"A Good Life" has distinct Shanghai characteristics and focuses on the insurance industry, which is rarely seen on the screen

The urban drama "A Good Life", which is currently being broadcast on CCTV-8 during prime time, focuses on the insurance industry, a profession that rarely appears on the screen. According to CSM national network data, the drama's first-day ratings were 1.34% and its audience share was 6.83%, both ranking first in the country. This is the highest first-day ratings record for CCTV-8 TV dramas this year.

As a realistic urban drama, "A Good Life" starts with the double collapse of family and career of 39-year-old insurance broker Hu Manli (played by Sun Li). Through the comparison, conflict and reconciliation between her and 28-year-old young insurer Xue Xiaozhou (played by Dong Zijian), it reveals the little-known survival rules of the insurance industry, and then pays attention to the different social groups represented by each insurance policy. It explores in depth from multiple angles such as medical care, elderly care, marriage, parent-child, family financial management and other livelihood topics, reflecting social development and changes of the times.

"The lovely part about Hu Manli is that she is like a weed, always full of vitality." Screenwriter Fei Huijun said that as an original story set in Shanghai, the script was originally named "39-28". At first, she wanted to create two interesting character structures and write about how two people who are very different from each other redeem each other. Hu Manli and Xue Xiaozhou in the play are 11 years apart in age, but the relationship between them is not a clichéd "sister-brother relationship".

The screenwriter chose the insurance industry because it is rarely covered in TV dramas. "Insurance is an industry with a low threshold but a high ceiling, which can create legendary stories." Fei Huijun said with a smile that during the field trip, she not only kept in touch with her friends in the insurance industry, but also bought insurance herself. "I bought 'Shanghai Huibao' for both my parents, and I didn't expect that they would actually use it in the end."

The creation of "A Good Life" took six years. Sun Li portrayed a Shanghai career woman with a strong sense of the market. Fei Huijun felt that when creating the role of Hu Manli, it was important to highlight the "truth" of the character. "This time I wanted to create a character that is different from the previous ones. She has small shortcomings and flaws." Fei Huijun said that the "unlovable" part of Hu Manli is that she has aggressive behavior and a little vanity, and these imperfections can resonate with the audience.

This is also what impressed director Wang Jun the most about the script. "Hu Manli's liveliness is the core character trait. After more than 20 years of working in the insurance industry, she has been tainted with some social things, which is her way of survival. But at the same time, she manages everything well and has a kind side." Wang Jun said that these images mixed together have a sense of contrast. "Hu Manli is a vivid Shanghai working woman. I think she will be a representative role in Sun Li's acting career."

This is a drama with distinct Shanghai characteristics, and it was filmed entirely in Shanghai. The filming took more than 100 days, and the main creators traveled to 86 different urban spaces in Shanghai. From the bustling skyscrapers, the magnificent CBD shopping malls, to the Shikumen alleys full of fireworks, and the literary and romantic Wutong District cafes, each shot shows the various aspects of Shanghai, and also allows the audience to experience the charm of Shanghai culture.

"Sun Li asked me at the beginning if we could use dialect in some places, and I said absolutely. For example, if the client is from Shanghai, the insurance broker can communicate with him in Shanghainese, which will be very friendly and also bring them closer." Wang Jun believes that when filming an urban drama about Shanghai, dialect has its vividness. "For example, the character 'Chai Baidang' written by the screenwriter can only be accurately expressed in Shanghainese. It would be boring to translate it into 'scammer'. If Hu Manli spoke standard and authentic Mandarin, it would more or less affect everyone's imagination of Shanghai women, and the audience's trust and sense of substitution would also be weakened."

"Shanghai women are very smart and strong. This kind of strength is not strong in a domineering way, but she has the spirit of being the head of the family." Producer Zhang Lingyan recalled that when the script was given to Sun Li, she expressed her love for the character, "Hu Manli is a woman who worked hard in the alleys of Shanghai. She has the spirit of the market. Later, we found that Sun Li and Hu Manli are a perfect match. She is lively, smart, family-oriented, and loves children and life."

In Fei Huijun's opinion, the "Shanghai style" she wants to convey is actually the people in this city, especially the protagonist Hu Manli. "Everyone says that Shanghai women are powerful, which does not refer to their outward appearance. It means that no matter how difficult it is, they will wipe away their tears, solve the problem first, and then protect their family like an old hen. In addition, Shanghai women are sensible and clear-headed, which is also a trait that helped Hu Manli quickly adapt to the insurance industry."

"What is "A Good Life"?" Wang Jun said, "The ups and downs of life are all kinds of things, and everything is good. All the actors in this drama performed very well. Everyone can see a different Sun Li and a different Dong Zijian. They have a wonderful chemical reaction. Once you watch this drama, you will definitely be addicted."

The drama is produced by CCTV, Shangshi Pictures and Youku. It is a major literary and artistic creation funding project of the Shanghai Culture Development Foundation and is supported by the special fund for cultural development of Xuhui District, Shanghai.