The Song of Glory
| The Song of Glory | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Promotional poster | |||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 錦繡南歌 | ||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 锦绣南歌 | ||||||
| Literal meaning | Splendid Southern Song | ||||||
| |||||||
| Genre | Historical drama Romance Wuxia | ||||||
| Screenplay by | Mengzhang Wu | ||||||
| Directed by | Huang Bin Li Huizhu | ||||||
| Starring | |||||||
| Country of origin | China | ||||||
| Original language | Mandarin | ||||||
| No. of episodes | 53 48 (on TVB) | ||||||
| Production | |||||||
| Executive producers | Fang Fang Huang Xingchen Xue Ni | ||||||
| Producers | Wang Ying Zhang Zhiwei Jiang Weiqin Wang Weiyi | ||||||
| Cinematography | Dong Yong | ||||||
| Camera setup | Multi-camera | ||||||
| Running time | 45 minutes | ||||||
| Production companies |
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| Original release | |||||||
| Network | Tencent Video Viki (international) | ||||||
| Release | July 1 – August 28, 2020 | ||||||
| Related | |||||||
| The Princess Weiyoung | |||||||
The Song of Glory (Chinese: 锦绣南歌; pinyin: Jǐnxiù nán gē) is a 2020 Chinese television series. It is directed by Huang Bin and Li Huizhu, and stars Li Qin, Qin Hao, and Gu Jiacheng. It originally aired from 1 July to 28 August 2020 on streaming platform Tencent Video, and is based on the same source material as The Princess Weiyoung.[1] It tells the story of the chivalrous woman Li Ge and the governor Liu Yikang who after many tribulations, get married, join forces to defend their country, and jointly create a prosperous and peaceful nation.[2] On 22 November 2021, The Song of Glory won the International Emmy Award for Best Telenovela,[3] becoming the first Chinese production to do so.
Synopsis[edit]
During the Liu Song dynasty, powerful aristocrats have taken control of the government, throwing the country into chaos. To change this, Prince Peng Cheng, the son and regent of the late Emperor Wu of Song, Liu Yikang (Qin Hao) introduces new policies for political reform. To break the alliance between the aristocrats, Liu Yikang enters into a marriage alliance with the Shen family, who has roots in the military. Note that in actual Chinese history Emperor Wen, son of Emperor Wu, had the personal name of Liu Yilong and Prince Peng Cheng or Liu Yikang was his younger brother whom historically was a prime minister instead of the sovereign of a state. In this story, Prince Peng Cheng is named Liu Yikang and his fiancé turns out to be Shen Lige (Li Qin), whom he had previously met at a dance house. He is the younger brother to the current reigning Emperor Wen. Shen Lige actually took on the identity of her martial arts sister A Nu. A Nu was kidnapped as an infant from the Shen family. However, because Lige was wearing A Nu's bracelet, Mother Shen and the rest of the family come to believe she is their long lost daughter Jia. General Shen, Shen Lige's father, allowed her to officially enter the family as Shen Lige rather than Shen Jia. Her younger cousin, Shen Leqing becomes jealous because she loses her place as the eldest daughter. Shen Leqing creates many issues for Shen Lige, before, during, and after marriage to Liu Yikang. After marriage, Li Ge assists Liu Yikang in dealing with their political opponents and implementing new policies.When her family is later framed for treason she tries defending them later findsout from her master that she is actually there daughter However, in response, the aristocrats form an alliance to suppress Li Ge and the Shen family, who is later massacred. Pained by her loss, Li Ge vows to take revenge for her family.[4]
Note that in actual Chinese history, during the Liu Song dynasty, Liu Yilong became Emperor Wen, and was married to Consort Shen, who later became Empress Dowager Xuan. The Song of Glory appears to partially emulate the life of Emperor Wen, also known as Liu Yilong, but instead uses the name of Liu Yikang.
