vows are easily broken.

Eldest of the Dugu daughters, time saw Banruo grow into a wise and ambitious woman. Craving power above all else, she is willing to do whatever it takes to claim the title of empress, even if it means sacrificing everything she has to get there. Daughter of a concubine, Mantuo, has grown into a woman who craves wealth and power, believing they will let her escape the burden of her lowly birth. Youngest of the Dugu daughters, Jialou grows into a learned, gentle woman who yearns for nothing but peace.

As the struggle for supreme power escalates, all three Dugu sisters find themselves embroiled in a series of political alliances and upheavals that will alter the course of history forever.

"The Legend of Dugu" is a 2018 historical fiction drama directed by Hou Shu Pei and Lan Zhi Wei.

The Legend of Dugu

Yuwen Hu

Anhui TV

What happens when you lose your memory on the day of your engagement? Xiang Tian Qi (Roy Chiu) is a hotel heir and CEO of the HaoLi Hotel Group who is about to get engaged to Mu Zhi Qing (Qi Wei), the hotel’s PR manager. But on the day of their engagement, a rival within the company deliberately causes an accident to get rid of Tian Qi. He survives the accident but loses his memory. When Liu Xiao Bei (Tiffany Tang), a plucky country girl who dreams of a better life in the big city, finds Tian Qi, she takes him home to live with her family and he begins to go by the name Xiao Yu. After Tian Qi’s disappearance, Zhi Qing is comforted by Ji Ru Feng (Xu Zheng Xi), the hotel celebrity spokesperson who has always liked her. As Tian Qi is increasingly drawn to the plucky Zhi Qing, will he be able to regain his memory and return to his previous life? “Waking Love Up” is a 2011 Chinese drama directed by Shen Yi. It is a remake of the popular 2005 Taiwanese drama “The Prince Who Turns Into a Frog.”

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