In mid-March, three costume dramas were successively released online. The appeal of “Zhao Liying + Xianxia dramas,” the freshness of “Ju Jingyi + villain roles,” and the uniqueness of the male protagonist work, have firmly secured the top three spots on the popularity chart for the dramas “The Legend of Shen Li,” “In Blossom,” and “Burning Flames.”
In terms of data, “Burning Flames,” which was first released on iQIYI on March 13th, reached a total of 21.979 million views on the second day of its release, second only to the top-ranked modern puppet drama “Everyone Loves Me.” By the third day of its release, it surged to the top, surpassing the starring drama “Simple Days” by Tong Yao and Chen Xiao.
However, the first-place achievement of “Burning Flames” was only briefly maintained. “In Blossom,” exclusively broadcasted on Youku, rose to the top with 40.071 million views on the second day of its release. “In Blossom” became the dark horse of March. The first two episodes showcased Ju Jingyi's fierce villain character breaking the stereotype of her delicate ancient beauty image, which was deemed as the most suitable role for her by netizens. The character of the villainous supporting actress seemed to always uncover another side of the stubborn delicate flower.
But the trends of “In Blossom” and “Burning Flames” were similar. The arrival of the true female lead drama “The Legend of Shen Li” only maintained the first-place position of “In Blossom” for a short four days. On March 18th, “The Legend of Shen Li,” starring Zhao Liying and Lin Gengxin, premiered. On the second day of its release, it garnered a staggering 90.698 million views, surpassing the 44.063 million views of “In Blossom.”
The high popularity of “The Legend of Shen Li” can be attributed to two main factors. Firstly, within the fixed audience of this drama, apart from Zhao Liying's dedicated fans, a significant portion comes from the couple fans of Zhao Liying and Lin Gengxin who collaborated for the first time in “Princess Agents.” This collaboration finally fulfilled the regret of the Xing Yue couple.
In the open-ended finale of “Princess Agents” aired in 2017, Lin Gengxin's character Yutian Yue jumped into an icy lake to save the female lead, leaving his fate uncertain, which left fans feeling unsettled for many years. With the long-awaited “Princess Agents 2” seemingly never coming, Yutian Yue seemed to be lost forever, but the beginning of “The Legend of Shen Li” deliberately included a scene where Zhao Liying saves Lin Gengxin underwater, somewhat making up for the regret.
On the other hand, the immense fan base of Xianxia dramas and Zhao Liying's strong appeal. After four years of starring in mainstream, suspense, rural, and entrepreneurial dramas, Zhao Liying's return to the world of classic costume dramas still receives strong support from the audience. At this point, both acting skills and popularity have become part of her strength.
Compared to the dedicated native fans of the drama with a clear purpose, the performance of “The Legend of Shen Li” in the fantasy drama fan base and on a mainstream level has fallen short of expectations. Firstly, the plot framework and character design are commendable but lack surprises. The opening battle scene of the Spirit World's King Shen Li (played by Zhao Liying) is grand, showcasing a burning budget, yet the female war god setting is not novel, and the image of a strong female character is consistent with Zhao Liying's previous ancient costume dramas.
Lin Gengxin plays the last ancient god who descends to experience mortal life, portraying a soft and weak male character who excels in strategy, divination, and cooking, complementing the rough and tough female lead, often needing to be rescued by beauty. The character designs are fine, the actors are handsome, but the qualities of immortality and weakness somewhat deviate from Lin Gengxin's current image.
Secondly, the romantic and humorous elements of the male and female leads are abundant, but the tension is lacking. In the first six episodes of “The Legend of Shen Li,” the idyllic life interactions between the male and female leads are comfortable enough, with moments of eye contact and domineering confessions that are somewhat romantic.
However, due to the overall lack of a core dramatic driving force in the series, the establishment of the main characters' relationship feels rushed, making the romantic interactions seem somewhat forced. The early episodes of “The Legend of Shen Li” were full of gimmicks and nostalgia, with a surge in viewership.
However, the obvious problem facing “The Legend of Shen Li” is how to retain the audience with a compelling storyline. Currently, there is joy but a lack of heartbreak, and the ultimate move of the fantasy drama has yet to be revealed. In conclusion, we look forward to the upcoming episodes of “The Legend of Shen Li” having a stronger story driving force and more room for character development.
On the other hand, the praise for “In Blossom” is concentrated in the first two episodes, with the themes of rebirth, body double, and villainess character setting serving as the core highlights of the early stage of the drama, offering innovative elements that captivate the audience. The guest appearance of Zhenghe Huizi received acclaim for her acting skills and strong chemistry with the cast, engaging the audience in the storyline.
However, after the first two episodes, with Zheng Hehui Zi's character exiting and Ju Jingyi returning to her original path, issues such as facial expressions, makeup, and acting persist, leading to a decline in the overall evaluation of the series.
In contrast to the evident female-oriented genes of “The Legend of Shen Li” and “In Blossom,” “Burning Flames” (formerly known as “Wu Geng Ji”) starring Ren Jialun appears particularly unique. The series, based on the Hong Kong comic “Feng Shen Ji” by Zheng Jian and Deng Zhihui, is characterized by its adaptation from a comic, a male-oriented, and a passionate male lead.
The production efforts to faithfully recreate the artistic style of the original work in “Burning Flames” are evident, showcasing a blend of primal and second-dimensional wild beauty. At first glance, the fantasy theme of “Burning Flames” may not align with the aesthetic preferences of Chinese audiences accustomed to the elegant beauty of fantasy dramas. As expected, on the premiere day, Ren Jialun's thick bangs hairstyle and He Rundong's wild Xin Wang appearance were criticized for being aesthetically displeasing.
However, “Burning Flames” is not as straightforward as it seems. The original work “Feng Shen Ji” boasts a high Douban rating of 8.8, and the animated adaptation “Wu Geng Ji” produced by Tencent Video and Xuanji Technology in 2016 has a high rating of 8.1 for its first season, continuing up to the fourth season. This demonstrates its considerable adaptation value and influence within the male-oriented work realm.
In the past, the most famous comic adaptation drama was “Wind and Cloud” adapted from the comic “Fung Wan” by Hong Kong comic artist Ma Wing Shing. Similarly, “Burning Flames” features He Rundong, known for his role as “Bu Jingyun,” playing the father of Wu Geng, the king of the human race. Familiarity with the character design reveals that He Rundong's appearance aligns well with the artistic style of the series; supporting actors such as Yan Yikuan, Mi Re, and Xu Zhengxi, with exotic features, also fit the mythical atmosphere of the series.
Surprisingly, the male lead Ren Jialun lacks a bit of the tough male lead aura. Previously, Ren Jialun gained popularity portraying affectionate male leads in female-oriented dramas, known for his gentle rather than domineering image, which slightly contrasts with the image of the avenging prince in the series. Fans' praises for Ren Jialun mainly focus on his improvement in delivering original lines. Overall, “Burning Flames” deviates from traditional male-oriented tropes, faithfully adhering to the original work while being recognized by male audiences for its passionate artistic style and character progression, leaving room for positive word of mouth.
