Summary of the story
What Chinese internet show is currently popular? On social media, "word of honor" will probably be the response. It is the most talked-about program not only in China, but also in some Southeast Asian countries. "Word of Honor" is a Wuxia story in costume, a subgenre focused on tales of martial artists in ancient China. It tells the tale of Zhou Zishu, a top commander in the imperial secret service who decides to move on from his bloody past. He encounters the enigmatic martial artist Wen Kexing, who is seeking revenge for the murder of his parents. They set out on a journey to discover a fabled treasure, bound together by fate. The program, which was created by Chinese streaming service Youku, made its premiere in late February. It quickly became an unexpected success, taking over social media trends and receiving an 8.6 rating on Douban, a well-known online review platform in China. What makes it such a success, then? The boss of Youku's TV Series Center, Xie Ying, called it a fascinating tale with unique character situations. "The fundamentals of a good story are similar, and we all know there is nothing new under the sun." Therefore, in order to convey the tale within a conventional story structure and evoke emotional reactions from the audience, such as empathy, we need to be inventive. The program is well-liked outside of China. The program has received 80 million views overall since it started broadcasting on YouTube on February 23 and has been dubbed into six languages: English, Spanish, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Arabic. It was also for several weeks the sixth-most-talked-about program on Tumblr. As the show's director, Ma Tao, explained, "we did not anticipate an international audience at the very beginning because the lines include many classical and old Chinese poems, which are not simple for a foreign audience to comprehend." However, a decent tale transcends linguistic boundaries. In addition, the performance is a visual treat thanks to the exquisitely made outfits and sets. We're thrilled to use this platform to promote Chinese martial arts and Chinese culture to an international audience. Viewers connect with the new Wuxia story from China. "The protagonist of a typical Wuxia tale typically upholds a particular principle to combat oppression and overthrow tyrannical figures. The focus of "Word of Honor" is on the protagonists' reconciliation with themselves and the outside world. And this is a subject that the audience in today's society can connect to more, said Xie Ying. "The storytelling of this show is quite different from other Wuxia series I did before and the ones adapted from famous novelists of traditional Wuxia novels, such as Jin Yong (Louis Cha), Gu Long, and Liang Yusheng, and I personally like the storytelling very much," said Zhang Zhehan, one of the two leading actors in the show. The two leads, Zhang and Gong Jun, attracted a lot of attention after the program became popular. "I didn't think this program could be this successful," Gong said. Being introduced to a larger public on this program is an enormous honor. More and more Chinese TV shows have drawn foreign fans in recent years. The historical romantic play "The Sword and the Brocade" is another illustration. Additionally, the program was broadcast to positive reviews in Thailand and Japan. These TV programs act as a conduit for fans from other countries to learn more about China and its culture. (CGTN)
