LayarHijau.com — Today, Chinese netizens were abuzz as three major dramas announced their premiere dates at the same time. As reported on Layar Hijau’s Instagram on May 12, Legend of Zang Zhai, starring Xiao Zhan and Zhang Jingyi, officially revealed its premiere date: May 18, 2025, on Youku.
Meanwhile, The Prisoner of Beauty, starring Liu Yuning and Song Zuer, premiered today, May 13 at 12:00 PM local time on Tencent Video and WeTV.
Also premiering today at 12:00 PM on iQiyi China is A Love Never Lost, starring Li Xian, Wei Daxun, and Jessi Li. However, this particular drama quickly sparked heated debate online, thanks to a trending hashtag on Weibo.
The hashtag “#李现魏大勋双男主#” (Li Xian and Wei Daxun are both male leads) climbed to the hot search list and stirred controversy. Some Li Xian fans questioned the hashtag, insisting that Li Xian is the sole male lead of the drama.
Others pointed out that Wei Daxun might once again be unfairly targeted because of this. This isn’t the first time Wei has faced accusations of trying to “steal the spotlight” from the main lead in a series he appears in.
Previously, Wei Daxun earned widespread praise for his performance in Fireworks of My Heart. Ironically, the drama’s official leads, Yang Yang and Wang Churan, were harshly criticized by viewers and netizens alike. The stark contrast in reception fueled speculation that a targeted campaign may have been launched to promote Wei while discrediting the main cast.
Some observers believe that while such controversy might give Wei Daxun a short-term popularity boost, it could hurt his long-term career. Production teams and leading actors might be hesitant to work with him in the future, fearing that similar situations will overshadow their own performances. After all, no one wants their drama’s focus to shift from the leads to a supporting actor.
A Long Road to Premiere
According to Beijing Literature and Art Radio’s Weibo post, A Love Never Lost had a long and troubled road before finally airing today. On July 17, 2022, the series announced a premiere on July 18, 2022, via Hunan TV. However, the schedule was postponed. On iQiyi, the drama briefly aired six episodes before being pulled from the platform.
At the time, the official explanation posted on Weibo cited “technical issues” as the reason for both the delay and removal. Now, on May 13, 2025, the drama has created a new Weibo account and formally announced its new release schedule.
A Love Never Lost: Synopsis
After the fall of the Gengzi Kingdom, China was left in ruins. Amid the chaos, young idealists rose up to save their homeland. Among them were Liang Xiang, a noble youth; Yang Kai Zhi, a member of the revolutionary party; and Li Ren Jun, a Beiyang Wuyou guardian—part of the first group of progressive young men sent to study at a non-commissioned officer school in Japan. During their journey, they met revolutionary exiles Yu Tian Bai and Qiu Hong aboard a cruise ship. This fateful encounter tied the destinies of the five young men together.
In Tokyo, they were swept up in a wave of modern ideologies. Together, they pursued justice, love, and the dream of revitalizing China. Upon returning home, Liang Xiang sought to strengthen the nation and its military but was caught in the web of political power. Though passionate and full of ambition, he found no outlet for his ideals. Eventually, he recognized the tide of the times and chose to retreat from the spotlight.
Meanwhile, Yang Kai Zhi’s victory in the battle of Yanji shattered Japanese imperialist arrogance and earned him the title “Hero of the Border.”
The rivalry between the revolutionary party, the constitutional faction, and the Beiyang clique intensified. During the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, revolutionary patriots fought fiercely and succeeded in toppling a centuries-old regime. Inspired by the new ideological wave, Qiu Hong, Yang Yi Fan, and others realized that the only path forward for China was through continued revolutionary struggle to restore national dignity and prosperity.