The story is adapted from the novel of the same name by Dr. Yao-chang Chen, centered around the 1867 shipwreck of the American merchant vessel "Rover" off the southern tip of Hengchun Peninsula. It depicts how the stranded crew, after landing and mistakenly entering indigenous territory, were beheaded. U.S. Consul to Amoy Charles W. Le Gendre was tasked with the investigation and later signed the "South Cape Treaty" — a peace agreement with Chief Toketok of the 18 villages of Langqiao.
Kang-ren Wu plays "Shui-zi," the newly appointed village chief of She-liao, who constantly mediates among Hoklo, Hakka, and tribal groups to ensure the tribe’s survival. Following the "Rover Incident," he faces external threats, worries about being implicated but finds no way to escape or fight back... Speaking of his mentor Cao Rui-yuan, Wu expressed admiration for his ambitious vision. "At first, I just wanted to help the director, but I didn’t expect the role to be this challenging — the filming conditions were ten times harder than 'The Longest Day in Chang'an.'" He admitted this wasn’t a "likeable" role, neither in performance nor appearance. "I didn’t know how to portray someone from that era, so I started with my body."
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He underwent intense weight loss half a month before shooting began, dropping from 70kg to nearly 59kg. He sunbathed excessively every day to darken his skin, and deliberately hunched his back until his body naturally formed a “question mark” shape. Every time he arrived on set, he would grab dirt from the ground, explaining, “This makes the dirt under my fingernails look the most natural. My fingernails never got clean until the end of shooting.”
Wu Kang-ren was most struck by something Director Cao Rui-yuan told him before filming: “What’s interesting about this character is that he’s just a person, a small figure living in that great era.” Right after wrapping his scenes, Wu’s first job back in Taipei was appearing in a PTS fundraising campaign to encourage public donations for more high-quality PTS programming. His 10-year acting journey will be shared in a special feature airing at 9am on December 9th during primetime.
The Hoklo and Hakka village chiefs (meaning leaders) in the drama are played by Lei Hong and Xia Jing-ting. Lei Hong portrays “Zhu Yi-bing,” the chief of Chai City, the largest Han settlement on Hengchun Peninsula, known for his cunning nature. He frequently clashes with Xia Jing-ting, who plays “Lin A-jiu,” the head of the Hakka village Baoli, over water rights. The three Golden Bell Award-winning actors share several intense, dramatic scenes, pushing their acting skills to the limit. Wu Kang-ren joked, “Just sitting there, Brother Lei Hong already looks like a profiteer — he’s a hypocrite, I’m the real villain, and Brother Xia is the madman.” He praised the skills of both veteran actors.
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Huang Jian-wei plays “Liu Ming-deng,” the Commander-in-Chief of Taiwan Garrison. Reuniting with Director Cao Rui-yuan after "The Longest Day in Chang'an," he said, “Even though I only guest-starred for one day last time, it was very satisfying. This time, I once again felt that Director Cao is a man of strong willpower, which is truly admirable.” In the drama, Liu Ming-deng arrives in Taiwan a year before the Rover Incident. He is strict in military governance and possesses both strategic wisdom and courage.
Huang Yuan plays “Ah Jie,” the younger brother of the story’s protagonist, Diemei. Sensitive by nature, he struggles with his mixed Hakka and indigenous heritage. By chance, he returns to the tribe and becomes involved in the process of transforming the Rover Incident from crisis to turning point, gradually maturing through his confusion.
[Authorized reprint from Bella.tw Nong Nong] Original article: [Kang-ren Wu became an 'Elder Statesman' for this role!For PTS epic drama 'The Dull Ice Flower', he lost weight to 59kg and never had clean fingernails]
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