Upcoming web drama Goodbye My Princess based on Fei Wo Si Chun's novel Eastern Palace looks promising

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Goodbye My Princess is based on the popular tragic romantic novel Eastern Palace authored by Fei Wo Si Chun (also created Sealed with a Kiss and Too Late to Say I Love You). There has been talks about adapting the Eastern Palace novel into a TV production for years but the execution never proceeded until last summer. Plenty of fan-made videos are available on the Chinese video platform bilibili using contents from Liu Shi Shi and Hu Ge's past costume dramas.

Many many years has passed. Liu Shi Shi and Hu Ge have moved on to play more matured roles and the two major roles landed on two relatively unknown actors, Chen Xingxu and Peng Xiaoran. Some may be familiar with Chen Xingxu from his performance as Yang Kang in the 2017 version of the Legend of the Condor Heroes.

Even though I never read the novel because I couldn't stand to go through another tragic heartache, I heard this novel is perhaps one of Fei Wo Si Chun's best works. The tragic love story is between the politically ambitious and ruthless crown prince of a Chinese imperial dynasty, Li Chengyin, and a princess of the Turkic Khaganate, Xiao Feng. There will be elements of memory loss, revenge, betrayal, power struggles, fake identities, and suicides. Don't expect to see an honorable, sympathetic, and loyal male protagonist. Li Chengyin is an model Machiavellian prince that doesn't hesitate to kill, even those who are aligned to him. Readers have a love-hate relationship with this particular character but it doesn't stop them from putting the book down.

This particular scene from the trailer somehow really draws my interest. I like how Chen Xingxu shows the subtle jealousy and contained anger of Li Chengyin when Xiao Feng calls out another man's name, Gu Xiaowu. At least in Li Chengyin's mind Gu Xiaowu is a different man. Gu Xiaowu is the alias that Li Chengyin used when he went undercover into the Turkic Khaganate territory. Li Chengyin is pretty much jealous that his wife is still in love with his former self. HAHA


The drama adaption of Eastern Palace, renamed as Goodbye My Princess, is produced by Chinese internet video giant Youku and wrapped up filming a few months ago. The 3-minute trailer released last month definitely shows promise.

Trailer:


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