A Life Time Love
| A Life Time Love | |
|---|---|
 Drama poster | |
| Also known as |
Once Promised Ancient Love Song |
| Genre |
Fantasy Romance Xianxia |
| Based on | Once Promised by Tong Hua |
| Written by | Rao Jun |
| Directed by | Cai Jingsheng |
| Starring |
Huang Xiaoming Victoria Song Sheng Yilun Zhang Li |
| Country of origin | China |
| Original language(s) | Mandarin |
| No. of episodes | 54 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 45 minutes |
| Production company(s) |
Croton Media Gcoo Entertainment |
| Release | |
| Original network | Dragon TV |
| Original release | 12 June – 7 August 2017 |
A Life Time Love (Chinese: 上古情歌, lit. Ancient Love Song) is a 2017 Chinese television series starring Huang Xiaoming, Victoria Song, Sheng Yilun and Zhang Li. It is adapted from the xianxia novel Once Promised by Tong Hua.[1] The series aired via Dragon TV every Mondays and Tuesdays for 3 episodes at 22:00 (CST) from 12 June to 7 August 2017.[2] VIP members of Tencent get to watch an additional 6 episodes per week, released every Tuesday at 24:00 (CST).
Synopsis
The story takes place in a mythological world with demons, gods, and humans cohabiting, set during the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors period. The world is split into three kingdoms - Xuan Yang, Ling Yun and Xuan Mu.
Chi Yun is a war god from Ruo Jiang Tribe, a wild beast-turned-man driven by revenge, who wants to dominate and unite all living things under one ruler. His resolve is immovable until he meets Muqing Mo, a princess from the Xuan Yang Kingdom. However, Ah Mo is betrothed by her family to Prince Sheng Lun from the Ling Yun Kingdom. Nonetheless, her heart belongs to Chi Yun. The two made a promise to meet annually under the peach blossoms of No Return Valley, where Chi Yun made Ah Mo a promise of love, that he will give up everything, and stay by her side for the rest of their lives.
Complications arise when Ah Mo's father invades Ruo Jiang in order to attain world domination. Torn between family and love, Ah Mo is forced to make some difficult choices when her kingdom clashes with Ruo Jiang numerous times, resulting in world chaos.
Cast
Main
| Actor | Character | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Huang Xiaoming | Chi Yun | A beast god who lived in the wild. Intelligent, courageous and invincible on the battlefield, Chi Yun is known as Ruo Jiang's God of War. He is sincere and unwavering toward his love for Muqing Mo. He becomes Hao Xu's sworn brother and helps him when he ascends the throne as Xuan Mu's emperor after his father's death. [3] |
| Victoria Song | Muqing Mo ("Ah Mo") / Xuanyang Ruo |
The princess of Xuan Yang kingdom. Intelligent, kind and pure, she is a highly skilled healer who wishes nothing but world peace. She is forced to marry Lingyun Sheng Lun, but her heart belongs only to Chi Yun. Has a daughter named Nuo Su with Chi Yun. |
| Sheng Yilun | Lingyun Sheng Lun | The prince of Ling Yun kingdom, known for both his looks and talent. He is cold and indifferent, wanting nothing else but to make Ling Yun the most powerful kingdom. He has an arranged marriage with Muqing Mo, but vows to only treat it as a form of alliance. He ends up falling for Muqing Mo, but values his ambition over his love for her. |
| Zhang Li | Yun Sang | The elder princess of the Xuan Mu kingdom, and childhood friend of Muqing Mo. She is gentle, understanding, wise, and loyal toward love and friendship. She fell in love with Jing Shi, but their relationship goes through many hurdles. In the end, to create an alliance and stop war, she marries Xuanyang Yu Chen who is still "healing" even though the truth is his real self was already dead. |
Supporting
Xuan Yang
| Actor | Character | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Zhang Shuangli | King of Xuan Yang | |
| Xi Yuli | Muqing Liao Ruo | Queen of Xuan Yang, and former lover of the King of Xuan Mu. She is sworn siblings with the King of Xuan Mu and Madam Yu. Her children are the eldest, second, and fourth princes as well as Xuanyang Ruo / Muqing Mo. |
| Lin Jing | Can Leishi | Concubine of the King of Xuan Yang. Proud and arrogant, she would do anything to protect her sons, the third and ninth princes, and help them rise to power. |
| Zhai Tianlin | Xuanyang Yu Chen | Eldest prince of Xuan Yang. A warrior with both strength and wits, he is well respected as a leader among his peers. Despite being at odds with Sheng Lun politically, the two became the best of friends. Later killed because his younger brother Jie Yi poisoned him and he got greatly wounded by Chi Yun. His death is kept a secret by Muqing Mo and Lingyun Sheng Lun to protect his mother and brother. |
| Xiao Xiaobai | Xuanyang Hui | Third prince of Xuan Yang. Can Leishi's son. He is extremely competitive and constantly tries to one-up Yu Chen. He later died in a battle between Xuan Yang and Xuan Mu. |
