In Chinese films and television, the martial arts genre has always been a powerful presence. The exciting and thrilling martial arts scenes and plot conflicts filled with tension are loved by audiences. In the 1980s and 1990s, it can be said that it was the golden age of martial arts dramas, and the shadows of swords and knives and the stories of seeking revenge for past grievances became the memories of a generation on the screen.
Around 2015, costume idols and Xianxia were popular for a while. In recent years, under the downward trend of the costume drama market, the output of martial arts dramas has also sharply declined, and the martial arts world has become somewhat quiet. At the end of last year, the online release of “Sword Snow Stride” triggered a heated discussion, once again arousing the audience's dream of the martial arts world. With the hot-blooded premiere of the costume martial arts drama “Pledge of Allegiance” this year, the martial arts genre may be making a comeback.
1 New Martial Arts Drama Unveils New Core
Martial arts dramas have a strong audience base. With the rising popularity of new martial arts novelists such as Jin Yong, Gu Long, and Liang Yusheng, martial arts stories have gradually moved from literary creation to the stage of film and television, and new versions are constantly being produced. Therefore, under the well-known story appeal, this type of drama naturally has traffic guarantees and has always occupied an important position in the drama market.
Pledge of Allegiance
“Jin Yong's Martial Arts World” will soon be launched this year, the series will present five stories in the form of short episodes, focusing on innovation in the form of the drama and the perspective of the story, breaking the restrictions of previous works.
In fact, the reason why classic martial arts dramas can endure is also due to the profound historical and cultural heritage behind the stories. Jin Yong's works interpret “chivalry” as “the greatest chivalry is to serve the country and the people,” showcasing the patriotism of the older generation of writers.
In the context of the new era, martial arts dramas are not only a carrier of traditional Chinese culture, but also begin to focus on character growth, showcasing the style of new martial arts dramas by integrating modern values and presenting a trend towards diversity.
For example, “Sword Snow Stride” rewrites a non-traditional martial arts image, using a new way of character development for the protagonist Xu Fengnian. In this drama, the character development takes on a new pattern, which is reverse growth writing.
“The Blood of Youth” portrays the growth process of young people from boys to men through a group of characters. The drama presents the growth issues and situations faced by every young person, and presents a clear and brave aesthetic paradigm.
The Blood of Youth
The protagonist in “Legend of Fei” breaks away from the invincible and full-of-halo character setting in previous martial arts dramas, with a more vivid and realistic character image.
In addition, martial arts dramas also incorporate popular elements from other genres, resulting in many “martial arts +” works. For example, the combination of martial arts and suspense elements gave birth to high-quality dramas such as “Ancient Detective”. Also, the combination of martial arts and comedy in “The Theatre Stories” fills the market gap of martial arts comedy dramas for many years.
Ancient Detective
10 Upcoming Wuxia Dramas
As the audience's aesthetic demands change, new martial arts dramas are gaining momentum and the market remains vast. According to incomplete statistics, there are currently over 10 upcoming martial arts dramas, including the highly anticipated “The New Version of the Condor Heroes” starring Tong Mengshi and Mao Xiaohui. The series is adapted from Jin Yong's novel of the same name and tells the story of Yang Guo and Xiaolongnü's tragic love and martial arts struggles in the late Southern Song Dynasty.
Mysterious Lotus Casebook
Adapted from Teng Ping's novel “Lian Hua Lou”, “Mysterious Lotus Casebook” tells the story of Li Lianhua, a famous martial artist who becomes a physician after being seriously injured in a battle. After encountering a new friend, Fang Duobing, and an old enemy, Di Feisheng, Li gets pulled back into the martial arts world.
“Furthermore, there are two featured adapted dramas set to air in 2023. The first, “The Ingenious One,” adapted from Fang Baiyu's novel “Qian Men,” mainly tells the story of the elegant young master Yun Xiang, who carries out the mission of his clan and enters the martial arts world. Unexpectedly, he meets several friends, including the female chivalry Shu Yanan, the noble young master Su Mingyu, and the swift swordsman Jin Biao. Amidst the complex and unpredictable struggles in the Jianghu, they enjoy the pleasure of avenging wrongs, growing and transforming, and defending justice and righteousness.
The Ingenious One
The second, “Five Kings of Thieves,” adapted from the popular novel “Wu Da Zei Wang,” tells the story of the orphan Huo Xiao Xie, who is dragged into the turmoil of the chaotic world. In order to protect the people around him in times of danger, he risks his life multiple times, fights against evil forces with his wisdom and courage, and finally exchanges his passion and smarts for a chance at life and light in this highly inspiring and exciting legendary story.
Overall, these highly anticipated martial arts dramas combine the changes in aesthetics and values of the new era and continue to seek their original intention and craftsmanship. The market is expecting these dramas to create new classics in the world of martial arts.