Cheng Lei is currently in Xi'an, China, continuing his filming schedule after wrapping up work in Dunhuang.
In the video, Captian Cheng seems to be enjoying a day off, spending time with his girl. He looks handsome in denim ππ. It really suits his laid-back vibe!
A Reddit friend recently shared Cheng Leiβs book list, which included a book about Wong Kar Waiβs art. It reminded me of In the Mood for Love, a film I wrote a review of several years ago. Back then, I didnβt know about communities like this and mostly wrote reviews just for myself. I watched the film on Kanopy for free when I was in college. If you live in the U.S., your local public library might offer Kanopy to its members. I first heard about In the Mood for Love when it won an Asian film festival. I was a teen at the time, but I still remember being mesmerized by the beautiful scenes I saw on the news.
Directed by the renowned Wong Kar Wai, the film is set in Hong Kong in 1962 and tells the love story of Mr. Chow (Tony Leung) and Mrs. Chan (Maggie Cheung), who live in the same apartment building. Mr. Chow's wife has an affair with Mrs. Chan's husband. Being angry, they try to reenact how the affair between their spouses might have begun while keeping their own relationship close but pure. However, as they spend more time together, genuine feelings grow. Mrs. Chan encourages Mr. Chow to pursue his dream >!of writing a wuxia novel.!< They hesitate to admit their feelings or act on them. After Mr. Chow>! leaves for Singapore, they reluctantly try to find each other again but always miss the chance to be together.!< The film ends with>! Mr. Chow whispering his secret into a hole in a tree.!<
The movie has no intense romance. Everything is portrayed through ordinary moments of daily life; cooking, playing mahjong, walking together, and holding hands. In fact, the most intimate scene is >!the female lead resting her head on the male lead's shoulder.!< The most erotic line is, >!"I don't want to go home tonight," spoken by Mrs. Chan.!<
One thing I really liked was that the main characters are known only as Mr. Chow and Mrs. Chan. We never really learn their first names. Was that how a person was defined once they got married? We are suddenly no longer... us. We become someone's spouse, mother, or father, known by every role except our own names. In such a society, two people in love couldn't overcome the weight of social prejudice to be together. I loved how Wong Kar Wai portrayed love with social expectations, and I believe that theme is still relevant, to some extent, in many Asian societies today.
I also liked the film's limited settings. You see only a handful of locations: the apartments, the offices, the neighborhood noodle stall, and the hotel room where they secretly meet. These simple settings speak volumes about how restricted a person's freedom can be when pursuing happiness. No one dares to step beyond social norms. All the main characters do is greet each other at the door, pass one another on the stairs, talk, or sit together. I felt suffocated while watching the film. Wong Kar Wai is incredibly good at immersing the audience in the mood of his movie.
The aesthetics had the greatest impact on my viewing experience. Some frames completely captivated me.
Every scene is beautiful; the narrow staircases, the small alleys, the way people live so close together and gossip about one another. The smoking scenes are poignant and visually stunning. The camera angles made me feel as though I were secretly peeking into their private lives - through a window, from behind a wall, or from the next booth in a restaurant.
In the Mood for Love is definitely worth your time. It is emotionally beautiful in aΒ quiet way. It entirely captures all feelings you might have, especially the loneliness when you are sad but no one knows about it, and when you want happiness but don't know what to do. Love is not just about emotions. Itβs about the obligations that we need to carry with us. Love is also about the choice and whether we have courage to make it or not.
Cheng Lei attended Our Dormitories to promote The First Jasmine, alongside his co-star Cai Zheng Jie, who plays Mo Jing Li.
I actually didnβt know about this variety show before. I rarely watch Mango TV variety programs because their English subtitles arenβt very good, so I find them quite difficult to follow.
