On the evening of November 25, the most anticipated Chinese historical drama of the year Dai sinh y nhan (roughly translated: The Big Businessman) aired and quickly set a record.
According to statistics from the Khoc Van data platform, the highest real-time rating in episode 1 reached 3.2%. At the same time, The Big Businessman became the fastest film to break the 3% rating mark in CCTV-8 history, after only 27 minutes of broadcasting.
Discussions about Tran Hieu's acting and the work's trading theme were also very exciting.
In addition to the first two episodes on television, the film will air 4 episodes on the online platform iQiYi with a temperature exceeding 5,500 points. The number of advertisements in the first 4 episodes was quite good, with 6 brands and a total of 19 advertisements.
The film's popularity on the platform is far inferior to that on television. However, the TV rating achievement of the work has surpassed many historical dramas of the same period in recent years, showing the strong demand of television audiences for high-quality works.
The film is adapted from the novel of the same name, telling the story of Co Binh Nguyen (Tran Hieu), a young master born at the end of the Qing Dynasty who was unjustly slandered and sold into captivity in Ninh Co Thap.
After that, he gave up the path of the trade union to enter the market, from tea trading, salt making... and gradually became a large businessman. He collaborated with 5 state traders such as Tam and Hue Thuong to face foreign traders.
The core idea of the film is to promote long-term vision and religion in business: to do great things, you must keep your reputation, put religion above immediate benefits.
The film focuses on main topics such as finance in the late Qing Dynasty and China-China trade wars. The opening scene with the struggle of thousands of people in Ninh Co Thap and actual footage on the ice and snow creates a sense of historical depth.
Avoiding the wear and tear, The Big Businessman is praised as a work of realisticalism, not flying science fiction. Details such as the activities of money-exchange banks and salt monopoly are considered by the audience as a "career knowledge treasure".
The role of Co Binh Nguyen played by Tran Hieu received many compliments: from a gentle person to a market boss, there has been a sharp change.
The ring of endurance but hidden contains toughness in strong opposition to forced labor and heroic spirit in war scenes. Each line and look of the actor is commented as "touching the character's soul".
The villainous role of Vuong Thien Quy played by Ngo Viet caused a storm on the internet because of its shocking scene, and was hailed as "the most evil old man in Chinese films". Ton Thien with his lively role helps balance the tension of the film.
The costumes, costumes, and props are highly appreciated for realistically recreating the style of the late Thanh Dynasty. The authentic landscape of the ice and snow and the sophisticated settings are praised for their "cinematic quality".
Most viewers praised the film's fast-paced pace and tight trading logic. Tran Hieu is also considered a factor that ensures the rating of the film.
In addition, the first 4 episodes also have some minor controversies such as the acting of the first La Nhat Chau being criticized for being " harsh, like a play"; Ton Thien's Thanh's appearance is commented as "too modern"...
The media assessed that The Big Businessmans breaking the 3% rating mark proves the potential of the commercial theme and the appeal of the cast, while meeting the audiences needs for classical and in-depth historical dramas.
The production team, the original crew of the film The Golden Temple, also reinforced their confidence in quality.
