Chinese dramas are starting to draw attention from international viewers this year, such as "God of War, Zhao Yun" and "Ice Fantasy." While China has millions of avid followers of Korean dramas, it also has its own drama productions which, most of the time, are overtaken by K-dramas in terms of popularity and viewership ratings.
Korean dramas gain popularity not only in the local scene but in other countries like Japan and China. Chinese viewers have especially loved "The Heirs" (2013), "My Love From the Star" (2013) and "Descendants of the Sun" (2016). The latter is said to be made into a Chinese movie, reported China Film Insider.
Stars like Lee Min Ho, Kim Soo Hyun and Song Joong Ki are very famous in the mainland. Several TV shows like "Running Man" is co-produced by Chinese and South Korean TV stations.
However, China recently banned the appearances of Hallyu stars in the country's screens, allegedly due to South Korea's consent in installing the United States Terminal High Altitude Area Defense on its grounds. This year, however, Chinese dramas like the two mentioned projects are already gaining international attention.
"God of War" is a story of war during the period of the Three Kingdoms. It stars Lin Gengxin as well as South Korean stars Kim Jeong Hoon and Im Yoona. It was aired at the same time as the Korean hit "Descendants of the Sun" and was locally more famous.
The current sensation is "Ice Fantasy," the story of the Empire of Snow or the Ice Tribe against the Fire Tribe, involving two brothers fighting against each other. It is drawing lots of local and international attention. It stars Feng Shaofeng, Zhang Meng, Ma Tianyu and Korean star Victoria Song.
The Chinese government recently tightened the appearance of Korean stars in television dramas, with TV stations being warned shows with South Korean stars will not be approved. Upcoming programs with South Korean stars, as well as South Korean TV show copyrights will not be approved in the near future. However, the new regulation will not affect programmes that already have endorsements, South China Morning Post reported.
Mainland China is strict when it comes to censoring TV programs and commercials as they need the administration's approval before they are being broadcast. Watch below a preview of "God of War, Zhao Yun.