LayarHijau – The costume romance short drama Returning Pearl (还珠) premiered on November 7 on a Chinese streaming platform, starring Hu Lianxin and Luo Yizhou. This drama marks Hu Lianxin’s comeback after a scandal involving a private video call, which had previously affected her career. Despite the controversy, audiences are praising her performance in Returning Pearl for showing a more mature and nuanced side of her acting.
Returning Pearl is adapted from the legendary story My Fair Princess (Princess Pearl / 还珠格格), which was extremely popular across Asia. In Indonesia, the original series aired in 1999 under the title Putri Huanzhu and became a cultural phenomenon, making stars of Vicki Zhao, Ruby Lin, Fan Bingbing, Alec Su, and Zhou Jie.
The original My Fair Princess follows Xiao Yan Zi, a lively girl mistakenly identified as the Emperor’s daughter after an accident in the mountains. Meanwhile, Xia Zi Wei, a poor girl who is actually the Emperor’s child, struggles to reveal the truth without risking lives. The story is filled with comedy, romance, and palace intrigue, and its characters remain iconic.
Returning Pearl offers a modern twist: a “transported into the novel” concept. Lin Sui Sui (Hu Lianxin), a contemporary actress, finds herself in the broken storyline of My Fair Princess, waking up as a maid in the Empress’s palace. To return to the real world, she must fix the story—but her actions trigger a butterfly effect, especially after meeting Jing Yuan (Luo Yizhou), a mysterious guard with hidden motives.
This fresh narrative angle has earned the short drama widespread praise. Viewers describe it as “nostalgic yet innovative,” combining the charm of the original My Fair Princess with the fast-paced, digestible storytelling of modern short dramas. According to Yunhe data, on its premiere day, Returning Pearl captured a 6.8% share of effective streaming views, ranking second among short dramas of the week.
With its concise format and engaging plot, Returning Pearl successfully revives the beloved story while introducing surprises for a younger audience. Online viewers have commented, “A new version that doesn’t ruin childhood memories” and “The time-travel concept in Returning Pearl is brilliant!” proving that this adaptation balances nostalgia with fresh storytelling.
