Shen Yimeng (Germany)
Excellence Award
Author Biography:
Shen Yimeng holds a Master’s degree in Literature from Beijing Film Academy, focusing on literary and film creation. Her novels, including A Person’s Universe, Countdown Light Years, Rain in Berlin, Sun in Beijing, and Honey, cover diverse themes and explore human nature and emotions. Her film scripts include the Four Beauties series—Heart of a Beauty, The Legend of Yu Huan, The Tale of Diao Chan, The Story of Wang Zhaojun—as well as Jiahe and Queen of the Silk Road, showcasing historical figures and narratives. Her television works include The Legend of King Gesar, Tang Dynasty Censor, Emperor Tang Minghuang, Gan Jiang and Mo Ye, and Snow Leopard, with some receiving recognition at domestic and international awards.
Award-Winning Work: The Top Broadcaster (80 episodes)
Story Synopsis:
The sudden outbreak of a pandemic locked down the city, but it quietly opened another door for Katie. A seemingly ordinary housewife, once buried in mundane daily life, discovers a fascinating world on an anonymous voice platform. With her magnetic and emotionally compelling voice, Katie transforms from an unnoticed listener into a broadcaster adored by tens of thousands. She creates the chatroom “Dragon Gate Inn,” providing strangers with a space for communication, confession, and companionship.
However, this virtual paradise is not entirely innocent. Every confessor carries a hidden story: bankrupt corporate executives, artists in decline, divorced white-collar workers… They arrive with pain but take away Katie’s warmth and strength. The chatroom’s fame turns her into an “internet celebrity,” yet the spotlight brings storms. A baseless scandal spreads like wildfire, wreaking havoc on her life: cyberbullying, family crises, and career collapse.
Even more terrifying, behind the virtual revelry, an unforeseen tragedy quietly unfolds. Katie’s close online friend Lucy, a girl who often confides her loneliness late at night, commits suicide. The devastating news plunges Katie into deep guilt and forces her to question the online world: is it a utopia that heals loneliness, or a pit of despair?
To uncover the truth and honor Lucy, Katie launches a unique social experiment—documenting the real stories of 30 online friends in 30 days. She believes it to be a simple act of warmth, but with each conversation, astonishing secrets hidden behind anonymity are revealed. Human complexity, the lure of the internet, and even Katie’s own motives are completely upended in this adventure.
As the truth emerges, Katie faces her ultimate choice: stay in this virtual “golden kingdom” or let go and return to reality. The answer may be far more unexpected than imagined.
Professional Commentary:
Set against the backdrop of pandemic lockdowns, the series cleverly embeds the “anonymous voice platform” as a virtual space, portraying a housewife’s dramatic transition from real-world confinement to online prominence. The story’s highlight lies in the stark contrast between virtual glory and real-life collapse. The plot unfolds layer by layer, with richly developed emotional arcs. The series possesses strong psychological tension and social reflection, making it an outstanding work leaning toward art-house cinema.
