Knocking on the Door of a Fortress

In 1999 A.D., a legend of a zombie dug out of an ancient tomb spreads through a small town in Sichuan. A boy who accidentally becomes incontinent during swimming lessons is labeled a “little zombie” and subjected to collective humiliation. Instead of doing him justice, his teachers attributed it to his “unlikability”. Years later, he entered the entertainment industry as an actor, and his teacher died of blood cancer. In a dream, he meets his teacher, who wants to reconcile with him, but he is obsessed with how to become as “likeable” as his teacher asked him to be. With this in mind, he approaches some entertainment stars. It turns out that all of them live with their own scars, and not all of their hatred can be found in themselves. One of the stars teaches the man a spell that allows him to travel through time and space, to fight against the past, to be brave when courage is needed.

Directed by Roy Wang, Knocking on the Door of a Fortress leans on a strong ensemble — Li Xueqin, Roy Wang, Jiang Qiming — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2024.