步步惊心 (BùbùJīngxīn): Scarlet Heart (2011 time-travel…

2011 TV drama starring Liu Shishi (刘诗诗) and Nicky Wu (吴奇隆), based on Tong Hua's (桐华) web novel. A modern young woman falls from her apartment and wakes up in the Kangxi era of Qing, caught between the princes fighting for the throne. Launched the 穿越剧 (time-travel drama) craze in mainland China.

usage

The title is a four-character phrase literally meaning 'every step startles the heart' — i.e. fraught with danger. It reads as a chengyu in sentences like 宫里的生活步步惊心, but the TV show has made it a default pop-culture reference.

In Pop Culture

步步惊心 Bùbù Jīngxīn

Scarlet Heart

2011 Chinese time-travel palace drama based on Tong Hua's novel. A modern woman is transported to the Qing court and falls in love with multiple Kangxi-era princes. Kicked off the 2010s boom in Chinese time-travel dramas. A Korean remake starring Lee Joon-gi and IU aired in 2016.