Youth romance drama Genius Girlfriend starring Hu Yi Tian and Tian Xi Wei started filming today.
And it’s extremely welcome news for fans of Hu Yi Tian especially, as there has been no news about the 31-year-old Chinese actor appearing in a new drama since starring in both Blossoms in Adversity and in Men in Love in 2024.
The Genius Girlfriend filming was announced via iQIYI’s Weibo account this morning, along with a slew of booting ceremony photos.
The first three photos released were of main leads Hu Yi Tian and Tian Xie Wei (above), and came with a message about the C-drama from iQIYI:
#GeniusGirlfriendFilmingBegins#
When human behavior observer Tian Xie Wei meets her exclusive subject of observation Hu Yi Tian…
The quirky super-genius Lin Zhi Xia (Tian Xie Wei) and the healing prodigy Jiang Yu Bai (Hu Yi Tian), their story begins this summer~ Best friends and the sweetest lovers.
Adapted from the novel Genius Girlfriend by Su Guang Tong (素光同), published on Jinjiang Literature City.
Director: Tian Yu Sheng (Love List)
Coming soon on iQIYI!
A second batch of Genius Girlfriend booting ceremony photos were also released with a comment introducing the Chinese drama’s supporting cast:
Passionate youth never steps back—
The moments we’ve shared shape who we are today.#MyGeniusGirlfriend#
Starring: Tian Xi Wei and Hu Yi Tian
Co-starring: Lai Wei Ming and Zhao Jia Min
Special Appearances: Vivienne Tien, Xia Hao Ran, Wu Jia Kai and Sun Meng Qiu
Genius Girlfriend plot details
Not much information has been released about Genius Girlfriend (天才女友)so far, but we do have details about the Chinese drama’s plot.
Genius girl Lin Zhi Xia (played by Tian Xi Wei) is straightforward and socially awkward, having never had close friends since childhood.
After enrolling in Provincial No. 1 High School, she meets sunny top student Jiang Yu Bai (played by Hu Yi Tian) through a problem-solving competition and becomes his deskmate.
As a social butterfly, Jiang Yu Bai helps Lin Zhi Xia integrate into the group, making friends like Tang Ting Ting (played by Zhao Jia Min), Duan Qi Yan (played by Xia Hao Ran), Shen Fu Xuan (played by Lai Wei Ming), and Jin Bai Hui (played by An Tian).
To express her gratitude, Lin Zhi Xia tutors him in return, and the two gradually shift from academic rivals to supportive partners, eventually becoming best friends.
Together, they help classmates who have been scammed, participate in club activities, and compete in provincial math contests. Along the way, Jiang Yu Bai develops feelings for Lin Zhi Xia but keeps them buried in his heart.
After Lin Zhi Xia is recommended for admission to Fudan University, Jiang Yu Bai plans to confess his love during their graduation trip. However, he is forced to leave abruptly when his mother becomes entangled in a fraud case.
Will the two overcome these obstacles and finally find their way to each other?
Personally, I’m a little tired of 30-odd-year-olds playing high school students. At least for more than the few scenes of a new drama.
But let’s see how this one turns out, eh?
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