TV drama sheds light on knowledge economy

Bringing together stars Chen Kun and Xin Zhilei, the TV series Win the Future is a showcase of the new business competition model in the era of the knowledge economy, some critics said at a recent symposium in Beijing.

Adapted from writer Fu Yao's namesake novel, the drama consists of 40 episodes telling the story of two elite sales rivals who become lovers and partners to win the biggest contract ever in their careers.

Recently concluding its first run on two satellite channels in Zhejiang province and Beijing and currently available on several major streaming sites, the drama has been included in a selection of 100 quality television works produced between 2018 and 2022 by the National Radio and Television Administration, the country's top sector regular.

Yang Yang, the drama's chief producer and chairman of Zhejiang Film & TV Co. Ltd, revealed the crew traveled to multiple cities to shoot the series over five months, with the last scene filmed in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region in November 2020.

Director Zhang Li, known for hits such as the historical drama Ming Dynasty in 1566, said his new works explore the struggle between market competition and ethical standards in an internet economy-driven society.

With the drama touching on the fresh concept of the internet of things, Zhang added they hope the drama could make audiences think more about ethics in the digital world.

Yin Hong, vice-chairman of the China Literature and Art Critics Association, said the show has expanded the scope of domestic office dramas with a setting in line with the rapidly transforming era, making it a window into modern society.