Chinese dramas and films

On July 5, 2026, the 32-episode drama «Love for You» (野狗骨头) premiered on MangoTV and Hunan TV. The project is the third instalment in this year's "Mango trilogy", following «Dazzling» (耀眼) and «Never-Ending Summer» (炽夏, 西风向晚).

The series is directed by Liu Jun Jie, known for his hit works «Symphony's Romance» and «Lighter and Princess».

The lead roles are played by Song Wei Long («Shine on Me», «The Seven Relics of Omen») and Zhang Jing Yi (known for «Legend of Zang Hai» and «Lighter and Princess»). Filming began in May and wrapped in September 2025.

The story is based on the novel of the same name by Xu Tucheng, published in November 2024. Set in a fictional southern Chinese town in the 1990s, the drama centres on the trauma and struggles of ordinary people. The protagonists lead difficult lives marked by sadness and often despair, a stark contrast to the saccharine series about powerful CEOs or dashing generals that currently flood the screen.

Chen Yi (Song Wei Long) and Miao Jing (Zhang Jing Yi) meet after their parents marry. At first, Chen Yi is hostile towards the girl, but her kindness gradually changes him. Their happiness proves short-lived: Chen Yi's father dies in a fire, and Miao Jing's mother vanishes without a trace. The two children are forced to rely on one another. During their college years, Miao Jing musters the courage to confess her feelings, but Chen Yi – who has become a key witness in the arson case – forces her to leave the town to protect her and cooperates with the police.

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Years later, Chen Yi runs a pool hall, while Miao Jing returns to their hometown as an auditor – their paths cross once again. In the series, the romance is tightly interwoven with a detective investigation into the old arson and smuggling case. The creators made several changes in the adaptation: they removed the rivalry between female characters, added a detective subplot, and replaced the novel's open ending with a happy one. The drama blends romance, drama and noir elements, with its central theme being the coming-of-age story of two "lost" children in a dysfunctional environment and their mutual redemption.

Filming took place on sets recreating the atmosphere of a southern town in the 1990s. To fully immerse himself in the "wild" character, Song Wei Long gained ten kilograms, got a tan, and deliberately kept dirt under his fingernails. Zhang Jing Yi, in contrast, lost 14 kilograms and cut her long hair.

The premiere delivered impressive numbers. According to the Kuyun rating system, the peak viewership reached 0.66% – the best result for Hunan TV in the past five months. In its timeslot, the series ranked first among all provincial satellite channels and second among all TV channels in China, including national broadcasters. On MangoTV, pre-registration exceeded 4.5 million, and on premiere day the first episode drew 7,139,000 viewers, setting an absolute record for a contemporary romantic drama on the platform. At launch, five advertising spots from six brands were placed, and over the first four episodes, total ad volume reached 20 spots with a combined duration of 165 seconds.

Audience and critical response has been mixed. Among the highlights praised are Song Wei Long's acting breakthrough: his departure from a "prince charming" image – with short hair, stubble and a tan – perfectly grounded his character as someone from the lower strata. Scenes of conflict with his father were singled out as powerful dramatic moments. His character Chen Yi appears ferocious and arrogant, using fights to defend himself, but is in fact kind-hearted and even gentle, earning a living for his sister through underground boxing matches.

Zhang Jing Yi earned praise for her organic portrayal of the stubborn heroine Miao Jing, capturing both the cool-headed rationality in difficult situations and the subconscious attachment to Chen Yi. The stubborn and sensitive Miao Jing, who from a young age lived under someone else's roof with her remarried mother, learned to read people's expressions and endure hardships to survive. Viewers also appreciated the chemistry between the actors, their visual compatibility and the tension in their relationship.

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