This is the description about the show on MDL page:
A healing variety show featuring genuine gathering scenes with friends. Shoot seamlessly in real gathering scenes to capture the natural interaction between acquaintances. The program revolves around the "Hao Liujie" universe and uses friendship as a bond. After the recording of "Hello, Saturday", Teacher He led old friends and new friends in Changsha to get together and come to our dormitory after work to have dinner, communicate, and talk. The program will be presented in the form of "friends gathering after getting off work". Each gathering will be planned by a "dormitory housekeeper" with a unique gathering theme, inviting friends to enjoy a "recharge-style after-getting off work party" together.
Enjoy the new photos!
Source: Cheng Lei's Studio
I came across this clip on Thread and I thought all the retro-style photos looks so aesthetic with Cheng Lei and his co-star's outfits and the background.
Iβm on episode 5 of Footprints of Chenge, and Iβm really enjoying it so far. I donβt usually read much about a drama before starting it, so I knew very little about this series except that it was a non-idol drama and that Lei Lei dubbed himself.
The drama explores a generation of women seeking more freedom in a male-dominated society. The cinematography is beautiful, guys, and I think the cast is solid. The female lead, Jelly Lin, acts so well. In some scenes, she even outshines everyone else on screen, imo.
Iβve had so many thoughts while watching because the drama touches on social issues like favoritism toward sons over daughters, gambling, and patriarchal norms that force women to accept unfair treatments. The worst thing is they weren't aware of it and continued to pass down the burden to generations. These are issues that are still relevant today, at least in my home country.
For those of you whoβve watched it, what did you think of the series? No spoilers please! And for those who havenβt, what are your first impressions of this couple based on this short clip and their interactions?
Video source
Cheng Lei's drama The Lament of Autumn is rumored to premiere on September 20, 2026. Filming began on October 30, 2025, and wrapped on March 24, 2026, so the production took about five months.
I saw the rumored premiere date in a Cheng Lei Global Fans Facebook group, but nothing has been officially confirmed yet. The series will have 38 episodes and is scheduled to stream on Mango TV (which, unfortunately, is known for its less-than-great English subtitles). I watched one of Cheng Leiβs variety show episodes there, andβ¦ yeah, the subtitles werenβt great. They honestly felt AI-generated.
Fun fact: I took a quick look at MDL page and found out the director was Kuk Kok Leung - a Hong Kong director. He also directed The Legend of the Condor Heroes (2003), a series I absolutely loved growing up. The opening soundtrack, especially the eagleβs call woven into the music, has always stayed with me. Hopefully, heβll bring some of that magic to The Lament of Autumn as well.
Today Iβd like to talk about cinematography in The First Jasmine. I feel like tight filming schedules in a fast-paced industry like Chinese entertainment donβt always allow production teams to put much care into cinematography. Or maybe it's just me not usually paying attention to it for dramas (rather, I'll do it for movies). However, I found The First Jasmine to have some good shots.
What I liked most was the lighting. To me, lighting should enhance the emotions a scene is trying to convey. The First Jasmine does that beautifully. In many dramas I've watched, lighting often seems to highlight how beautiful the leads in dramatic scenes are rather than to emphasize the vibes and emotions of the scenes as a whole.
How Dare You?! All I noticed was how handsome he looked with blood.
Take this scene from How Dare You, for example. The golden light emphasizes Cheng Lei's face, making him the visual focus of the frame. In The First Jasmine, by contrast, the softer bright light is used to partly shows Mo Xiu Yaoβs face. His shadow captivated me more than his face.
The worn, withered appearance of MXY
I don't like making comparisons, but I can't think of a better way to explain what I mean.
They use a similar technique in one of Bai Lu's scenes as well. The scene is lit almost entirely in shadow, expressing her confusions very well.
Everyone's depressed at this point
In another scene, they used the shadow vs. light to show MXY's feelings. I could clearly feel his regret and loneliness.
In the happier moments, sunlight runs alongside the main leads' bodies, almost as if it were reflecting the joy in their hearts.
Darkness is also used cleverly.
What also interested me was the choice of camera shots. One repeat technique is the use of overhead shots. I think this is one of the weird choices I couldn't figure out what the director was trying to achieve.
