Occasionally there comes along an actor, or in this case an actress, that just clicks with viewers. Zhao Zanilia is just such an actress. She is so tiny, but on my screen, she seems larger than life as she plays character after memorable character. Which is why she deserves her very own Fangirl Stalking post. Come join me as I share all the dramas you should be watching as well as those that you can afford to skip despite Zhao Zanilia’s talented presence.
The Rules of Fangirl Stalking:
We will start with the dramas I think are must watch works by the actor. Followed by the shows that could go either way. This means that they are worth watching in my opinion, but I know there are some people who don’t like the genre. Lastly, we will cover the dramas/movies that you really could skip and not miss much (at least in regards to the actor/actress featured). These are the shows that are for die-hard fans who want to watch everything. So let’s jump into obsessing about one of China’s most talented actresses Zhao Zanilia.
Watch ASAP!
Rookie Agent Rouge – In my opinion, this is probably Zhao Zanilia’s strongest performance. Her portrayal of Lan Yan Zhi, a double spy for the Communist and Japanese was gripping and had me glued to my seat to the very end. Just a heads up….the last few episodes contain a heavy dose of Communist propaganda. But this is easily ignored when the rest of the story is so strong.
Boss and Me – This drama will always have a special spot in my heart since it was my first Zhao Zanilia drama. Boss and Me or Shan Shan Comes to Eat (as it is also called) is one of those hidden gems that creates a romance without adding in all the usual drama angsty tropes. There are no evil second leads or parents who are trying to tear the leads apart. Just a quirky girl and the man who falls in love with her. This drama is a must watch for every rom-com fan.
Depending On My Mood
The Journey of Flower -I loved this drama. The only reason I put it in the maybe section is that the ending is rushed and you can tell that some of the episodes were cut and combined which made the ending weaker than it should have been. Zhao Zanilia was brilliant and likable as usual and I enjoyed the chemistry between her and leading man Huo Wallace.
For the Die Hard Fans
Princess Agents – While Zhao Zanilia shined as the slave girl turned leader…..the rest of the drama was not as engaging. I, personally, did not really connect with the men chosen for the various roles or the directing style. It also had an open ending which is not my favorite type of ending. There are plenty of other dramas to watch before Princess Agents.
The Legend of Chusen – This Wuxia drama dragged for me. Probably my least favorite out of her dramas.
Upcoming:
Our Glamorous Times – It has been a while since Zhao Zanilia has been in a contemporary drama. I am excited to see her being a strong and capable character in a modern setting again.
The Story of Min Lan – This is one of the dramas I am looking the most forward to in 2018. Min Lan goes through life hiding her intelligence from those around her as she suffers from a loveless childhood and into an arranged marriage. Zhao Zanilia is always at her best in dramas where she has to overcome obstacles.
Interested in other Fangirl Stalking posts? Come check them out HERE and find some hidden drama gems from your favorite actors.
Til our next stalking adventure,
Kmuse
Dramas With a Side of Kimchi
I have such a girl crush on her. I personally like her in historical dramas more than contemporaries.
You ought to check out Cuo Dian Yuan Yang. It came out in 2012 but I think it was filmed earlier because she was very young and celebrated a birthday during the filming. The first 30 (!) episodes are all about her proving herself in an arranged marriage. Yes, there are some absolutely stupid noble idiocy moments but – she has a great chemistry with her tall and good looking co-star Qi Ji. The second 30 episodes have to do with her brothers-in-laws all finding love but she is still mighty cute!
Will put it on my to watch list.
Zhao Liying is my biggest c-actress bias!
You should definitely check out Legend of Lu Zhen. It’s a pretty solid drama and her chemistry with Chen Xiao was amazing!!
First drama of hers I saw was actually New Huan Zhu Gege and I totally fell in love with her there. She’s not the main lead but has a nice supporting role as Qing-er, and she absolutely nailed that character! I don’t suggest watching the whole series cause it’s suuuuuper long and the remake is not as good as the original HuanZhuGege that has Vicky Zhao, but you can always just watch the parts with Zhao Liying only. I did that after watching a third of the series and realized I didn’t care much about the main characters. Hahah!