Ice Fantasy

Ice Fantasy
Ice Fantasy poster/promotional image
Also known as	City of Fantasy Huàn Chéng
Genre	Romance Drama Fantasy
Created by	Guo Jingming
Based on	City of Fantasy
Written by	Shen Zhi Ning
Directed by	Ju Jue Liang
Starring	Feng Shaofeng Victoria Song Ma Tianyu Zhang Meng
Country of origin	China
Original language(s)	Chinese
No. of episodes	50
Production
Producer(s)	Luo Gang Chen Shu Ying
Location(s)	China Inner Mongolia
Camera setup	Multiple-camera setup
Production company(s)	Shanghai Youhug Media Co. Ltd.
Release
Original network	Hunan Broadcasting System (Hunan TV)
Picture format	1080i (HDTV)
Audio format	Stereo
Original release	() –  ()

Ice Fantasy (Chinese: 幻城; pinyin: Huànchéng) is an upcoming 2016 Chinese epic fantasy television drama based on Guo Jing Ming's bestselling novel, City of Fantasy. It is directed by Ju Jue Liang, and stars Feng Shao-feng, Victoria Song, Ma Tianyu, and Zhang Meng. The drama is produced by Shanghai Youhug Media and will broadcast on Hunan Satellite Television Diamond independent broadcast theater.^[1][2]

Synopsis

The story is set a hundred years after a war between the Empire of Snow (Ice Tribe) and the Fire Tribe, where the Fire Tribe was defeated. However, the war was fatal, leaving Prince Ka Suo and his younger half-brother Ying Kong Shi the only royal heirs and pure-blood ice illusionists left in the Ice Tribe. Conflict ensues after Ka Suo reluctantly ascends to the throne as his lover, Li Luo, and his brother go missing.

Ka Suo also accidentally discovers an evil presence lurking in the Ice Tribe's holy shrine. He and his companions enter the mysterious shrine, and defeat head of the shrine, Lady Yuan Ji, only to find out that she has been plotting a conspiracy against him. Ka Suo also experiences hardships in trying to find his lover and brother, not knowing that his brother has lost all of his memories and has become the Fire Prince under his mother's command. A war between the two tribes commences once again, with the two brothers pitted against each other.^[1][3]

Cast

Main cast

• Feng Shao-feng as Ka Suo (卡索) - As the older brother, Ka Suo is entitled to the throne. However, after falling in love and losing his first love, Li Luo, he longs for freedom, but is bound by his responsibility as part of the royal family for his kingdom. He is forced to assume the throne to oversee reconstruction efforts for the Ice Tribe after the war.^[4]
• Victoria Song as Li Luo (梨落) - Li Luo is born with lowly civilian status, but with her brave and resolute attitude, she quickly becomes a powerful sorceress and envoy for The Guards. She meets Ka Suo and the two fall in love. However, the Ice King forbids them to marry, as the royal family are not allowed to marry non-pure-blood commoners. Therefore, the two are forced to separate and Li Luo disappears.^[4][5]
• Ma Tianyu as Yong Kong Shi (樱空释) - Yong Kong Shi is the younger half-brother of Ka Suo, but he wants to replace him as king of the Ice Tribe, although his motive is unknown. He is silent, cold and mysterious in nature.^[6]
• Zhang Meng as Yan Da (艳炟) - Yan Da is the only daughter and a favorite child of the Fire Tribe royal family. However, she is unruly, stubborn and strong in nature. Therefore, she sacrifices herself for Yong Kong Shi, against her father's wishes.^[6]

