Chinese Historical Dramas Rush to Air Their Endings
In response to official censorship, “entertainment-driven” Chinese dramas had to speed up their runs ahead of 70th founding anniversary celebrations.
Popular Chinese dramas The Longest Day in Chang’an <長安十二時辰> and The Untamed <陳情令> rush their airing schedules to adhere to official guidelines.
With Chinese authorities issuing a notice which forbade the airing of “entertainment-driven” historical and idol dramas from August onwards, many historical dramas such as The Untamed <陳情令> and “The Longest Day in Chang’an”《長安十二時辰》have increased the number of episodes released per week and pushed forward their final episode earlier than planned.
At the start of this year, a crackdown on historical dramas caused many completed productions to be shelved, disappointing fans who were eagerly anticipating the premieres. However the ban was lifted as quickly, and the release of historical dramas with various themes followed suit.
In line with upcoming preparations for the 70th anniversary of the founding of People’s Republic of China, the National Radio and TV Administration (NRTA) recently announced a list of 86 key dramas recommended for broadcasters during a 100-day display event in August. Also released were guidelines for airing which forbade historical and idol dramas with an entertainment focus from being aired during this time frame.
As a result, many dramas which were currently airing were forced to speed up their airing schedules. The Untamed starring Xiao Zhan (肖戰) and Wang Yibo (王一博) stepped up its frequency from four to six episodes per week, and will air its last episode on August 20 ahead of original schedule.
Similarly, the well-received The Longest Day in Chang’an, based on a novel by Chinese novelist Ma Boyong (馬伯庸), also sped up to air six episodes each week, concluding its run on August 19. Starring Jackson Yee (易烊千璽) and Jiaying Lei (雷佳音) and set during the Tang dynasty, the historical suspense drama sees the two leads joining forces to outwit invaders in the city.
Source: Ettoday
This article is written by JoyceK for JayneStars.com.
