Continuing the trend of having both movie and drama adaptation of novels, Summer’s Desire, written by Ming Xiao Xi, is next in line and has secretly started filming two weeks ago. But it doesn’t have much fanfare yet because playing the heroine is a new face. Not to worry because the drama adaptation released five years ago starred some of Taiwanese biggest stars in Barbie Hsu, Peter Ho, and Huang Xiao Ming. I’m sure some of us remember the summer storm created during that time between the two ships. HAR HAR!
The synopsis from Wiki for those interested: The story may revolve around summer’s desire, but it is really a love triangle between three people colder than winter itself. Yin Xia Mo (Barbie Hsu) a girl loved by two men. Luo Xi (Huang Xiao Ming) was an orphan who garnered fame and fortune with his infallible charisma. Even though others believed him to be kind and smart, he was really a cold, ruthless, and wicked man who manipulated others to get what he wanted. When he was introduced into Xia Mo’s family, he fooled everyone with his sweet words-except for Xia Mo, who only saw the con artist in him. Ou Chen (Peter Ho) is a rich heir whom everyone feared, and was extremely overprotective of his high school girlfriend Yin Xia Mo. When he found out that Luo Xi was living with her, he became extremely jealous. This started a chain of events-as both boys were in love with Xia Mo, but their love for her was so all-consuming that they started a war to have her. Five years ago, Luo Xi lost and was sent away to England. Yet, Ou Chen didn’t win as his action caused him to lose Xia Mo’s favor and his own memory. Five years later, they met again. Would history repeat itself, and would the desires of summer enter their wintry hearts?
Playing the heroine is a fresh face in the industry, known more for her modeling works. She’s Zhang Yu Xi and has been in a few projects, the biggest two movies are Lin Geng Xin’s Taking of the Tiger and Li Yi Feng’s Forever Young. So beautiful. Look at her skin complexion!
The perfect fit to play Tinker Bell, no? 🙂
Two posters released by the production team.
The male leads are not revealed yet but there are rumors! First up is tvb actor, Him Law (Tiger Cubs 1 & 2).
The other boy has a sweet smile is Jerry Yan Yu Hao. Also pretty new and was in the short film, We Are Young, alongside Kim Woo Bin. When he doesn’t wear make-up, he resembles Lee Seung Gi.
When he’s all dolled up, he looks like Lee Min Ho’s baby brother. Right?!!
Posters from the Taiwanese drama in 2010. I was in the minority OTP ship and soon gave up when things got a little cray-cray!
Speaking of Barbie Hsu, it seems like she’s having a hard time losing the weight gain from pregnancy. The poor girl posted pictures of her allergic reactions to the various methods she’s been trying and I feel horrible for her. Society’s perception of beauty is always so harsh.
Summer’s Desire is produced by actress Carina Lau and directed by Donnie Lai (Campus Confidential).
Source: 01
25 thoughts on “Movie version of Summer’s Desire starts filming with new face”
The other Chinese actor whose smile remind me a lot like Lee Seung Gi is Li Yi Feng. He’s so cute when his character is bright like in Legend of Fragrance. Never know he can smile like that because I saw him first at Ancient Sword and his character never smile lol.
25 thoughts on “Movie version of Summer’s Desire starts filming with new face”
Another one is Yu Hao Ming! So many look alikes of Lee Seung Gi!
25 thoughts on “Movie version of Summer’s Desire starts filming with new face”
the female lead didn’t look like a chinese.. why many chinese mainland actress now look like not chinese such as : Gulinazha, Dilireba and now her (no offence for three of them). i just prefer more chinese face in chinese drama or movies, like Liu yifei, liu shi shi even Li ying is still look like chinese.. and honestly chinese women look prettier to me that westren face..
25 thoughts on “Movie version of Summer’s Desire starts filming with new face”
They look Western because they are ethnically Uyghur, a Turkic group in China. It’s such a vast country with 56 ethnic groups that I don’t find it shocking anymore. By the way, Liu Shi Shi is Chinese but she is actually of Hui origin, China’s third biggest ethnic group. So really, there’s no traditional or one “Chinese” look.
25 thoughts on “Movie version of Summer’s Desire starts filming with new face”
I agree with Polaris that there’s no traditional or one “Chinese” look. I’m not trying to start a political correctness war, but something sounds off when there’s complain about “this look isn’t Chinese enough” just because some women don’t have the typical “Han” look. I think it’s very good that there are rising actors of Uyghur descent, because this can contribute to the efforts to integrate the Uyghur people, increase understanding, eliminate racial discrimination, and hopefully contain political tensions.
