Emperor’s Conquest/Monarch Industry (上阳赋) is adapted from the novel written by Mei Yu Zhe and stars Zhang Zi Yi in her television debut! I know it’s a shocker that she never did a drama in her whole career until three years ago when this was filmed. The production remains so quiet and secretive until now. Then Boom. Airing. Lol. The story follows two intelligent people bound together by a political marriage that slowly morphs into an epic relationship of love, loyalty, and trust in their conquest of the world. Female cast is not to be joked around either – Kara Hui, Angie Chiu!
You can read the translated novel here (still in progress).
Airing 1/9 on youku!
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Stills:
Trailers:
Themesong MV.
7 thoughts on “Zhang Zi Yi’s drama debut Monarch Industry with Zhou Yi Wei, Tony Yang, and Yuan Hong confirms airdate!”
ZHOU YI WEI.
TONY YANG.
YUAN HONG.
ZZY really know how to pick her men. Lol. But why this novel? The character is in her twenties and doesnt live past even her 30 IIRC…..
7 thoughts on “Zhang Zi Yi’s drama debut Monarch Industry with Zhou Yi Wei, Tony Yang, and Yuan Hong confirms airdate!”
Binge watched 8 episodes and it’s good! Plot is typical, but damn the cast and their acting makes the drama so good. The directing and the design of the locations too, so pleasant to the eye.
ZZY doesn’t disappoint but I wish they got younger actors and actresses to act in the beginning of the story. ZZY did well acting as a young innocent girl, but her aura is too strong and sadly she is no longer young, so some parts made me unable to focus and just notice how out of place she seems to be. Hard for me to imagine she is a young lady who is just of age. And her eyes always seem deadpan in very sad realisation scenes, noticed this happens a lot. But can’t help but admit she is SO good at acting as strong and independent woman, loving and looking forward to her in the eps to come already.
AND Zhou Yi Wei is SO LIKEABLE as an actor.. He had his share of scandals before so I didn’t like him at all, but his character is so likeable that I just can’t help but to look forward to him and ZZY’s future in the show. Great actor.
Wish they could release all the episodes in one go. Is the ending in the novel a HE one?
7 thoughts on “Zhang Zi Yi’s drama debut Monarch Industry with Zhou Yi Wei, Tony Yang, and Yuan Hong confirms airdate!”
What scandal was Zhou Yiwei involved in? I couldn’t really find anything online other than him speaking up for his wife Zhu Dan’s mistakes.
I agree that the plot is typical but the acting makes up for it. Everyone is natural here.
7 thoughts on “Zhang Zi Yi’s drama debut Monarch Industry with Zhou Yi Wei, Tony Yang, and Yuan Hong confirms airdate!”
I remember vividly there was this video where he was sharing a bubble tea with his female assistant and another case of him spitting on the streets.
7 thoughts on “Zhang Zi Yi’s drama debut Monarch Industry with Zhou Yi Wei, Tony Yang, and Yuan Hong confirms airdate!”
@Peach
its happy in the sense that they rise to the top and have children (2) but she doesn’t live past 30 (I read the novel a while back)… She dies when they enjoy a few peaceful years together from sickness acquire over the years.
7 thoughts on “Zhang Zi Yi’s drama debut Monarch Industry with Zhou Yi Wei, Tony Yang, and Yuan Hong confirms airdate!”
Oh no.. so she died young 🙁 I hope they film the ending exactly as the novel, it would be so memorable if she dies, leaving the general alone. Like BBJX, the death of Ruo Xi was so heartwrenching and memorable.
7 thoughts on “Zhang Zi Yi’s drama debut Monarch Industry with Zhou Yi Wei, Tony Yang, and Yuan Hong confirms airdate!”
I am surprised by the pace of this show, I was expecting a slow burn given the total number of episodes, and what happens in the first episode but boy I was wrong. One day they are all lalalala then bam! everything just went to hell, just like that. Ha.
I have reservations about Zhang Ziyi playing a young girl (not just her but others as well in many other dramas out there mind you), but thankfully the show went through the young girl stage quickly and the tragedies started piling up early on so the character and the actress somehow merged at that stage since the situation calls for a strong woman and Zhang Ziyi delivers that sense of strength in bucket loads. I love how she can switch from heartbroken to determined in a blink.
(From what I have seen so far. Haven’t seen the male lead in a drama before. Lels.) The male lead is good at delivering the silent but scheming yet righteous type (if that makes sense). Lol. It’s different from the brooding type, because you can see that although the character does not speak much, from his actions you can see that the wheels are turning in his head.
And I like the ending song (lol). 😀