Drama on traditional medicine goes global
Following its recent release in Singapore, the popular period drama Wild Ambition Bloom, which centers on traditional Chinese medicine, is set to expand into more international markets, as announced by Sichuan's television authority at a recent seminar in Beijing.
The 38-episode series stars ethnic Kazak actress Rayzha Alimjan as Chu Shaohua, the daughter of a herbal medicine merchant. Set between the turbulent years of 1916 and 1937, the drama follows Chu's journey as she overcomes obstacles to become a legendary business figure.
According to industry tracker CVB, the drama has broken multiple ratings records on China Central Television's CCTV-8. It has also been a massive success online, generating 1.03 billion views and sparking over 1.8 billion views for its related topics on Sina Weibo.
Wang Jin, the drama's chief producer, said that the crew referenced many historical documents and materials to re-create the Shanghai of a century ago, including its department stores and streets. He also revealed that the project took 150 days to shoot, with an additional five months dedicated to editing and postproduction.
Director Yu Ding said he hopes the audience will see the female protagonist not as perfect, but as an ordinary person shaped by her scars. Although she is sometimes self-interested, calculating, and even prone to errors in business battles, she consistently upholds integrity as her bottom line, relying on her own wisdom to navigate and establish herself in a male-dominated commercial world.
Alimjan highlighted one of the protagonist's most powerful scenes: the moment of immense pain she experiences after witnessing the death of her 4-year-old daughter. Yet, beyond this personal tragedy, the character's journey is one of remarkable resilience. She channels her grief into purpose, transforming from a grieving mother into a patriotic merchant. Alimjan added that her character financially supports the revolutionary cause and donates a precious prescription to her country.
