With the Beijing ban on Hallyu, Chinese TV viewers had to learn to love local dramas even if many prefer Korean drama. However, since the THAAD deployment resulted in the ban, it is time for Chinese TV drama to take center stage.
A listing of the Top TV dramas of 2017 made by What’s on Weibo showed that love stories dominated the Top 10. The number 1, although titled “Eternal Love” is actually a fantasy, martial arts series. However, the number 2 on the list, “Rush to the Dead Summer,” is a youth romance directed by Chen Mingzhuang.
High School Friendship
“The 40-episode TV series is based on the novel by Guo Jingming. It is about a group of friends who finished high school and began their own life in society. The lead stars of “Rush to the Dead Summer” are Zheng Shuang, Chen Xuedong and Bai Jingting. The TV drama was announced in summer 2016 and the series have more than 1 million followers on its official Weibo account ahead of its airing.
The plot revolves around Li Xia (Zheng Shuang) and her best friend Cheng Qi (Chai Biyun) enroll at the Qian Chuan secondary school where they meet the legendary Fu Xiao Si (Chen Xuedong) and Lu Zhi Ang (Bai Jingting). After high school, Xiao Si would become an artist, Li Xia would become her assistant and partner in life.
Nothing is Forever
Chai Qi Qi (Chai Biyun) would win a singing contest and become a celebrity, while Yu Jia would work abroad as a singer. But they would encounter adversities such as the death of the mother of Xiao Si, Li Xia leaving, Zhi Ang’s incarceration and Qi Qi’s betrayal. With the changes they go through, the high school chummies begin to question to origin of their one-decade friendship that while nothing is forever, they would learn to love and grow.