
Kokuto:
I really don't know what qualifies as an idol drama. But I do hope that Tan Jian Ci gets more and better scripts and productions, not to mention lead roles. I can't believe he's never gotten one before. Under the Skin maybe, but that was really a co-lead, IMO. I think the upcoming Love Me Love My Voice will be the first.
I agree. Doing movies would be idea for him. The next step. Plus it would give him more time to continue his singing career.
There is no set definition, but in China idol drama is usually a show that has at least one traffic actor or liuliang (btw TJC is considered somewhat of a liuliang, mid-tier level), xianxias and romance-centric or romcom modern dramas are almost always idol dramas serious actors don't do them, and usually a web only series not broadcast on actual Chinese television channels. I'm hoping his career will somewhat follow the path of Zhu Yilong's where he found a lot of popularity later in his career and in his 30s after over a decade of toiling in supporting roles (ironically Zhu Yilong found this fame through a low budget BL drama Guardian, which BL is now hard banned so TJC's Winner Is King will most likely never air), did a couple of romance dramas (including a famous one Story of Minglan), and then almost completely transitioned into movies with the occasional serious drama, and he is now a critically acclaimed award-winning highly respected and famous serious actor known by the general public not just fandom.
Imo TJC's skills and talent as an actor as they stand right now are worthy of winning major awards, but he will never be considered for any of them until he transitions out of idol dramas/web exclusive series. The only major dramas (in terms of having been picked up for general tv broadcast) he's done so far are Advisors Alliance and its sequel Growling Tiger, Roaring Dragon and The Centimeter of Love. I won't be completely disappointed if he doesn't get nominated for the big awards because a lot of those are also dependent on both industry politics and actual politics, but in an ideal meritorious world he more than deserves to.