Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

Chen Peng may be a young director, but he is certainly bold in his approach of promoting gay dramas. Graduated from Capital Normal University, he’s the chairman of his own production company. Recall that he was the director for two webdramas, featuring the same leads in the first ancient gay drama (Love is More Than A Word) to a republican series (Till Death Tear Us Apart). And here he goes again, remaking one of the four Chinese classic folktales, The Butterfly Lovers (梁山伯与祝英台) into a boy-boy love story.

Meet the Cast of Chen Peng’s Remake:

The Butterfly Lovers is a sad love story. It begins with a rich daughter (Zhu Ying Tai) disguised as a man to pursue her intellectual needs at an academy. There she befriends Liang Shan Bo. They study day and night together but because Shan Bo is a gentlemanly nerd, he fails to recognize her feminine characteristics. When they see their love for each other, it’s too late as Ying Tai is forced to marry another man. Shan Bo falls critically ill and eventually dies after hearing the news. On the day of their wedding, Ying Tai sneaks off to visit his grave and begs for it to open up. Once it does, Ying Tai throws herself into the hole. The two dead love birds (Lol, sorry) become a pair of butterflies, never to be separated again. [Wiki]

Lu Zhuo as Zhu Ying Tai. So is he… potentially a male character altogether? Or a male playing a female disguised as a male? Am I confusing you or me? Regardless, he makes a beautiful female. OMGosh!

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Yang Jing Cheng as Liang Shan Bo. Born in 1996! Bahhh.

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Lin Feng Song (Heroin) as Ma Wen Cai, second male lead. Handsome lad.

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Concept Posters.

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Booting ceremony will take place on November 25th.

Past Television Remakes of The Butterfly Lovers:

=======> ♦ 1999 Taiwanese series starring Zhao Jing and Alyssa Chia. I remember watching this one.

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=======> ♦ 2000 Taiwanese series starring Show Luo and Noel Leung. I remember watching this version more. Show and Noel were beautiful together. Noel’s real life husband, Gary Chan, played the second male lead. Lol.

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=======> ♦ 2007 Chinese series starring Peter Ho and Dong Jie. Nope. Did not watch this one.

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Via: 01

  1. 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

    Chinese censors did a serious number on Love is More Than a Word. So far there has been very little promoting of Till Death Tear Us Apart/Love is in a Blaze (back to the original name again), which is scheduled to air soon. No clue how intact it will be. Seems like this Butterfly Lovers is just asking for more censor trouble. Chen Peng’s project after this is adapted from a looooong bl novel, but it will be more platonic(?) from what I read.

    • 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

      I haven’t watch any of his projects yet but even though it’s censored, I like that he keeps pushing the boundaries. There will be other platforms down the line for his series.

      • 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

        It’s very frustrating for the viewers though.

        Actually, he doesn’t seem to be pushing the boundaries, more like doing things differently ending up with pretty safe and tame dramas. If everything works out, I will know more from director’s cut of Love is More than a Word.

        • 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

          I don’t know how tame it is but he’s one of the few directors who promote this kind of love stories proudly and very beautifully. It has to start somewhere and baby steps are the most important.

          Director’s cuts. When there’s a will, there’s a way. A platform right there! 😀

  2. 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

    Noel, one of my original tub crushes. She was wonderful and Show while lacking in acting, fit the scholarly image more than Peter.

    That Lu kid is too pretty!!! Omg. Makes a full grown lady like me jealous.

    • 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

      I remember Noel had more kiss scenes with Ma Wen Cai than Liang Shan Bo, courtesy of Ma being acted by the husband I feel. Hhahaha.

      • 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

        Well, well, well! Hubby settled for second lead so must have something to shove it in Shan Bo’s face. Lol.

    • 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

      Show did look the part. He didn’t change much in the last 15 years either! Vampire!

  3. 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

    Hehe there was also the movie version with Charlene Choi, Wu Chun, and Hu Ge! I remember watching for Hu Ge only, and was actually upset that Ma Wen Cai didn’t get the girl cuz, come on, it’s Hu Ge. I’m just biased that way…

    • 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

      Lots of adaptations so I limited myself to only television remakes, Juli! Lol.

      Hu Ge as Ma Wen Cai. Wow.

      • 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

        Most attractive/appealing Ma Wencai ever LOL

  4. 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

    aaaah, you’re like me ! I’ve watched the one with Noel and Show and remembered that one the most 😀 Noel was one of my girl crushes (actually a lot of the actresses are lol and I have a lot of male crushes too) and I remember her in Liao Zhai 2. She was sooo pretty there.
    For Alyssa’s version, I faintly remember something lol. It was her other roles in other dramas that I associate her with.
    I didn’t know there was a 2007 version lol. I prefer Peter in modern dramas.

    • 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

      Noel has class and elegance that fit with ancient series. Liao Zhai – when she was a parrot demon was so sad. T___T

  5. 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

    I LOVE the Butterfly Lovers story and I’ve watched both the Hu Ge version and the Dong Jie version.

