CloudA

I think you may have misunderstood my point.

I’m not blaming supporting actors for having more screen time, nor am I suggesting they shouldn’t have opportunities—they absolutely need them as well. My concern is with the way the narrative and production decisions are structured.

Screen time allocation is ultimately a creative and production-level choice, not something individual actors control. When a male lead’s character—who is supposed to carry the core arc of the story—is underdeveloped or sidelined, that’s not about “actors competing for time,” but about how the story is being shaped.

I fully agree that supporting characters deserve meaningful development. However, that shouldn’t come at the expense of weakening the central character’s background, relationships, and growth. A well-balanced drama should be able to develop both without diminishing the integrity of the main character.

Also, having expectations as a viewer isn’t the issue. It’s reasonable to expect that a lead character in a drama will be given sufficient narrative depth and relevance, especially when the story is built around them.

So my point isn’t about blaming actors on either side—it’s about the storytelling and how resources are allocated within the narrative.

It's not up to them, it's up to their agencies.

I don’t think her squad is an unreasonable adaptation. My point is that the character Xie Zheng hasn’t been given the level of thoughtful development he deserves. This isn’t the first time Zhang Linghe has been used by stakeholders to promote other actors.

If you’ve seen Our Generation, it was even more extreme—Zhang Linghe appeared for less than 30 minutes across the first dozen episodes. Many Chinese viewers couldn’t accept it and even jokingly referred to the drama as “The Disappearing Male Lead.”

Also, regardless of whose fan I am, I don’t want the Chinese drama industry to be distorted by money, where talented actors are exploited, overworked, and their health is affected. Are you aware of what happened with Zhao Lusi? It’s hard for us to truly imagine how little control actors sometimes have over their own situations.

Screen time and standout moments are not the same thing. It’s clear that the drama has done a thorough job portraying the villains’ backgrounds and personalities—even to the point of repeatedly emphasizing how twisted they are, which the audience has already understood.

So wouldn’t it make more sense to use some of that time to develop the male lead instead? For example, exploring his background—his relationships with his parents and uncle, the hidden sides of his personality, his care for his subordinates, and how he earned their loyalty. None of these aspects have been properly shown.

A strong male lead shouldn’t be defined only by romance. He should have his own ambitions and character development, but the drama fails to fully explore these aspects.

I’m not criticizing the female lead at all. I just feel that some less important scenes could have been reduced, so more time could be given to developing the male lead.

I’m not sure if you really understand how complex Xie Zheng is as a character—he’s much deeper than what the drama shows. The adaptation hasn’t just toned him down a little, it’s stripped away a huge part of his depth. If the same thing were done to the female lead, would people accept it? Why is it suddenly considered normal when it happens to the male lead?

Xie Zheng's data ranks first online because of Zhang Linghe, It happens every time. His fans support these dramas because of him, investing so much time and money, only to end up feeling misled by the stakeholders behind the dramas.

If you read the novel, you'll know how many supporting roles plots are created by the screenwriter. Even the villains are well portraited than ML in the drama. If a drama is meant to be female-centered, it should still give proper depth to the male lead, rather than prioritizing side couples and irrelevant storylines while sacrificing his character development.

And I know it's not the fault of the other actors, I'm just blaming the industry, who are hidden behind the actors. Due to heavy capital interference, the industry has become distorted. Screenwriters in China rarely get to create freely—they’re forced to accommodate various stakeholders, adding scenes for certain actors, rewriting plots, and even sacrificing the male lead’s screen time and highlight moments.

But he is the ML, it's riduculous so many supporting roles have more screentime than him. This drama is apparently unbalanced in screentime.

I’m not blaming Tian Xiwei—I’m actually a fan of hers too, so there’s no need to argue with me. I’m talking about the supporting characters in general.

It's not up to him. It's up to his agency.

After watching today’s two episodes, Zhang Linghe appeared for less than 20 minutes in total, and I’m honestly really upset. This isn’t the first time he’s been used by the industry to promote other actors. In dramas like My Journey to You, The Princess Royal, and Our Generation, many supporting characters had more screen time, more complex character arcs, and more standout moments than him.

Production teams and platforms always find ways to benefit the actors they have a stake in. I really feel it’s unfair to Zhang Linghe. In every project, he puts in so much effort. He doesn’t just focus on acting—he actively contributes to things beyond his role, like styling, scene design, and even action choreography.

Yet all his hard work often results in fans excitedly starting his dramas, only to realize that supporting characters outshine him. Those supporting actors end up gaining popularity using him as a stepping stone, while Zhang Linghe is left alone facing jealousy and attacks from other fandoms.

On top of that, his agency never seems to give him proper rest. Since 2022, he’s barely had a break longer than a month. When he’s not filming, he’s constantly attending commercial events and brand endorsements. This nonstop workload has led to cervical spine issues and chronic rhinitis. He’s become extremely thin—he almost looks like skin and bones now, with clothes hanging loosely on him.

I genuinely feel so bad for him.

Story of Kunning Palace. Zhang Linghe's best costume drama before POJ released.

Zou Yue is the screenwriter, the credits for such great female leads really go to the original novel authors.

Still, I appreciate that the adaptation stayed faithful—so many dramas tone down the female lead just to boost the male lead’s charm.

Yes, Zhang Jingyi is called Thailand princess by chinese people, because she has a Thai beauty style. She has big eyes and thick lips which are exactly the drawing shows.

Here is a more objective explanation of the variety show issue.

China is a very large country with 56 ethnic groups, and people from different regions often have noticeable differences in appearance. In daily life, it is quite common for people to casually comment that someone “looks like they are from a certain region.” In that context, such remarks are usually not intended to be offensive, but rather a habitual way of describing appearances.

During the show, Zhang Linghe made a similar comment in a natural way, and it was not considered inappropriate during editing.

However, after the broadcast, some viewers from Southeast Asia felt offended. In response, he chose to apologize out of respect for their feelings. even knowing it might expose him to more criticism online.

His Instagram account is managed by agency staff, and the way the apology was posted may have come across as less sincere, which led to further misunderstanding.

The purpose of sharing this is simply to provide more context. In situations like this, misunderstandings can easily arise, and public opinion can sometimes be influenced by incomplete information and cultural difference.

Check this discussion thread, all your questions are answered, it's a long story 😂: https://kisskh.at/discussions/760409-zhu-yu/148652-the-true-identity-of-changyu-s-father-qi-min-yu-qian-qian-s-story-spoiler-alert

Because wo ai ni is like a serious promise.