Drama immerses audiences into a world of alter egos and emotions

Director Xu Bing's high-concept romance What a Wonderful World, one of this year's most unconventional dramas,began releasing episodes on the streaming platform iQiyi on Wednesday.

Starring actress Zhao Liying and actor Yin Fang, the fast-paced, eight-episode series is a psychological thriller with a cascade of twists.

The story delves into the fractured mind of its protagonist, whose primary personality is a shy, cautious ride-hailing driver. Among his alternate identities is a vibrant, charismatic young woman who works on escape room games. When she suppresses the other personalities, a new alter ego emerges — further destabilizing an already fragile psyche. Over time, the driver realizes he has fallen in love with her, turning his path to recovery into a bittersweet farewell to someone he can never truly be with.

At a preview screening in Beijing earlier this week, actor Yin, who plays the protagonist, explained that although the drama employs multiple personalities as a narrative device, its creators did not intend to focus on dissociative identity disorder as a clinical subject.

"Instead, we wanted to explore human emotions — how we love ourselves and others. The story leaves ample room for interpretation, and we believe each viewer will project their own understanding of love onto it," he said.

"In today's world, many people feel deep loneliness. They say they're fine being alone and are hesitant to pursue romance — yet deep down, they still yearn for love. That longing often gets redirected into other things: games, virtual idols, collectible figures, or similar substitutes," continued Yin.

"As an actor, I approached the young female alter ego — played by Zhao — as someone real, someone to cherish, while imagining the surreal nature of the world built in the protagonist's mind. The role required total imaginative commitment to it to life," Yin added.