The Way We Were (2018 TV series)

The Way We Were
Promotional poster
Traditional Chinese歸去來
Simplified Chinese归去来
Hanyu PinyinGuīqùlaí
GenreRomance
Written byGao Xuan
Ren Baoru
Directed byLiu Jiang
StarringTiffany Tang
Luo Jin
Country of originChina
Original languageMandarin
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes50
Production
Executive producerWang Tong
Production locationsBeijing, China
San Francisco, Los Angeles, United States
Vancouver, Canada
Cambodia
Production companiesPengrui Film
Perfect World Pictures
Ruyi Entertainment
Khorgos Jixiangyingfang Entertainment
Shanghai Media &Entertainment Group
Film and TV Center of the Supreme People's Procuratorate of China
Shangxiang Xingzuo Entertainment
Original release
NetworkBeijing Television
Dragon Television
ReleaseMay 14 (2018-05-14) –
June 10, 2018 (2018-06-10)

The Way We Were (Chinese: 归去来) is a 2018 Chinese romance drama directed by Liu Jiang and starring Tiffany Tang and Luo Jin. The series airs on both Dragon Television and Beijing Television from 14 May 2018 to 10 June 2018.[1] The series centers on the lives of Chinese overseas students in the United States.[2]

Synopsis

The story follows six Chinese students studying abroad in the U.S., chasing their dreams and becoming the elites of their respective majors. Shu Che and Miao Ying were originally a couple since middle school. Che left to study in America before Miao Ying since he was two years her senior. Both their parents forbade them from marrying when they were pursuing their post-grad degrees in America due to a major subway project that Che’s father, a mayor of Yan-zhou, had agreed to award the bid to Ying’s father through a corrupt underhanded agreement. From the opposition to their marriage, Che found out about his father’s corruption and Miao Ying’s father’s briberies. When Che turned his love interest to Xiao Qing after his failed relationship with Miao Ying, he never expected Xiao Qing’s father, an officer in the anti-corruption unit, will be the chief in charge of persecuting his father and Miao Ying’s father for bribery and corruption. Shu Che becomes involved in exposing his dad's criminal activity and shares his thoughts with Xiao Qing. When Xiao Qing’s father asks her to be the witness at trial, she is caught between being a witness and revealing the secret that Che shared with her. Ultimately, the culprit is revealed through investigations and evidence. There's a heavy price to pay for the culprits. Everyone matured in the process, understanding humanity and the value of life, and returning to the path of justice.

Cast

Main

An aspiring law practitioner.[3]
Son of a politician, and a law practitioner.[3]
  • Yu Jiwei as Ning Ming (宁鸣)
A guy with an ordinary background. His crush on Miao Ying spurs him to work hard in life.[4]
  • Xu Lingyue as Miao Ying (缪盈)
Shu Che's ex-girlfriend. A woman of outstanding family background and appearance.[5]
  • Wang Tianchen as Cheng Ran (成然)
Miao Ying's younger brother. A rebellious youth who has lacked familial love.[6]
  • Ma Chengcheng as Lü Ka (绿卡)
Cheng Ran's "wife", who conned him into a fake marriage due to her crush on him.[3]

Supporting

  • Wang Zhiwen as Shu Wang (书望), Shu Che's father. An ambitious politician with grey areas of income.[7]
  • Shi Ke as Yu Wen (毓文), Shu Che's mother.[8]
  • Zhang Xilin as Cheng Wei (成伟), Miao Ying's father.[7]
  • Shi Jingming as He Yan (何晏), Xiao Qing's father. An honest and upright prosecutor.[7]
  • Zhang Kaili as Xiao Yun (萧云), Xiao Qing's mother.[7]
  • Qu Shanshan as Liu Caiqi (刘彩琪)
  • Gao Liwen as Monica (莫妮卡), Xiao Qing's landlord.
  • Lily Ho as Catherine (凯瑟琳), Xiao Qing's roommate and Benjamin's girlfriend.
  • Kent Leung as Benjamin (刘彩琪), Xiao Qing's roommate and Catherine's boyfriend.
  • Shan Mingkai as Assistant Wang (本杰明), Shu Wang's assistant.
  • Wang Ji as Monica's mother[7]
  • Xu Kaicheng as William (威廉)[9]

Soundtrack

No.TitleLyricsMusicSingersLength
1."The Way We Were (归去来)" (Theme song)Chen XiDong DongdongTian Yuan 
2."Bearing in Mind Constantly (念念不忘)[10]" (Ending theme song)Chen XiDong DongdongTian Yuan 
3."Speak Up (开口)" (Interlude)Chen XiDong DongdongVictor Wong (male ver), Zheng Xingqi (female ver) 
4."I'm Here (我在这里)" (Interlude)Chen XiDong DongdongYu Jiwei (male ver), Tian Yuan (male ver) 
5."Pain (痛)" (Interlude)Chen XiDong DongdongLiu Sihan 

Production

The series is directed by Liu Jiang (The Battle of Dawn) and written by Gao Xuan and Ren Baojia (My Youthfulness, Farewell Vancouver).[2]

Principal photography began on 20 June 2017 and took place in various locations in the United States including Stanford University, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas. Filming also took place in Beijing, Cambodia and Canada. The series wrapped up on December 6 of that same year.[11][12]

