In early 2026, China's small screen is expected to witness a remarkable competition between two large-scale drama projects: "City Builder" starring Zhao Liying and Huang Xiaoming, and "The Tree of Life" starring Yang Zi and Huang Xia. One series is expected to air on CCTV1, the other on CCTV8, and is even likely to air in parallel in Beijing and Jiangsu.
"City Builder" was invested as a key project, set in the 1980s - the period when the country entered a period of strong reform. The film revolves around the journey to build an urban area from a wasteland, reflecting the innovative thinking, pioneering spirit and efforts to build an economy of the generation of cadres in the early days of the opening. The two central characters are Ly Thu Binh played by Trieu Le Dinh and Trinh Duc Thanh played by Huynh Hieu Minh. The film is adapted from the novel "Chinese Peasant City" by author Chu Hieu Quan and directed by Ton Hao - who made a splash with the projects "Khanh Du Nien" and "Who is the Assaultor". The work was released on the Tencent platform.
Meanwhile, "Living Tree" chose the setting in the 1990s in Thanh Hai Plateau, where the forest patrol team faced deforestation, illegal hunting and dangers in the journey to preserve the natural environment. The female police character Bach Cuc played by Duong Tu is the focus of the story. She is both tasked with protecting the primeval forest area and investigating the death of captain Da Kiet, a character played by Ho Ca. From an initial case, the film expands to the theme of nature conservation, facing environmental crimes and the difficult choices of frontline forces.
The appearance of two drama projects with large production scale, gathering talented actors, is expected to create a remarkable competition on television at the beginning of the year. One side exploits the theme of building an economy - society, the other side focuses on environmental protection and investigation. Both reflect different perspectives of Chinese society during the transition period.
The fact that the two films are likely to air at almost the same time has made the audience express their interest, especially when Trieu Le Dinh, Huynh Hieu Minh, Duong Tu and Ho Ca are all familiar faces with the drama genre.
With the appeal from the theme to the cast, the race between "City Builder" and " citadel of Life" promises to create a highlight for Chinese television in early 2026.