Overhead shots don't always deliver (to me)
However, the fight scene really clicked. They emphasize the circular choreography: the ring of assassins, the circle created as Mo Xiu Yao spins his wheelchair, and the circular arrangement when they fight. Those visual patterns made a surprisingly strong impression on me and turned that fight into the most memorable scene in the entire series.
https://i.redd.it/vpwue2swe3dh1.gif
https://i.redd.it/ovlpt2g3f3dh1.gif
Two other overhead shots that successfully convey the tone of the scenes are when MXY is emotionally provoked by the marquis, and when he has the first meal with his wife in LiShan mountains.
The morning calm in deserted LiShan Academy
In overall, cinematography is solid. There are quite a few beautifully composed frames that I've saved. Some look like paintings.
These are simply my impressions as a viewer. I have no professional knowledge about cinematography. If anyone has a different interpretation or knows more about filmmaking, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
What are your favorite scenes? Share a screenshot or photo from the show in the comments!
I subscribed to WeTV for a month to watch Mo Li. While I was there, I discovered Are You the One and absolutely loved it. It's a rom-com - my favorite genre. The comedy lands, and the romance is sweet. Politics are only a subplot and easy to follow. The murder scenes are satisfying, although you shouldn't expect grand war battle scenes. It's perfect if you want something lighthearted, especially after watching a plot-heavy drama.
The biggest strength of this drama is definitely the comedy. Funniest moments come from classic misunderstandings and clever implications. The show also makes great use of running gags. For example, the nanny keeps saying, >!"What a sin," !<every time she has to lie. She got me every time.
What made my viewing experience even better? I discovered the bullet comments. Watching funny scenes while seeing other people losing it at the same time made everything 10x funnier. I only turned them on during the comedy scenes, though - to avoid spoilers.
I was not the only one who laughed,
The transition between serious and funny moments is as smooth as Zhang Wan Yi's face. π His acting feels so natural; he never looks like he's trying to be funny, yet he is. The same expressions that make him convincing in serious scenes somehow become hilarious in comedic ones. I honestly don't know how he does it.
Why isn't this man mentioned more on Reddit?
Even better, his voice acting is phenomenal. His intonation is so effective that I looked up the MDL page and was delighted to find out it's his real voice. I completely melted every time he said "Fu Ren" or "Aye."
This is not a spoiler, right? But you reserve the right not to click Play.
I've also heard that some people criticize Wang Churan's acting, but I think she's good. I've watched her in How Dare You!? and this drama, and I enjoyed her performance in both. In Are You The One, her character is especially appealing; bold and smart. She is determined to be an independent woman, but she's still very much a woman of her time. She fulfills her duties as a wife and takes care of the household, but she refuses to let society dictate how she should live.
I loved that the drama explores women's pursuit of recognition and freedom in a historical setting. The female characters in this series are lovely. They're all intelligent in their own ways (except the dull ones haha). The second female lead is a capable businesswoman striving to earn her father's recognition. The third female character is a foodie with a huge personality. She understands the limitations placed on women in that era, therefore, know how to balance what she wants with what she needs. I was so glad they cast the actress for the role. I donβt need every actress to look like a model.
The only real downside for me was that they used a time skip for a major event - >!the change of the throne.!< The pacing also drags a bit during Episodes 28 and 31, and 37-38 ish, but honestly, it never made me lose interest. I guess when the acting is good and the characters are likable, I'm more than happy to stay until the end.
TL;DR: Stop everything and watch it! π
Romance β
Bromance β
Family dynamics β
Comedy β
Politics β
Acting β
Recently we've seen a promo clip for Mo Li in which Cheng Lei showed off his guitar skill. Here's another clip of him playing The Moon Represents My Heart.
If he could play like this (playing acoustic guitar with melody and not just chords), I guess he spent good time to learn and practice guitar.
