“The Story of Pearl Girl” Rallies Support from Zhao Lusi’s Celebrity Friends Like Xiao Zhan

Zhao Lusi’s new costume drama, The Story of Pearl Girl, is already gaining massive traction. As many fans may know, this November has seen two major shows going head-to-head: The Story of Pearl Girl and Love Game in Eastern Fantasy. Rankings vary by site, with each drama slightly overtaking the other depending on where you look. Both are so distinct in style that it really comes down to viewers’ tastes. By its third day, The Story of Pearl Girl became Youku’s fastest drama to break 10000 on the heat index in 2024.

The Story of Perl Girl First Impressisons

The Story of Pearl Girl opens unlike typical Chinese series, immersing viewers in the gritty world of pearl diving. We meet Duanwu, played by Zhao Lusi, as a pearl diver in Hepu, showing us the grueling life of a slave forced to work in pearl farms. The scenes are dark and intense as Duanwu endures harsh treatment, showcasing her resilience and courage to dive for the largest pearl, risking her life just for a slim chance at freedom. Because of this, she is promoted from pearl diver to pearl seller, marking the start of her transformation. The story will eventually see her reinventing herself as Su Muzhe, she rises in the jewel trade, determined to make a name for herself.

Meanwhile, we’re introduced to the male leads: Liu Yuning plays a powerful and ruthless merchant, and Daddi Tang Xiaotian portrays a more scholarly, idealistic gentleman. Their contrasting personalities set the stage for intriguing dynamics as their paths intersect with the heroine. Somehow, it’s giving Princess Agents vibes – a girl who’s badass yet enslaved and the male lead who is ruthless, capable and likely to teach her the tricks of the trade.

Zhao Lusi Has Quite a Circle of Celebrity Friends

Aside from the show itself drawing attention, even how it’s promoted has drawn buzz. Zhao Lusi’s celebrity friends have been actively promoting it on social media. The hashtag #ZhaoLusiEntertainmentCircleFriends has trended as her industry friends show their support. Notably, Xiao Zhan — who starred with Zhao Lusi in Oh My Emperor back in 2018—posted, “Watch The Story of Pearl Girl,” stirring excitement among fans. Singer and comedian Joker Xue added a humorous twist to the drama’s promotion by literally sharing his chat conversation with Lusi. When he asked her what he should post, instead of typing out “Zhu Lian Yu Mu” (meaning “pearl and jade curtain”), she accidentally wrote “Yu Mi” which meant “corn”. Joker Xue jokingly responded, saying he thought it was a show about farming, and posted the entire exchange online with the playful hashtag to help promote #TheStoryofCorn.

Many of Zhao Lusi’s friends have joined in with their own social media support, including Luhan whom Lusi addressed as Ge (older brother) when she thanked him, Sha Yi, Zhou Yutong, Wang Anyu (Lusi’s The Last Immortal co-star), Zhou Ye, Zheng Yecheng who worked with Lusi in Love of Thousand Years, Zhang Yifan, Li Muchen, Kris Fan Shiqi, Zhang Yishan, Wen Zhengrong who literally has a role in Love Game in Eastern Fantasy as well as many others. It’s certainly a very star-studded support for The Story of Pearl Girl, and the show’s been delivering thus far as it rapidly climbs up the ranks.