| Alt Name: | City of Fantasy Huàn Chéng |
| Genre: | Fantasy Action-adventure Romance |
| Based On: | City of Fantasy by Guo Jingming |
| Director: | Ju Jueliang Zou Jicheng |
| Starring: | Feng Shaofeng Victoria Song Ma Tianyu Zhang Meng Madina Memet |
| Theme Music Composer: | V.K (V.K克) |
| Opentheme: | "Shouldn't" by Jay Chou and A-mei[1] |
| Endtheme: | "Bottom of Heart" by Cindy Yen |
| Composer: | V.K. |
| Country: | China Hong Kong |
| Language: | Mandarin |
| Num Seasons: | 2 |
| Num Episodes: | 62 (1st season) 16 (2nd season) |
| Executive Producer: | Feng Shaofeng Ge Ning |
| Producer: | Luo Gang Chen Shuying |
| Location: | Inner Mongolia Beijing Hebei |
| Camera: | Multiple-camera setup |
| Runtime: | 45 mins |
| Company: | Shanghai Youhug Media Co. Ltd. |
| Channel: | Hunan Broadcasting System (Hunan TV) |
Ice Fantasy is a Chinese epic fantasy television drama based on Guo Jingming's bestselling novel, City of Fantasy. The drama was produced by Shanghai Youhug Media, directed by Ju Jue Liang, and stars Feng Shaofeng, Victoria Song, Ma Tianyu, Zhang Meng and Madina Memet. It was broadcast on Hunan Satellite Television Diamond independent broadcast theater starting 24 July to 10 November 2016 for 62 episodes.[2]
A 16-episode modern sequel, titled Ice Fantasy Destiny (幻城凡世) starring Feng Shaofeng, Zhang Yuqi, and Zhang Meng, started airing on Tencent Video on 8 March 2017.[3]
The release of the last episodes were delayed because of censorship reviews.[4]
When the second prince of the fire tribe, Xin Jue (Jiang Chao), was mysteriously killed during his visit to the Ice Tribe for Ka Suo's coming-of-age ceremony, the Fire King Huo Yi (Hu Bing) uses this as an excuse to start a second war between the Fire Tribe and Ice Tribe. With their parents captured and older siblings killed, the two remaining Ice Princes Ka Suo (Feng Shaofeng) and Ying Kong Shi (Ma Tianyu) escape to the mortal world and seek help from realm guardian Li Luo (Victoria Song) to help obtain ice crystals from six tribes in order to restore the Ice Wall, so that the Ice Tribe can be saved.
After the Fire Tribe was defeated with the Deicide Sword, Ka Suo reluctantly battles his brother for the throne, but he wants nothing more than the freedom to be with his lover Li Luo. Ying Kong Shi does everything in his power to take the throne away from Ka Suo, to ensure that Ka Suo has his freedom, while Yan Da (Zhang Meng), the Fire Princess, is willing to give up everything for Shi. Then, Ka Suo's loved ones all die off one by one under the conspiracies of Yuan Ji (Yan Yikuan) and Lian Ji (Kim Hee-sun), and he is determined to find the legendary "veiled lotus". A war between the Ice and Fire Tribe commences again, with Li Tian Jin joining the Fire Tribe to get his revenge on Ka Suo.
