Produced by iQiyi as part of its Chinese IP universe, Luoyang has taken the world by storm, with over 80 million reservations before its premiere and trending on Twitter in Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam, Korea and more since its release. Clinching the top spot on iQiyi International’s popularity ranking during its premiere, Luoyang was also the most-watched drama in Taiwan, Korea and North America. Asian content review-aggregator MyDramaList rated the series a whopping 8.5 stars out of 10, landing fourth on the 2021 Chinese drama ranking, attaining both traction and reputation. Luoyang’s movie-like cinematography, including the thrilling long take of the manhunt in its first episode, brings out the relationships between its various forces and the stunning scenery of the city Luoyang.

Luoyang tells a series of unsolved cases during Empress Wu Zetian’s reign, where low-born deputy marshal Gao Bingzhu (played by Huang Xuan), Baili Hongyi (played by Wang Yibo) who is looking for his father’s murderer, and Si Yue (played by Victoria Song) who is tasked to investigate unresolved cases, team up to seek the truth. Together, they uncover a mysterious conspiracy. The five suspense plots of the series challenge the abilities of the lead characters and viewers alike.

Suspense Highlight 1:

Huang Xuan investigates the culprit who murdered his friends and family Huang Xuan’s character, Gao Bingzhu, risks his life by involving himself in a murder case, aiming to draw out the murderer behind the deaths of his beloved friends. They yearned to see the bustling city of Luoyang, but were killed by a mysterious person on their way there. To find the real killer, Gao Bingzhu lurks in the shadows with no attachment to the world, his only aim to uncover the truth and take revenge. One of the few clues he has is the mark from the assassin’s sword.

Suspense Highlight 2:

Wang Yibo’s father is poisoned on the day of his wedding In the series, Wang Yibo comes from a prestigious family, a connoisseur who studies the art of mechanics yet does not understand the ways of the world. After much convincing, he finally agrees to get married, but his father is brutally murdered on the day of his wedding, and Wang Yibo swears to seek revenge for him. His wife, Liu Ran (played by Song Yi)’s connection with his father’s death also casts a shadow on their budding relationship.

Suspense Highlight 3:

Victoria Song is tasked by Empress Wu to investigate the informer The ‘informer’ heads to the city of Luoyang, but is followed and killed, kicking off the story of Luoyang. Victoria Song plays an imperial guard who is tasked by the Empress Wu Zetian to find the truth behind the murder, meeting Huang Xuan and Wang Yibo, who are also investigating the case. Despite their varying motivations, the trio discover that the cases are all connected, uncovering a shocking conspiracy that threatens to subvert the court.

Suspense Highlight 4:

Mysterious organisation and masked killer In Luoyang, the mysterious organisation ‘Four Season Divine’ attempts to overthrow Empress Wu’s reign, and the masked killer who murdered Huang Xuan’s loved ones hails from this organisation. The only clue that Victoria Song has is that the killer is likely female, having hid in Luoyang for many years and could be someone she knows. As the mystery unfolds, the suspense adds to the thrilling storyline.

Suspense Highlight 5: The hidden crisis behind the construction of the tower Wang Yibo is ordered to supervise the construction process, and worries that the wood material is unable to carry the weight of the tower, after seeing the workers replace hardy wood with one that is easily dampened and swells. When Song Yi accidentally knocks down the architectural model on his table, Wang Yibo assures that it is not her fault, as the wood is made from pine, which deforms under moisture. Hinting twice that pine is unsuitable for construction, the story foreshadows the crisis of the tower’s construction. With the tower seemingly like heaven amidst the mist, fans have eagerly discussed their theories on social media.

iQiyi C-original Luoyang stars Wang Yibo, Huang Xuan and Victoria Song, and is available for streaming on the iQiyi International app or www.iQ.com in 191 countries and regions worldwide.