25 thoughts on “Movie version of Summer’s Desire starts filming with new face”
I didn’t mind seeing people with western look on Modern Drama. It always good to see people from multiple ethnicities in one drama like a melting pot. Of course that wasn’t the case for historical drama. If the drama about Jenghis Khan, I would like to see actor with Mongolian looks and the list goes on and on…
25 thoughts on “Movie version of Summer’s Desire starts filming with new face”
@ kappy
I don’t know how can you tell if her complexion is lovely considering all pictures have been excessively edited. Probably even the one from the press conference (?) It actually looks quite jarring because almost all lines and shadows from her face(and body) are completely erased and and then someone went crazy with the blurring tool. 🙁 This is how you end up with 3D environment, 3D hair, 3D clothes and then 2D cartoonish face. It is especially obvious when you compare it with the images from the older drama. Why is this necessary when actresses are already inhumanly gorgeous creatures?!
Also, what’s with the korean eyebrows epidemic? Not everyone looks good with full, thick and straight eyebrows.
25 thoughts on “Movie version of Summer’s Desire starts filming with new face”
The pictures posted are professionally done but she does have that fair, ghostly complexion, and small, delicate features (on her weibo posts and at press conferences). She’s picked to be a model so being “perfect” (through editing) is part of the package. Us ladies might not like it but it sells.
Lol, I don’t think I have seen that many Asian actresses with crazy high arches for their eyebrows. XD
25 thoughts on “Movie version of Summer’s Desire starts filming with new face”
It probably does sell, I just think it just looks strange. It doesn’t bother me on the posters, where she looks like an actual doll, because the style of the images is uniform. She looks cartoonish and the environment also looks cartoonish. The pictures from the photo shoot in the forest ( ?! ), however, are weird. This is one of the reasons I can’t even look at the promo pictures from Yun Zhong Ge. Angelababy already paid good money to morph her face into otherwise unachievable (is this a word?) beauty ideal. Let me enjoy it in peace and not wonder why the hell did Barbie go to have adventures in ancient China, please! 😀
Also, it’s been my firm believe that eyebrows should be shaped into a form that suits the shape of the face. If the “korean” looks suits you, do that, if the high arch suits you – wear high arches or something in between.I don’t care. lately, however, everybody and their grandma has full, straight eyebrows. Brrrr, teh horrors…
25 thoughts on “Movie version of Summer’s Desire starts filming with new face”
LOL your comments kill me, “Barbie going to have adventures in ancient China”. Its too funny, but so true. These modified, Western faces in ancient Chinese costumes is just weird. Like do most Chinese people even want to see Turkish-looking actresses on their screens? Esp Gulinazha for Chinese Paladin 5, she looks nothing like the image for her character, which looks like Mao Xiaotong actually. I dont know if its just me, but I feel ghostly pale faces and ethnically Turkish looks arent the beauty ideal in Asia? Like Tong Liya at least looks and sounds Chinese. I saw Jiang Xin and Liu Yifei with the thick eyebrows on some show, and it was a bad fit. Zhao Liying looks good and kinda Korean with thick eyebrows though, I thought it suited her role in Boss and Me. Its something only certain people can pull off
25 thoughts on “Movie version of Summer’s Desire starts filming with new face”
@sassy, you mean beauty ideal in EAST Asia? Because Asia is such a vast and colorful continent — way way more diverse than any other continent in the world. The South Asians (India, Pakistan, etc), the Middle Eastern, the Central Asian (including the Turkic groups), the Southeast Asians, and in some parts even a small group of Melanesians, are all part of Asia,not just the Northeast :). And each of them has their own beauty standards. But if you had specifically said it’s not “Chinese” beauty ideal, then it probably makes sense. After all, we’re talking about stories in Chinese context. But that’s not even entirely correct. Just like Polaris mentioned above, China has 56 ethnic groups, including the Uyghur people (who are Turkic looking), so there should not be one beauty standard for the whole country 🙂
25 thoughts on “Movie version of Summer’s Desire starts filming with new face”
Yea, i just mean east asia, esp china. Its surprising to see so many uyghur actresses i guess, esp acting as ancient chinese beauties in dramas. So just wondering really if this is the new beauty ideal in china. I get theres many minorities in china, actually went to boarding school there, so learned a bit about chinese history, but its a bit strange and unexpected to see so many western-looking actresses being cast, esp when theyre supposed to be ancient chinese beauties. I guess it just feels somewhat odd to me : P
25 thoughts on “Movie version of Summer’s Desire starts filming with new face”
@ sassy
I’m happy that you find them entertaining 🙂 I just hope I don’t sound too critical of the actual people I write about. I aim to criticize the visual style, not them personally. I think both Angelababy and Zhang Yu Xi look lovely.
25 thoughts on “Movie version of Summer’s Desire starts filming with new face”
I get you. Dont worry 🙂 I find angelababy to be beautiful too
25 thoughts on “Movie version of Summer’s Desire starts filming with new face”
Never got the appeal of the original drama or book, but I think a remake should happen once in a decade or something. It’s only been five years! Producers and scriptwriters really need to start delivering some original work instead of adapting novels and filming remakes every couple of years or so. :/
25 thoughts on “Movie version of Summer’s Desire starts filming with new face”
Remaking old stories has it’s positives. It introduces the originals to newer generations of cdrama fans (me) 🙂 . I really want to see the older version. I like Barbie Xu (Mars <3) and I think HXM makes a decent baddie.
