Plot Synopsis
The femaleprotagonist, Wen Hui Xin (portrayed by Charmaine Sheh), gained fame years ago with her coverage of the Thief King case, establishing herposition as the "News Queen." She constantly clashes with Liang Jing Ren (portrayed by Raymond Lam), anotherprime time anchor, leading to ongoing struggles between their factions. Zhang Jia Yan (portrayed by Ali Lee), who refuses to engage inpower struggles and solely focuses on delivering good news, becomes the ideal candidate manipulated by the behind-the-scenes boss, Fang Luo Li Chang (portrayed by Kristal Tin), to create a three-waypower struggle.
After climbing upthe leadershipladder, Wen Hui Xin faces competition from Xu Shi Qing (portrayed by Koni Lui) and Xu Xiao Wei (portrayed by Jeannie Chan), who both vie for theprime time anchorposition using their figures and beauty.
Where to Watch "The Queen of News"
TVBAnywhere NA Free (sub)Episodes Recap
- 1-3
- 4-6
- 7-9
- 10-12
- 13-15
- 16-18
- 19-21
- 22-24
- 25-26
Episode 1 : Car accident sparks controversy among anchors.
Episode 2 : Wen Hui Xin fired Tang Zhi Yao.
Episode 3 : Ye Chen's domestic violence incident was exposed.
Episode 4 : Liang Jing Ren wants to poach Wen Hui Xin's subordinates.
Episode 5 : Zhang Jiayan and Liu Yan found new clues.
Episode 6 : Xu Shi Qing and Xu Xiao Wei are competing for prime time.
Episode 7 : Wen Hui Xin rushed to the scene of the fire.
Episode 8 : Xu Xiaowei was asked to deliberately smear Wen Huixin.
Episode 9 : Zhang Jiayan discovered problems with the pedestrian bridge.
Episode 10 : Wen Hui Xin was excluded from the meeting.
Episode 11 : Liang Jing Ren was accused of workplace sexual harassment.
Episode 12 : Wu Xiaowei exposed a photo of Liang Jingren and Zhang Jiayan.
Episode 13 : Liang Jing Ren's live broadcast revealed a romantic relationship.
Episode 14 : Xu Xiaowei's younger sister passed away due to an accident.
Episode 15 : Xu Shi Qing's father is suspected of being abused in a nursing home.
Episode 16 : Wen Hui Xin and Zhang Jia Yan are investigating a sexual assault case.
Episode 17 : Xu Xiaowei secretly investigated the news in order to return to the news department.
Episode 18 : Mrs. Fang asked Zhao Minhua to suppress Wen Huixin.
Episode 19 : Xu Shi Qing and Wang Wei publicly announce their relationship.
Episode 20 : Wen Hui Xin and Zhao Wen Hui Xin reached a settlement.
Episode 21 : Wen Hui Xin began reforming the television department.
Cast & Role
Liang Jing Ren
(Ma Guo Ming)
Xu Xiao Wei
(He Yi Ting)
Wen Hui Xin
(She Shi Man)
Zhang Jia Yan
(Li Shi Hua)
I feel that Shi Qing's character is well-rounded. She is determined to fight for the position she desires. She has a high sensitivity to news and has the ability to secure the broadcasting rights for covering the police.
However, when she learned that it was Xiao Wei's sister who got hit, she was moved. Instead of rushing in to continue the interview, she didn't pour salt on the wound for the sake of ratings, even if she had a bad relationship with Xiao Wei.
Shi Qing is not only a courageous and capable news anchor but also a compassionate woman with empathy and humanity.
The most enjoyable part is the two male anchors. On the female anchor side, there are so many capable individuals that they almost come to blows. But on the male anchor side, there are only two of them, unmoved like a mountain.
They are the epitome of being detached from the world, and there's simply no one who can replace them. That's why George can lose a thousand times and still have news to report, while on the female anchor side, one mistake and they either get laid off (man, that was close!
) or get sent to the border regions.
What's there to feel wronged about? Have you taken a look at what you've done? Doesn't Liu Yan's way of handling things seem familiar? Like a naive female lead in the Chinese entertainment industry?
Always causing trouble but playing innocent like a delicate white lotus?
There are plenty of people like Liu Yan in real life, but unlike the white-flower female leads in TV dramas who have male protagonists and supporting roles to help them, Liu Yan has both strengths and weaknesses.
When it comes to male characters, they are considered "real" and "well-rounded," but why is it that when it comes to female characters, they are subjected to judgment?
