Chasing Dramas

In the latest episode, Karen and Cathy discuss the current Chinese streaming platform landscape, the overall business model, and the key competitors. There are 4 major players, Tencent Video, iQiYi, Youku, and MangoTV. Tencent Video and iQiYi compete for the top spot while Youku and MangoTV have found their niches. Listen to our latest podcast episode to see the business strategies for these companies and how they dictate what dramas are produced and aired.

In an effort to save Wei Ying Luo's life, the Empress banishes her to Xin Zhe Ku to perform hard labor. Wei Ying Luo must find a way to survive as she encounters old foes and gets extra harsh treatment from the Emperor. She finds an unlikely ally in the form of Yuan Chun Wang, who, after being saved by Ying Luo, agrees to become a brother-like figure to her. Unfortunately for the Empress, without Ying Luo to protect her, nefarious plans are set in motion by Noble Consort Gao and Consort Xian to rid the Empress of her pregnancy.

Fu Heng publicly states his intentions to marry Ying Luo to both the Empress and the Emperor who oppose this match for different reasons. Meanwhile, Ying Luo successfully enacts revenge against Dowager Consort Yu who killed her sister by leveraging a powerful thunderstorm but is punished to do hard labor for this act by the Empress.

Karen provides her thoughts on the recent drama Thousand Years for You or 请君 starring Allen Ren Jia Lun and Li Qin. This 36 episode drama is set during the Republic of China era as the three thousand year old general Lu Yan awakes to seek the woman that saved him all those years ago. She just so happens to look just like Yu Deng Deng, the current leader of the Qing Quan village.

In episodes 24, Hong Zhou, showing no remorse for his previous actions towards Wei Ying Luo's sister, tries to seduce Wei Ying Luo in a night time rendezvous. However, Wei Ying Luo was prepared for Hong Zhou and attempts to kill him instead. Hong Zhou escapes and the two of them flee to the Emperor. Wei Ying Luo accuses Hong Zhou of rape (which isn't wrong). Before the Emperor can decide on a punishment, Hong Zhou's mother Concubine Dowager Yu arrives to whip her son and beg for forgiveness. In episode 25, the Concubine Dowager tries to quell the fires with Wei Ying Luo but Wei Ying Luo dismisses those pleas. The Concubine Dowager quickly shows her true colors and orders an assassination attempt on Ying Luo. The two come together once again but the Concubine Dowager issues a threat. If Ying Luo continues to find trouble for her son, Ying Luo's entire family will suffer. Ying Luo must now learn the virtues of patience if she wants to enact her revenge.

In episodes 24, Hong Zhou, showing no remorse for his previous actions towards Wei Ying Luo's sister, tries to seduce Wei Ying Luo in a night time rendezvous. However, Wei Ying Luo was prepared for Hong Zhou and attempts to kill him instead. Hong Zhou escapes and the two of them flee to the Emperor. Wei Ying Luo accuses Hong Zhou of rape (which isn't wrong). Before the Emperor can decide on a punishment, Hong Zhou's mother Concubine Dowager Yu arrives to whip her son and beg for forgiveness. In episode 25, the Concubine Dowager tries to quell the fires with Wei Ying Luo but Wei Ying Luo dismisses those pleas. The Concubine Dowager quickly shows her true colors and orders an assassination attempt on Ying Luo. The two come together once again but the Concubine Dowager issues a threat. If Ying Luo continues to find trouble for her son, Ying Luo's entire family will suffer. Ying Luo must now learn the virtues of patience if she wants to enact her revenge.

A potential new relationship between the young stars Zhang Ling He and Bai Lu was exposed earlier this month. In this episode, Karen and Cathy discuss the surprising implications for this new coupling and the broader landscape of celebrity relationships in the Chinese entertainment industry. In recent years, most celebrities do not admit to relationships. Why is that? How do fans play into this landscape as well? Listen to our latest podcast episode to find out!

After 20+ episodes, we finally find out who was the man who harmed Ying Luo's sister and ultimately caused her death. It is none other than the Emperor's closest brother, Hong Zhou. Hong Zhou is shown to be an arrogant and obnoxious man who then uses his money and status to force Ying Luo into letting go over her anger towards what he did to her beloved sister.

Ying Luo manages to foil two plots against her and the Empress in episode 21 while helping turn the Empress into the Goddess of the River Luo or Luo Shen which enthralls the Emperor. Not only that, the Empress's turn as the goddess creates a wave of imitators in the palace as maids all hope for beauty and good fortune but to deadly results.

Weibo exploded over the Mid-Autumn Festival weekend as the popular Chinese actor, Li Yi Feng was caught in a scandal for soliciting prostitutes. Karen and Cathy break down the timeline for what happened and how the story broke for the now canceled actor.