The Lead tells the story of a woman becoming a Qinqiang Opera star
Now, I have to admit, I haven’t paid much attention to the upcoming historical life drama The Lead (aka 主角 / Zhu Jue), which premieres its first episode tomorrow — May 10th, 2026. (The Chinese drama is also being called Main Character, so we will see what its true English title turns out to be when it drops).
For one thing, it stars Liu Hao Cun who, in my opinion at least, is a one-note actress who plays the same character (herself?) in every drama she stars in. (I thought her performance was one of the weak links in last year’s moderately entertaining The Seven Relics of Ill Omen).
But, after watching the music video for the amazing Faye Wong’s gorgeous theme song for The Lead (below) which seems to suggest we can expect some epic storytelling in this one, as well as some utterly heart-rending performances, including that of Liu Hao Cun, I am changing my mind.
For another, most of the rest of the cast is exceptional, as it stars Zhang Jia Yi, Shawn Dou, Qin Hai Lu, Zhai Zi Lu, and Wang Xiao Chen.
Extremely competent actors all, and a true ensemble cast that seems to have been chosen to showcase perfectly this almost 50-year-long plot.
The plot of The Lead (aka Main Character)
The drama itself has a much more unique premise than normal as well, as it follows a young woman (played by Liu Hao Cun) who grows up in a small, very poor village, but eventually joins a Qinqiang Opera troupe (ie: folk Chinese opera).
Its plot is described in Chinese like this:
Years ago, when the county opera troupe is recruiting young apprentices, Hu Sanyuan, who serves as the troupe’s drummer, enrolls his young niece, changing her name to Yi Qing’e and taking her away from their hometown to learn Qinqiang opera.
Yet, because of Hu Sanyuan, Yi Qing’e’s path to mastering Qinqiang opera is fraught with setbacks. Nevertheless, through sheer diligence and natural talent, she catches the discerning eyes of Hu Caixiang and Milan, the two female leads vying for the limelight in the troupe, as well as four veteran artists, who wholeheartedly support her.
Her very first public performance astounds the mountain villages, earning her the lead role; she is later renamed Yi Qine and recruited into the provincial Qinqiang opera troupe. In this new environment, she encounters countless difficulties, but with relentless practice, she achieves successive triumphs on stage.
As the times keep changing, Yi Qine experiences many ups and downs in her journey from a shepherd girl to a kitchen maid, then from a supporting role to a star. Yet she remains confident, steadfast on stage, unmoved by temptations, and ultimately becomes the protagonist of her own life.
When her adopted daughter emerges as a rival for the lead role on stage, Yi Qine, after a brief moment of confusion, comes to a profound realization: the true meaning of being the “protagonist” lies in passing down the art of Qin opera
With that kind of larger-than-life setup, I have a feeling Liu Hao Cun may just step out of her comfort zone in this one and produce a performance that’s markedly different than what she usually turns in, don’t you?
All of that being said, The Lead, which hasn’t received much international promotion at all, premieres its first episodes tomorrow. It has also just grabbed 1 million pre-orders, dropping a Liu Hao Cun poster yesterday to celebrate.
Where is The Lead streaming?
As of now, the Chinese drama is confirmed for CCTV and Tencent Video release in China, but has not been announced as a WeTV licensed drama for international viewers.
Viki is also not showing it arriving on their platform, as of yet at least, and no other major streaming platform has announced licensing it.
That will likely mean one of the various legal Chinese drama YouTube channels will be streaming The Lead, which we will know more about some time tomorrow as, at the time of writing this, the drama is due to premiere in 23 hours and 47 minutes.
I will keep you updated.
Update: May 10th, The Lead — yes, that’s its official English title — has been released on WeTV internationally, with three episodes out so far, and Episode 4 available for those willing to pay for Express.
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