Ratings

CSM52 ratings[13]
Air date Dragon TV Beijing TV
Ratings (%) Audience share (%) Rank Ratings (%) Audience share (%) Rank
2018.5.14 0.774 3.218 2 0.644 2.690 3
2018.5.15 0.813 3.180 2 0.680 2.662 3
2018.5.16 0.717 2.834 2 0.686 2.716 3
2018.5.17 0.731 2.862 2 0.674 2.648 3
2018.5.18 0.795 3.111 1 0.610 2.389 3
2018.5.19 0.746 2.949 1 0.721 2.850 2
2018.5.20 0.858 3.185 1 0.767 2.846 3
2018.5.21 0.824 3.122 2 0.689 2.611 3
2018.5.22 0.866 3.317 2 0.699 2.681 3
2018.5.23 0.908 3.645 2 0.720 2.896 3
2018.5.24 0.992 3.970 1 0.718 2.876 3
2018.5.25 1.022 3.934 1 0.676 2.663 2
2018.5.26 1.014 3.986 1 0.653 2.581 2
2018.5.27 1.056 4.038 1 0.706 2.703 3
2018.5.28 1.010 4.043 1 0.723 2.896 2
2018.5.29 0.944 3.644 1 0.790 3.051 2
2018.5.30 1.069 4.122 1 0.779 3.003 2
2018.5.31 1.119 4.330 1 0.766 2.960 2
2018.6.1 1.001 3.985 1 0.769 3.008 2
2018.6.2 0.981 4.086 1 0.700 2.927 2
2018.6.3 1.074 4.050 1 0.846 3.194 2
2018.6.4 1.156 4.486 1 0.762 2.971 2
2018.6.5 1.119 4.387 1 0.926 3.632 2
2018.6.6 1.055 4.152 1 0.929 3.665 2
2018.6.7 1.231 4.780 1 0.941 3.660 2
2018.6.8 1.200 4.665 1 1.060 4.121 2
2018.6.9 1.243 4.748 1 0.903 3.489 2
2018.6.10 1.378 5.422 1 1.024 3.993 2
  • Highest ratings are marked in red, lowest ratings are marked in blue

Awards and nominations

Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
24th Huading Awards Best Director Liu Jiang Won [14][15]
Best Screenwriter Gao Xuan, Ren Baoru Won
Best Actress Tiffany Tang Nominated
Best Actor (Modern Drama) Luo Jin Nominated
Best Producer Luo Xi, Wang Tong, Wang Weiyue Nominated
25th Shanghai Television Festival Best Television Series Nominated [16]
Best Original Screenplay Gao Xuan, Ren Baoru Nominated
Influence of Recreational Responsibilities Awards TV Drama of the Year Won [17]
中国电视媒体综合实力大型调研 Outstanding Drama of the Year Won [18]

References

  1. ^ 《归去来》定档514 唐嫣罗晋领衔青春群像. Phoenix Television (in Chinese). May 7, 2018.
  2. ^ a b 《归去来》开机 唐嫣罗晋公布恋情后首次携手. Netease (in Chinese). June 20, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c "《归去来》首曝六型单人海报 聚焦新时代青年成长". Netease (in Chinese). March 26, 2018.
  4. ^ "《归去来》于济玮首在剧组庆生 演绎蜕变之路". Sina (in Chinese). July 28, 2017.
  5. ^ "《归去来》灵动青衣许龄月 积跬步待薄发". Tencent (in Chinese). September 7, 2017.
  6. ^ "王天辰亮相《归去来》 能量少年演绎蜕变留学生". Netease (in Chinese). May 11, 2017.
  7. ^ a b c d e "《归去来》大爱归来 老戏骨勾勒"父辈人生"". China Radio International (in Chinese). May 11, 2018.
  8. ^ "史可加盟《归去来》 为罗晋负重前行演绎牵绊母子". Sina (in Chinese). September 14, 2017.
  9. ^ "《归去来》首迎媒体探班 徐开骋人帅戏好超吸睛". Sina (in Chinese). November 29, 2017.
  10. ^ "《归去来》主题曲曝光 唐嫣罗晋诠释爱与成长". Netease (in Chinese). May 11, 2018.
  11. ^ 《归去来》开机 刘江坚定走“现实主义”道路. Netease (in Chinese). June 20, 2017.
  12. ^ 《归去来》正式杀青 唐嫣罗晋演绎留学生成长蜕变. Sina (in Chinese). December 6, 2017.
  13. ^ "电视剧收视率排行榜 | 收视率排行" (in Chinese (China)). Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  14. ^ "华鼎奖提名公布 《和平饭店》《归去来》闪耀榜单". Netease (in Chinese). October 22, 2018.
  15. ^ "张嘉译陈数获华鼎奖最佳男女主 "魏璎珞"摘奖". Sina (in Chinese). November 9, 2018.
  16. ^ "第25届"白玉兰奖"入围名单公布 《都挺好》成夺奖热门". People's Daily (in Chinese). May 23, 2019.
  17. ^ "2019文娱责任影响力获奖名单出炉". Sina (in Chinese). March 28, 2019.
  18. ^ ""TV地标"中国电视媒体综合实力大型调研成果在京发布". Tencent (in Chinese). December 24, 2018.