Cast[edit]
Main[edit]
- Li Qin as Shen Lige
- Qin Hao as Liu Yikang
- Gu Jiacheng as Liu Yixuan
Supporting[edit]
- Qi Ji as Lu Yuan
- Zhang Yameng as Consort Fei
- Guan Xueying as Shen Leqing, Shen Lige's adopted sister
- Eddie Cheung as Shen Tingzhang, Shen Lige's father[5]
- Deng Ying as Mrs. Shen, Shen Lige's mother
- Li He as Shen Zhi, Shen Lige's older brother
- Ren Yunjie as Shen Feng, Shen Lige's younger brother
- Long Zhengxuan as Wang Zijin, Shen Zhi's lover
- Cai Yida as Chen Shaoxun
- Tan Jianchang as Xu Lin
- Lu Zhanxiang as Kong Cheng
- Wang Cha as Wang Mian
- Li Guangfu as Cui Taifu
- Li Jianyi as Mrs. Xie
- Li Taiyan as Xie Hao
- Du Yuchen as Xie Yunzhi
- Chen Lianping as Lu Yandi
- Tian Xiwei as Lu Wan
- Gao Guangze as Xue Dai
- Cheng Shuonan as San Bao
- Yang Zhen as Xu Zhan
- Liu Hanyang as Ji Shu
- Hu Bo as Huo Yun
- Liu Shu as Fang Qing
- Guan Yue as Xiao Xin
- Li Zhao as A Nu
- Wang Xiao as A Ling
- Li Jiayao as Ling Xi
- Tu Liman as Chun Fang
- Furou Meiqi as Hong Dan
- Zhang Xinyue as Yu Yan
- Qian Qianyi as Yu Chan
- Wen Zhu as Mei Qi
- Wei Yibo as Ting Wei
- Du Ziming as Wan Jingsheng
- Chen Qianduo as Yue Mei
Production[edit]
Development[edit]
The series is produced by the same producers and headed by the same crew behind The Princess Weiyoung.[1] It's based on the second part of the novel The Poisonous Daughter (Chinese: 庶女有毒) by Qin Jian, the same source material of The Princess Weiyoung.
Filming[edit]
On March 15, 2019, the production crew started principal photography.[6][7] Wen Weiji and Wang Deming acted as martial arts directors. Shen Zhi, Shen Tingzhang and Shen Mu, together with Song Zhiyan and Yuan Bin, senior group special administrators of Hengdian Actors Guild, organized more than 200 Hengdian actors/extras to film.[6] The series finished filming in Hengdian Studios on July 27, 2019, and entered post-production.[8]
Original soundtrack[edit]
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Singer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Shadow (影)" (Opening theme) | Chen Xi | Dong Dongdong | Zhou Shen | 4:06 |
| 2. | "Hidden Heart (藏心)" (Ending theme) | Chen Xi | Chen Xi | Bibi Zhou | 4:02 |
| 3. | "Unforgettable (莫失莫忘)" | Chen Xi | Dong Dongdong | Zheng Yunlong | |
| 4. | "Recount (叙)" | Xiao Ximei | Chen Xi, Dong Dongdong | Duan Aojuan | |
| 5. | "Continuous obsession (念念相续)" | Chen Xi | Dong Dongdong | Zhang Liange |
Hong Kong
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Singer | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Said to let go (說過放下)" (Opening and ending theme) | Zhang Meixian | Zhang Jiacheng | Hana Kuk |
Reception[edit]
Critical response[edit]
Upon its release, The Song of Glory has received mixed reviews. On an article published by Sohu, the plot was described as "weak" and "cliché", although the performances of the lead actors were described as "unflawed".[9] Some scenes were described as "nonsensical".[9] The female lead was described as lacking character development, making her hard to empathize with.[9] The article concludes by saying that "the series failed to show the process of how the outcomes are achieved", adding that "there is no logical reasoning behind emotions to support viewers’ understanding" of the characters.[9]
