There is serious talks that C-actor Xiao Zhan will be doing a period drama next it’s called Tibetan Sea Opera (藏海戏麟 Chang Hai Xi Lin), with a goal to start filming at the end of 2023. This has been rumored for a few months but in recent weeks has been gaining traction. The two actresses reportedly being considered for the female lead are Li Qin and Li Yi Tong and both are mid for me and I wonder if it’s that Xiao Zhan is so big these days it’s harder to cast a female lead on his level. I like the sound of this drama in that it’s a revenge period drama with a male lead scheming and slowly making his way to his end goal.
I think Li Qin and Li Yitong is a huge upgrade (visuals-wise) over Ren Min, Bai Baihe and Zhuang Dafei. Esp Li Yitong, she can act well also. Besides its a male centric drama so idk why is anyone expecting a female lead that is on his level.
“Tibetan Sea Opera”? Obviously my geography is wonky because I thought Tibet was both landlocked and incredibly high, with an average elevation of 4000m above sea level. I’d have thought any Drama involving the Tibetan Sea would be VERY short 🙂
It doesn’t have an official english title yet, so it’s just bad translation from the Chinese title at the moment.
LOL this post made me remember my early Cdrama days…for some reason I always mixed these EXACT actresses up, Li Qin and Li Yi Tong. Why? I cannot tell you. It’s the same thing as a Nigerian person when I started seeing more and more white people for the first time after coming to America…their faces always merged together.
Xiao Zhan’s dilemma is spot on. But I will say although these actresses seem ‘average’ they are never bad or lacking in their roles, so we probably won’t see a Fireworks of My Heart situation if either cast goes through.
Same. I used to couldn’t differentiate Bai Lu, Li Qin and Li Yitong. I can differentiate them now and out of them, Li Qin is most recognisable for me. There are occasions where I still mix up Bai Lu and Li Yitong, because Bai Lu has some angles and expressions where she reeeeally looks like Li Yitong.
Li Qin and Li Yi Tong are easy to differentiate. Li Qin and Sun Yi are the twins.
I wouldn’t mind Li Qin since they starred together before so they already have chemistry.
I am one of the rare few that dont warm to Li Qin… But I like Li Yi Tong…hope she gets selected.
Same. For some reason I don’t care for Li Quin. I feel like her acting is pretty much the same in some of the dramas I’ve seen her. I see her as an actress acting out her role rather than being the person she’s supposed to portray
That’s my problem with Li Qin as well. My question is WHY always Li Qin as a possible candidate? Xiao Zhan’s scandal has long been over and he is solidifying himself in C-Ent with his roles. With his talent, he should be acting alongside A list actresses. But his agency always chooses either the same actress (Li Qin), B- list actresses or newbies. What gives? Why is the choice of actresses so poor? Li Qin has been starring in plenty of dramas but she isn’t convincing in her roles. I long gave up watching her in dramas after I watched The Wolf halfway. Unfortunately, he tends to pair up with her a lot must be like their 4th or 5th collaboration if she signs on for this project. I don’t mind Li Yitong. She has a very generic face and can disappear into her roles. Initially, I didn’t care for her acting either but I warmed up to her in Warm on a Cold Night, and find her watchable now. I wouldn’t mind if she signs on for this.
I agree…Dont hate her but dont warm to her too. Her acting does not touch me.
Li Qin is pretty and cute looking but her personality in one of the reality show was really a turn off for me. Ever since then I can’t really watch her in any dramas.
If this is a male centric drama, it makes sense that no A-list actress would want to take it on. I like both of these ladies, so no prob for me. It was The Longest Promise that was a mystery for me, because it was more of a female centric drama and they still went with Ren Min.
I watched Longest Promise, did skip at parts…Ren’s looks did not bother me at all. I am tired of looks with lots of PS…but she really was not suited for this role. Way out of her depth. She is not memorable. I do wonder just how much money was invested in her to get her this role??
I didn’t mind her looks either. It was the acting cute almost all the time that put me off. And the constant “shifu!” in that silly little voice.
May I guess NEPOTISM? It was said that back then the production platform Tencent set a deal with her agency. She wasn’t the FL in the original casting plan but got the role bcos of the connection, very similar to how the FL was rumored to be cast for his upcoming movie. I don’t dislike her but she has weak chemistry with XZ. In particular, she had cried so much in prior scenes that she failed to deliver supposedly most heart-wrenching scene when XZ’s character committed suicide in front of her. I guess she’s just not experienced enough to deliver with right timing. That being said, she’s not a negative factor to impact my watching experience of TLP. I still like TLP a lot. But definitely she’s not the best actress out there.
Li Yi Tong, please RUN for your own good!!
Please no more Li Qin for Xiao Zhan’s drama!! I am fine with Li Yi Tong. Her acting is decent and she’s cute!
So sure these two are the only candidates for his leading lady? XZ always picked interesting and challenging roles for himself. Nonetheless, most of his leading counterparts were meh. Li Qing was fine in The Youth Memories. She’s got two non-idol dramas with pretty solid ratings and decent reviews under her belt. She’s just not as vocal and attention-seeking as some of XZ’s costars whose fans (mostly huge social media influencers) have been constantly creating negative hot searches for XZ until now whenever XZ got new drama premiered. At least, I personally have never read negative posts about XZ from LQ’s fan clubs. XZ and LQ are good friends in private life. I understand they must be comfortable working together. Nonetheless, I hope XZ will have another fresh face as his leading lady to work with on new dramas.
I don’t know much about LYT. Hence I don’t want to make comments about her.
So far, I consider Bai Beihe, the FL of Sunshine by My Side, the best actress XZ has ever worked with. I had never watched her dramas before SYBS. Per all XZ’s dramas I’ve watched, no other FLs are on par with BBH. Hopefully XZ gets to work with more skilled actress like her.
He is an average actor, he doesn’t deserve a good co-star. Lol. Fans of plastic actors are always dumb. Shit for brains. And then they’ll say: “You are jealous of him because your fav…” 🤣🤣
You may not like this but I love allHis co-stars and I still love Ren Min. Acting well matched for XZ and would like to see them collaborate again but maybe in another capacity and another costume drama fine if they consider the design as she looks beautiful in the Rise of Ning. There is not nepotism. As a student in acting school, she was cast in Cry Me A Sad River and was recognized for superb acting skills. Then won best supporting actress in Serenade of Peaceful Joy followed by being favored by directors across the board in reality show Actors please Stand by where they had to act on the spot after rehearsing . She works quite hard and takes care of her mom. It’s just her and her mother. In Wonderland she speaks to not having her father and in all her dramas didn’t really promote big time CP so she earned her place. Now it would be ashamed as people bash her and damage her like you’ve not seen acting any worse. Xiao Zhan actually had a say in his selection and was discussed with him before she was selected.
“Legend of the Tibetan Sea” directed by Zheng Xiaolong and starring Xiao Zhan starts production.
https://www.knotrope.com/news/658f9cda72410407e52e6dff