Chinese spinoff drama on royal affairs debuts on Netflix

Yu says he enjoyed the atmosphere, "which felt like traveling back in time" during the shooting of Princess Adventures in Hengdian, the country's largest studio base for TV and film in Zhejiang province, where sets replicating imperial architecture have been built.

"When the camera starts to roll, it feels like you are jumping into another world. You can see 'ancient figures' walk and speak, ... and the kind of scenery that has always captivated me and given me the impetus to keep on writing," he adds.

A key ingredient in making period dramas popular, Yu says, is character development.

"The audience wants to see someone special, but you also need to make the character convincing and relatable," he adds.

Before Princess Adventures, other period dramas that have won recognition in overseas markets include The Legend of Luzhen (2013) and The Legend of Haolan (2019), contributing to an increase in foreign audience's curiosity about Chinese history and culture.

TV series can do more than entertain, Yu says.

"They can create an interest in the legacy of Chinese culture and encourage more people to join the preservation and passing on of traditional craftsmanship."