Happy-go-lucky? Not this time for actress Tang Yan.

Actresses Tang Yan (Chinese Paladin 3, My Daughters, Love Waking Up) Lv Yi (Fairy in Wonderland) move beyond their usual sweetness to become special agents in upcoming series Agent X. In this first mainland idol series on special agents, Tang Yan meets director and boss Luo Jin (Beauties of the Emperor), and the two fall in love in the midst of danger and suspense.

I think it’s really awesome how quickly the Chinese industry has been pushing its boundaries in modern dramas. While the beginning of the rise of idol dramas over the last couple of years have resulted in mostly remakes and clichéd subjects, producers are beginning to explore with new genres. 2011 had the first drama blending a video game – real life scenario, and 2012 will see a modern series starring Ma Tianyu that does the same. Meanwhile, fierce is the way to go for both Agent X and Spicy Soldiers, the first idol series on special forces by Perfect World. Following Ugly Wudi’s first musical series, eeMedia will give its own shot with an upcoming musical drama.

sources: Tang Yan’s weibo, 163

Huang Xiaoming steps into the role of another legendary hero.

Huang Xiaoming of “Return of the Condor Heroes” fame is to star in “The Patriot Yue Fei 精忠岳飞”as the title character, the staunch Song general Yue Fei. The 60-episode series is estimated to be broacast in December and will chronicle Yue Fei’s life from his lowly beginnings to his ultimate demise by the machinations of Qin Hui, to be played by Gallen Lo. More pictures of Huang Xiaoming in costume under the cut.

As “The Patriot Yue Fei” will be a war genre story, it’s not surprising that the cast is dominated by males. In fact, so far ”The Patriot of Yue Fei”  seems to feature no leading women whatsoever. (Given the role the historical Yue Fei’s mother played in his life, however, this could prove to be wrong.) Fan Bingbing will not be acting, but she has invested in the production.

source

Even more pictures here.

Hawick Lau and Yang Mi sealed their love with a kiss both in and out of the drama

Want to see the drama that made Yang Mi and Hawick Lau fall in love with it? Hunan TV knows you do, because as soon as the dating announcement was made, they pushed back one of their already publicized dramas to quickly make room for Ruyi/Happiness, which will air on the 29th with three episodes.

Watch the opening theme by Yang Mi below, and the ending duet by the two under the cut.

Gao Xixi has found a gorgeous Yu Ji for Peter Ho's Xiang Yu

For the production of this upcoming 80-episode epic, director Gao Xixi has a budget of 1.7 billion yuan. This enormous budget surpasses even the  155 million yuan budget of Gao Xixi’s previous epic Three Kingdoms, and means that the  ”Legend of Chu and Han楚汉传奇” will be more expensive than any other television production to date. Legend of Chu and Han is estimated to be released in 2013. The experienced Chen Daoming stars as future emperor Liu Bang and his rival, Xiang Yu, is played by Peter Ho. Qin Lan plays his wife (Lv Zhi). I’m particularly excited for Li Yixiao’s portrayal of  Yu Ji, as she looks gorgeous thus far in the stills and has a martial arts background to back up  Yu Ji’s combative talents.

Stills from the series can be found below the cut. 

Liu Bang to the left, Xiang Yu to the right

Duan Yihong is the Han Xin, one of the three heroes of the early Han dynasty

Xiao Siqin Gaowa joins the cast as Princess Chenxi

Qin Lan as Lv Zhi

Li bingbing as Ada Wong in Resident Evil: Retribution

Actress Li Bingbing’s third Hollywood film, Resident Evil: Retribution, released its first trailer today. Watch the trailer below:

With one of the most touching lyrics of the year, Buddha Says is penned by Yu Zheng and directed by Mickey He.

Singer-actor Mickey He recently self-directed his first MV, the beautifully written “Buddha Says 佛说”  for Palace II, which will air on the 20th this week. Watch the MV in HD below from Baytowercocotree @YouTube

I promise, I will show you why Yu Zheng keeps casting me in all these meaty roles!

2012 is going to usher in several productions involving Yu Zheng. The prequel to Schemes of a Beauty, Beauties of the Emperor  and Allure Snow are to be broadcast sometime in 2012. Song in the Clouds, based off a series written by the author of Bu Bu Jing Xin, will start shooting this year as well. (Although on another note, the prequel series to Song in the Clouds, “Melody of the Desert” is being made into a Tangren drama directed by Li Guoli.) Bounty Hunter and Smiling Proud Wanderer are also upcoming Yu Zheng productions.

Then there’s the third, and presumably final installment of Yu Zheng’s Beauty trilogy “Beauties Without Tears/No Tears of Beauty 美人无泪” is in production. The cast is comprised of many familiar faces – Zhang Meng, who made a cameo at the end of Schemes of a Beauty and went onto appear in Beauties’ World, landed the role of the female lead (Hailanzhu). She plays opposite Hawick Lau (Hong Taiji, the first emperor of the Qing dynasty). Yuan Shanshan joins the cast of the Beauty trilogy as Da Yu’er, a concubine of Hong Taiji and the later Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang. Another Yu Zheng regular, Deng Sha, plays the two’s little sister. Ada Choi enters as her second Qing empress, this time Hong Taiji’s while Hong Taiji’s half brother is played by Han Dong.

sources: sina

Stills for Beauties Without Tears under the cut.

Jarvis Wu and Ying'er plays a youthful couple in new drama "Triple Happiness"

After fellow My Hero star successfully broke into dramas with two supporting roles in the Happiness (Sunny Happiness 幸福最晴天 & Strong Happiness 幸福一定强)series, singer-actor Jarvis Wu tries to follow suit with the third of the trilogy. Guest-starring previous Happiness stars Mike He, Li Yifeng, Zhang Junning and Mingdao, Triple Happiness 幸福三颗星 again has a similar cast structure, with seasoned actors Blue Lan and Cheryl Yang (thanks to Bwear and Aischan for pointing this out!) taking on the lead and new actors Jarvis Wu and Ying’er being the supporting couple.

I couldn’t find a YouTube version of it, but watch the pair in the theme song MV by Jarvis Wu on Tudou here.

When Qingchuan becomes popular after getting back, timetravelling becomes a fad and Yuan Shanshan becomes a new character in the Qing dynasty.

Featuring one of the prettiest Yong Zheng harems of all times (Shu Chang, Zhang Jiani, Sun Feifei, Zhao Liyin, Hai Lu, Yang Rong and Yuan Shanshan), Palace II : Lockpearl screen 宫锁珠帘 released a 20 – min trailer as well as three songs from the drama. Listen to Mickey He’s gorgeous new song Buddha says here, Du Chun/Mickey He version of Ai De Gong Yang here and Zhang Jiani and Shu Chang’s insert song here. The drama will air 2 episodes a day on Hunan TV on January 1st and the cast are currently in Changsha to record Happy Camp and other Hunan variety shows.