| Luo Yunxi | Xuanyang Zhi Ruo | Fourth prince of Xuan Yang. A refined gentleman who is also bold and hot-blooded. He is very close to his sister, Muqing Mo and would do anything to protect his family. He later falls in love with Yi Li and marries her. Has a son named Ruo Yao with Yi Li. He dies in the battlefield due to a scheme. |
| Pu Kang | Xuanyang Jie Yi | Ninth prince of Xuan Yang. Can Leishi's son. He grew up together with Muqing Mo, and despite having different mothers, shared a close relationship with her. However, he eventually becomes just like his mother and plots against his half-siblings for the throne. He is the one who ultimately poisons Xuanyang Yu Chen and forces Muqing Mo to kill him in return. |
| Janice Wu | Yi Li | Leader of She River tribe, who possesses extraordinary martial arts and assassination skills. She is generous, unrestrained and passionate. She falls in love with Zhi Ruo and marries him. Has a son named Ruo Yao with Zhi Ruo. She later suicides after trying to take revenge for her husband. |
| Liu Fanfei | Zi Zhu | A puppet created by Yu Chen, who later comes to life and falls in love with him. She is known for her "mu tou nao dai" or stone-headedness. |
| Yang Siyuan | Chi Mo | Officials and ministers of Xuan Yang. |
| Si Yuan | Ye Bin | |
| Lu Jiahao | An Hua | |
| Sun Boyang | Chen Fang | |
| Guo Jin | Hai Xiong | Lieutenant of Xuanyang Hui who later is saved by Xuanyang Yu Chen and becomes a wise general of Xuanyang. |
| Jin Jin | Huai Xu | A maid sent by Yu Chen to stay by Muqing Mo's side after her marriage. |
Ling Yun
| Actor | Character | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Li Jingrong | King of Ling Yun | |
| Gao Ningning | Queen of Ling Yun | The mother of all the princes except Sheng Lun. |
| Chen Kaixuan | Di Yin | Second prince of Ling Yun. An ambitious prince who seeks to destroy Sheng Lun's power, and attempted multiple times to kill him and destroy his reputation. |
| Cui Hang | Han Yan | Third prince of Ling Yun. He is aligned with Di Yin. |
| He Jiaxuan | Jian You | Eighth prince of Ling Yun. A man with an innocent nature, he is also an avid supporter of his brother, Sheng Lun. |
| Shen Tai | Jing Shi / Yu Chen (undercover name) | Great general of Ling Yun, Sheng Lun's right hand man who falls in love with Yun Sang. |
| Hao Zejia | Qi Nu | A woman who loves Jing Shi, and would do anything for him. She ultimately ends up being used by Di Yin and ruins the marriage between Yun Sang and Jing Shi. |
Xuan Mu
| Actor | Character | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Hou Changrong | King of Xuan Mu | A kind and benevolent ruler with extraordinary healing skills. Gives his book of healing (Xuan Mu Bai Cao Jing) to Muqing Mo, unofficially dubbing her his apprentice. Later dies due to his deteriorating health. |
| Lin Shijie | Hao Xu | Prince of Xuan Mu. A gentle and refined man who is a good healer. After his father's death, he ascends the throne with the help of his elder sister Yun Sang and his sworn brother Chi Yun. Dies by the hands of Tong Zheng. |
| Gao Yuxin | Chang Xi | Princess of Xuan Mu. She likes Chi Yun. Killed by Tong Zheng in the end. |
| Liu Shuailiang | Kun Bu | Great general of Xuan Mu, who is loyal to his kingdom. Known to have been saved by Muqing Mo when he was bullied as a kid and greatly appreciates her for that. |
| Tian Jiada | Tong Zheng | Great general of Xuan Mu. Cruel, hot tempered and arrogant, he is Chi Yun's biggest rival. He would stop at nothing to attain power. He frames the King of Xuan Yang for killing Hao Xu when he is the one who truly killed him. |
| Li Xinzhe (李昕哲) | Xing Mang | Great general of Xuan Mu. He is fiercely loyal to the King of Xuan Mu, and is not wavered by Tong Zheng's bribery. Killed by Tong Zheng in the end. |
| Li Xinze (李欣泽) | Ju Ze | General of Xuan Mu. He is aligned with Tong Zheng. |
Others
| Actor | Character | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Zhuge Chengcheng | Madam Yu | Childhood friend of Xuanyang Liao Ruo and King of Xuan Mu. She held a torch for the King of Xuan Mu since young. She is also the owner of the Jade Mountain. |
| Kuang Can | Xuan Yi | |
| Molly Han | Yu | |
| Wang Zixuan | Ye Feng | Chi Yun's comrade, who aids him in Xuan Mu's war against Xuan Yang. |
| Chen Saisai | Qing He | |
| Li Nini | Nuo Su | Chi Yun and Muqing Mo's daughter. |
| Ye Shengtong | Luo Yao | |
| Jiang Ziyan | Lie Yang | A heavenly bird sent by Chi Yun to Muqing Mo, who later tamed it and adopted as a pet. |
| Li Jianxin | Storyteller | |
| Bai Dongfeng | Wizard King | A highly skilled healer at Ruo Jiang. |
| He Miao | Yan Hao | Wizard King's apprentice. |
All the names and places from the novel have been changed to avoid breaching the regulations of SAFRT.
