War and Beauty (2004)

Original title

金枝慾孽

Cast

Sheren Tang, Gigi Lai, Charmaine Sheh, Maggie Cheung, Moses Chan, Bowie Lam, Jade Leung, Rebecca Chan

Genre

drama television series, historical drama

Country

Hong Kong

Length

1 season, 30 episodes

Rated

15

Rating

9.2 of 10 from 20 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

This is a Hong Kong period drama set in the imperial palace. It follows a group of concubines and eunuchs who scheme and form alliances as they fight for the emperor's favor and power.

historicalschemingtensemelodramaticintricateemotionally chargedsuspensefulpower-struggle

What happens

War and Beauty (Chinese: 金枝慾孽) is a Hong Kong television period drama serial that originally aired on TVB Jade from 23 August to 2 October 2004, consisting of 30 episodes. It stars TVB Best Actress winners Sheren Tang (2009/2010), Maggie Cheung (2003), Charmaine Sheh (2006/2014/2024), and Gigi Lai (2004 - she won the award for her work in this drama). It also stars TVB Best Actor winners Bowie Lam (2004 - he also won the award for his work in this drama) and Moses Chan (2007). It received widespread praise among critics and audiences for its acting and plot. It continues to remain one of the most popular TVB dramas and is often referenced as the first drama series that sparked the popularity for palace scheming dramas in Hong Kong such as Beyond the Realm of Conscience and Mainland Chinese dramas including Empresses in the Palace, Story of Yanxi Palace and Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace. In 2022, the drama was selected as one of ten classic TVB dramas being honoured for a new joint Youku and TVB programme. In 2022, Tang, Cheung, and Sheh reprised their roles for the Zhejiang Television, Youku, and TVB-produced variety show Memories Beyond Horizon. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

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