| Actor | Character | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Feng Shaofeng[5] | Ka Suo (卡索) | As the kindest and most powerful of the ice princes, Ka Suo was his father's presumed successor. However after falling in love with his first love Li Luo, he longs for freedom, but is bound by his responsibility to his kingdom. He is forced to assume the throne to oversee reconstruction efforts for the Ice Tribe after the war. Later his brother, crowned as King, ordered Ka Suo to marry Li Luo. But the marriage was short lived when she was stabbed by Lan Shang on her wedding night. Ka Suo then goes on a journey with his friends to look for the veiled lotus to try to bring his loved ones back to life. Feng also plays Ka Suo's ancestor She Mi (舍弥), the first Ice King and founder of the Ice Tribe. |
| Victoria Song[6] Ji Zihan (young) | Li Luo (梨落) Li Jing (离镜) | Li Luo is born with lowly civilian status, but with her brave and resolute attitude, she quickly becomes a powerful warrior and envoy for the mortal guards. She meets Ka Suo and the two fall in love. On her wedding, she was accidentally stabbed with the Deicide sword by Lan Shang while saving Ying Kong Shi. She was sealed in ice and placed at the bottom of the Infinity Ocean. She is later brought back to life by the veiled lotus, bearing Lan Shang's appearance. Li Jing is Lan Shang's incarnation and looks just like Li Luo, so she has Lan Shang's soul and Li Luo's looks. She was granted immortality and crowned the Queen of Ice Tribe by Ka Suo. It is later revealed that Li Luo and Lan Shang's souls have switched bodies. |
| Ma Tianyu[7] Bian Cheng (young)[8] | Ying Kong Shi (樱空释)Sword Spirit Shi (剑灵释) Li Tian Jin (罹天燼) | Ying Kong Shi is the younger half-brother of Ka Suo, who wants to replace him as king of the Ice Tribe to set his brother free. He is silent, cold and mysterious in nature. Sword Spirit Shi is the last piece of soul left of Shi, when he was killed with the Deicide sword. He entered the Holy Snow Shrine with Ka Suo and also befriended Yan Da. Li Tian Jin is the reincarnation of Ying Kong Shi and is also the Fire Tribe's new ally who wants to get revenge on Ka Suo. |
| Zhang Meng[9] Zhao Meiting (young) | Yan Da (艳炟) | Yan Da is the only current princess of the Fire Tribe. She is known for her unruly ways, stubbornness, and strong nature, even though her training as a warrior is unremarkable among immortals. She is much more kindhearted than she or her father would like to admit, and she develops a very strong bond with Ying Kong Shi. |
| Madina Memet[10] | Lan Shang (岚裳) | Lan Shang is the noble mermaid princess who is known for her beauty and loved by many. However, she only has eyes for Ka Suo. After a series of tragic events, she committed suicide by jumping into the ocean, as a mermaid who lost her virginity to a foreign tribe cannot have a tail ever again and cannot breathe underwater. She incarnates by the veiled lotus and bears Li Luo's looks and her memories as Li Luo remains. It is later revealed that Li Luo and Lan Shang's souls have switched bodies. |
Lin Chao's mother and the Ice Tribe's most powerful illusionist.
Leader of the Seven Saints charged with safeguarding the Ice Tribe.
Warrior of the Ice Tribe. Ka Suo's childhood friend.
Feng Tian's husband, Lin Chao's father, and Ka Suo's grandfather.
The Demon Guest. Fallen immortal of the Ice Tribe.
An invincible and supreme being of Ice Flame Tribe (冰焰族). He created the chaos that ensue in the immortal world, including the assassination of Prince Xin Jue and the conflict between Ka Suo and Ying Kong Shi. He is also Ying Kong Shi's biological father and the last descendant of the Ice Flame Tribe.
Western protector of the Holy Shrine, later Eastern protector.
Eastern protector of the Holy Shrine.
Northern protector of the Holy Shrine.
Assassin of the Holy Shrine.
The Fire King. A power-hungry and cruel man who aims to become the ruler of the three realms.
Queen of the Mermaid Tribe. Lan Shang's adoptive grandmother and Lian Ji's adoptive mother. She is an opportunistic woman who is willing to sacrifice her children's happiness to achieve peace for her tribe.
Ying Kong Shi's mother and Lan Shang's adoptive aunt. She was an adoptive child of the royal mermaid family and was in love with the Fire King, but was forced by the Mermaid Saint to marry the Ice King. Acting as a spy for the Fire Tribe, the Ice Tribe collapsed under her betrayal.
Current Queen of the Spiritual Tribe. A kind and noble woman who is willing to make sacrifices to protect her tribe. She is engaged to Liao Jian, but was formerly in love with Pian Feng.
The most powerful musician in the Spiritual Tribe. She serves Yuan Ji as the Holy Shrine's Southern protector.
A musician. Die Che's lover who is actually the Fire Tribe's descendant.
