There’s an optimism in the air again with upcoming period C-dramas whether wuxia or fantasy, which for me has almost always been unwatchable with so much tackiness and uneven and silly world building narrative. The C-drama adaptation of Three Lives Three Worlds, Ten Miles Peach Blossoms (Eternal Love) changed all that and on the acting front is owed all the leads Yang Mi and Mark Chao. That’s why I’m so so excited to hear that Yang Mi is headlining wuxia fantasy drama Legend of Fuyao, and this time her male lead is another top Taiwanese actor Ethan Ruan. I loved Mark’s take on Ye Hua but it was Ethan who took home the Best Actor Golden Horse award in their award winning youth gangster movie Monga, so having Ethan take a crack at wuxia fantasy opposite Yang Mi is like an alternate reality dish of equal tastiness. The first lead drama stills don’t disappoint, with Yang Mi trading goddess ethereal for wuxia swordswoman gravitas, while Ethan’s smirk and coolness looks refreshing in period garb.