So there are fewer and fewer S+ budget C-dramas these days as it’s like putting all your chips on black or red in one roulette turn. Investors prefer to spread and risk and use the same amount to invest in 3 A level dramas which if two succeeds and one tanks will still bring in more returns. So a lot of attention is on period wuxia C-drama Zhan Zhao Adventures (Yu Lin Ling) which is S+ budget and has built in IP recognition with the character of Zhan Zhao, swordsman turned government constable. The drama stars Yang Yang, Zhan Ruo Nan, Fang Yi Lun, and Zhang Yu Xi in a very stacked four-some of well known leads. The first posters are out and reminds of the same style done in Calming Waves, but at least everyone looks good in styling.
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Man those posters are boring!
Wuxia posters always looks the same. Having said that, I’m up for this drama. It’s been a while since I bothered with a C drama but I love the cast here.
I just hope for this drama to do well for FYL's sake. He deserves so much for being so talented but so royally s... by his agency and other factors.
But also for the future of real wuxia as a genre. This is truely a dying breed.
Many people are already being so negative and pessimistic on weibo due to several issues but I'm very hopeful for this drama.
Yang Yang is miscasted for this iconic role. Zhang Ruo Nan has a lot of high profile projects coming. I only saw her in 1 thing so far, but her acting wasn't for me there. Hope she can change my mind.
FYL is always good.
I really don't get why they cast Yang Yang, he can't act and can only strike poses. Zhan Zhao is such an iconic character, Yang Yang doesn't even have an iota of that kind of aura. Have they run out of decent actors who can also put in effort for the martial arts scenes?
They need someone not self conscious about their looks, someone that has the face of justice.
Zhan Zhao is a character with very big shoes….
I agree...my favourite is still currently unmatched for me.
I hope something he starred in releases soon! I want to judge his acting! Lol. It’s been too long.
The casting of the female leads is weak and for the life of me I don't understand what cdramaland sees in Zhang Ruo Nan as an actress. In all of her project she brings absolutely nothing
If the supporting actor/actress were the ML/FL...... Sigh. LOL
Then the drama would be in D-list territory, let's be honest...
And it's not like FYL or ZYX are good actors either...
At least, YY has star power, looks and is good in action scenes; ZRN will probably explode in popularity with First Frost so she's a good choice too
Then the drama would be a D-list project, let's be honest.
And it's not like FYL and ZYX are great actors either. Both leads have star power (ZRN's popularity will most probably explode once First Frost releases) and are very professional, and that's what matters most for investors.
However, I'm quite surprised to see ZYX playing second fiddle to a junior actress. Her career used to be on the rise a few years ago, and she has a big agency backing her...
@AliceH People aren't bashing on them just because they're first leads, but because they're bad actors. I do agree with you ZYX is also not a great actress. FYL at least has potential. YY would never be able to play a character like Yu Shisan. He'd come off so oily like how he was in Martial Universe. This industry just likes to reward flower vases. I used to also love YY for his face, but he's been in the industry for like 20 years with zero improvement in the acting department for someone who supposedly works hard. ZRN is fairly new to the scene compared to him, so hopefully she improves with time and experience.
I had kinda written off FYL until I saw him in A Journey To Love. Same for ZRN, didn't like her in her dramas, but saw a movie with her and Ren Min where she impressed me (forgot the name of the movie).
I think anyone can improve provided they are given the right guidance and are not surrounded by yes men.
I will wait till the drama is out to judge their respective performances.
@AliceH, FYL was good in both The Longest Promise and A Journey to Love. Those were the only two dramas of FYL that I watched. So, he made a good impression on me 100% in terms of probability. LOL. I enjoyed ZYX's drama, Intense Love. The rest failed me. But at least I don't dislike her.
I don't need star power. I just want to watch interesting stories starring people who can act. I used to like YY in Love 020 and You're My Glory but he was so awkward in all the costume dramas. ZZ is a classic character. I'm afraid YY would ruin that. LOL.
It's worth to remind that this is a production by Daylight Entertainment who got a huge name for producing amazing and iconic productions (One example:Nirvana In Fire) and the last "historical" production they did was "Serenade Of Peaceful Joy" which was very badly received and very bashed in 2020 but not because of the quality it's for other matters.
This is their first ever Wuxia. Let's hope they do it well.
Yes, it instantly drew me in that Daylight is producing this -- and it's my beloved wuxia genre! Yang Yang isn't a strong actor, but his trained dancing background always helps in the fighting scenes. Of course, provided they have decent fighting choreography -- I hope Daylight does it right!
So what,Yang Yang is male version of Yang mi,their acting has regress,while Zhang rouyun are not consistent in producing sparks with her male lead.
So what? Yang Yang can't act and it can be ten times Daylight and he still won't magically improve. It's not like they can wave their wand and make him a decent actor.
If they were so sure of him they wouldn't be already trying to stir CP between ML and ML2. Plus I would check on who all is involved in the production of this one lol we aren't blind.
Why was Serenade of Peaceful Joy bashed? Thought I'd watch it, but now wondering if it's worth it
Because it deviate from the source novel,instead it try to stay faithful to history,in the novel,the protagonist is ren min character and her life story,love life is the main story,the drama depicts the life of her father,Wang Kai character.boring.
It's not worth it. Drama did great and had great ratings until Ren Min took over the screen time and then ratings dived and drama flopped. She ruined it, just like she ruined Longest Promise.
Definitely going to at least check this out for FYL!