Investiture of the Gods (2019)

Late in the rule of King Zhou of the Shang Dynasty (Collin Chou), the gods of heaven have all but disappeared and humanity is tormented by demons. Possessed by an evil fox demon, the king’s wife, Daji (Wang Li Kun) encourages her husband to commit countless atrocities against the people. Tired of King Zhou’s cruel and tyrannical reign, members of the Zhou rise up to overthrow the last king of Shang. As the war rages, the Primeval Lord of Heaven decides to use the turmoil in the celestial realm to choose a new generation of heavenly beings who will ascend to the rank of gods. Giving his apprentices the task of finding righteous candidates, the Primeval Lord sends Jiang Ziya (Yu He Wei), Shen Gongbao (Hai Yi Tian), and Yuding Zhenren out into the world. Coming alongside Ji Fa (Zhang Bo), Jiang Ziya assists the king of the new Zhou Dynasty in governing his people. Meanwhile, Shen Gongbao betrays his master, choosing to side with King Zhou of Shang as he wrecks havoc on the world. Going his own way, Yuding Zhenren chooses to take the mortal, Yang Jian (Luo Jin), under his wing, making him a disciple of the magic arts as he helps him reach his true potential. As the war in heaven rages, the fates of both gods and men lie in the hands of a noble warrior who once held the heart of a queen. Inspired by the 16th-century works of fiction by Xu Zonglin and Lu Xixing, “Investiture of the Gods” is a 2019 historical fantasy drama directed by Shin Woo Chul.