This was saved in my phone for a while. I tried but couldn't trace back to the source.
Now that The First Jasmine has ended, I'm really curious whether Mo Xiu Yao could replace the one who already holds a special place in your heart. π€
My first Cheng Lei love was Xia Hou Dan. I love men with a great sense of humor, both in dramas and in real life. I enjoy watching a man who spends time with his girl, jokes around with her, and can laugh and giggle with her all day. To me, that shows how deeply he loves the woman he's with. It's even better if he's smart and successful. Honestly, I've never met someone who's genuinely funny but not intelligent. Xia Hou Dan is the complete package for me.
Am I still in love with him? Yes, yes, and yes!
I developed a crush for Xiao Jue, Jin An, or Mo Xiu Yao βΊοΈ. I thought MXY would replace XHD with all the warmth he gave. But surprisingly* nope*, at the end of the day, it's still Xia Hou Dan who makes my heart flutter.
How about you? Which character made you fall for Cheng Lei first? Has another drama changed your mind, or does your first love still have your heart? β₯οΈ
Source of photos: random, circulating photos that I took from google searching.
Which picture do you like the most?
I have absolutely no knowledge about art, but I like the 4th picture the most because it seems convey some emotions to me. Is he lonely? At first I felt "Yes". But when I looked closer, the curtain looked like it was slightly moving in the wind, and the sunshine actually brought some warmth and light to the room. Then suddenly, I caught the eye of the cat. I grinned π.
These photos were uploaded on his IG
Too Gorgeous for My Heart to Handle!
I'm not familiar with Sina website, but more photos could be downloaded directly from this account.
I put together the photos of Mo Xiuyao that I liked in this short clip. I think I like the photos posted on Cheng Lei's weibo the best. They look like film photos and I like it because I usually like something imperfect in visuals.
Photos from Cheng Lei's have the watermark of his name on the bottom-right corner. Live photos don't have it, though. A few others are from his assistant's Weibo - the ones with Superup watermark on the right side of the photos.
I used Google Translate for the subtitles.
Source: Cheng Lei Assistant's Weibo
Oh, we have new flairs!
I couldn't stop giggling over Cheng Lei's dance practice.
Source: MangoTV IG
Photos taken by Cheng Lei in Si Chuan, China in March 2026.
Source: Cheng Lei's Weibo
Ngl this voice sounds a lot like Lei Zi's voice, but a better version. Is it his voice??
This is an edited clip from the original one on his assistant's Weibo.
Starting from Monday, June 22, The First Jasmine airs one new episode daily.
On June 28, Fast Track access opens for Episodes 37β40.
Source: CL Assistant's Weibo
This is an edited clip from the original 4-minute video updated by CL's assistant.
My favorite moments are when he lightly pouts when wearing the flannel shirt, and when he's shy for plucking strings of the guitar not clearly enough :))) As a person who also plays an instrument as a hobby, I felt him. I would have the same embarrassment as well.
On Feb 13, Cheng Lei posted 4 photos of him and Wang Chu Ran and tagged her along with the caption: "Sister π, we are going back together."
Wang Chu Ran replied:"CEO π₯, wait for me. I'm coming now."
Among his co-stars, I like their interactions the best because it feels like Cheng Lei had a really good time with her and other colleagues during the filming time. What can be better than you go to work and meet likeable coworkers?
I just need some positive vibe today, hence, the post π
Source: weibo
Context: this is a livestream promoting for Shadow Love in 2025. Song Yi asked about another drama's bath scenes beside Shadow Love.
My question: how did Song Yi manage to put a straight face asking about a bath scene? Because I couldn't π. Her follow-up questions were sending me :)))
The subtitiles were made by a fan account, indicating that the drama mentioned was Mo Li. I put the white marks on the subtitles about Mo Li though.
Fanpage: _chengtuo1218 Instagram account (original source not identified)
I edited the post because I don't know what drama they talked about in this short clip, so I'm not sure the subtitles are wrong or not.
