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South China Morning Post
a day ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Palace intrigue conquers global screens: are C-dramas China's new soft power?
Over the past month, one of the biggest hit streaming shows globally has been a fictional drama about a young man who plots revenge after his family is murdered. The made-in-China historical fantasy is the latest major production to showcase the growing international influence of one of the country's fastest growing cultural exports – storytelling. In the week after its May 18 debut, Legend of Zang Hai topped multiple overseas rankings in 15 regions, including the No 1 spot on Disney+ in Taiwan for seven days, while becoming the only mainland Chinese production in the local top 10 in Hong Kong. The 40-episode series also trended globally at No 12 on social media platform X, hitting No 1 in Thailand and charting in the top 10 in Vietnam and Malaysia. It has even trended in Ukraine. It rates 8.8 out of 10 on the online entertainment database IMDb, making it the highest-rated Chinese suspense drama on the platform, attracting praise for its intricate plot, stunning visuals, and exceptional acting, as well as its use of Chinese intangible heritage like shadow puppetry and Kunqu opera. The story follows protagonist Zang Hai, who, after his family is massacred, seeks revenge through years of meticulous planning and strategic cunning to infiltrate the enemy's ranks. As he gains power amid political intrigue, he shifts his focus from personal vengeance to protecting his people. Xiao Zhan in a scene from Legend of Zang Hai (2025). Photo: Handout 'For fans of epic historical dramas with soul, this is a must-watch. And for those unfamiliar with Chinese television, Legend of Zang Hai is the perfect gateway – a show that proves great storytelling transcends language and borders,' one viewer wrote on IMDb. It is not the only Chinese TV drama to find acclaim overseas. The expanding popularity of Chinese TV dramas – known as C-dramas – has become a potent indicator of China's improving soft power, according to observers. Driven by increasing production quality, industry advancement and the global reach of Chinese celebrities, such dramas have fused Chinese history, culture, language and values into a formidable entertainment export.
Borneo Post
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Borneo Post
‘Legend of Zang Hai' adds to surging popularity of C-dramas worldwide
Film and television clothing is displayed at the booth of Hengdian cinematic and cultural industry cluster zone at the Hong Kong International Film and TV Market on March 17, 2025. – Xinhua photo BEIJING (June 21): With its ads displayed on digital billboards in cities such as Tokyo and Bangkok, and its views climbing on video-streaming portals like Disney+, 'Legend of Zang Hai' is the latest example of a Chinese TV series making inroads into the global market. Featuring a star-studded cast led by Chinese mega-popular actor Xiao Zhan and renowned director Zheng Xiaolong, 'Legend of Zang Hai' revolves around the protagonist Zang Hai's pursuit of revenge years after his family was murdered and his quest for justice amid Machiavellian struggles in the fictitious dynasty of Da Yong. Since its release on May 18, 'Legend of Zang Hai' has not only become a domestic hit across the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, but has also been aired to audiences in over 190 countries and regions in the world, via online platforms such as Youku and Disney+. During its premiere week, the drama swept popular TV charts of countries such as Singapore and Malaysia, and trended on social media in Thailand, Vietnam, Egypt, Ukraine, India and some other countries. According to data-monitoring platform Beacon, as of June 18, 'Legend of Zang Hai' had garnered more than 2.2 billion views, constantly leading the platform's daily broadcast chart during its month-long run. On the international rating and review platform IMDb, 'Legend of Zang Hai' scored a peak 9.5 out of 10 points in terms of its overall rating and stabilized at the current 8.8 points. 'The show is brilliantly crafted, with stunning visuals and smart storytelling that keeps you hooked. Every episode is packed with twists, suspense and emotional depth,' one of the most-liked reviews on IMDb stated. Besides the appeal of its overarching story and audiovisual techniques, this drama also integrates a series of traditional heritage elements throughout its scenes – presenting these in a seamless and realistic manner. According to a rough tally, the drama features 18 types of traditional cultural heritage, like centuries-old puppetry, mortise and tenon techniques, embroidery, wood carving, lantern shows, Kunqu Opera and more. 'Although 'Legend of Zang Hai' is a drama set in a fictional context, the creative team has always adhered to the principle of realism in its production, and strove to be genuine and credible in every detail,' said the drama's chief director Zheng. In addition, mysterious traditional elements, such as geomancy and astrology featured in the drama, have also intrigued overseas viewers, sparking cross-cultural discussions among both viewers and media commentators. 'It is very rare to come across a script as perfect and engaging as this, with an engaging yet logical and tight storytelling style…Not only that, it also applies the beauty of Eastern culture, such as feng shui, construction, burial, astrology, puppetry, shadow plays, etc,' commented an IMDb reviewer who gave the drama a perfect score. 