Production
A Life Time Love is reportedly the first drama in China to make use of the Previzion (visual camera) to achieve real-time imaging. The technique received the Emmy Award for Engineering. It also uses the combination of Bionic mechanical model and MSC digital special effects to construct the animated creatures in the series.[1][4]
Soundtrack
| A Life Time Love - Original Television Soundtrack (上古情歌电视剧原声音乐大碟) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Music | Length |
| 1. | "Peach Blossom Promise (桃花諾)" | G.E.M. | |
| 2. | "Little End of the World (小小天涯)" | Yisa Yu | |
| 3. | "Book in the Clouds (雲中書)" | Baebae Lin | |
| 4. | "An Ancient Promise (上古之诺)" | Chou Chuan-huing[5] | |
| 5. | "Gazing into a Thousand Years (一望千年)" | Jin Zhiwen | |
Ratings
| Episode # | Original broadcast date | Average audience share (CSM52) | Average audience share (National Average) | Ranking in its timeslot | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ratings | Audience share | Ratings | Audience share | |||
| 1-3 | June 12, 2017 | 0.57 | 3.711 | 0.15 | 1.22 | 2 |
| 4-6 | June 13, 2017 | 0.486 | 2.861 | 0.13 | 0.97 | 2 |
| 7-9 | June 19, 2017 | 0.577 | 3.678 | 0.16 | 1.24 | 2 |
| 10-12 | June 20, 2017 | 0.674 | 4.171 | 0.16 | 1.22 | 2 |
| 13-15 | June 26, 2017 | 0.653 | 4.104 | 0.19 | 1.42 | 2 |
| 16-18 | June 27, 2017 | 0.766 | 4.481 | 0.17 | 1.19 | 2 |
| 19-21 | July 3, 2017 | 0.7 | 4.122 | 0.17 | 1.21 | 2 |
| 22-24 | July 4, 2017 | 0.712 | 4.209 | 0.18 | 1.27 | 2 |
| 25-27 | July 10, 2017 | 0.649 | 3.717 | 0.2 | 1.34 | 2 |
| 28-30 | July 11, 2017 | 0.73 | 4.191 | 0.16 | 1.1 | 2 |
| 31-33 | July 17, 2017 | 0.737 | 4.184 | 0.2 | 1.31 | 2 |
| 34-36 | July 18, 2017 | 0.857 | 5.141 | 0.2 | 1.42 | 2 |
| 37-39 | July 24, 2017 | 0.721 | 4.355 | 0.15 | 1.1 | 2 |
| 40-42 | July 25, 2017 | 0.747 | 4.796 | 0.18 | 1.38 | 2 |
| 43-45 | July 31, 2017 | 0.622 | 4.924 | 0.17 | 1.18 | 2 |
| 46-48 | August 1, 2017 | 0.175 | 2.377 | - | - | 3 |
| 49-54 | August 7, 2017 | 0.491 | 3.247 | 0.13 | 1.04 | 2 |
| Average | 0.636 | 4 | - | - | - | |
References
- 1 2 "《曾许诺》主演公布 黄晓明宋茜赴爱之约". Sina. 2016-02-14.
- ↑ "《上古情歌》6月12日登陆东方卫视周播剧场，黄晓明、宋茜虐狗来袭". Sohu. 2017-05-27.
- ↑ "上古情歌演员表".
- ↑ "《上古情歌》曝制作特辑 还原上古大荒神话世界". NetEase.
- ↑ "周传雄献声《上古情歌》插曲 《上古之诺》发布". Sohu.