Former Queen of the Tribe, Chao ya's mother. She left the tribe many years ago in search for the Sighing Wall.
A chivalrous and capable guard who serves Chao Ya and was once in love with her.
King of the Tribe, and a fierce warrior. He is engaged to Chao Ya.
A tyrannical warrior that kidnapped Liao Jian and took over the Bear Tribe for awhile.
Leader of the guardians who preserve peace in the three kingdoms. He took Li Luo under his care when she was a child.
Li Luo's admirer and best friend.
Du Yin's lover.
The Head Dreamer. One of the Seven Saints charged with safeguarding the Ice Tribe. A loyal and kind man who faithfully executes his duty to safeguard dreamers everywhere. He cares deeply for his sister.
Princess of the Dream Tribe and Xing Jiu's sister. She was meant to die on her 100th birthday, but survived and later becomes a Western protector of the Holy Shrine.
Chief administrator of the Dream Clan.
Father of Xing Jiu and Xing Gui.
Current King of the Healers and the best healer in the three kingdoms. He is in love with Yue Shen.
A powerful healer who can exorcise spirits and poison mortals.
Yue Shen's sister. She was engaged to Huang Tuo.
Former King of the Healers. Huang Tuo's father.
Guo Jingming's novel City of Fantasy sold over 1.5 million copies and ranked second in the bestseller's list.[38] Since City of Fantasy
During Ice Fantasy
Academy Award-winning set designer Dan Hennah, who designed the sets for Lord of the Rings, was enlisted to design the sets for the production, which were inspired by the buildings, landscapes and other aspects of ancient China as well as western cultures.[39] [42] One particular set, called the "Endless Sea", was reported have an area size of 7,000 square meters, built using 500 tons of artificial snow.[43] It had also been reported that about 300 million yuan was invested for the drama's production, with 2 million yuan to create the main palace alone. Furthermore, more than 100 craftsmen were enlisted to make 6,000 props, with many used in large-scale battle scenes.[44] Around 70 to 80 percent of post-production was centered around the special effects and CGI.[45] Youhug stated: "This should be an unprecedented investment in a domestic drama, we also hope to achieve good visual effect as much as possible."
Guo Jingming acts as the artistic and visual director for the production. Other notable players in production include Dong Cheng Guang as art director, A Ju for make-up guidance, Zhong Jiani as costume and prop designer, and Ma Yucheng as choreographer.[46] The international visual effects company Pixomondo was also enlisted.[47] Additionally, Boston Symphony Orchestra were also engaged to play the instrumental of the drama's background music.[48] Shi Xiao Xi, the designer of the production's posters, is also a fan of the novel.[49]
It was announced that Feng Shaofeng, Victoria Song, Ma Tianyu, and Zhang Meng would play the main characters, Ka Suo, Li Luo, Ying Kong Shi, and Yan Da. Supporting characters were later revealed through character posters that were posted on the drama's official Weibo account.
This is Feng Shaofeng and Victoria Song's second collaboration, after the Chinese remake of My Best Friend's Wedding.[50]
On August 12, 2015, Hennah and director Ju Jueliang, who is known for his martial arts films, brainstormed possible designs as well as visited a number of possible locations for filming.[51] The drama was scheduled to shoot for six months, starting from August 16, 2015. Principal photography filming was held in Beijing, China, with location filming held in Chifeng, Inner Mongolia; Beijing and Hebei's Jinzuan Movie City.[52] [53] Filming finished in late February 2016 after lasting 187 days, and thereafter the drama entered into post-production phase.[54]
The production of Ice Fantasy was wholly sponsored by Pechoin.[55] [56] [57] In addition, Pechoin's spokesperson Jay Chou, a globally acclaimed singer and songwriter, composed theme the song "Shouldn't Be (不该)" for the TV series.
