Chinese palace drama My Fair Princess to get reboot with Chiung Yao as consultant

SINGAPORE - Beloved Chinese palace drama My Fair Princess (Huanzhu Gege) will be getting yet another reboot.

The news was announced by Taiwanese writer and creator of the show Chiung Yao at a press event in China, who said that she would act as consultant on the series.

She said: "This time around, My Fair Princess will be produced in collaboration with Tencent Pictures. We hope that we will be able to tell this familiar love story in a way that appeals to young people."

Other than the television series reboot, the story will also be used for a new video game as well as an animation series.

The original My Fair Princess (1998 - 1999) was a huge hit across Asia, and endeared audiences to the cast which included Zhao Wei, Fan Bingbing, Ruby Lin and Alec Su.

Set in the 18th-century Qing Dynasty, the costume drama follows the story of the innocent Xiaoyanzi (Zhao), who becomes a princess by accident after befriending the emperor's illegitimate daughter Ziwei (Lin).

The story got a reboot in 2011, but that version failed to match the success of the original.

The latest version is expected to air sometime next year (2019).

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.