Promotional material of the TV series Love Between Fairy and Devil Photo: Courtesy of Stellar Pictures

Chinese TV fantasy-romance series Love Between Fairy and Devil, produced by Stellar Pictures studio, has performed exceedingly well in the short time since its debut on August 7, both in China and on overseas streaming platforms.

Wang Yixu, founder of the studio and also chief producer of the series, sat down with the media to discuss the series and its popularity. 

The series follows a devil named Dongfang Qingcang and the fairy Xiaolanhua. Ten thousand years after the goddess of the Xilan tribe is exterminated by the powerful Dongfang, she is reborn as the low-ranking fairy Xiaolanhua. In order to gain freedom from a curse he is suffering, Dongfang must sacrifice the soul of Xiaolanhua. However, in the process, the powerful devil falls in love with the gentle and lovely fairy. 

Q: Many TV dramas debuted during the summer season, what made Love Between Fairy and Devil stand out?

A: When Stellar Pictures produced the series, we focused on the elements of an Asian fantasy romance and tried to find a way to tell this story that was more creative than other similar works. First of all, we presented an Asian style in the various details seen in the costumes, settings and stage props. Then, we built visual wonders to create a world full of fantasy.

Q: Within 48 hours of its debut, the series gained an impressive number of views on streaming platforms, and within four hours of launch, the overseas version ranked first in global popularity. Did you expect such success? What are your thoughts on the overseas distribution of domestic dramas?

A: This result is fit for our level of quality, but the quick rise in popularity in such a short period of time was beyond our expectations. Southeast Asia coexists in the same cultural circle of Asia, so there are fewer cultural obstacles and it is easier for them to understand our works. In recent years, European countries and those in the Americas have also begun to take an interest in traditional Chinese culture. All these are the objective results of Chinese culture going abroad. The spread of domestic dramas overseas is a reflection of China's soft power. Stellar Pictures has projects planned for the international market and is cooperating with many major overseas broadcasters.

The series this time has been a success and has spread to places such as South Korea, India and European countries.

Q: The series takes place in an Asian fantasy world. How do you define this?

A: Asian fantasy worlds have two major elements: Asian elements and fantasy. "Asian" means that the setting of the world and the spiritual core of the story should originate from the traditional culture of the East. "Fantasy" means that the setting of the world should jump out and the visual effects should be more magnificent to give audiences a novel visual experience.

Q: Looking at the costumes, makeup and props, what breakthroughs have Love between Fairy and Devil made?

A: The different locations that appear in the drama were made to remind people about the romantic poetry of ancient China. They also use references from traditional Chinese culture. For instance, the look of [the home of the gods] "Yunmengze" was designed to remind viewers of the social environment of the prosperous Tang Dynasty (618-907), while [the home of the devils] "Cangyanhai" was modeled on the Silk Road in China during the Han Dynasty (206BC-AD220).

Additionally, the drama also features China's intangible cultural heritage as seen in our ornaments and props. 

Intangible cultural heritage has one thing in common between film and television works: They all express meaning through visual mediums. We included such legacies to support the inheritance of our cultural heritage and to allow audiences to experience the beauty of the traditional culture.

Q: The dramatic and comedic elements in the show have been praised by viewers. How did the team come up with these? 

A: Stellar Pictures included the drama when it laid out its IP industry development plan. We emphasize the characteristics of different mediums when developing animated works or dramas. Our animation tends to be on the humorous end, whereas our dramas focus on creating romantic Asian fairy tales. 

Q: What social responsibility does the drama have? 

A: All of Stellar Pictures' productions are devoted to transmitting positive energy and spreading traditional Chinese culture. In the series, many stories are about promoting benevolence. This is a belief held by Chinese since ancient times. We want works that show our Chinese beliefs to head overseas so that the world can hear Chinese voice.