Drama Digest
This drama follows “South of Beijing,” a realistic TV series about the workers in the Changxindian railway factory in southwest Beijing. We look at a play set in the early years of the Chinese Republic and the early days of New China. We have Kang Benshan, Wang Ranqiu, Wan Chengshun, and other people in the bottom “mouth” and “seam” of the ancient town of Changxindian. Even while working at a shop railway factory, these people dream of being great artisans, repairing complex machines, and building the best trains. They unite under the strong leadership of a party and set up a workers’ club which protected them from Japanese aggression, arrested Kumointang agents, and other issues. Together we witness the rise of a massive historical process that leads to the nation’s independence and the rise of industries. This drama shows us all these personal ideals and the stories that led to a great deal of patriotism. With a story this great, there is not much that you can look at and experience.
The Feel-Good Part
This is a very inspiring story and teaches its audiences a lot about the power of hard work, determination and just being able to work together toward a brighter future. It is also one of the few dramas that represent patriotism in a way that is not too heavy-handed and one note. You can take a lot away from this drama. Whether it’s how the characters interact with one another or how we see them progress, there is no shortage of great moments throughout the drama. There is also some significant element of grit throughout this drama. Whether it’s how it is shown to us on screen or how the story is set. The lack of air-brushed quality and editing makes this drama grounded in reality and enjoyable to watch.
The Disappointing Factor
Even with the light-handed nature of how patriotism is expressed throughout this drama, there is still a sense of one-note-ness. This is often in the dialogue or how characters go about their daily life. Another significant issue within the drama is how it tackles class and social structures. It talks about pursuing dreams but does not showcase these people escaping their complex lives instead shows how they work within their social class. While this is an endearing message, you cannot help but feel a bit underwhelmed with how the entire story plays out. For the most part, this drama is based in reality, so you cannot blame its mundane nature on anything outside of real-life events. In terms of realism, this drama can truly capture whatever it sets out to make the audience feel.
In-Depth Analysis
The industrial revolution in Asia has often been overshadowed by the industrial revolutions in other continents, so it is nice to see it expressed in a drama. The idea of working hard and persevering is something that is not only admirable but something that we should strive to see in the media. While there are instances where it seems out of pocket or unreal, the fact that it is based on real-life events shows us that there are people who did put their heart and soul into their work and made it. Whether or not that same hard work and determination can be translated into the modern world is still up for debate, but the idea that it did work for a large group of people does feel very comforting.
Star Power
This drama and an extensive cast genuinely capture the environment that it sets out to build. Each member of the supporting cast can capture the audience and allow them to root for them even more. This diverse supporting cast has Liu Pei Qi, Bi Yan Jun, Liu Wei, Xie Yuan, Jill Hsu, Liu Duan Duan, Cao Yun Jin, Lu Liang, Wang Yan Hui, Jeremy Qu, Zhang Tao, Liu Yi Han, Yu Lang, Xu Seng, Sun Shuang, Chi Peng, Li Guang Fu, and Luo Yi Li. Our leads are Kang Benshan, played by Wang Lei, and Wang Ranqiu, played by Mabel Yuan. As lead characters, they end up being the backbone of this incredible story and are some of the best characters within this story. Wang Lei stars in The King of Land Battle, Frontier of Love, Romance or Marriage, Jianghu Mystery, No.1 Landmark, Golden Marriage, and Voice of the Nation. He has also directed two projects; Novoland: Wings of Wins and Cell Phone. Mabel Yuan stars in Above the Clouds, The Times We Had, Love is So Beautiful, Lobster Cop, Revenge For Love, and So I Married an Anti-Fan.
Overall Opinion
With an inspiring story deeply grounded in reality, you are in for an exciting time when you watch this drama.
