War of Faith, A Lonely Hero's Journey, Deep Lurk. Which One Are You Most Interested to Watch?

 

Republican spy dramas are not really popular with overseas fans. Apart from telling a story that international fans cannot relate to, others often viewed it as nothing but pieces of propaganda from China's communist party.

However, lately, this theme is slowly picking momentum because screenwriters are trying to create a screenplay that suits the taste of overseas fans, such as setting up a play in the crime-thriller scene or suspense scene, and not only focusing on the activities of the CPC.

There are three series on this theme about to be broadcast which attracted discussions lately because the main male leads are both popular - Wang Yibo for War of Faith, Cheng Yi for Deep Lurk, and Joseph Zeng for A Lonely Hero's Journey. 

Deep Lurk wrapped up filming in May 2020 (at the height of the pandemic) but it remained on the shelf for nearly four years, even after obtaining a license for release in December 2020. No words were given as to why it was not released. 

A Lonely Hero's Journey was filmed before Mysterious Lotus Casebook (where Joseph Zeng and Chen Duling co-starred with Cheng Yi) and Golden Journey was totally out of the radar during its filming, despite Wang Yibo and Li Qin's celebrity status. There were no still photos or videos of filming were leaked!

So let's find out which of these dramas has the most interesting plot.

Golden Journey (iQIYI)

Updated title as of March 8, War of Faith, as posted by iQiyi. This drama was originally titled "Long Wind and Waves" and then changed to "Bright Road", then Golden Journey, and now War of Faith (for international release).

Wang Yibo in Golden Journey

Based on the plot summary, this is not really an espionage/spy drama, it only tells the story of Ruo Lai's rise in the financial sector during the Republic of China's time by fighting corruption.

New title of this drama is War of Faith as per iQiyi 

Set in 1928, it tells the story of Wei Ruo Lai (Wang Yibo) and his determination to courageously pursue his strong aspirations in serving his country. 

He regarded Shen Tu Nan (Wang Yang), a senior adviser, as his mentor when he was a low-level employee at a financial institution. 

Wang Yang in Golden Journey

Through the excellence of his memory and data analysis ability, Wei Ruo Lai has been favored by Shen Tu Nan. However, his line of work made him witness the blatant corruption and darkness in the financial field unleashed by the Kuomintang (a former political party in the Republic of China that was defeated by the Communist Party) with his own eyes.

Li Qin and Wang Yibo

Under the influence of Shen Tu Nan's younger sister, Shen Jin Zhen (Li Qin) who is a member of the Communist Party, Wei Ruo Lai gradually established his communist beliefs and eventually parted ways with Shen Tu Nan. 

This led him to face several encounters with the Kuomintang, including that of Shen Tu Nan whom he launched a fierce duel. Along with his undying commitment, Wei Ruo Lai grew to be an outstanding and loyal fighter on the economic front of the Communist Party.

Deep Lurk (Jiangsu TV)

Deep Lurk is an espionage/spy war drama set during the Republican era in China where anti-Japanese sentiment grew stronger. The country was not yet under communism during this period and most of their patriots were working underground. 

Cheng Yi in Deep Lurk

It tells the story of Chinese special agents and the underground movement of China's communist party silently working to defeat the enemies before the first Battle of Changsha (1939).

During this period, the Japanese army used the "Black Deacon", a strategic spy who had lurked in the country for 15 years, carrying out a long-planned strategic deception plan to successfully occupy Changsha.

Cheng Yi as Yun Hongshen

Yun Muzhi (Wang Jingsong), a member of the Communist Party of China (CPC), is killed in the course of investigating the "Black Deacon".

Unaware of his father's true identity, Yun Hongshen (Cheng Yi) returns to his hometown of Changsha to track down his father's murderer. He is immediately drawn into a trap set by the "Black Deacon".

At a time when he is lost and helpless, his father's friend, Yang Ziming (He Zhonghua), gives him great help and protection. He finally discovers the deception of the opponents.

Cheng Yi and Ying Er in Deep Lurk

Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, Yun Hongshen works with Wen Yeming (Ying Er), a patriotic young woman, to set up a trap.

To accomplish his mission, Yun Hongshen becomes a spy, making himself a pawn to uncover the Japanese strategic spies lurking within the national army, turning the tide of the war and making a great contribution to the victory of the First Battle of Changsha.

A Lonely Hero's Journey (iQIYI)

This is an espionage/spy drama with an almost similar plot to Cheng Yi's Deep Lurk. It is directed by Lin Lisheng, who directed another Republic spy drama, Lurk (2009). It stars Joseph Zeng, Zhang Songwen, Zhang Ningjiang, Chen Duling, and Wang Yuwen.

Joseph Zeng and Zhang Songwen

Gu Yizhong (Joseph Zeng), a scion of the Gu family in Suzhou, returns to China after completing his studies in the Architecture Department at the University of Pennsylvania. 

When the war breaks out, a failed rescue mission to assist his underground party girlfriend exposes all the contacts of the Suzhou underground organization. 

Falsely framed and accused by the Japanese collaborators, Gu Yizhong is mistaken for a traitor within the party. Unable to prove his innocence, he takes the initiative to infiltrate the Japanese collaborators and eventually becomes an undercover agent in the Suzhou special operations station of the Communist Party. 

Chen Duling and Wang Yuwen in A Lonely Hero's Journey

Under immense pressure, Gu Yizhong confronts the station chief Zhou Zhifei (Zhang Songwen) and the Japanese advisor Kondo Tatsuo in a battle of wits. 

He seizes the opportunity to uncover the true traitor within the party, known as the "Black Eight," and eliminates the threat. 

Continuously collecting secret intelligence for the Communist Party and saving fellow comrades in peril, Gu Yizhong provides significant support and assistance to the anti-Japanese cause of the Suzhou underground organization. With unwavering faith and courage, he grows constantly amid struggle.

Which do you think has the most interesting plot among these three republican dramas? Which one are you most attracted to watch?