'For fans of epic historical dramas with soul, this is a must-watch. And for those unfamiliar with Chinese television, 'Legend of Zang Hai' is the perfect gateway – a show that proves great storytelling transcends language and borders,' said another on IMDb. Beyond traditional viewership, the suspense drama has sparked a 'co-creation' phenomenon. Fans actively participate in the narrative through social media analysis, fan fiction, and detailed breakdowns of the plot and symbolism, turning passive audiences into engaged collaborators. A viewer noted: 'I kept discussing with my friends and checking comment sections and social networks while watching the show – every episode became a group investigation.' With ever-improving quality in terms of both content creation and production, China's television dramas, often abbreviated as C-dramas on video platforms, have gained a growing fan base worldwide over recent years. In 2024, Chinese costume drama 'The Double', which focuses on the female protagonist's romance and revenge story, was released on streaming platforms such as Netflix, garnering approximately 200 million views overseas and securing an 8.2-point IMDb rating. Featuring unique eastern aesthetics, another costume drama, 'Love Between Fairy and Devil', has made a splash on overseas platforms like Reddit since its global release back in 2022. Other C-dramas such as 'The Starry Love', 'Till the End of the Moon', and 'The Legend of Shen Li' have also generated waves of social media buzz among overseas audiences, thanks to their cultural and aesthetic depth. Earlier this year, the global reach of C-dramas was again highlighted when American punk-rock icon Patti Smith praised young Chinese actor Wang Xingyue for his performance in costume comedy 'Perfect Match'. 'A great show. You are a wonderful artist,' she wrote, while punctuating her comment with four clapping emojis. – Xinhua C-dramas China movies TV Xinhua
India Gazette
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India Gazette
"Legend of Zang Hai" adds to surging popularity of C-dramas worldwide
by Xinhua writers Cao Pengyuan and Yang Qi BEIJING, June 19 (Xinhua) -- With its ads displayed on digital billboards in cities such as Tokyo and Bangkok, and its views climbing on video-streaming portals like Disney+, "Legend of Zang Hai" is the latest example of a Chinese TV series making inroads into the global market. Featuring a star-studded cast led by Chinese mega-popular actor Xiao Zhan and renowned director Zheng Xiaolong, "Legend of Zang Hai" revolves around the protagonist Zang Hai's pursuit of revenge years after his family was murdered and his quest for justice amid Machiavellian struggles in the fictitious dynasty of Da Yong. Since its release on May 18, "Legend of Zang Hai" has not only become a domestic hit across the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, but has also been aired to audiences in over 190 countries and regions in the world, via online platforms such as Youku and Disney+. During its premiere week, the drama swept popular TV charts of countries such as Singapore and Malaysia, and trended on social media in Thailand, Vietnam, Egypt, Ukraine, India and some other countries. According to data-monitoring platform Beacon, as of June 18, "Legend of Zang Hai" had garnered more than 2.2 billion views, constantly leading the platform's daily broadcast chart during its month-long run. On the international rating and review platform IMDb, "Legend of Zang Hai" scored a peak 9.5 out of 10 points in terms of its overall rating and stabilized at the current 8.8 points. "The show is brilliantly crafted, with stunning visuals and smart storytelling that keeps you hooked. Every episode is packed with twists, suspense and emotional depth," one of the most-liked reviews on IMDb stated. Besides the appeal of its overarching story and audiovisual techniques, this drama also integrates a series of traditional heritage elements throughout its scenes -- presenting these in a seamless and realistic manner. According to a rough tally, the drama features 18 types of traditional cultural heritage, like centuries-old puppetry, mortise and tenon techniques, embroidery, wood carving, lantern shows, Kunqu Opera and more. "Although 'Legend of Zang Hai' is a drama set in a fictional context, the creative team has always adhered to the principle of realism in its production, and strove to be genuine and credible in every detail," said the drama's chief director Zheng. In addition, mysterious traditional elements, such as geomancy and astrology featured in the drama, have also intrigued overseas viewers, sparking cross-cultural discussions among both viewers and media commentators. "It is very rare to come across a script as perfect and engaging as this, with an engaging yet logical and tight storytelling only that, it also applies the beauty of Eastern culture, such as feng shui, construction, burial, astrology, puppetry, shadow plays, etc.," commented an IMDb reviewer who gave the drama a perfect score. "For fans of epic historical dramas with soul, this is a must-watch. And for those unfamiliar with Chinese television, 'Legend of Zang Hai' is the perfect gateway -- a show that proves great storytelling transcends language and borders," said another on IMDb. Beyond traditional viewership, the suspense drama has sparked a "co-creation" phenomenon. Fans actively participate in the narrative through social media analysis, fan fiction, and detailed breakdowns of the plot and symbolism, turning passive audiences into engaged collaborators. A viewer noted, "I kept discussing with my friends and checking comment sections and social networks while watching the show -- every episode became a group investigation." With ever-improving quality in terms of both content creation and production, China's television dramas, often abbreviated as C-dramas on video platforms, have gained a growing fan base worldwide over recent years. In 2024, Chinese costume drama "The Double," which focuses on the female protagonist's romance and revenge story, was released on streaming platforms such as Netflix, garnering approximately 200 million views overseas and securing an 8.2-point IMDb rating. Featuring unique eastern aesthetics, another costume drama, "Love Between Fairy and Devil," has made a splash on overseas platforms like Reddit since its global release back in 2022. Other C-dramas such as "The Starry Love," "Till the End of the Moon," and "The Legend of Shen Li" have also generated waves of social media buzz among overseas audiences, thanks to their cultural and aesthetic depth. Earlier this year, the global reach of C-dramas was again highlighted when American punk-rock icon Patti Smith praised young Chinese actor Wang Xingyue for his performance in costume comedy "Perfect Match." "A great show. You are a wonderful artist," she wrote, while punctuating her comment with four clapping emojis.
