On the 18th of August, 2023, the latest martial arts comedy drama by Zhao Benshan, titled “Legend of the Undercover Chef“, premiered.
In the late years of some dynasty, there were frequent Wokou invasions and eunuchs held absolute power. Cao Gonggong from Dongchang conspired with the Wokou to harm the martial arts community in Zhongyuan and plotted rebellion. Ximen Changhai's public identity was the head of Magpie Saber Sect, but he was actually a member of a secret anti-wokou organization.
Besides eradicating the invaders, another important task was to uncover the traitors colluding with them within the court. At the same time, Cao Gonggong also discovered that there were martial artists opposing him within the martial arts community and secretly sent people to monitor their every move.
To deceive others while carrying out this clandestine mission, Ximen Changhai (played by Zhao Benshan) sought out his twin brother Ximen Changzai (also played by Zhao Benshan), who lived far away in their hometown, and asked him to impersonate himself. Although they were twins, Changhai and Changzai had completely different personalities and life paths. The younger brother was a heroic figure with great courage, while the older brother was timid and cowardly like an ordinary person in society.
Faced with his younger brother's request, timid Changzai initially refused vehemently but succumbed eventually under his younger brother's coercion as well as promises of finding him a companion. In this way, bewildered Changzai transformed from being an ordinary cook into becoming a leader overnight as he took on his brother's role – entering into a fantastical world of martial arts.
When Ximen Changzai arrived at Magpie Saber Sect in an unfamiliar land for him personally yet familiar for his impersonation scheme; he encountered his first challenge – deceiving several close relatives of his brother Changhai: the dull and silent first apprentice Haomeng (played by Cheng Ye), the passionate and fiery Ye Siniang (played by Ge Shanshan), and the impulsive second apprentice Zhao Dezhu (played by Song Xiaofeng).
Of course, the most difficult person to deceive was his brother's daughter Ximen Rou (played by Li Xiaohe). Ximen Changzai originally intended to quietly pass through this hurdle incognito but unexpectedly, as still waters run deep, various troubles emerged one after another. The head of Tianchi Sect Gao Damao (played by Song Xiaobao), leader of Wudu Sect, along with others came knocking on their door. Most dangerously, Ximen Changzai attracted the attention and suspicion of Cao Gonggong from Dongchang.
“Legend of the Undercover Chef” has a rating of 7.8 on Douban which has now risen to 8.0. After watching it, you can say that it is a martial arts drama because there are numerous sects in the play with no shortage of thrilling combat scenes; you can also call it a rural drama because the main story unfolds in a countryside far from court politics; furthermore, you can describe it as a costume romance drama since protagonist Ximen Changzai struggles between two types of women he loves or who love him dearly.
The cast consisting Zhao Benshan, Song Xiaobao, Cheng Ye, Yang Shulin, Wen Song and other sketch comedy actors brings comedy as an underlying tone for this play. Each episode lasts for 25 minutes where each story mostly takes place within one setting. Compared to traditional costume dramas or martial arts epics perhaps comedy is more suitable for positioning this drama.
Commonplace returns with laughter abounding
One of the great characteristics of this drama is the setting of its main characters as ordinary people. These characters are in the realm that Zhao Benshan excels at.
The protagonist of “Liu Lao Gen” is a grassroots rural cadre leading villagers to prosperity; “Ma Da Shuai” tells the story of mutual assistance among migrant farmers in the city; “Village Love” showcases two generations of a typical rural family. The protagonist of “Legend of the Undercover Chef” is a chef, and the audience understands his disappearance and escape in the face of danger, as his panic always strikes a chord with viewers.
From the title, it seems that “Legend of the Undercover Chef” is an epic tale about martial arts sects fighting for dominance in society. In fact, it's quite the opposite – it revolves around Magpie Saber Sect as its core and includes trivial matters both inside and outside the sect.
When women are mentioned, Ximen Changzai becomes lively; when it comes to being the leader of Wulin Alliance, Gaoda Mao generously offers financial support; when Ximen Changhai is mentioned, Gong Sun Lirong can't contain herself; when junior disciple Ximen Rou is mentioned, Zhao Dezhu shows strong protective instincts.
Each character has their own genuine pursuits and different character weaknesses. “Legend of the Undercover Chef” uses exaggerated expressions to reflect how power and desire stir up turmoil within each character's inner world while leaving behind thought-provoking philosophical insights through contrasting personalities.
In terms of presentation techniques, comedy mainly relies on brilliant dialogues, unexpected plot twists, and stereotypical individual traits to captivate audiences. Ximen Changzai disguises himself as leader of the Magpie Saber Sect, in order to protection Ximen Changhai secretly carry out resistance against the Wokou invasion. The transition from a chef to sect leader, with such mismatched personalities and social status, naturally gives rise to many comical stories.
What makes “Legend of the Undercover Chef” most satisfying is the humor in its characters' language. Zhao Benshan's team has honed their skills through countless sketches, developing their own methodology on how to make audiences laugh.
Homophonic jokes and ironic detachment are excellently employed throughout the drama. The actor who portrays Hao Meng is Cheng Ye himself; by making self-deprecating jokes, he bridges the psychological distance between viewers and the TV series. Creates unexpected language misunderstandings that leave audiences laughing heartily.
Vulgar or elegant?
Zhao Benshan has repeatedly stated publicly that he is just an ordinary person who cannot be separated from his place of origin, which is also reflected in his works' main characters.
Whether it's Liu Laogen or Ma Dashuai, Zhao Si or Liu Neng, these characters' emotions are very simple-hearted at their core, embodying the kindness of farmers with hints of ignorance and vanity. It is precisely because of these characters' commonness that when reflecting societal phenomena through satire or ridicule in dramas, there appears some degree of rationality.
Frequent social phenomena discussed online also receive satirical treatment in this drama. In order to enter the top three rankings on the Wulin Heroes list, Jia Ru (played by Zhang Ke) bribes judges first before releasing an album, subsequently spending money to change trending topics and live streaming events, all helping propel Magpie Saber Sect's trio into becoming top influencers within martial arts enthusiasts circles in the drama.
In this drama, a group of diverse martial artists experience trials and tribulations together in Magpie Saber Sect. They have no power or influence, lack handsome appearances or extraordinary intelligence.
Though they have experienced the ups and downs of life, they possess an indomitable spirit and a refusal to accept defeat. The Jianghu in the drama is no longer the traditional blood-soaked world but rather a secularized version, Jianghu that ordinary people must go through as part of their growth process.
“Legend of the Undercover Chef” provides an entertainment stage that can be appreciated by both refined and common tastes, breathing life into its storytelling. In this sense, it offers genuine healing to its audience.
