The Rebel Princess

One of the best scripted Cdrama with a great production and cast performance. I liked how for once the excessive length of Chinese TV series did not go to waste, in that it is part of the flow and the timeline of this war for the throne and family politics epic. A monumental cast that includes moments of outstanding performance and some really genuine study characters; I liked the soundtrack and visuals that were well tuned and in sync with the storyline and everything else.

Despite a script that is overly convenient in places, the series is thoroughly enjoyable, thanks to a great cast. In particular, the romance between Zhang Ziyi (Shang Yang Princess) and Zhou Yiwei (Lord Yuzhang) was very charming. Zhou Yiwei is not the flawlessly handsome male idol type, but he has a real stage presence and he has breathed life into a role that could feel formulaic. Watching him shape the role throughout the 68 episodes was a real pleasure. The role was regularly at risk of being idealised but Zhou gave it a refreshing authenticity without losing a touch of magical make-believe. For me it was not a love at first sight, but his interpretation grew on me and before I knew it I was completely converted. Zhang and Zhou looked as if they had great fun performing together - their interaction was detailed as well as spontaneous, full of little unexpected touches that gave their onscreen romance a unique charm. I could see that being the result of some artfully managed improvisation during the filming process. Only after I started watching, I realized that Zhang Ziyi was openly in awe of Zhou Yiwei as an actor and had said as much on national TV, and after watching them act together, it is fair to say that these two have an unparalleled chemistry together, and Zhou is truly wonderful. It is a heartwarming tale in itself to know that Zhang did want to give Zhou, a dedicated yet overlooked actor in China the recognization she felt he deserved, and did just that by landing him a role that let him shine.

The cast overall was solid - Shang Yang Princess (Zhang)'s father gave an commanding performance in particular. Young actress Hai Ling who played Lord Yuzhang's 3rd/4th general in command was outstanding. Set, design, costumes are beyond amazing, impeccable in every detail, transporting the audience to a dreamlike ancient Chinese world. Music was hauntingly beautiful but needed to be greatly extended, as there was just not enough for a 68-episode drama series.

The plot is really impressive and the cast is totally appropriate with the characters. They talk about Zhang Ziyi's age a lot but to me, she perfectly reincarnates Wang Xuan and she looks really really young and beautiful in her 40s so it seems negligible for me about her age. And nonetheless, the appearance of Zhou Yiwei also entirely fit with Xiao Qi, a really charismatic and righteous-looking character. I would rate this 10/10, I just wish they could develope more of the storyline in the end. The end is just too short and I wish I could enjoy it more.

This one is Ziyi's first TV drama. Amazing acting as always! Lightning, shooting, background settings, costumes and art design are as excellent as best class movies. The art director for this drama is Yim Kam Tim who won Oscar for art design in film Crunching Tiger and Hidden Dragon. Cinematographer is Phillippe Le Sourd who was nominated for Oscar. Must try if you are interested in Chinese culture.

Don't let Zhang Ziyi's age problem deter you from watching the show. The 68-episode drama was filmed in 2018 when Zhang Ziyi was 38 years old. In the first 7 episodes, she plays a 15-year-old pampered countess, the prime minister's daughter and the emperor's niece. However, our heroine grows up fast, and by the 8th episode, everything looks normal. Yeah, it's a stretch, but if you can tolerate Emily living and working in Paris without speaking French, we can overlook this aspect of the drama :). It's about 1/10 of the total length anyway. If you'd like to see capable, good-looking actors wearing gorgeous clothes, moving around in beautiful locations, riding horses in breath-taking sceneries, then check it out. Remember to watch it with headphones on or with good external speakers, the soundtrack is amazing! The show is shot in the "Emily in Paris" mold and more.