Kite

Synopsis

"Kite" is a 2017 spy drama with a Douban rating of 8.8, directed and starring Liu Yunlong, who plays Zheng Yaoxian, an underground Communist Party member infiltrating the Kuomintang's military intelligence agency under the codename "Kite." After being shelved for five years, the drama topped the ratings upon its release and is hailed as the pinnacle of spy dramas, exploring deep themes of faith and humanity.

Overview

"Kite" is a spy-themed television series that aired in 2017, directed and starring Liu Yunlong, with actors such as Luo Haiqiong, Li Xiaoran, and Qi Huan joining the cast. The entire series consists of 46 episodes, with a Douban rating of 8.8, hailed by audiences as the pinnacle of spy dramas. After its actual filming was completed, the show was shelved for five years before it could be broadcast. It premiered on Dragon TV and Beijing TV in December 2017, and its viewership quickly climbed to first place during the same period.

Unlike typical spy dramas, the core of "Kite" does not lie in thrilling spy plots but in its profound exploration of faith and humanity. The series spans several decades from the Anti-Japanese War to the post-liberation era, depicting the painful struggle of an undercover agent torn between faith and humanity. As the central theme of the show suggests, it portrays the eternal conflict between supreme faith and unyielding humanity.

Plot

Zheng Yaoxian (played by Liu Yunlong) is a top agent of the Chongqing Military Statistics Bureau, known as "Ghost Six" for his ruthlessness. However, his true identity is that of an underground Communist Party member infiltrating the Military Statistics Bureau, codenamed "Kite." Within the bureau, he carries out various secret missions, dealing with multiple forces such as the Central Statistics Bureau and Japanese spies, while secretly transmitting crucial intelligence to the Party organization.

As the Liberation War progresses, Zheng Yaoxian's identity faces increasing risks of exposure. His colleagues and adversaries within the Military Statistics Bureau—Han Bing (played by Luo Haiqiong), Lin Tao (played by Li Xiaoran), and others—engage in complex and dangerous psychological games with him. Each side is testing and guarding against the other, and every confrontation could be fatal.

After liberation, Zheng Yaoxian does not find the peaceful life he had hoped for. Due to the complicated historical issues left by his long-term undercover work, he experiences the impact of multiple political movements. The underground worker who once sacrificed everything for his faith loses his identity and social status in peacetime. This reversal of fate vividly illustrates the cost of faith.

Cast

Cultural Impact

"Kite" is considered by many viewers and critics to be Liu Yunlong's best work since "Plot Against," even surpassing "Plot Against," in which he also starred. After its broadcast, the series sparked extensive and in-depth discussions, particularly within the spy genre. Its deep exploration of humanity and faith transcends the limitations of genre dramas.

Liu Yunlong's performance has been praised as textbook-level. He masterfully portrays Zheng Yaoxian's multiple identities and inner struggles—ruthless and cold-hearted "Ghost Six" in front of his Military Statistics Bureau colleagues, loyal and reliable "Kite" in front of the Party organization, and a flesh-and-blood man in front of his loved ones. When faith demands choices that go against human nature, the pain and determination in his eyes are deeply moving.

The show's five-year shelving itself became a topic of discussion. It is rumored that certain content in the series involved sensitive subjects. Director Liu Yunlong personally edited and revised the series. Although the final broadcast version is not as complete as the original, it still maintains an exceptionally high artistic standard.

References

1. Douban Movie: https://movie.douban.com/subject/25752323/
2. Baidu Baike: https://baike.baidu.com/item/风筝_(电视剧)
3. Wikipedia: https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-cn/风筝_(电视剧)