LayarHijau.com — Chinese actress Esther Yu and actor Wang Anyu are rumored to lead the upcoming historical drama A Journey to Glow (original title: 一念江南 / Yi Nian Jiangnan). The speculation went viral on Weibo on Thursday, June 12, after hashtags related to their names trended online. Wang Anyu is said to have replaced previous actors who were rumored to star opposite Yu Shuxin.
The drama is set to be directed by Hong Ling and written by Zhang Wei, the same screenwriter behind the hit series A Journey to Love. It is planned to air on iQiyi, spanning 40 episodes, each approximately 45 minutes long.
Set in a fictional world divided into four major regions—Song, Su, Yue, and Tang—A Journey to Glow follows the aftermath of the Song Emperor unifying the northern region of Jiangbei. Although the southern territories appear to submit to the empire, they still harbor ambitions of power. Heavy taxes have caused widespread suffering among the people, and rumors begin to circulate about a hidden treasure left by the former empress dowager in the Jiangnan region. Five individuals from different backgrounds join forces on a treasure hunt that could restore the economy of a small town called Yongxing.
The drama is said to exist within the same universe as A Journey to Love, a 2023 hit starring Liu Shishi and Liu Yuning. That series received strong reviews and impressive viewership numbers, topping its primetime slot on Zhejiang TV and peaking at a 1.33% rating on CCTV-8 with an audience reach of 184 million. It also garnered 15.72 million views on its first day of online release. However, the latter part of the series received some criticism for a perceived decline in storyline quality.
News of the potential casting has excited fans on Weibo. Some of the top comments include:
“If it’s really these two, I won’t be able to sleep! The visuals are next level. Shuxin and Wang Anyu together? Insane chemistry! Waiting for the official announcement~”
“Please let this be real, their visuals and vibes are a perfect match.”
“If it were a modern drama, I’d be more hyped. But a costume drama is fine too.”
While no official confirmation has been made, the buzz surrounding the possible pairing of these two popular stars in a familiar universe signals that this could be the next big thing in Chinese drama.