Cruel Romance

Cruel Romance
Genre	Romance Action Republician
Created by	The Fate of Jinxiu by Yu Yi
Written by	Yuan Shuai
Directed by	Lin Helong
Starring	Huang Xiaoming Joe Chen Kimi Qiao Lv Jiarong Tse Kwan-ho Qi Ji
Opening theme	Fate by Huang Xiaoming
Ending theme	Circumstances Changes with Time by Shen Yisha
Country of origin	China
Original language	Mandarin
No. of episodes	40
Production
Executive producers	Huan Ming Huang Bin
Production location	China
Running time	45 minutes
Production companies	Asian Palm Film Huang Xiao Ming Studios
Original release
Network	Hunan TV
Release	March 3 (2015-03-03) – March 26, 2015 (2015-03-26)

Cruel Romance
Simplified Chinese	锦绣缘华丽冒险
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Jin Siu Yuan Hua Li Mao Xian

Cruel Romance (Chinese: 锦绣缘华丽冒险) is a 2015 Chinese television series starring Huang Xiaoming and Joe Chen. It is based on the republician novel The Fate of Jinxiu (锦绣缘) by Yu Yi. The series aired on Hunan TV from March 3 to March 26, 2015.

The series is a commercial success, and became second highest rated television drama for the first half of 2015. It also has over 5 billion views online. Broadcasting rights of the drama were sold to America, Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong.

Synopsis

Set in the 1930s, Rong Jinxiu (Joe Chen) was born in a renowned medical family. When her father saves her teacher Mr Chen from a gunshot wound, her entire family was killed by the Japanese. With only a piece of watch as evidence, Jin Xiu heads to Shanghai to search for her enemies. On the ferry there, she meets the famous triad leader Zuo Zhen (Huang Xiaoming). Through some entanglement, the watch ends up with Zuo Zhen. In order to retrieve her watch, Jin Xiu heads to Bai Le dance hall to look for him. There, she meets her long-lost half-sister Yin Mingzhu (Lv Jiarong), who is currently a famous dancer and the lover of Shanghai's most wealthy businessman Heng Xiangchuan (Tse Kwan-ho). However, Ming Zhu still harbors hatred for the Rong family because they abandoned Mingzhu and her sickly mother many years before.

At the dance hall, Jin Xiu gets injured in the midst of a fight between Zuo Zhen and Long Si. Zuo Zhen then brings her to a high-end hotel owned by Han Yingdong (Kimi Qiao). Thinking that she was rescued by Ying Dong, Jin Xiu develops a crush on him, which she confesses to Zuo Zhen.

In an attempt to make money and get closer to her crush, Jin Xiu takes on Zuo Zhen’s job offer as a dancing hostess at Ying Dong’s nightclub, The Paramount. At first, Jin Xiu is very unsuccessful because she doesn’t know how to attract customers and dresses very conservatively. But after some advice from Zuo Zhen, as well as a wardrobe makeover and dancing tips from him, she becomes more successful. As she spends more time with Zuo Zhen, she slowly falls for him.

Meanwhile, Maeda Ryuichi (Qi Ji), the real murderer behind Jin Xiu's family, arrives to Shanghai and begins to stalk Jin Xiu as she resembles his first love Yang Zi, who was killed by the Japanese. In order to monopolize Shanghai's economy, Ryuichi also manipulates Ming Zhu, causing her to circle around both Ying Dong (her first love) and Han Chuan. Jin Xiu and Zuo Zhen's relationship is put in peril as they face a series of incidents and misunderstandings.

Cast

Main

Actor	Role	Introduction
Huang Xiaoming	Zuo Zhen	Also known as Second Master. Leader of the Freedom Fighter triad. Calm, composed and sharp, Zuo Zhen is cold and indifferent to women. However, the appearance of Jinxiu changes that.
Joe Chen	Rong Jinxiu / Yang Zi	Determined, pure and kind-hearted. Jinxiu learnt medicine from her father since young, and is a skilled physician. After her parents' death, she comes to Shanghai alone to find out the truth, gaining independence and wisdom throughout her journey.
Kimi Qiao	Xiang Yingdong	Also known as Master Ying. Gentle and humorous, he seeks independence since young, but is overshadowed by his brother. After losing his beloved woman Mingzhu to his brother, he hides his inner pain and struggles by being a playboy. He subsequently falls in love with Jinxiu, and becomes conflicted with Zuo Zhen.
Lv Jiarong	Yin Mingzhu	Jinxiu's half-sister. Because of her mother's death, she is consumed by the desire of revenge, and becomes the Japanese's puppet. She loves Yingdong, but has no choice to be with Hanchuan to complete her mission.
Tse Kwan-ho	Xiang Hanchuan	CEO of the Xiang Enterprise. A loyal and faithful man. He discovers Zuo Zhen's potential, and grooms him into a capable man. Having accidentally snatched his younger brother's lover Mingzhu, he felt deeply apologetic toward him, and thus is willing to condone all his wrongdoings.
Qi Ji	Maeda Ryuichi	A cold and cruel militarist who would resort to anything for his country. Because of his lowly position, he has no choice but to watch his lover Yang Zi being killed. When he comes to Shanghai and discovers Yang Zi's look-a-like Jinxiu, he resorts to all sorts of methods to win her over.

