TV series uses 8K cameras to provide sharper look at Shanghai romance

Love in Shanghai, a TV drama which is perhaps the first of its kind to shoot the whole series using 8K cameras, recently wrapped up production in Shanghai.

A popular novel penned by author Zhou Yifei, Love in Shanghai was adapted to a stage show in 2011, scooping the best script of the 26th Tian Han Drama Awards in 2012.

Under the helm of director Meng Ji, the TV series – starring actor Guo Jingfei and actress Wang Luodan – chronicles the struggles of two "hupiao", an internet term referring to the non-native group who pursue attractive career opportunities in the metropolis but without the Shanghai hukou (a household registration that allows the holder to enjoy local benefits).

The two protagonists fall for each other in 2003 as the country battles SARS outbreak. Undergoing ups and downs in their own lives, as well as being separated for a time, the two reunite in the city in 2020 when the nation is in the battle against COVID-19 spread.

Producer Yu Jie said the TV series is not only about a bittersweet romance, but also tries to revisit Shanghai in early 2000s, to provide audience a nostalgic touch.

Despite the plotline being fictional, some real events, such as the Shanghai 2010 World Expo to the city's effort to resist the destructive power of Typhoon Matsa, are featured in the drama, evoking the collective memory of a generation, according to the producer.