Zhan Zhao Adventures set design nicely sets the atmosphere
You may not be as obsessed with detail in Chinese dramas as I am but, as someone who once worked in interior design (albeit western and not Chinese), I find the level of detail astounding in Chinese historical dramas in particular.
So much so, I often hit pause when watching an historical drama so I can luxuriate in how talented the set designers are, many of whom have years of study behind them in traditional Chinese design and historical accuracy, and how beautiful what they create has turned out to be.
If there are books on the set, even if they are traditional Chinese tomes and scrolls, I am in even more of a heaven.
YOUKU has pointed out that level of detail briefly today with the release of six photographs from the set of the upcoming wuxia mystery drama Zhan Zhao Adventures, which is scheduled to premiere on May 13th.
The Zhan Zhao Adventures set photographs show everything from a messenger pigeon station complete with birds, to a seating area where tea has been served overlooking a calming garden, and an entrance way featuring a stylized dragon screen.
RELATED: Zhan Zhao Adventures releases a TON of character visuals and two new posters
Another photo shows hand-drawn anatomy charts hanging above a plethora of traditional Chinese medicine ingredients, along with a weigh scale that is used to make sure the medicine compounds are precise.
A second seating area also features the mandatory tea service, but this time with a backdrop of a gorgeously-drawn evening scene of a man looking at the moon while another figure stands silently behind him.
Even before you watch a trailer for Zhan Zhao Adventures, or see any of the BTS photographs released, these six quiet set design stills give you a wonderful idea of the atmosphere we can expect when the drama releases.
YOUKU commented about the sets:
“the deep shadows of the court hidden within, and the distant ink-like smoke of the martial arts world. The world of martial arts already feels so vividly ‘action-packed’ right before my eyes”.
Along with the pretty sets, Zhan Zhao Adventures stars the banger main cast of Yang Yang (The Immortal Ascension), Zhang Ruo Nan (Love in Pavilion) and Alen Fang (Whispers of Fate).
It premieres on YOUKU and CCTV in China, and on Viki internationally.
Whether it will also be released on various legal Chinese drama channels on YouTube has yet to be announced.
(Update: After a bit of a mess of a release, which I explained in detail, the drama is also streaming on Daylight Entertainment’s YouTube channel but, like almost always, the subtitles are a bit of a mess).
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