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| Three C-Dramas Drop at Once – But ‘A Love Never Lost’ Grabs the Spotlight for All the Wrong Reasons (iQIYI) |
It's May 13th, and it’s an absolutely packed day in C-Drama land! While most of us are still recovering from our Monday blues, Chinese drama fans were treated to a triple whammy of new releases.
Three heavyweight dramas just revealed their premiere dates—two of them dropped today, and one’s gearing up to take over next weekend.
But not all premieres were met with applause… some sparked serious debate.
Let’s break it down.
'A Love Never Lost' Finally Sees the Light of Day – and Instant Controversy
After more than two years of delays, A Love Never Lost starring Li Xian, Wei Daxun, and Jessi Li finally hit iQiyi at 12:00 PM today. And boy, did it make a dramatic entrance.
The hashtag “#李现魏大勋双男主#” (Li Xian and Wei Daxun are both male leads) shot straight up Weibo’s trending charts, triggering fierce debates.
Some Li Xian fans weren’t having it—insisting that he’s the true lead, full stop.
Others felt that Wei Daxun was once again getting unfairly bashed, with some netizens accusing him of trying to “steal the spotlight.”
It's déjà vu for Wei, whose breakout performance in Fireworks of My Heart last year overshadowed the official leads Yang Yang and Wang Churan—so much so that conspiracy theories flew around suggesting his team launched a PR campaign to boost his image at their expense.
Now, fans fear that this new double-lead situation could paint him as “drama kryptonite” for co-stars and production teams.
Some are even speculating that actors may start avoiding projects with him, not wanting their work eclipsed by off-screen drama.
Ouch.
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The Road Here Was... Rough
This premiere has been a long time coming. Originally set to air back in July 2022 on Hunan TV, A Love Never Lost was unceremoniously yanked at the last minute, with vague mentions of “technical issues” floating around on Weibo.
iQiyi gave it a shot too—six episodes aired before it disappeared again.
Fast forward to today: a fresh start, a brand-new Weibo account, and finally, a proper release.
What’s It Even About?
The historical epic dives deep into the chaos after the fall of the Gengzi Kingdom.
Amid ruins and revolution, five idealistic youths cross paths on a cruise to Japan.
There’s Liang Xiang, a noble-born patriot; Yang Kai Zhi, a revolutionary fighter; and Li Ren Jun, a young soldier from the Beiyang guard. Alongside them are exiled rebels Yu Tian Bai and Qiu Hong.
Swept up in Tokyo’s radical new ideas, they return to China with dreams of revival, only to be torn apart by politics, war, and betrayal.
The story is big on ambition, historical weight, and emotional tension—definitely one for those who like their dramas packed with soul and conflict.
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But Wait, There’s More...
While A Love Never Lost was busy stirring the pot, another hotly-anticipated drama made its grand entrance today.
The Prisoner of Beauty, starring the ever-charismatic Liu Yuning and Song Zuer, also dropped at 12:00 PM on Tencent Video and WeTV.
So far, it’s keeping things peaceful—no hashtags on fire (yet), just plenty of buzz from fans excited to see this pairing light up the screen.
And just to make things more chaotic, Legend of Zang Zhai, featuring Xiao Zhan and Zhang Jingyi, has officially announced its premiere for May 18 on Youku.
More: Cdramas to Watch in May.
Get ready, because this one’s got star power written all over it.
TL;DR: What’s Happening?
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🔥 A Love Never Lost premieres on iQiyi today after a 3-year delay – instantly trends over the “double male lead” label.
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⚔️ Li Xian vs. Wei Daxun fandoms clash online.
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📺 The Prisoner of Beauty also debuts today on Tencent Video/WeTV with less fuss but lots of hype.
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📅 Legend of Zang Zhai sets its date for 18 May on Youku—expect fireworks next weekend.