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| Sparks Fly as Jiang Xin and Chen Zheyuan Tackle Justice in ‘Light the Dark’ |
Looks like Chen Zheyuan isn’t slowing down anytime soon—fresh off his role in The White Olive Tree, where he had all of us swooning and sobbing, he's now taking a darker turn (quite literally).
iQIYI just dropped word that he’s starring alongside veteran actress Jiang Xin in a gritty new mini-series called Light the Dark (把黑夜点燃), and we’re already intrigued.
Set in the late '90s, Light the Dark is a 12-episode period drama that dives headfirst into a murky world of family tragedy, hidden corruption, and the kind of justice that comes with scars.
It follows siblings Chen Ying and Chen Shan—played by Jiang Xin and Chen Zheyuan—whose lives are ripped apart when their parents die in a mysterious explosion tied to the petroleum industry’s internal power struggles.
Yeah, heavy stuff.
What makes this one stand out is the age gap dynamic between the leads—Jiang Xin, 41, brings her usual gravitas (remember her from Empresses in the Palace?) and plays the older sister trying to piece together the truth, while Chen Zheyuan, 28, is almost unrecognisable with a buzz cut, playing a toughened-up younger brother on his own rocky path.
The two start off estranged, torn apart by trauma and time, but eventually find their way back to each other while digging into a complex web of lies and political agendas.
From what we’ve seen in the first character stills, this isn't your average emotional drama—it looks raw, smart, and emotionally charged, with just the right dose of suspense.
Plus, with Ren Zhong joining the cast, director Liu Xin at the helm, and a script penned by Dai Zheng Yang, it’s got all the ingredients for something seriously gripping.
And let’s be honest, dramas exploring sibling bonds like this—especially with a darker, thriller edge—don’t come around that often. Consider us officially invested.
Light the Dark is expected to hit iQIYI soon. Keep your tissues and thinking caps ready.