So Xu Shi Qing originally wanted to use the live broadcast incident involving Xu Mei to replace Xu Xiao Wei and secure the hosting position for the prime-time slot for seven days.
However, unexpectedly, Xu Mei died in a car accident, which had an impact on the television station. As a result, Wen Jie only allowed her to host on Saturdays and Sundays.
Why did Wen Jie make Xu as her assistant later? Was she suppressing Xu?
Wen Jie and Jiayan are both sincerely dedicated to their work in journalism, while those men are just playing games, engaged in power struggles, and willing to do anything for a little bit of power.
Therefore, this drama also portrays the power of women fighting against patriarchy.
Xiao Wei's depression is caused by low self-esteem, which is why she doesn't argue back when her sister scolds her and doesn't refuse when she is constantly threatened for money. She shows loyalty to Man Jie in order to gain favor. Low self-esteem stems from feelings of inadequacy, a chronic sense of unworthiness resulting from being manipulated by pick-up artists, or a lack of emotional fulfillment.
It is ultimately rooted in unclear boundaries and a lack of self-awareness. Failing to differentiate between oneself and others, she imposes the life issues of others onto herself, which is inherently wrong. Whether it's family, her sister, or her boss, they are all separate individuals, not her.
Whatever happens to them is a result of their own personalities, environments, and experiences. She can actively influence and initiate change, or passively accept it, but it's important to understand that Man Jie's dominance and her sister's irrationality are their own issues.
They are not caused by her, but rather inherent aspects of who they are.
In this episode, Shi Qing's clear objective is to use her connections in the police force to catch Xiao Xin and uncover her relationship with Xiao Wei (which is unknown to her, but she suspects it's not an ordinary and rather malicious one), so she can use it as a breakthrough to take down Xiao Wei in one fell swoop.
Even before she sets out, she firmly tells Wen Jie, "I will definitely expose her (implying exposing Xiao Wei)." She had planned it in advance, but she didn't anticipate things going awry and causing Xiao Xin's death.
Wen Jie had suspected it, so she starts to ruthlessly confront Shi Qing. Shi Qing, feeling guilty, falls into a self-destructive mode.
In terms of the storyline, Jiayan is a true representation of what a news professional should be. While Hui Xin's words suggest that reporting news should prioritize truth, she always puts her own interests first.
That's why Jiayan acknowledges her professionalism but disapproves of her methods. As for Liang Jing Ren, he possesses neither quality.
However, Jiayan's ability to survive in such an environment is already impressive.
Although real-life situations may not be as exaggerated as in the drama, it doesn't mean they don't exist. In any workplace, people tend to form cliques.
If it weren't for Jiayan's intervention, two people would have been hurt... Jiayan only had the leverage to bring her back... It's really captivating.
Xu Qing is a bit unscrupulous, stepping on two boats at once~ Indeed, this TV drama doesn't have any good character setups; they are all focused on their careers~ Haha.
The problem is, she didn't immediately report it to the police. She talks about being a journalist to uphold justice, to give others their due! But this is a criminal offense, the street racing gang. And she's trying to shift the blame onto others.
It feels like they don't value life and death here, as if it's not their concern. It's not just an ordinary accident, don't you think she's benefiting from it as well? This is no ordinary incident!
I'm getting a bit tired of Zhang Jiayan and Liu Yan, the master and disciple. Zhang Jiayan is a hypocritical saint, always claiming to only do news and not get involved in personal matters, but as soon as her own interests are at stake, she immediately steps forward.
She uses the excuse of a child needing urgent medical treatment as a way to manipulate Ye Chen into providing information. And even after obtaining the information, she doesn't care about the consequences of her reporting, whether the children will be able to receive treatment in the future or not, she just wants to report it!
Liu Yan, on the other hand, never learns from her mistakes. She repeatedly causes trouble with her thoughtless remarks, acts recklessly, and speaks without caution. Yet, she always seems to have good luck on her side, like she's the embodiment of the halo of a typical Chinese idol drama protagonist.
Truly befitting a master and disciple...
She is a selfish person, only caring about her own job and dreams. She doesn't even care about outsiders like Ye Chen, let alone her boyfriend's job. It can only be said that in this drama, the flaws of each character are quite evident.
No one has been deliberately given a perfect character design.
Jiayan is truly a pure idealist. I see a lot of barrage comments criticizing her for being selfish, but I don't think that's her character. How else can she uphold her ideals? As she said, after learning so much and being a highly accomplished woman, how can she be content with being trapped?
Trapped in her current situation, trapped within her family. Even I, who am not as outstanding as her, refuse to accept it. I still want to explore the vastness of this world. And Zhang Jiayan, who possesses stronger ideals, beliefs, and abilities than me, would certainly feel the same.
