Onuta

There’s a direct connection between the cultural and cognitive environment and the way entertainment, including Chinese dramas, is produced and consumed today.
When audiences are accustomed to instant gratification, constant stimulation, and short attention spans, content creators naturally adapt to those habits. This is why many dramas today emphasize:
Visual appeal: beautiful faces, lavish sets, and polished cinematography.
Fast pacing and easy-to-digest plots: to keep viewers engaged without requiring deep attention.
Surface-level drama and emotional hooks: rather than complex moral dilemmas, historical context, or philosophical depth.
The underlying issue is that substance becomes “less rewarded”. In a society (or audience) where distraction is constant and attention is fleeting, content that requires reflection, moral engagement, or intellectual effort is harder to consume and harder to make profitable. So, producers often focus on what is instantly attractive rather than meaningful.
The shift in audience habits, shaped by technology, marketing, and consumer culture, encourages superficiality in entertainment. The shiny, visually appealing dramas are a mirror of a culture that often values immediacy over depth, even if some viewers still seek more meaningful stories.

I think marketing certainly plays a role, but it also raises a deeper question: can marketing truly shape people’s minds, transform their tastes, and redefine what they value? Or does it work mainly when minds lack a stable center of reference and values, making them easier to influence and shape?
In a highly consumerist society, attention is constantly drawn to shiny, easily digestible things, visual appeal, quick emotions, surface-level entertainment, while depth, complexity, and lasting artistic value often receive less attention.
Interestingly, something similar can be observed even in classical music, which we both appreciate. Increasingly, spectacle and image sometimes take precedence over quality.

It's interesting that you accuse others of lacking critical thinking while reducing an entire review to one interpretation you personally disagree with.
Critiquing how a character is written is not sexism — it’s literary criticism.
Also, discussion about a drama doesn’t magically become invalid because someone dropped it. Many of the most detailed critiques come from people who stopped watching precisely because they analyzed what didn’t work for them.
Reviews are subjective by nature — that’s why different perspectives exist. If everyone saw the same drama in exactly the same way, review sections would be rather boring.
And regarding the insults in your comment — words like those tend to say more about the person using them than about the people they are directed at.

You might not share his feelings or taste regarding this drama, but his review is well-written and well-argued, and I personally agree with almost everything he wrote. Your comment made me curious about his frequent 1-star ratings for dramas, so I actually went and read some of his reviews. Have you read them, or just looked at the ratings?
Despite his black-and-white approach—1 or 10, liking or not liking something, with no middle ground—which may or may not be agreeable, this person is actually very eloquent. His reviews are very well-argued and in-depth. This is someone who clearly values substance.
Thanks for your comment—because of it, I’ve discovered another drama to watch, inspired by such a deep and intelligent person.

Some people don’t… and some people don’t know it’s vs its. We all have our challenges. 😃

Spero che nel frattempo abbia trovato di meglio :-)

Hi, I didn’t want to watch this drama, as male-centric business isn’t something I’m interested in. However, I was curious to read the latest reviews and came across yours. I just wanted to say that I really liked the point you made and how well you articulated it.

Well, it just so happens that I am currently watching Nirvana in Fire, and the comparison with Vendetta of An doesn’t even come close. There are only a few reviews at the moment, but the character profiles—well, that’s another story. If my review bothers you, just skip it. Make your own decision for yourself. My likes and dislikes are mine, and I don’t care one bit whether this drama gets a 10 or a 1. If there is one thing people should have learned from Chinese dramas, it is honor, grace, and integrity—but unfortunately, those lessons are often missed. Have a good life.

Your profile… it’s like it trained its whole life for this review. I didn’t know profiles could have life goals, but yours clearly said, ‘I am made for this.’ Olympic-level effort. 🥇😂

I agree 😊

I would recommend more dramas that focus on letting go and finding calm, as getting too invested in trivial matters isn’t always good for your health. The reference to Love and Crown and the producer in my review was pure irony. Wishing you a relaxing day.

Your account has rated only three dramas—all with Cheng Yi and all 10 stars. That speaks for itself. 🙈

An empty profile has no bearing on whether a review is valid. Critiquing a work is a legitimate opinion, and personal attacks are unnecessary. I’ll leave the discussion at that. Have a good day.

For reference, a hateful mentality isn’t about pointing out things you don’t like in a drama; it’s attacking the reviewer personally, mocking their account, or dismissing their opinion outright. That’s what counts as hatred, not offering a critique of a drama. Here’s a clearer explanation, since irony can apparently be misunderstood by many:

1. My critique is about the work, not the person: I am reviewing the drama, its story, soundtrack, pacing, and acting choices, not attacking Cheng Yi personally. Criticizing a performance or production for being boring, shallow, or repetitive is a legitimate opinion, not hatred.

2. My tone is critical but reasoned: I explained why I was disappointed (e.g., unoriginal story, shallow conversations, repetitive expressions). I also acknowledged past performances I enjoyed, which shows fairness and perspective.

3. Hateful mentality involves personal hostility: A hateful mentality would include attacking someone’s character, intelligence, appearance, or life outside their work in a hostile or vindictive way. My review never insults Cheng Yi personally; it critiques his recent work in context.

Have a wonderful day.

It would be wonderful if dramas taught kindness, maybe even how to respond to a review without insults. I see you’ve already ‘finished’ the drama, despite only a few episodes airing, truly impressive clairvoyance!

2026 will be better… or so we hope. 😁

I'll check this out, many thanks.

Hello Xiang, thank you for taking the time to write this message. My review was based solely on the first episode, and I didn’t pay attention to who the writer or director was, but thank you for pointing that out — I’ll keep it in mind for future viewings. I don’t have idols or particular preferences, and I’m always willing to give something a try if the story sounds good. At the moment, I’m not watching anything because nothing feels inspiring, but I am looking forward to Vendetta of An because of the cast. I just hope the revenge theme won’t follow the usual formula and that they’ll bring something new with more depth.
Have a great day! 😊

Hi, just a quick message to say thank you for making me laugh; your review is the funniest one I’ve read. 🤣

You put a smile on my face this evening while reading your responses. Don't you dare criticising the idols! 🤣