Extended cast

• Shao Bing as the Ice King (冰王)^[7]
• Gong Beibi as the Ice Queen (冰后)^[8]
• Kim Hee-sun as Lian Ji (莲姬), Yong Kong Shi's mother. She is actually Yuan Ji (渊祭), an invincible, supreme being. She was bored and lonely, so therefore created the chaos that ensues, including the conflict between the Ka Suo and Yong Kong Shi.^[9][10]
• Cheng Peipei as Feng Tian (封天), Ice family priest
• Li Sheng as Qian Ying (千影)
• Chang Fu Huang as Zhu Gong (铸弓)^[11]
• Lu Zhen Zi as Luna (月神), was born of lowly status, but gradually attains high spiritual power and becomes an assassin
• Hu Bing as Huo Yi (火燚), the Fire King
• Shu Ya Xin as Shuo Gang (烁罡), 1st prince^[12]
• Jiang Chao as Xin Jue (炘绝), 2nd prince
• Huang De Yi as Qin Chu (秦楚)
• Huang Hai Bing as Ke Tuo (克托)
• Qin Yong as Lu Zhao (绿昭)
• Qu Ni Ci Ren as Yang Dan (阳丹)
• Xu Jiao as Xing Gui (星轨), youngest daughter of the astrologer family^[9]
• Xu Ke as Xing Jiu (星旧), Xing Gui's brother
• Tie Zheng as Qian Hao (荨昊)
• Li Hao Han as Huang Ang (皇昂), king of the Healers
• Wang Duo as Huang Tuo (皇柝), Huang Ang's son
• Chen Xin Yu as Chao Ya (潮涯)^[13]
• Zhang Yu Jian as Pian Feng (片风)^[14]
• Mai Di Na as Sang Lan (岚裳), noble mermaid princess, who is in love with Ka Suo^[15]
• Shen Hai Rong as Mermaid Saint (人鱼圣尊)
• Die Che (蝶澈), a magic musician, plays a butterfly guqin, which is also her weapon^[16]
• Qin Liu Dong as Liao Jian (辽溅), a fierce warrior and the Bear Clan prince^[17]

Production

Guo Jing Ming's City of Fantasy sold over 1.5 million copies and ranked second in the bestseller's list.^[18] Since City of Fantasy's release in 2003, there have been plenty of early attempts to produce a movie adaption. However, the attempts failed, citing that the novel's fictional universe was too complicated and massive to condense into a movie.^[19] The idea of a possible drama adaption of City of Fantasy had been formed since November 2014.^[1]

During the Ice Fantasy press conference held in August 2015, Hong Kong screenwriter Shen Zhi Ning stated that the plot of the drama would have more stories, conflicts and background information compared to its book counterpart. The history of the tribes as well as the history of their world's creation had been incorporated into the plot.^[20] The fire nation's role in the story would also expand.^[21][22][23] On June 10, 2015, the creation of the script and preparations for filming were finished.^[22]

The Academy Award-winning Lord of the Rings set designer Dan Hennah was enlisted to design the sets for the production, which were inspired by the buildings, landscapes and other aspects of ancient China as well as other western cultures.^[19][22] One particular set, called the "Endless Sea", had been reported to be an area of 7,000 square meters, using 500 tons of artificial snow.^[24] It had also been reported that about 300 million yuan was invested for the drama's production, with 2 million yuan to create the main palace alone.^[24] Furthermore, more than 100 craftsmen were needed to make 6,000 props, with many used in large-scale battle scenes.^[25] Around 70 to 80 percent of post-production was centered around the special effects and CGI.^[26] Youhug stated: "This should be an unprecedented investment in the domestic drama, we also hope to achieve good visual effect as much as possible."^[24]

Guo Jing Ming acts as the artistic and visual director for the production. Other notable players in production include Dong Cheng Guang as art director, A Ju for make-up guidance, Zhong Jia Ni as costume and prop designer, and Ma Yu Cheng as choreographer.^[20][27] The international visual effects company Pixomondo was also enlisted.^[28][29][30] Shi Xiao Xi, the designer of the production's posters, is also a fan of the novel.^[31]

Casting

It was announced that Feng Shao-feng, Victoria Song, Ma Tianyu, and Zhang Meng would play the main characters, Ka Suo, Li Luo, Yong Kong Shi, and Yan Da. Supporting characters were later revealed through character posters that were posted on the drama's official Weibo account.^[27] Kris Wu was rumored to star as the main lead role.^[32] This was later proven false after the confirmation of the cast, although it was also confirmed that he will star in another of Guo Jing Ming's productions, L.O.R.D: Legend of Ravaging Dynasties, alongside Fan BingBing.^[33]

This is Feng Shao Feng and Victoria Song's second production starring together, after the Chinese remake of My Best Friend's Wedding.^[34]

Shooting

On August 12, 2015, Hennah and director Ju Jue Liang, who is known for his martial arts films, brainstormed possible designs as well as visited a number of possible locations for filming.^[35] The drama is scheduled to shoot for six months, starting from August 16, 2015. Principal photography filming was held in Beijing, China, with location filming held in Chifeng, Inner Mongolia.^[28][36]

Broadcast

The drama is scheduled to be released in the summer of 2016 on Hunan Satellite Television Diamond independent broadcast theater,^[37] with 50 episodes.^[1] Its distribution rights were also joint bought by the 5 Chinese video-sharing websites: Tencent, Youku, PPTV, iQiyi, and Sohu.^[38]

References

External links

• Ice Fantasy on Weibo
• Ice Fantasy on Baidu