Men truly have their own cunning ways. They may appear to be well-spoken on the surface, but in reality, they have been brainwashing Jiayan since the very beginning to become a housewife. Liu Yan, at least, mentioned the possibility of balancing family and work, but this man doesn't even bring up work and forcefully wants to confine her to the household.
It's nauseating.
That's right, this is the poison of traditional thinking. They want to turn a talented woman into a housewife, controlling her life, doing household chores and taking care of children at home.
I can't even imagine how boring that kind of life would be.
Jiayan's problem is that she's too idealistic. She's willing to sacrifice herself for the sake of real news, but the thing is, once you've made that sacrifice, who will remember you after the news hype dies down?
She also realizes that she's not as selfless as she thought. She still cares about rankings, while the man hides in the background, leaving Jiayan to take all the blame.
Afterwards, he doesn't even go find her or pull her out from the clutches of the newspaper. This is the problem with idealists. They think they're noble, but after a period of cold realization, they discover that they're not so noble either.
And when they try to salvage the situation, they find themselves on the brink of a dead end.
I like the character She Shi Man. She may be tough on the outside, but she has a soft heart and holds onto her integrity. I gradually grew to dislike Jia Yan, who pretends to be righteous and thinks highly of herself.
Xiao Wei had such a miserable fate, and she didn't see it coming. She's in a hopeless situation. On the other hand, Xujie is ambitious and her actions speak louder than words.
She does whatever it takes without hesitation, without beating around the bush. I'm starting to appreciate her more and more.
Many men think Jia Yan is being unreasonable, but I think that lawyer is being wishful. He knows that his woman likes to work in journalism, yet he insists on making Jia Yan a housewife. Men are strange, they always want to turn successful career women into housewives.
And those who actually want to focus on being housewives are not chosen.
Looking at it from Jia Yan's perspective, her work is unsatisfactory, and she feels helpless. She watches her ex-boyfriend, who used to be a small reporter like her, become more and more successful while she has lost everything. Her ice cream parlor, which used to be her place of relaxation, is gone.
The mountain peak where she used to find solace is also gone.
Having one's beliefs collapse is already terrifying, let alone experiencing the collapse of multiple beliefs at the same time. Can't you see what she's going through instead of just criticizing her?
The problem between Jia Yan and her fiancé actually stems from a lack of understanding. The man doesn't comprehend the significance of journalism to Jia Yan, and Jia Yan doesn't understand why he always wants her to quit her job.
On top of that, both of them are busy with work and never have time to sit down and communicate properly. They just talk past each other, and over time, problems arise. Moreover, Jia Yan is currently experiencing a career slump, so the words spoken by her fiancé only make her more frustrated.
Ultimately, both sides have no idea what the other truly wants.
To be honest, Liang's use of investment as a threat against Wen Jie disgusts me. Do you remember the earlier episodes when Cathy, Liang, and Xiao Wei had their showdown in the stairwell? Cathy said something to Liang: "All your sponsorships are brought in by me.
If the investors pressure us, it won't end well for anyone." At that time, Liang didn't dare to confront Cathy directly. Instead, he used sweet words to persuade her. What does this indicate? It means that what Cathy said was true, she brought in all the sponsorships.
Now, Liang is using the investments as leverage against Wen Jie. Essentially, he is taking the sponsorships that Cathy brought in and using them as bargaining chips for himself. In reality, he didn't bring in any sponsorships at all.
Cathy made it clear back then with her use of the word "all." This guy is completely dependent on women, and the sponsorships are not his achievements nor his merits.
Wen Jie openly snatching Cathy away not only infuriated George but, more importantly, it paved the way for Cathy by directly revealing who her new right-hand person is. Xiao Wei lost her position due to her relationship with George being exposed, and she was also Wen Jie's former right-hand person.
The Wen family's forces are now without a commander, and Wen Jie cannot personally oversee every aspect of the operation.
Many people dislike Zhang Jia Yan, but personally, I find this character quite well-rounded. In the early stages, he was too righteous, which made him seem unrealistic. But later on, it became evident that he had a sense of self.
Overall, he prioritizes his career. However, Zhang Jia Yan is highly educated. Who with such qualifications would choose to be a housewife? He is ambitious and I think this man has a gentle side as well.
Of course, it's undeniable that he loves Jia Yan. Also, this is how society works. No matter how idealistic you are, in the end, you have to play by the existing rules. Otherwise, you'll be kicked out of the game.