So normally when there is a showdown of two or even three big name dramas there is a clear (or clear-ish) winner but this time it seems it’s going to be who did just a liiiiiiitle bit better. Last month in the end of October 2025 saw the release of three big male lead led period C-dramas – first came … Continue reading →
My brother in Christ lol, even the stills are enough to make this point abundantly clear unless one needs glasses. Newly premiered Youku wuxia C-drama Blood River (or Dark River) is off to an okay-ish start. The heat index within Youku just broke 9000 which isn’t bad but not portending a true hit anytime yet. The only buzz it’s getting … Continue reading →
For some reason I thought this drama would be an early 2026 release, but heck come on down and join the October 2025 C-drama party Dark River! This weekend Youku announced the release of the drama this Monday October 20th and I don’t see a lot of promos but recently a few air drops have ended up being surprisingly successful … Continue reading →
C-actor Gong Jun hasn’t been filming as many dramas in recent years and that’s okay if his works are always well received but it’s still hit or miss with him. The Legend of Anle was watchable but still not very good while Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Red Moon Pact was an unwatchable mess. He finished filming period wuxia C-drama Blood River … Continue reading →
There are C-stars that seem to work nonstop from drama to drama and others like Gong Jun I feel could benefit from doing more projects. Right now he only has Tales of Dark River on deck that I’m interested in so this new casting news piques my hope that he will accept. He’s in talks for the wuxia and investigative … Continue reading →
C-actress Sun Zhenni was already a female lead in two dramas but the unexpected good reviews and ratings for her just finished airing xianxia C-drama The Blossoming Love has given her another boost. She is now in talks as the female lead for the C-drama Inverted Fate (攻玉 Gong Yu) which is a project that will be headlining Gong Jun. … Continue reading →
After Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Red Moon Pact aired in May to terrible reviews and mid viewership, it’s like everyone associated just disassociated from it and never mentions it again. Unfortunately it’s year end reviews and awards time around the drama realm and the Douban drama forum decided rightly to vote it as the top flop C-drama of 2024 – 年度仆街劇冠軍: … Continue reading →
I gotta say, this drama actually looks good IMO. C-drama Tales of Dark River wrapped filming recently and the production released an official behind-the-scenes look at the production process and filming as well as first posters. Starring Gong Jun, Peng Xiao Ran, Chang Hua Sen, and Yang Yu Tong, the drama is adapted from the same name novel and also … Continue reading →
After a few weeks of the costuming atrocity coming out of the xianxia C-drama set of Love Beyond the Grave, this is a bit of eye bleach to cleanse the fugly. New filming stills are out from the set of wuxia C-drama Tales of Dark River and show leads Gong Jun and Peng Xiao Ran filming a scene together when … Continue reading →
This feels like an anchor project for C-actor Gong Jun, a make-or-break moment for him to stay an A-list drama male lead or show that Word of Honor was indeed a one-hit wonder for him. He hasn’t had a hit in four years and the most promising ones Legend of Anle and Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Red Moon Pact were both … Continue reading →
I thought Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Red Moon Pact, regardless of the story or acting, would at least be visually beautifully and engrossing enough to keep watching. Alas I couldn’t make it pass a few episodes even on the pretty and there was indeed so much pretty. But what looked good on stills did not create a moving tableau that kept … Continue reading →
So the failure of Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Red Moon Pact is already having immediate ramifications. The next two installments Love in Pavilion and Sword and Beloved have ceased all pre-airing work and will not air this year as planned, getting delayed into 2025 at the earliest to try and salvage this IP with the viewers. Both Yang Mi and Gong … Continue reading →
Well, the first big flop of C-drama land 2024 is unfortunately going to be Fox Spirit Matchmaker: Red Moon Pact. There are way worse dramas this year and lower viewership but compared to the astronomical budget and mega star studded cast of this drama then this drama has underperformed to a record degree. The drama is reportedly now abandoned by … Continue reading →
