Rural C-drama 'This thriving land' is winning hearts all over South-East Asia and East Asia

The Star

20 hours ago

With its rare rural realist theme, compelling ensemble, and four‑season location production, the title is drawing wide attention and conversation.
iQIYI's Masterpiece Theater drama "This thriving land," starring Yang Mi and Oho Ou and directed by Liu Jiacheng, achieved a popularity index of 10,000 or above on the platform.
With a rare rural theme, grounded realism, and a compelling ensemble, the title has rapidly amplified both viewership and conversation.
Premiering on Aug 13 exclusively on iQIYI and led by Yang Mi, Oho Ou, Ni Dahong, Qin Hailu, Xing Fei, Zhang Tianyang, Lin Yongjian, and Lan Yingying, the series adapts an award‑winning novel by Zhao Defa.
Spanning nearly a century in southern Shandong, China, it follows the rise and fall of the Ning, Feng, and Fei families, while tracing the enduring bond between ordinary people and their farmland.
Brisk pacing and crisp conflict interlace family, era and romance arcs; four‑season location photography and meticulous work on props, architecture, dialects, and folk customs create an immersive portrait of rural life.
As a rare rural realist drama, "This Thriving Land" focuses squarely on the people–farmland relationship. It avoids slogan‑driven set‑pieces, building character, incident, and history from lived logic.
The ensemble resists caricature—conservative and progressive, admirable and flawed—rendering the rural community's ethics and choices with credibility. Strong plotlines bridge historical themes with a present‑day sense of vitality and meaning.
Word‑of‑mouth continues to build. Debates around the land‑over‑daughter dilemma and the arranged‑marriage swap, the "Xiu Xiu × Feng Dajiao" relationship, and the show's "make a hard life blossom" ethos are fueling fan edits and longform threads.
Coverage and social chatter often highlight "phenomenon," "overwhelmingly positive," and "word‑of‑mouth resurgence," noting rising engagement; typical feedback cites a fully realized ensemble, tight pacing, and tactile realism.
It is among iQIYI's most talked‑about and best‑reviewed titles this year, with leads Yang Mi and Oho Ou praised by viewers and VIP members for vivid, textured performances. It is also winning many hearts in the South-East Asia region and East Asia in Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan.
"This thriving land" joins iQIYI's recent cohort of dramas achieving a popularity index of 10,000 or above (per platform disclosures).
While many past titles achieving a popularity index of 10,000 or above have centered on period romance, urban ensemble, and anti‑crime, such as: "Love Between Fairy and Devil", "My Heroic Husband", "The Knockout"—this rural realist entry expands the club's genre map and underscores a sustained appetite for grounded storytelling.
iQIYI's other recent slate also includes "FEUD", "A Dream Within A Dream", "Coroner's Diary", "The Wanted Detective", and "Justifiable Defense".