LayarHijau – Chinese drama A Prophet, starring Li Xian and Li Yitong, has just premiered, but its early popularity reportedly failed to break into the top three. The drama also trailed Against the Current, starring Tan Songyun and Liu Xueyi. Some viewers believe the late change to its Mandarin title, combined with limited promotion before the premiere, made it harder for audiences to realize that the drama had already begun airing.
Before its premiere, A Prophet was known by the Mandarin title Chang Feng Qi (《長風起》, “Long Wind Rises”) before it was changed to Wo Bu Shi Da Shi (《我不是大師》, “I’m Not a Master”). Both English phrases are literal translations of the Mandarin titles and are not the drama’s official English title. A Prophet remains its official English title.
The title change was made on September 11, while the drama premiered on September 24. The short window between the change and the premiere left little time for the platform to introduce the new title to viewers.
As a result, viewers who had previously followed the drama under the name Chang Feng Qi may have had difficulty connecting it with Wo Bu Shi Da Shi when it began airing. The situation was further complicated by the lack of strong promotional activity ahead of the premiere.
Li Xian Plays Shangguan Chengming
In the latest episodes of A Prophet, Li Xian plays Shangguan Chengming, who has learned various deception techniques under the guidance of Jin Buhuan, played by Wu Gang.
Jin Buhuan later reveals that the schemes involving the Shangguan family were actually part of his own plans. The revelation is difficult for Shangguan Chengming to accept.
Jin Buhuan also tells him that when it comes to deception, one of the most important things to remember is that the people closest to you can be the most dangerous.
Shangguan Chengming later uses the identity Lü Ruhui of the Tianxiang Sect to carry out a scam. During one assignment, he is ordered to work as a corpse driver.
The job, however, is actually a cover. The corpses he transports are being used to conceal illegal drugs.
The assignment becomes particularly dangerous because senior officer Feng Shizhang, played by Zhao Jian, has a strong hatred of drugs. If Shangguan Chengming is caught, he could face execution.
Shangguan Chengming deliberately provokes soldiers while transporting the corpses, hoping to get himself brought before higher-ranking officials so he can expose the truth about the drug transaction.
Instead, he is beaten and arrested.
Li Yitong Reunites With Li Xian After Eight Years
In the middle of the crisis, Shangguan Chengming’s ex-wife, Jiang Feiyan, played by Li Yitong, happens to be performing on stage with a military group.
Their encounter marks their reunion after eight years.
Jiang Feiyan helps rescue Shangguan Chengming from the dangerous situation and tells him how to escape from the ongoing drug transaction.
Their reunion also brings renewed attention to the relationship between the two characters. Jiang Feiyan’s morally ambiguous nature has become one of the more intriguing aspects of the story, while Li Yitong’s performance has received praise from viewers who feel that her acting has continued to develop.
Why A Prophet’s Early Popularity Is Being Discussed
Despite its layered storyline and positive comments about the story and cast performances, A Prophet reportedly failed to break into the top three in early popularity.
The report cited for this article says the drama trailed Against the Current, starring Tan Songyun and Liu Xueyi.
Some viewers believe the late title change created confusion because audiences who already knew the project as Chang Feng Qi did not immediately realize that Wo Bu Shi Da Shi was the same drama.
The limited promotion before the premiere was also seen as another problem. With the title changed on September 11 and the drama premiering on September 24, there was only a short period to build awareness around its new name.
With a story that has received positive reactions and performances that have also drawn praise, the situation has been viewed by some viewers as unfortunate, as A Prophet has struggled to build strong momentum at the beginning of its run.
