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| The Drama That Got Stuck in Time: ‘The Love of Hypnosis’ Set to Make Long-Awaited Premiere |
The long-lost Chinese drama The Love of Hypnosis (also known as South Wind Knows My Mood) is finally getting its moment in the spotlight—seven years after it wrapped filming. Yep, the period-romance mystery starring A-listers Crystal Liu Yifei and Jing Boran is back from the abyss and slated to air in 2025. And no, this isn’t a drill.
But it’s not just a regular delay story—it’s got blacklisted actors, AI face-swaps, and some seriously lush visuals. Here’s the full lowdown on how this drama clawed its way back from development limbo.
📺 A Big-Budget Drama That Vanished into Thin Air
Back in 2018, The Love of Hypnosis was hyped as one of the most anticipated projects of the year. Crystal Liu (aka Disney’s live-action Mulan) and Jing Boran (Monster Hunt, Love O2O) teaming up in a romance full of emotional depth and vintage flair? Instant buzz.
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But just as post-production kicked off, the whole project got shelved. The reason? A major controversy involving one of the drama’s supporting actors—Zhao Lixin—who made comments on social media that didn’t sit well with the public. Long story short, he got blacklisted, and the entire drama got dragged into the fallout.
The drama was pulled from release schedules indefinitely, leaving fans confused, disappointed, and pretty much assuming it was dead.
🤖 Enter: AI – The Unexpected Saviour
Fast-forward to 2025, and The Love of Hypnosis is suddenly back on the radar—thanks to a tech twist no one saw coming. Rather than reshoot or completely bin the show (which would've meant a huge financial loss), the producers went full sci-fi and turned to artificial intelligence.
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Using AI tech, the production team digitally removed Zhao Lixin from all his scenes and reconstructed them without needing a single reshoot. It's like a digital vanishing act—clean, quiet, and, apparently, convincing enough to go public.
That decision seems to have finally unlocked the gates for post-production to move forward and for the drama to actually be released.
🌹 Hypnosis, Emotions, and Aromatic Romance
As for the story? Expect moody vibes and mysterious romance. Liu Yifei plays a captivating perfumer whose custom scents can tap into people’s deepest emotional scars and forgotten memories. She’s not just crafting perfumes—she’s manipulating the soul, basically.
She crosses paths with Jing Boran’s character, a calm and cultured theatre owner. Together, they witness tragic love stories unfold, from passion to heartbreak… all while gradually falling for each other in the most slow-burn way imaginable.
If you love emotional angst, magical realism, and vintage elegance, this one’s right up your alley.
📸 Promo Visuals Already Causing a Stir
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Even before the release date’s locked in, promo stills from the drama have already gone viral. Liu Yifei is seen in a classic cheongsam, oozing elegance and mystery, while Jing Boran looks effortlessly regal in his old-school theatre owner fits.
Netizens have already dubbed them one of the most aesthetically pleasing drama couples in recent years. The visuals alone are enough to pull in viewers, even those who don’t usually go for period dramas.
⏳ Release Date Still Under Wraps – But It’s Definitely Happening
While the official release month is now set for 2025, we’re still waiting on a concrete air date and platform announcement. Word is that major streaming sites are already in discussions—but nothing’s confirmed just yet.
Even so, fans are buzzing with excitement. After seven years in the vault, The Love of Hypnosis is finally being given its shot, and the AI makeover angle only adds more intrigue. This might just be one of 2025’s most talked-about releases—not just for its story, but for the wild ride it took to get here.