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| (Image Source: iQIYI International) |
The highly-anticipated fantasy drama Divine Destiny, premiered globally last July 2, 2023 on the international online entertainment platform iQIYI. While the audience is looking forward to watching the rivalry between the lead actors Angelababy and Ray Ma, the repost of its trailer broke 300,000 with the number of reservations on iQIYI exceeding one million even before its broadcast. Netizens have called it ”the perfect meal companion“ for its hilarious content while several stars such as Bai Lu and Lee Seung-hyun have also posted on their Weibo accounts in support of the broadcast of this fantasy drama.
Adapted from a novel of the same name and directed by Zheng Weiguang, the director of iconic series The Untamed, Angelababy plays the character of an unrestrained and carefree lady Zhang Yinyin who “abducts” Ji Ruochen (played by Ray Ma), a fake immortal who wishes to cultivate immortality, and they embark on a journey to seek out immortality for him. Filmed in 2021, the love-hate relationship between the two goes through many transformations, eventually ending in them joining hands to save the world. Known for her usual portrayal of characters that are more feminine, Angelababy took on a challenge to act as a cool and sassy heroine for the first time. Acting opposite Ma Tianyu’s character who has a very different personality in contrast to hers is also a talking point for audiences looking forward to the drama.
Divine Destiny is not only Angelababy’s first fantasy drama, but also ushers in the comeback of Ma Tianyu who has not starred in a fantasy drama for five years, adding to the anticipation and expectations that the audiences have for this drama series. In the series, the two leads fight against a thousand-year-old fox demon, and Zhang Yinyin is injured in the process. This gained much sympathy from netizens who also praised Angelababy’s injury makeup which portrayed a strength and resilience in the character despite being damaged in battle. Netizens on Weibo have already expressed that a scene where the two actors hold umbrellas together displays strong chemistry that made them recall The Untamed, and are hoping that this couple can finally enjoy a happy ending this time.
iQIYI Original Divine Destiny premiered worldwide on www.iq.com and the iQIYI app with its first six episodes. The 36-episode series will release two new episodes every Sunday to Wednesday at 6:00 pm PHT/HKT/SGT.