A review published by Soompi, on the other hand, was more favourable. It described the plot as "captivating", and "with a dreamy love story", while also praising the series' "gorgeous production values".[10] The review also complimented the series for its costumes, which are "memorable without crossing into ostentatious", and its sets, which have a "very distinctive decor and atmosphere".[10] The fighting scenes and several points of the plot, such as female friendship, and family dynamics were also singled out for praise.[10]
Ratings[edit]
The combined weekly ratings of The Song of Glory on TVB channels Jade and myTV SUPER is the following:
| Week | Episodes | Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average ratings (%) | Highest ratings (%) | |||
| 1 | 1-7 | September 14-September 19, 2020 | 20.3 | 22.7 |
| 2 | 8-12 | September 21-September 25, 2020 | 19.9 | 21.0 |
| 3 | 13-19 | September 28-October 3, 2020 | 18.2 | 20.3 |
| 4 | 20-26 | October 5-October 10, 2020 | 19.8 | 21.0 |
| 5 | 27-31 | October 12-October 16, 2020 | 21.3 | 22.7 |
| 6 | 32-38 | October 19-October 24, 2020 | 19.7 | 22.2 |
| 7 | 39-43 | October 26-October 30, 2020 | 20.4 | 21.9 |
| 8 | 44-48 | November 2-November 6, 2020 | 21.3 | 21.5 |
| Full series | 19.8 | 22.7 | ||
- Highest ratings are marked in red, lowest ratings are marked in blue.
Awards and nominations[edit]
| Award | Category | Recipient | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49th International Emmy Awards | Best Telenovela | Huace Film & TV, Croton Cultural Media Company, Croton Entertainment, Shanghai Tencent Penguin Film, Culture Communication Company, Jolly Orange Studio |
Won | [3][2] |
| 2020 Hengdian Film Festival | Best TV Series | Nominated | [11] | |
| 2020 Tencent Video TV & Movie Awards | Jury Award - TV Series of the Year | Won | ||
| 2020 China Television Drama Production Industry Association Awards |
Outstanding Young Director | Huang Bin | Nominated |
International broadcast[edit]
| Country | Channel | Date | Time slot |
|---|---|---|---|
 Hong Kong |
Jade | September 14-November 6, 2020 | Monday to Friday 20:30-21:30 Saturdays 20:30-22:30 (two episodes per day) |
 Malaysia |
Astro TV | July 9-August 30, 2020 | 19:00-20:00 every night |
 South Korea |
Chunghwa TV | October 12-December 23, 2020 | Monday to Friday 22:00-23:00 |
 Taiwan |
CTi Entertainment | July 26-October 6, 2021 | Monday to Friday 21:00-22:00 |
References[edit]
- ^ a b "罗晋唐嫣定情之作《锦绣未央》出续篇：片名定为《锦绣南歌》、秦昊李沁主演、幕后原班人马打造". Chongqing Morning Post. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
- ^ a b 2021 INTERNATIONAL EMMY® WINNERS ANNOUNCED AT GALA IN NEW YORK. iemmys.tv. 22 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
- ^ a b 2021 International Emmy® Telenovela Winner The Song of Glory. internationalemmys. 23 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
- ^ "电视剧拍摄制作备案公示表 - 锦绣南歌". SARFT. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- ^ "张兆辉《黄金有罪》发布会 强势加盟《南歌》与李沁演父女_大秦网_腾讯网". xian.qq.com. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
- ^ a b "横店唱响"南歌"-东阳新闻网". dynews.zjol.com.cn. Archived from the original on 2020-06-30. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
- ^ She, Chase. "Historical drama Song of Glory begins filming with Li Qion as the heroine". Drama Panda. 19 March 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
- ^ "《南歌》横店杀青 芦展翔"空城"一角备受关注_娱乐频道_中华网". ent.china.com. Retrieved 2020-06-29.
- ^ a b c d "“The Song of Glory” Hugely Disappoints Viewers". Jayne Stars. 6 July 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
- ^ a b c "6 Reasons To Watch C-Drama “The Song Of Glory”". Soompi. 20 September 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
- ^ Jin xiu nan ge - Awards. IMDb. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
