If you are a fan of captivating historical dramas with a perfect blend of romance, political intrigue, and jaw-dropping action, and are looking for a Chinese drama that didn’t premiere this year, then Who Rules the World has to be your next binge-worthy obsession.
This 2022 Chinese drama, based on the popular wuxia novel Let’s Try the World by Qing Lengyue was an international hit when it first released, with over 1 billion views on Tencent Video alone in just its first 11 days of release.
And it’s easy to see why.
With its stellar cast, intricate plot, and breath-taking visuals, Who Rules the World is one of those C-dramas that keeps you hooked from start to finish.
The Plot of Who Rules the World: A Tale of Power, Love, and Destiny
Set in a fictional ancient world, Who Rules the World follows the story of two powerful people: Hei Fengxi (wonderfully played by The King’s Avatar‘s Yang Yang) and Bai Fengxi (brought to life by the talented Zhao Lu Si).
Feng Lanxi is the cunning and ambitious head of Fountain Abode, while Bai Fengxi is a fearless martial artist from the Tianshuang Sect, but also a woman with a mysterious past.
Interestingly, Hei Fengxi isn’t exactly who he seems either.
Meanwhile, while Feng Lanxi seems to have an interest in Bai Fengxi, so shows up almost everywhere she happens to be, Bai Fengxi feels nothing but animosity towards him and verbally attacks him at every turn.
As the C-drama progresses, however, the pairs’ paths cross again and again as they investigate which of the six powerful families has gained ownership of the famed Empyrean Token, which was stolen from the Imperial Family itself.
In pursuit of said token, they also become involved in side adventures that seem to be separate incidences but quickly prove to be connected to a much larger conspiracy.
Especially when the Soultaker Sect becomes involved.
As the pair join forces to uncover the truth behind a web of deception involving all six of the main families, and a mysterious group of others, their relationship begins to change into a deep and unbreakable bond.
But with enemies lurking at every corner and their own destinies pulling them in different directions, will they be able to overcome the challenges and eventually rule the martial arts world and the empire together?
The Main Characters: A Dynamic Duo You’ll Root For
Yang Yang shines as Feng Lanxi, effortlessly portraying a character who is both a strategic genius who is always one step ahead of his adversaries, and a charismatic leader.
Zhao Lu Si, who was already known for her acting versatility, also delivers a standout performance as the strong-willed and independent Bai Fengxi.
But, while Feng Lanxi is polite and calm, Bai Fengxi is belligerent, aggressive and also, sometimes, incredibly flirtatious if it means getting what she wants.
Underneath all of her bravado, however, she is also fiercely loyal and compassionate.
As the drama progresses, together Feng Lanxi and Bai Fengxi form a power couple that’s hard to forget. Even for those of us who have been watching C-dramas for years.
So much so, their chemistry together is electric, making their on-screen partnership a joy to watch.
Why Who Rules the World is a Must-Watch
Stunning Cinematography: From sweeping landscapes to intricately designed costumes and spectacularly choreographed fight scenes, Who Rules the World is a visual feast.
Every frame feels like a work of art, transporting you to a world of intrigue and suspense.
Gripping Storyline: The Who Rules the World plot is a perfect mix of romance, fast action, and political intrigue. But it also keeps you guessing with its plot twists and turns. Thus ensuring there is never a dull moment, as each episode simply flies by.
Honestly, I often find C-dramas a bit too long for my taste, and will find myself playing later episodes on faster speeds just to get to the ending. Something I did not do in any scene in this entire drama, as I found almost every second of it fast-paced and utterly compelling.
Strong Characters: Both the two leads and many of the C-drama’s supporting characters are well-written and well-developed, making it easy to get emotionally invested in their journeys.
So much so, even when a couple of the supporting characters die, I still ended up feeling like they were a major loss.
Epic Fight Scenes: The martial arts sequences in Who Rules the World are choreographed to perfection as well, as they showcase the characters’ incredible skills while adding an adrenaline-pumping edge to the drama in almost every episode.
I can only imagine how many hours both Zhao Lu Si and Yang Yang trained to be able to reach that level of incredible precision.
Heartfelt Romance: The love story between Feng Lanxi and Bai Fengxi is utterly believable, as they go from two people who really don’t seem to like each other (well, at least she doesn’t like him, or so it seems), to a pair whose feelings for each other are overwhelming even in the most challenging of circumstances.
Now, isn’t enemies-to-lovers one of the most compelling romance themes? I know it is for me.
Final Thoughts on Who Rules the World
Who Rules the World is more than just an excellent Chinese drama—it’s also a spectacular experience.
With its compelling story, unforgettable characters, utterly beautiful cinematography, exciting action scenes, top-notch production and well-written script, it’s no wonder this series became a fan favorite for C-drama audiences all over the world.
I even watched it three years after it first released, and felt the same thrill of discovery as millions of other C-dramas around the world obviously felt.
In other words, whether you’re a seasoned fan of Chinese dramas or new to the genre, this is one show you will not want to miss.
Trust me, once you start watching, you will be counting down the minutes until the next episode and then cursing as each one simply flies by!
Or end up like me — binge-watching every episode of Who Rules the World in only three days. No, I didn’t sleep much.
Check out the official Who Rules the World trailer below then to see what I mean.
You can watch all 40 episodes of the Chinese drama (yep, it’s a long one) either via WeTV or on Netflix (currently, although, if that’s your goal, you may want to watch it soon, as Netflix has a habit of whisking away C-dramas at very short notice).
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