The modern drama film "City Creator" directed by director Ton Hao and written by Vien Khac Binh will officially air in mid-January on Central Television CCTV and Tencent Video. This is considered an outstanding opening project of Chinese television in early 2026, attracting much attention thanks to its prestigious production team and talented cast.
"The City's Creator" marks the reunion of Zhao Liying and Huang Xiaoming in the drama genre - a genre that is being prioritized for development in China. In addition to the two central characters, the film also brings together Tran Minh Hao, Chuyen Vien, Tan Tuan Kiet and veteran actors such as Truong Quoc Cuong and Luu Vi Vy. The poster of Zhao Liying's character has just been released, helping the film surpass the 500,000 pre-orders mark on Tencent Video, showing its heat before the broadcast time.
The work is set in the early 1980s - the time when the country entered the reform and opening period. Binh Xuyen district is facing the problem of economic innovation, requiring young cadres to find a breakthrough direction. In the film, Trieu Le Dinh plays Ly Thu Thu, a steadfast female cadre, along with Trinh Duc Thanh (Huynh Hieu Minh) initiating the project to build Nguyet Hai Tran - a new urban area formed from primeval alluvial land.
Without waiting for the national budget, the two main characters and tens of thousands of farmers mobilized capital, cooperated and gradually built a modern city from zero. That journey reflects many typical challenges of the reform period: mechanistic barriers, conflicts of interest and individual trade-offs that pioneers face.
The presence of the duo Ton Hao - Vien Khac Binh makes the project highly anticipated. Ton Hao is a familiar director of drama films, while Vien Khac Binh once made his mark with Dai giang dai ha. This is considered an important guarantee for the quality of the script and the depth of the story.
Aired at the beginning of the year, The City's Creator is expected to create a boost for Chinese drama, while opening up opportunities to strengthen Zhao Liying's image after a year of many career changes.