25 thoughts on “Movie version of Summer’s Desire starts filming with new face”
lol nell, the story is very crazy and ….crazy. if you already ship barbie with HXM, you’re in for a world of pain. warning is already given from me! i was in the minority too, like kappy. LOL!
25 thoughts on “Movie version of Summer’s Desire starts filming with new face”
Don’t worry, frea, “What Happened In Bali” is one of my top 3 favorite korean dramas. I know all about conflicting ships 😀 This can’t be that much worse…. Right?
25 thoughts on “Movie version of Summer’s Desire starts filming with new face”
you’re more than qualified. HAHHAHA!! omg….bali drama i don’t get at all.
25 thoughts on “Movie version of Summer’s Desire starts filming with new face”
Oh no, it’s not that I mind remakes, but at least they should wait a few more years considering this one’s original was only 5 years ago. I’m fine with remakes of dramas/movies that were released like, 10-15 years ago because that would be a whole new generation. 5 years is too early in my book.
25 thoughts on “Movie version of Summer’s Desire starts filming with new face”
Arghh!~~ Summer’s Desire, i watched that drama almost 2 years ago. I finished it within 1 week and I am satisfied since Xia Mo actually did end up with Ou Chen. I didn’t really ship HXM and Barbie Hsu and the drama pairing is in favor of me. I actually like that kind of love story, i still remember Barbie Hsu character being so stoned-face, and I actually felt she did love Luo Xi at some point, but she actually saw Ou Chen’s sincerity and fell in love with him for real. Most of the problems are from the misunderstanding anyway.
So many remakes of popular dramas nowadays and most don’t really live up to the expectations.
@kaptain did you happen to know how did My Sunshine movie do in the box office?
25 thoughts on “Movie version of Summer’s Desire starts filming with new face”
HXM was the perfect Luo Xi – sexy, charismatic, mysterious, vengeful, passionate and so in love that that love turned into a poison. HXM spoke with his eyes – the way he looks at Xia Mo conveys the breadth of his love for her – the sort that is all consuming, sacrificial but disturbingly dark as well. No one can be a better Luo Xi than HXM. It is as if the character was created just for him. I would really like to see if anyone can better HXM’s Luo Xi.
Barbie Hsu did an adequate job as the cold Xia Mo – a woman tortured by love, responsibilities, ambitions and the decisions she made. Hers is a character who would rather suffer silently and take on whatever others may throw at her with stubborn pride instead of showing what she really feels and her own weaknesses to others.
The only person who did a poor job was unfortunately, Peter Ho. I wasn’t very impressed with his acting in Summer’s Desire. I reckon there can very well be a better Ou Chen somewhere out there. Perhaps a better interpretation of the Ou Chen character would surface in this movie?
25 thoughts on “Movie version of Summer’s Desire starts filming with new face”
Yes, he was. Dangerously sexy he was. I too wonder whether anyone could surpass his portrayal. I couldn’t understand why he ship him with Barbie cause their story didnt click for me. Peter was also lacking. I think I just didnt like the female lead character all that much. She looked dead and boredbin an uncaring way.
25 thoughts on “Movie version of Summer’s Desire starts filming with new face”
i used to loveeeeee HXM super much because of this drama.. but i couldnt handle watching barbie’s plain acting.. #sorrynotsorry
HXM was so perfect with his character.. he didnt need to speak to tell what was in his heart.. lols.. sounds like im still loving him that much *rolling eyes* 😀
omo, is that the female lead?? she looks soooo ‘barbie’.. uh.. i havent read the novel, so i dunno much about the character.. just based on drama, the movie actress seems fragile.. perhaps, she looks like a doll.. living doll..
but well.. i hope the male leads would be my fave.. so i’ll watch this movie, haha
25 thoughts on “Movie version of Summer’s Desire starts filming with new face”
My guess for Barbie’s lackluster acting in SD is because her character, Xia Mo, is supposed to be this person that wears a mask of indifference in order to hide what she really feels inside. However, in general, I am not a Barbie fan coz she’s really not a very good actress. She doesn’t speak with her eyes. Her eyes have this ‘dead’ look in them which makes any attempt to smile or show expression rather fake. She shouldn’t be an actress. Modelling would suit her better with those deadpan eyes of hers- but she is disadvantaged due to her short stature. Barbie Hsu is an example of how being short, pretty but lacking in any real talents can be a success in the entertainment industry because of the network and support you get from important ppl in the industry which then leads to choice movies/dramas falling on your lap. It’s all about strategic investments and building of professional relationships with the right ppl. Sorry to Barbie fans. This is just my opinion.