Who Rules The World

Synopsis

Hei Feng Xi is chivalrous and elegant, while Bai Feng Xi is majestic and unrestrained. Opposites attract as both are unrivaled in talent and intellect. Caught in the warfare and chaos of the martial arts and political worlds, the flowers of love begin to bloom amidst the blood that has been sacrificed within the last decade. Trying to keep their identities hidden, they constantly have to be three steps ahead when dealing with much political unrest, betrayal, infighting, and the ultimate battle for the imperial throne.

Cast and characters

Main

Yang Yang as Hei Fengxi / Feng Lanxi

Liu Yiran as Feng Lanxi (young)

Head of Fountain Abode and second prince of Yongzhou

Zhao Lusi as Bai Fengxi / Feng Xiyun

Zhang Xiwei as Bai Fengxi (young)

Disciple of Tian Shuang Sect and princess of Qingzhou

Supporting

Fountain Abode / Lanxi residence

Huang Yi as Zhong Li, Hei Fengxi's retainer

Wang Xuan as Ren Chuanyu, Hei Fengxi's retainer

Zhao Zhuoting as Ren Chuanyun, Hei Fengxi's guard

Zhao Xin as Huan Niang, Lanxi residence's head maid

Royal Family

Zhang Fengyi as Lord of Yongzhou

Liu Mengling as Lord of Yongzhou (young)

Carman Lee as Queen Baili, Feng Chang and Feng Ju's birth mother

Qi Ge as Concubine Baili (young)

Liu Ruilin as Feng Ju, third prince of Yongzhou. He is an ambitious man who wants to be the next ruler of Yongzhou. He is a sinister man who will do what it takes to achieve his goal including harming his brothers. Wang Yuan is his retainer before being replaced by Li Jia Xian.

Zhang Tianyang as Feng Chang, eldest prince of Yongzhou. Due to having been adopted and raised by the late Queen of Yongzhou, regards Feng Lanxi as a true brother. He has a closer relationship with Feng Lanxi than with Feng Ju. Despite being biological brothers, current Queen Baili has never acknowledged her eldest son due to him being the weakest candidate for the heir position.

Chen Ziqi as Feng Chang (young)

Meng Qin as Princess Yige, late Lady of Yongzhou, Emperor Chun Xi's sister and Feng Lanxi's birth mother

Others

Jiang Baixuan as Ren Rusong, Chancellor of Yongzhou and Hei Fengxi's teacher

Production

The filming of Who Rules The World started in Hengdian World Studios and the opening ceremony was held on February 3, 2021. Zhao Lusi participated in the opening ceremony, while Yang Yang was absent due to other schedules. On February 23, 2021, Yang Yang joined the group to start filming. On April 8, 2021, the official Weibo of "Who Rules The World" announced the lineup and released the final posters of the lead cast. The shooting of whole drama was completed on June 17, 2021.

Reception

The series surpassed 1 billion views on Tencent Video, eleven days after its release.

Soundtrack

Who Rules the World OST (且试天下 电视原声大碟) consisted of 5 tracks sung by various artists and 20 background scores composed by Dong Dongdong

International broadcast

Who Rules The World was one of the selected dramas broadcast in Hong Kong on September 1, 2022 via TV channel RHTK 31, in commemoration of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region's 25th Anniversary (National Liberation Day).

On July 24, 2022, Who Rules the World ranked 4th in Netflix Korea’s Top 10 Most Viewed Series, the only foreign show to have made it on the list.

As at end of 2022, Who Rules the World ranked first in Netflix's Chinese dramas (including Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan) with a score of 3168. It is included in the Netflix Top 10 Series in 16 countries. It is also the only chinese drama to have ever entered the Netflix Top 100 Global so far.

On January 15, 2025, the Japanese television station TVQ began broadcasting "Who Rules the World."