Supporting

Actor	Role	Introduction	Notes
Cai Juntao	Tang Hai	Zuo Zhen's left-hand man and close friend. He was beaten crippled by Long Si, and later died with Xiaoze Yasha.
Yang Le	Shi Hao	Zuo Zhen's right-hand man and close friend. Stays by Long Si's side as a spy to help Zuo Zhen.
Xie Wenxuan	Jin Ling	Ming Zhu's confidante. She likes Zuo Zhen.
Mark Du	Muto Oda	Japanese spy, Maeda Ryuichi's teacher
Hao Zejia	Xiaoze Yasha	Japanese spy
He Hongshan	Shen Meng	Daughter of Shen Jinrong. Innocent and kind. She loves Xiang Yingdong.
Yoyiki Una	Xiao Lan	An employee at Hotel Lion Forest, Jinxiu's close friend. She later gets together with Tang Hai.
Feng Peng	Long Si	Zuo Zhen's rival
Zhao Zhongwei	Mr Feng	CEO of Huang Pu commerce
Tong Chenjie	Lin Meihua	CEO of Mei Hua company
Zhang Jian	Zhao Hui	Zuo Zhen's underling
Zhang Tianye	Ma Ziliu	Zuo Zhen's underling
Wei Qing	Anna	a dancer at Hao Wang dance hall and Jinxiu's close friend.
Yu Jieqi	Songben Cilang	Maeda Ryuichi's underling
Li Ji	Ling Li	Meihua's younger cousin. He falls at first sight for Jinxiu.
Mei Nianjia	Liu Yi	Son of the Chief Police, Police Staff Sergeant.
Wang Min	Police Chief
Xiao Che	Zhou Mu	Zuo Zhen and Meihua's good friend. He helped introduce Jinxiu to Meihua Company.
Cao Wan	Shen Jinrong	A rich businessman
Cui Xinqin	Rong Xinru	Jinxiu's mother, Yin Xinping's younger sister
Li Jianyi	Rong Qingyuan	Jinxiu and Mingzhu's father
Jin Jia	Chang Sheng	Jinxiu's teacher
Xu Xing	Yin Xinping	Mingzhu's mother
Li Yilin	Yun Qiubao	Yingdong's classmate who asks him to retrieve the pocket watch from Jinxiu
Meng Zhen	Du Ping	Anna's lover
Xia Zhiliu	Qin Hao
Liu Shan	Mad Girl
Zhou Yunshen	Assistant He
Liu Xiaoxue	Yin Di	Mingzhu's maid
Zhou Hong	Manager Hu	Hotel Lion Forest's employee
Zhang Zi	Boss Wang	Hao Wang Dance Hall's boss
Li Zigan		Bribed by Maeda Ryuichi to lie to Jinxiu that he is her parents' murderer
Jiang Feng	Pervert	Mingzhu's admirer
Luo Zhenhuan	Ah Bi	Hotel Lion Forest's employee. Collaborated with Manager Hu to frame Jinxiu.
Cao Yanyan	Chen Xiangmei	Manager of Mei Hua company. Ordered by Jin Ling to frame Jinxiu.
Fan Guolun	Uncle Chen
Liu Wei	Sister Yao	Employee of Mei Hua company, Jinxiu's superior.
Xiao Yongjia	Ah Tao	Lao Ma's daughter
Wan Shengli	Lao Ma	Zuo Zhen's underling who becomes addicted to heroin
Meng Lingchao	Shou Zai
Zhang Xiangyu	Fang Ting
Kun Ao	Zhou Qian
Ji Limin	Mother Xu
Zhang Jiayou	Wang Qing
Liang Jingjing	Liu Xiaoxiao	Shanghai's famous celebrity. She disguises herself as Mei Hua company's endorser, helping the freedom fighters to carry out their tasks.
Wang Guojing	Uncle Wang
Bao Aoma	Fei Dinan
An Long	Church Priest
Ya Mi	Bao Luo
Huang Jinsheng	Landlord Ding
Wang Jincheng	Ah Gui
Sheng Kengjie	Ah Min
Yi Fei	Dancer
Ling Haiming	Zuo Zhen's father
Yin Qianru	Zuo Zhen's mother
Li Min	Head of Labor
He Feng	Yue Fen
Xu Jiehao	Secretary Zhong
Sun Qiusheng	Boss Chang
Ke Su	Chen Keke

Soundtrack

Title	Singer
Fate (緣)	Huang Xiaoming
Circumstances Changes with Time (时过境迁)	Shen Yisha
Love is a Faith (爱是信仰)	Edison Lin
Wrong Love (錯愛)	Liu Tao
Madness (瘋)	Jovi Theng
Lightly (輕輕)	Cao Xuanbin
Think Too Beautifully (想得太美)	Zhang Qian
At Least We Loved Before (至少愛過)	Rynn Lim

International broadcast

Channel	Country	Date	Notes
KTSF	United States	April 9, 2015
8TV	Malaysia	May 28, 2015
True Asian HD	Thailand	July 12, 2015
OMNI.2 (ON)	Canada	August 3, 2015
OMNI AB
OMNI BC
ON TV	Taiwan	August 17, 2015
CTS		August 24, 2015
Mediacorp Channel 8	Singapore	September 10, 2015
True4U	Thailand	February 22, 2016
Asian TV	South Korea	April 4, 2016
중화TV		2016
Sony ONE	Singapore Malaysia Indonesia Philippines Thailand	June 23, 2018