Before its release, Love on the Turquoise Land has already exceeded 2.78 million pre-registrations, proving the excitement surrounding this urban fantasy suspense drama starring Dilraba Dilmurat and Chen Xingxu. Their “strong CP” pairing has captured fans imagination.
Production & Team
Filming began on March 19, 2024, in Ningbo and wrapped on August 9, taking nearly five months. Adapted from Wei Yu’s novel, the drama is directed by Tian Li, with co-directors He Tan and Meng Yuan, and the screenplay is also written by Wei Yu. Such a top-tier production team guarantees quality.
Plot Setting
The story blends fantasy with reality: the surface world is modern society, while underground lurks the “Di Xiao” species. Di Xiao must kill humans to maintain their human form; immortality requires ongoing crimes. The drama employs a dual-timeline narrative: one set in 219 BC during Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s reign, with Xu Fu forming the “Chantou Army” to hunt Di Xiao; the other in modern times, following the army descendant Nie Jiuluo and Yan Tuo as they uncover a 2,000-year-old conspiracy.
Lead Performances
Dilraba Dilmurat’s Nie Jiuluo, a sculptor with a secret identity as the “Mad Blade,” performs 90% of her own action scenes, seamlessly shifting between gentle and icy expressions.
Chen Xingxu as Yan Tuo lost 15 pounds to portray his broken character, showing intense psychological battles in his “white-eyed” Di Xiao form. Their journey from rivals to allies is electrifying for viewers.
Action & Visuals
Action sequences are precise and realistic, avoiding overused slow-motion effects. Nie Jiuluo’s dual blades and Yan Tuo’s rainy alley combat scenes are thrilling. The production invested heavily in visual effects: the Chantou Army dungeon set took four months to build, single-episode visual effects cost over 8 million RMB, and light and vegetation changes reflect character emotions.
Deeper Themes
The “human-Di Xiao coexistence” and “reconciliation” storyline reflects themes of tolerance and acceptance in real society, adding narrative depth.
Awards & Anticipation
The drama won the 2024 Tencent Video Starlight Awards for Most Anticipated Work in January 2025 and was included in the National Copyright Administration’s 10th Key Works Copyright Protection Warning List in September 2025.
In conclusion, Love on the Turquoise Land combines stunning visuals, intricate action, compelling performances, and meaningful themes. The Dilraba-Chen Xingxu CP is definitely worth the hype!
