Black Forbidden Series has kicked off global casting for its ambitious 120-episode live-action adaptation, with a newly surfaced casting sheet revealing key character breakdowns, relationships, and production scope.

The document outlines the roles currently open for audition, offering the clearest look yet at how the six-novel crime saga will be brought to screen.

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The series is based on the “Black Forbidden Series” novels by 彻夜流香 (Che Ye Liuxiang), first published in 2019, which follow a tense and twisted tale of love, obsession, and power in the criminal underworld.

Across six interconnected novels—Rainforest, Sea of Desire, Mad Sand, Beast City, Searching for the City, and Hunting City—the story tracks the entangled lives of an Interpol agent and a Nordic underworld tycoon, blending crime, psychological intrigue, and Boys Love elements into a sprawling, high-stakes narrative.

Black Forbidden Series production details

Black Forbidden Series casting call key visual
Credit: Official Black Forbidden Series production
  • Episodes: 120
  • Episode length: 45 minutes
  • Filming: Overseas production
  • Casting: Global
  • Coverage: All 6 novels will be adapted

About the original Black Forbidden novels

The Black Forbidden Series by Che Ye Liuxiang consists of six interconnected crime novels:

  • Rainforest (雨林)
  • Sea of Desire (欲海)
  • Mad Sand (疯沙)
  • Beast City (兽都)
  • Searching for the City (寻城)
  • Hunting City (猎城)

The story follows a dangerous entanglement between an Interpol agent and a powerful underworld figure, where manipulation, obsession, and desire blur the lines between hunter and prey.

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Black Forbidden Series main characters

Ye Yuzhen (叶宇真)

An Interpol agent born into a crime family. Though raised like a refined noble, he hides a stubborn, obsessive nature and suppresses darker impulses within himself.

Andrew (安德鲁)

A mysterious underworld kingpin, possibly of Russian descent, raised by a pastor. He lives by his own moral code—capable of cruelty, yet refuses to deal drugs.

Black Forbidden Chinese book cover "Hunting City" by YesAsia
Credit: YesAsia

Lin Long (林龙)

A man caught between law and crime, with powerful family ties. Arrogant and unstable, his obsession with Ye Yuzhen evolves into a twisted mix of love and hatred.

William/Mansouri (威廉)

An abandoned royal illegitimate son and desert crime lord. Dramatic, reckless, and jealous of Ye Yuzhen, especially due to his connection with Andrew.

Zeng Yusen (曾雨森)

A character shaped by tragedy and deception. He presents innocence outwardly but hides a cruel, almost fairy-tale-like darkness beneath.

Xu Anlin (许安林)

An informant working for Ye Yuzhen. Gentle on the surface but calculating, he is torn between loyalty and his complicated bond with Zeng Yusen.

Tom (汤姆)

Ye Yuzhen’s loyal secretary. Not highly capable, but skilled at navigating office dynamics and deeply familiar with his boss’s life.

Man in black (黑衣人)

Andrew’s unnamed bodyguard. Clever, sarcastic, and constantly thinking about survival in a role where he can be replaced at any time.

Black Forbidden series key character relationships

Dark male silhouette against smoky red backdrop
Credit: Elti Meshau on Unsplash

Ye Yuzhen and Andrew

A toxic yet magnetic relationship built on manipulation, control, and reluctant emotional dependence.

Ye Yuzhen and Lin Long

A relentless pursuer and rival—both in love and in criminal investigations.

Ye Yuzhen and Zeng Yusen

A connection rooted in loneliness and unspoken feelings, shaped by missed chances.

Ye Yuzhen and Xu Anlin

A loyal subordinate whose admiration turns into emotional conflict and rivalry.

Andrew and Ye Yuzhen

Andrew sees Ye Yuzhen as both prey and fascination—drawn to exposing his true self while admiring him deeply.

Andrew and Zeng Yusen

Like rival predators—constantly clashing, yet surprisingly effective when working together.

Andrew and Xu Anlin

A fragile, “white rabbit”-like presence Andrew instinctively dislikes but cannot ignore.

Lin Long and Ye Yuzhen

An obsessive dynamic where love becomes control, and attention is sought through conflict.

The showrunner estimates a 1–2 year production timeline, though it’s currently unclear whether filming has already begun.

With its 120-episode scope and full adaptation of all six novels, Black Forbidden Series is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious crime drama projects in recent years—especially within the BL/crime crossover space.