| CMS50 Ratings | ||||||
| Episodes | Title | Broadcast date | Ratings (%) | Audience share (%) | Ranking | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | The Disaster of Ice Kingdom (雪国之劫) | July 24, 2016 | 0.994 | 5.13 | 2 | |
| 3-4 | July 25, 2016 | 0.977 | 5.49 | 2 | ||
| 5-6 | July 26, 2016 | 0.920 | 4.88 | 1 | ||
| 7-8 | A Dream of Forever (无尽之梦) | August 1, 2016 | 1.239 | 6.71 | 1 | |
| 9-10 | August 2, 2016 | 1.057 | 5.778 | 1 | ||
| 11-12 | The Last Puzzle (最后拼图) | August 9, 2016 | 1.118 | 5.491 | 1 | |
| 13-14 | August 10, 2016 | 0.947 | 4.527 | 1 | ||
| 15-16 | A Game of Illusion (幻象之局) | August 15, 2016 | 0.884 | 4.491 | 2 | |
| 17-18 | August 16, 2016 | 0.983 | 4.608 | 1 | ||
| 19-20 | The Throne of Ice (冰之宝座) | August 22, 2016 | 0.781 | 4.253 | 2 | |
| 21-22 | August 23, 2016 | 0.945 | 4.989 | 2 | ||
| 23-24 | A Predestined Battle (宿命之战) | August 29, 2016 | 0.711 | 4.060 | 2 | |
| 25-26 | August 30, 2016 | 0.809 | 4.674 | 1 | ||
| 27-28 | The Princess Sings (公主吟唱) | September 5, 2016 | 0.649 | 4.071 | 2 | |
| 29-30 | September 6, 2016 | 0.691 | 4.101 | 1 | ||
| 31-32 | A Life Exchange (生命交易) | September 12, 2016 | 0.707 | 4.242 | 1 | |
| 33-34 | September 13, 2016 | 0.670 | 3.929 | 1 | ||
| 35-36 | Wedding Revenge (婚礼复仇) | September 21, 2016 | 0.641 | 3.997 | 1 | |
| 37-38 | September 22, 2016 | 0.710 | 4.399 | 1 | ||
| 39-40 | The Actual Identity (身份真相) | September 28, 2016 | 0.660 | 4.107 | 2 | |
| 41-42 | September 29, 2016 | 0.580 | 3.572 | 1 | ||
| 43-44 | The Heart of Lost City (心之迷城) | October 5, 2016 | 0.580 | 3.572 | 1 | |
| 45-46 | October 6, 2016 | 0.688 | 3.743 | 1 | ||
| 47-48 | The Lotus' Prophecy (隐莲预言) | October 12, 2016 | 0.522 | 3.374 | 2 | |
| 49-50 | October 13, 2016 | 0.600 | 3.825 | 1 | ||
| 51-52 | The Return of an Old Friend (故人归来) | October 26, 2016 | 0.406 | 2.590 | 2 | |
| 53-54 | October 27, 2016 | 0.463 | 3.014 | 2 | ||
| 55-56 | Memory Reboot (重启记忆) | November 2, 2016 | 0.346 | 2.743 | 2 | |
| 57-58 | November 3, 2016 | 0.357 | 2.459 | 2 | ||
| 59-60 | Ending | November 9, 2016 | 0.513 | 3.242 | 1 | |
| 61-62 | November 10, 2016 | 0.477 | 3.199 | 1 | ||
| Average | 0.740 | 4.180 | 1 | |||
| Nationwide Ratings | |||||
| Episodes | Broadcast date | Ratings (%) | Audience share (%) | Rankings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | July 24, 2016 | 1.00 | 6.53 | 2 | |
| 3-4 | July 25, 2016 | 1.00 | 6.83 | 1 | |
| 5-6 | July 26, 2016 | 0.94 | 6.38 | 1 | |
| 7-8 | August 1, 2016 | 1.16 | 7.92 | 1 | |
| 9-10 | August 2, 2016 | 0.96 | 6.62 | 1 | |
| 11-12 | August 9, 2016 | 1.09 | 6.84 | 1 | |
| 13-14 | August 10, 2016 | 0.95 | 6.09 | 1 | |
| 15-16 | August 15, 2016 | 0.97 | 6.27 | 1 | |
| 17-18 | August 16, 2016 | 1.25 | 7.79 | 1 | |
| 19-20 | August 22, 2016 | 0.90 | 6.39 | 1 | |
| 21-22 | August 23, 2016 | 1.06 | 7.02 | 1 | |
| 23-24 | August 29, 2016 | 0.76 | 5.45 | 1 | |
| 25-26 | August 30, 2016 | 0.77 | 5.77 | 1 | |
| 27-28 | September 5, 2016 | 0.44 | 3.57 | 2 | |
| 29-30 | September 6, 2016 | 0.50 | 4.11 | 1 | |
