TVB’s drama “City of Stars” debuted as the network’s highest-rated premiere of 2025, drawing a peak cross-platform audience of 1.41 million viewers. The show’s immediate success is fueled by a dense web of familial betrayal and viral buzz over its use of artificial intelligence to de-age screen legend David Chiang.
A Premiere Built on High Stakes
Plot chaos hits hard and early. Following the tragic death of a family member, protagonist Alice (Samantha Ko) becomes the target of public scorn. Her attempt at a peace offering is deliberately sabotaged by the ambitious Kate (Louise Cheung), intensifying the power struggle inside the powerful Guan family. When patriarch Chi Chun (David Chiang) turns cold and her husband Hau Yin (Julian Cheung) freezes her out, Alice discovers a secret truth: Hau Yin is fighting her battles behind the scenes. The revelation is no comfort. His clandestine support is merely a tool in a larger game of control, positioning her as an unwitting pawn in a cold calculation for power.
Digital De-Aging Steals the Spotlight
A major driver of audience engagement is the show’s groundbreaking use of AI to make David Chiang appear decades younger in flashback sequences. Viewers flooded social media with praise for the seamless effect, with some comparing his on-screen look to a young Tony Leung blended with Jay Chou. Others went further, digging up old film stills and arguing that the actor in his physical prime surpassed the digital creation.
The technical process was meticulous. The production team built the AI model using Chiang’s vocal recordings from his 1996 drama “Goodbye My Love,” synchronized with his live set audio. This allowed the software to automatically match his de-aged face with a correspondingly youthful voice. The nostalgic mystery deepens around a recurring photograph of a young actress, which has driven rampant speculation about the character’s hidden past.
Romance and Villainy Dominate the Conversation
Off-screen romance rumors swirl just as intensely as the on-screen drama. Louise Cheung’s Kate and Ron Ng’s Hau Kwan delivered a standout 90-second single-shot sequence, moving from an argument in a hallway to a tender embrace by a window. The moment sparked a frenzy, especially when Kwan tells Kate, “No one is more suitable to be the lady of this house than you.” Real-life gossip was stoked when Cheung visibly blushed during an interview after co-star Julian Cheung teased her, adding fresh fuel to speculation.
On the darker side of love, Julian Cheung’s character has earned the online label of “ultimate scumbag” for his calculated cruelty. His chilling admission to an assistant—that he plans to offer a lifebuoy only at his wife’s lowest point of despair— has turned viewers against him. In a revealing production detail, the show’s producer shared that the crew played the Chow Yun-fat and Cherie Chung classic “The Autumn Tale” on set to help the actors channel the tragic romance of a scene.
A Formula That Is Resonating
“City of Stars” blends high-tech production with classic melodrama, crafting a potent mix that has resonated strongly with audiences. As the layers of deception tighten around Alice, the central question remains whether she will recognize the strings being pulled. For now, the show has set a new benchmark for TVB’s 2025 programming, proving that a compelling mix of innovation and emotional ruthlessness still captures the public imagination.