    Lemme tell ya, the Dong Jie version is awesome because Dong Jie was awesome. Like, it’s pretty old and it was a bit odd to see Peter Ho being Liang Shanbo (cuz he’s so muscular and strong and stuff when Shanbo is supposed to be a weak scholar), but surprisingly Peter was decent in it. The Ma Wencai in that drama was AWESOME. Like usually Ma Wencai is not sympathetic at all but this actor managed to make him not so hateful and I even felt a LITTLE bit sorry for him at the end…

    But GODDAMN Dong Jie is BRILLIANT like she IS Zhu Yingtai! She looked convincing as a girl disguised as a boy and she completely became the character. Wow! Also with her background in traditional dance, the scenes of her dancing were just so graceful. Actually she carries herself very gracefully like a dancer anyway.

    The old characters in that series were acting veterans and they were just so good. Actually even tho this series is very old and the effects and stuff were crap, the story and acting made me keep watching all the way from beginning to end without skipping (that’s a feat for me cuz I skip stuff like LOL)

    The Hu Ge version … well, I only watched it cuz of Wu Chun and Hu Ge. The plot was like a wuxia version of the story and it was just so weird and kinda stupid… Charlene was gorgeous and both Wu Chun and Hu Ge were gorgeous so basically that was the only appeal LOL

    • 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

      But yeah I wanna see a boy/boy version of this story cuz it’ll definitely be refreshing change! Haha! This story’s been adapted SO MANY TIMES it’ll be interesting to see a BL version of it hahahaha

    • 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

      I think I love Dong Jie’s uniform the best! She looks like a young cub in that outfit. X)

      Good luck on your exams Shimo!! Jia You!

      • 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

        Aww thanks Kappy! 🙂 Gonna need all the luck I can get! 🙂

        Thing with Dong Jie is that she is actually convincing when dressed in that scholar uniform as a young boy. She’s got the right balance of androgyny going on there yet when she dresses up again as a lady she looks beautiful. And yeah I like her uniform too 🙂

        You know how a lot of actresses, when they pretend to be boys, don’t look like boys at all? Like, at first glance they’re SO OBVIOUS as a girl that it’s totally unconvincing that they manage to fool everyone into believing they’re not girls…

        • 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

          Dong Jie doesn’t have that cute, chubby aura most other baby actresses possess. She’s more womanly and yet pulled off the young scholar visual well.

    • 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

      Peter was quite so buff back then, but his side bangs for the hairdo looked so bizarre!

  6. 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

    Boy/Boy, is that allowed in China? Will censorship board stop it?
    I watched the Hu Ge production but Wu Chun acting was really bad….

    I have to say, I have not found a recent adaptation that has seriously touch my heart as the book as. I remember a very very old version 40yrs ago. It was very good. It was a Lang San Bo era. That was a very good adaptation.

    • 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

      I think this is a web drama so it should be OK. Definitely won’t see it on a TV station for sure.

    • 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

      Correction: I mean it was Ivy Ling Bo era.

  7. 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

    I used to live in Less Developed Country. Back then we were one of the few families who had TV in the whole town. When Butterfly Lovers(2000) aired,it was a huge hit..at last in my small town I guess. It aired at 7PM and my living room would be filled with neighbors,old and young,males and females on the nights it aired.I was barely six and honestly I don’t remember most except the opening song. Because I used to dance with it. I remember being so happy when it aired because many people came to my house.I don’t know what the correlation but I was just happy to see them coming. XD

    The night of this drama finale was more epic than the drama itself I guess. I remember many people crying,IN OUR LIVING ROOM,like it was the real person who died.They all cried like mad and went back home in tears. Can you imagine that? For me,as puzzled as ever back then. XD

    It was rather sweet and nostalgic childhood of mine… I can’t believe Show Luo looks as young as ever.

    • 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

      Thanks for sharing your lovely memories Mini. I had similar experiences as well. It was the reign of VHS tapes and new video tapes (episodes) are released sharply at 4 every day. Over time, my brother and I became the go-getters of the family (the store was only 2 mins away from our house). We would all gather around to watch series, including, Huan Zhu Ge Ge, Romance in The Rain, Stealing Dragon Exchanging Phoenix, and etc. =D

      Love it. We live to create these memories so keep doing it!

  8. 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

    Kudos to the cast and crew taking the next step in producing more boy/boy romances. That’s definitely progress!

  9. 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

    I watched all three versions though I am not particularly a fan of the storyline. My favorite was the Peter Ho version since it was more concise and didn’t unnecessary (that much anyway) drag out the story.

    Wouldn’t it make more sense for him to be well…a him? It defeats the purpose of being a boy love story if he is a girl. It could be that after having 9 sons YiTai’s father wanted a girl so his mum made him pretend to be a girl while really his a guy…reverse crosdressing drama.

  10. 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

    Are you thinking about that old 1962 Shaw Brothers version with Ling Bo and Le Di? That was a monstrous hit in Taiwan back then..

    Gay movies aren’t banned in China. There were daring scenes between Hu Jun and Liu Ye in a gay drama from the 2000’s.

    • 28 thoughts on “Chen Peng to adapt Butterfly Lovers into a Boy-Boy Romance

      I was Ling Bo production. That was my favourite and I have not be touch by another adaptation in the same way.

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