| 31-32 | September 12, 2016 | 0.49 | 3.92 | 2 | |
| 33-34 | September 13, 2016 | 0.50 | 3.8 | 2 | |
| 35-36 | September 21, 2016 | 0.42 | 3.62 | 2 | |
| 37-38 | September 22, 2016 | 0.50 | 4.25 | 2 | |
| 39-40 | September 28, 2016 | 0.50 | 4.23 | 1 | |
| 41-42 | September 29, 2016 | 0.50 | 4.23 | 2 | |
| 43-44 | October 5, 2016 | 0.76 | 5.50 | 1 | |
| 45-46 | October 6, 2016 | 0.76 | 5.50 | 1 | |
| 47-48 | October 12, 2016 | 0.44 | 4.02 | 2 | |
| 49-50 | October 13, 2016 | 0.46 | 3.97 | 1 | |
| 51-52 | October 26, 2016 | 0.30 | 2.72 | 2 | |
| 53-54 | October 27, 2016 | 0.29 | 2.57 | 2 | |
| 55-56 | November 2, 2016 | 0.21 | 2.4 | 2 | |
| 57-58 | November 3, 2016 | 0.30 | 3.04 | 2 | |
| 59-60 | November 9, 2016 | - | - | - | |
| 61-62 | November 10, 2016 | 0.28 | 2.18 | 1 | |
| Average | 0.69 | 5.28 | 1 | ||
The series received low ratings on Douban where it was criticized for its special effects, acting and storyline.[58] However, it was a commercial success and has over 16 billion views online.[59]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Sina's Weibo Awards Night | Most Discussed TV Drama | N/A | [60] | |
| 8th China TV Drama Awards | Most Popular Actress Award | Victoria Song | [61] | ||
| Domestic TV Series | |||||
| Iqiyi TV and Movie Awards | Popular Actor of the Year | ||||
| The Actors of China | Outstanding Actor | Ma Tianyu | [62] | ||
| Best Performance | |||||
| Feng Shaofeng |
The drama was released on July 24, 2016 on Hunan Satellite Television Diamond independent broadcast theater,[63] with 62 episodes.[64] Its distribution rights were also bought by Viki globally and jointly by the 7 Chinese video-sharing websites: Tencent, iQiyi, Youku, LeTV, Mango TV, Sohu and PPTV.[65]
Produced by Youhug Media and Tencent Penguin Pictures, the modern sequel series of Ice Fantasy premiered on March 8 on Tencent Video. The series was directed by Zhou Linjao, and written by Shen Zhining and ran for 16 episodes. Primary cast members Feng Shaofeng, Ma Tianyu, Zhang Meng and Madina Memet starred as new versions of their characters, while Zhang Yuqi replaced Victoria Song, who made occasional appearances via stock footage and two surprise cameos. Supporting cast members Xu Ke (Xing Jiu) and Cheng Peipei (Feng Tian) reprised their supporting roles, while Chen Xinyu, Huang Deyi, and Lu Zizhen returned in new roles.[66]
In the year 2020, the CEO of a technology company, Feng Suo, suddenly reclaims the powers of his distant previous incarnation, Ka Suo. At the same time, he meets Luo Luo, the reincarnation of Kingdom Guardian Li Luo. The two reignite the love that defined their past lifetimes and undergo a series of adventures. Tracking them is Ying Kong Shi - the original - and a reincarnation of Yan Da, determined to stop him before his plans for Feng Suo come to fruition. As the four work towards outrunning their respective destinies, old friends and new enemies emerge to write a new chapter of the Ice and Fire tribes' story.