LayarHijau– Chinese actress Esther Yu (Yu Shuxin) has officially begun filming her latest costume drama, Yun Chu Ling, in Hengdian. The production launch quickly drew widespread attention after fans organized an extraordinary support event, featuring a spectacular light show with 3,000 drones, a giant themed flower wall, and hundreds of red banners—an effort widely regarded as one of the largest fan support displays ever seen in Hengdian.
Esther Yu rose to explosive popularity through the drama Love Game in Eastern Fantasy (永夜星河). However, last year her public image was hit by a wave of negative rumors, including accusations of bullying fellow actresses and speculation surrounding her family’s alleged involvement in corruption cases. Her popularity gradually rebounded after the broadcast of Speed and Love (雙軌), which she starred in alongside He Yu, helping restore both public attention and fan support.
At the opening ceremony for Yun Chu Ling, fans reportedly spent millions of yuan to create an immersive support experience. In addition to the 3,000-drone light show, the event included a 73-meter-tall themed flower wall and 999 water-filled red banners. Hengdian World Studios officially acknowledged the scale of the event, calling it a historic first. Online, netizens jokingly described the scene as “Esther Yu’s army taking over Hengdian.”
Esther Yu responded warmly to the overwhelming support. She distributed around 6,000 breakfast and milk tea sets, handed out rare limited-edition photo cards, and even joined fans in singing on site. The atmosphere quickly turned festive, with many observers remarking that the fan support event felt more like a mini concert.
Yun Chu Ling is adapted from the novel of the same name by Chaoyun Zi. The story centers on Yun Chu, the legitimate daughter of a military family, portrayed by Esther Yu. In her previous life, Yun Chu was betrayed and poisoned to death by her adopted brother. After being reborn, she conceals her sharp ambition behind a gentle exterior, maneuvering through court politics to seek revenge while protecting those she holds dear. The character blends the contrast of a dark, revenge-driven female lead with a strong sense of maternal protection.
Actor Zhang Yunlong stars as Prince Chu Yi, a seemingly carefree and charming royal who is, in reality, highly calculating and skilled in political intrigue. Together, he and Yun Chu form what has been described as a “battlefield couple,” joining forces to navigate conspiracies and overcome looming crises.
Yun Chu Ling marks Esther Yu’s first full transformation into a darker, more mature female lead, breaking away from her long-associated “sweet girl” image. In addition to headlining the drama, she is also serving as a co-producer for the first time. Even before its broadcast, the series has shown strong momentum, with domestic platform reservations surpassing 1.2 million. Overseas, leaked previews have reportedly reached up to 200 million views per day, leading industry insiders to express strong optimism about the drama’s future popularity.
