Huang Xiaoming and Chen Qiao En Pair Up for 1930’s Shanghai C-drama Cruel Romance

New C-drama alert and this one looks interesting enough to catch my eye. Filming has just started for the period 1930’s Shanghai drama called Cruel Romance (Chinese title 锦绣缘华丽冒险 The Destiny of Jin Xiu’s Extravagant Adventure) starring C-actor Huang Xiaoming and TW-actress Chen Qiao En. Huang Xiaoming has been exclusively doing movies for the last five years though this past year in 2013 he did star in the big-budgeted Legend of Patriot Yue Fei with Ruby Lin. I’ve watched so many of Huang Xiaoming’s dramas right when he started getting really famous such as Return of the Condor Heroes, Royal Tramp, the Shanghai Bund remake and they all share the same general vibe. His drama are always very lush and beautiful, very easy to watch but something is always missing. Usually the writing isn’t up to par, but I’ve also yet to find him playing a romantic role with a leading lady that I think is an onscreen magic pairing. Chen Qiao En, who first started as an idol singer and actress in Taiwan, has really been on fire doing dramas in China and this year her turn as the antagonist in the wonky wuxia adaptation of The Swordsman was inexplicably popular and she just took home the Popularity Award at the recent Anhui Television Domestic Chinese Drama Awards. I think she’s got a keen eye for picking dramas, she left TW-dramas on a high with Fated to Love You and her SOP Queen was a major hit in Asia, so I’m curious what this particular story is about that got such a high profile cast together. I had major issues with the Shanghai Bund remake but Huang Xiaoming was ridiculously gorgeous in that particular period garb so if anything this drama will be eye candy up the wazoo. Check out the first official stills and the just releases teaser trailer that may be short but is action and romance packed to the gill. 

First teaser preview for Cruel Romance:

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