When the army runs, one stubborn farmer builds an army of his own.
Season 1 • Episode 40
LatestIn 1931, as Japan invades Northeast China, the Nationalist government orders a retreat, leaving the region defenseless. Zhao Laoga, a determined villager, forms an anti-Japanese resistance with locals to protect their homeland against overwhelming odds.
Acting
Li Youbin's Zhao Laoga: stubborn, flawed, impossible to look away from.
Production
Massive rural battle sequences on Chinese TV budget—impressive or chaotic, no middle ground.
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Released for the 80th anniversary of the Mukden Incident, this was state-commissioned propaganda that accidentally became a hit for its human-scale storytelling.
Li Youbin reportedly gained 15kg and learned northeastern dialect for the role; his performance became so iconic that 'Zhao Laoga' entered slang for stubborn rural patriots.
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