LayarHijau – The new wuxia drama Zhan Zhao Adventures (雨霖鈴), starring Yang Yang and Zhang Ruonan, has quickly become one of the most talked-about Chinese dramas after its premiere. Produced by Daylight Entertainment, the series has been widely praised for bringing back the classic wuxia atmosphere many viewers have missed, complete with elegant ink-painting-inspired visuals and traditional martial arts aesthetics.
The drama got off to a very strong start. Zhan Zhao Adventures reportedly surpassed a 1.0 TV rating on CCTV-8 shortly after its debut, while its popularity score on Youku exceeded 6000 within just a few hours. On Chinese social media, related topics reportedly generated more than 1.2 billion views in a single day.
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One of the biggest reasons behind the positive response is the production’s approach, which feels very different from many modern wuxia dramas. While numerous recent productions rely heavily on CGI and flashy visual effects, Zhan Zhao Adventures focuses on realistic action choreography and a more traditional wuxia style. Reports claim that around 95 percent of the drama’s high-difficulty action scenes were performed by the actors themselves with minimal use of stunt performers.
Yang Yang’s portrayal of Zhan Zhao has become one of the drama’s highlights. The actor stepped away from his polished idol-drama image and appeared in black robes with a high ponytail, giving off the cold and heroic aura associated with the legendary “Southern Hero.” To prepare for the role, Yang Yang reportedly trained in martial arts at Mount Wudang for six months before filming began.
In just the first four episodes, the drama already featured eight major fight sequences. From battles in rain-soaked alleyways to intense fights on boats, Yang Yang’s action scenes have been praised by viewers as “a new benchmark for wuxia fight choreography in Chinese dramas.”
However, amid all the praise, Zhang Ruonan’s performance as the female warrior Huo Linglong has sparked debate among some viewers in China. Some felt that her presence was too soft for a martial arts heroine, while several action scenes were criticized for lacking power and sharpness typically associated with wuxia characters.
Some netizens also pointed out the noticeable use of stunt performers during several fight scenes in the first episode. In addition, Zhang Ruonan’s line delivery became another topic of criticism, with some viewers saying her voice and speaking style sounded too modern for a period drama setting. Critics argued that her dialogue delivery lacked the rhythm and tone usually expected in classic wuxia series.
In several emotional scenes, some viewers also felt her expressions appeared too empty and failed to fully match the image of a martial arts heroine. A few even joked that she looked like “a modern sweet girl who accidentally wandered onto a wuxia drama set.”
Still, many fans have come to Zhang Ruonan’s defense, saying viewers should give her more time as this marks her first wuxia drama. According to the production team, the actress underwent three months of intensive training before filming. They also revealed that she personally performed a considerable number of her action scenes.
As the story progresses and Huo Linglong’s character continues to develop, some viewers are now curious to see whether Zhang Ruonan can eventually win over audiences and turn public opinion around.
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