Perfecting all the drama

Tragic yet hopeful series captivates audiences domestically and overseas with its ancient authenticity, Xu Fan reports.

The tragedy unfolds in a single night. Once the privileged granddaughter of a distinguished scholarly family in an unspecified ancient era, Shen Jialan's world collapses when her grandfather is accused of treason.

The men in her family are executed while the women are punished by being sent to an imperial pleasure house where they are forced to serve and entertain men. Rather than endure such humiliation, they choose to end their lives.

Shen is the sole survivor. A poor couple, seeking to repay the kindness Shen and her mother once showed them, risk their lives by allowing Shen to assume the identity of Xu Lanxiang, their deceased daughter. Forced to live cautiously, she hides the truth that she is well-educated, unexpectedly becoming a servant in the noble household of her former fiance, Lin Jinqi, a military official and the most likely heir of a wealthy family.

This dramatic reversal sets the stage for Against the Current, one of this year's most popular Chinese dramas overseas. Starring Tan Songyun as the heroine and actor Liu Xueyi as the heir, the 47-episode costume drama topped viewing charts in multiple countries and regions, including the United States, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam, on Tencent's international streaming platform, WeTV.

In an interview with China Daily, Tan recalls receiving the script about two years ago and being drawn to the heroine's resilience and intelligence. "The role is like a pure, vivid flower blooming through adversity — full of courage and strength, bringing people a great sense of warmth," Tan says.