Listen up, folks! We’re here to deliver to you yet another flaming hot C-drama for the season.
Touted as what is probably the most popular C-drama for the first quarter of 2021, Douluo Continent (斗罗大陆) has been making waves all around China and beyond. This Chinese fantasy show follows the adventures of Tang San; a prodigious young cultivator who seeks to defend his country, bring honor to his sect, and become the greatest soul master of all time — all the while discovering the long-hidden secret of his mother’s death. Featuring a story full of adventure, romance, and found family, it’s no wonder that fans have been bingeing the series in one go.
Since it aired last February, the show has been setting records left and right. Not only has it accumulated over three billion views on Tencent Video — one of China’s largest streaming platforms — but it has also dominated the charts of Chinese drama metric site Datawin for 25 consecutive days, as of this writing. These are just some of the achievements the drama has earned, mind you!
If these facts haven’t convinced you to watch the show yet, then read on! We’ve come up with five reasons why you should definitely be adding Douluo Continent to your C-drama list. Check them out below!
1. It is based on a popular novel.
One of the reasons why Douluo Continent is so successful is that it already has an existing fan base. This C-drama, in fact, is a live adaptation of an extremely well-regarded web novel of the same name. Written by Tang Jia San Shao (唐家三少), the story of Douluo Continent has been highly praised for its take on xuanhuan, a genre which mixes in some foreign elements into a Chinese fantasy setting, as well as intriguing plots, exceptional world-building, and emotional writing.
In addition to this live-action drama, Douluo Continent has also been adapted into an ongoing manhua (comics) and a widely known donghua (animated series), which is currently airing on its fifth season.
2. It features talented idols in its main cast.
Another reason for Douluo Continent’s surging popularity is its leading actors. The charismatic and talented protagonist, Tang San, is played by none other than Xiao Zhan, who rose to prominence following his leading role in The Untamed in 2019.
Though Xiao Zhan has since become more established in the entertainment industry following other successful projects such as The Wolf and Jade Dynasty, many remember his beginnings as the main vocalist of Chinese boy group X-NINE, which was formed by the reality idol survival show X-Fire.
Meanwhile, the role of the bright and cheerful female lead Xiao Wu goes to Wu Xuanyi, who has deep roots in the idol industry. Managed by Starship Entertainment and Yuehua Entertainment, Wu Xuanyi started out as a member of the South Korean-Chinese girl group Cosmic Girls before placing second in Produce 101 China, another idol survival program. This led to her debut as a member of the temporary Chinese girl group Rocket Girls 101. On top of launching her career as an actress, Wu Xuanyi now manages a thriving career as a solo artist in China.
3. It is absolute eye candy!
In China, another term for a historical drama is “costume drama.” Because Douluo Continent is undoubtedly considered to be a costume drama due to its “cultivation” fantasy setting, which is always vaguely set somewhere in ancient China, viewers are treated to an incredible selection of absolutely eye-catching traditional wear.
In addition to this, the show is also rife with magical computer-generated effects and excellently choreographed fight scenes. Everything just leaves our jaws dropping at the sheer gorgeous world that Douluo Continent has built.
If you don’t know what we mean, we invite you to just look at these.
4. It has an amazing soundtrack.
Fun Fact: A good deal of the drama’s OST is actually sung by the cast themselves!
Douluo Continent’s youthful opening song “Standing Proudly at the Edge of the Clouds” is performed by Gao Taiyi (Dai Mubai), Liu Runnan (Ou Sike), and Ao Ziyi (Ma Hongjun). Both Xiao Zhan and Wu Xuanyi have also made wonderful contributions to the show, with each individually singing tracks such as “The Youth on a Horse” and “Starry River.”
As a bonus, one of China’s biggest girl groups of the moment, BonBon Girls 303, has also lent vocals to the explosive single “SLK School.”
5. It expresses themes of friendship and found family.
What’s better than a story that can touch your heart?
Centered on the journey of Tang San as he makes his way to being the best soul master in history, Douluo Continent is also a drama that touches on themes of friendship and the idea of family one finds along the way.
We just absolutely love how the show explores the relationships that Tang San has not only with all his mentors but also with his super cool Shi Lan Ke Academy Squad™.
Shi Lan Ke Seven Devils, let’s go ♥️#DouluoContinent #DouluoDay21 pic.twitter.com/fLZ2lR5Ke4
— Xiao Zhan ⭐️ Xinxin 🌱🔨 (@Xiao_Xinxin98) February 25, 2021
Great plot, touching themes, and gorgeous visuals — what more could you want? If this list doesn’t convince you, then we don’t know what will.
For those we have convinced, here is a useful tidbit just for you: You can binge this 40-episode series right on WeTV!
