This post is much more of an emotional defense of Hou Minghao than a reliable presentation of facts. It contains…
Sigh. Really? You act like my statements are these extreme absolutes when they are not. For example, I said it’s been reported by Chinese social media that the director issued a no real kiss rule for the drama, and that this is a common practice in romance dramas where a minor is playing an lead role, and you say there is no proof. Okay. Yes. That is why I said it’s being REPORTED as such. I guess time will tell if it’s true when all of the episodes are out, but you can look it up yourself if you want to see how media and netizens are saying it is: in fact I saw this being reported before the drama started airing. Also, it is an established fact that China has done this on dramas with similar age casting, you can look that up, too.
On your whole break down of how we don’t know if HMH was protective of her or if AM felt safe in every scene: yeah, okay, I have no proof. I’m basing it on BTS and interview interactions for this and previous dramas, both of them together and of HMH as an individual. you also have ZERO evidence for the reverse assertion, All of the haters posting crap are making a lot of assumptions about literally every aspect of this casting, the filming, etc. oh, and a 36 year old actor WAS attached to this project before HMH - Liu Xueyi, you can look it up if you want.
Also, you’re trying REALLY hard here to say that just being cast in a romantic lead role at 17 for a Chinese production is somehow comparable to western shows se*ualizing minors. It’s mind boggling to me. My entire point is that this is not an isolated occurrence in Chinese entertainment, and you can look at other productions for how it was handled, such as the no real kiss practice.
At the end of the day: Ai Mi and her family and her agency/company made the decision for her to take on a lead role, HMH very likely didn’t even know who he was cast opposite of, and had zero impact on casting and us receiving unfair hate directed at him by largely western viewers.
You can call my comment trying to give actual context an emotional defense of him if you want, I guess, but I would have made a similar post about any actor in this situation because cultural impact , historical practices in similar situations, and the established behavior of the actors involved adds important context that a lot of people are ignoring.
To everyone attacking Hou Minghao over the age gap with Ai Mi in this drama: you are severely misunderstanding how the Chinese entertainment industry operates, and the cultural context.
1. Strict "No-Real-Kiss" Rule Enforced: Due to China’s conservative censorship laws and to protect the minor actress, Chinese viewers and social media has reported that the director banned all kissing or physical intimacy scenes - a common practice when actresses younger than 18 are cast in lead romantic roles, which often happens in china with child stars transitioning to lead roles, both because like Ai Mi they often have an enormous body of work behind them by the time they are late teens, and also because the historical drama characters they are playing are quite often AS young or even younger than the actors. This to say, this drama and Ai Mi's situation is not unique, and China has practices in place to handle it, which includes no "real kisses". The romance in this drama is focused strictly on political alliance, growth, and slow-burn emotional partnership—not sexuality - which is also common in a large number of c-dramas, not just those featuring minor actors in lead roles.
2. Intimacy Scale Shifting: To completely shield the underage actress from adult themes, nearly all of the dramatic romance weight is carried individually by the adult male lead. It is expressed through Hou Minghao’s protective body language, micro-expressions, and eye contact.
3. The Male Lead Doesn't Control Casting: In C-dramas, the main leads are cast entirely independently by networks like iQIYI (https://www.iq.com/) and production boards. It is not unheard of for actors to not even know who they are starring opposite until the day they sit down for the first table read. But the salient point here is that Hou Minghao and Ai Mi were not cast together, and in fact often it is the network and the actors' individual company they are contracted to who picks their projects for them.
4. A Safe, Professional Dynamic: The two actors are trusted coworkers who previously established great rapport working together on other sets, including Fangs of Fortune and another drama. They are not strangers. Ai Mi is a seasoned professional with guardians and acting coaches overseeing her on set at all times - this is apparently standard practice for ALL minor actors in China. They are required to be accompanied by their guardian and acting coaches so they are never actually left alone on set without someone with the ability to advocate for them.
5. Western Media vs China: Western media historically has a dark track record of sexualizing minors, so Western audiences are hyper-vigilant to this. However, C-dramas keep these pairings strictly safe and strictly PG. Not to mention, almost all long form dramas even with adult actors are extremely chaste compared to their western counterparts.
Please stop attacking an actor for starring in a highly monitored, completely chaste historical production. In fact, be glad Hou Minghao was her co-star, because they know each other, because he is experienced in the field and would make sure to protect her and care for her on set, and because the first actor cast in this drama had an even LARGER age gap with Ai Mi. Stop putting Western expectations of what is "morally right" and Western assumptions of what this move means for Ai Mi onto an Eastern drama. Her next lead role will film while she is 18 years old, btw. This isn't true for other child actors who made this same transition, such as Huangyan Tian Tian, who played her first wuxia romance lead at just 15 years old - with the same protections and cautions in place that have been taken for Ai Mi.
Also, reminder to everyone: the block feature is your friend. Click on any user name, and then on the drop down arrow next to "add friend". choose "block user". You won't see anymore comments from that person.
The novel ending is an HEA! However, there is a fake out "ending" where the ML "dies" and is gone…
Did you read my comment? He appears to die and is gone for several years but returns under a new identity and takes his place back as a husband and father.
was FL married in previous birth? I'm on epi 2 .. it's confusing😵
Yes! She was Princess Consort to the 5th Prince - who was ordered by the court to wipe out her family, and then she uses her death to make him seek her revenge for her by blaming her poisoning on her family's rival/enemy house, so he then wipes them out. He fell in love with her but she never returned that love, so he is still mourning her in the rest of the drama.
Pengyoumen, any novel readers here? Please help spoil for me on how did the novel close - HE or SE? Asking bcos…
The novel ending is an HEA! However, there is a fake out "ending" where the ML "dies" and is gone for many years but then comes back under basically a new identity even though everyone immediately close to the Empress-regent (SXH) knows it's him because she would only ever love him and marry him.
Hey folks, my usual reminder that you can block users on this platform. These comment sections seem to fill up with negativity and sometimes the same repetitive commenters repeating the exact same hate against an actor or actress or show over an over instead of just moving on - I've even seen complaints of people who disagree being continually harassed?? - so my strategy is to block them. Click their user name, where it says "add friend" click the down arrow and select "block user" and you will never see another comment by the person. You're welcome!
Hi guys … I just want to say mdl is becoming a toxic platform day by day … I just shared my casual opinion…
Block them. You can block people on this site. Click on their username. Where it says "Add friend" there is a drop down arrow...click it and "block user" will appear. I utilize it liberally.
i’m low-key agree with this comment. The ml is absolute….in this story. He was literally going to kill the…
Did everyone miss the part where he was led to believe he could take the fox spirit without k1lling her and how he even did a spell to take her injuries onto himself?? Yes, he made a bad choice. He betrayed her. But nowhere in this story so far has he been explicitly told how deeply attached she is to Riyuan emotionally, all he knows is the fox spirit is hiding on her, and he expected to remove the fox spirit and save her from any injuries and pain in doing so by taking those into himself, and save the brother who has been the only support he’s had in his life.
It was bad and wrong and he absolutely needs to pay consequences for his actions, but as others have said it’s all part of his character growth.
Also, I 💯 agree with the other comment about MLs in this genre. Tantai Jin, Dongfang C, so many others. You can’t have a demon general/prince/king and not expect some dark plot moments. 🤷🏻♀️ Especially as they learn to grow emotionally, which is always part the of the character arc.
3yrs ago when Gu nianchi shot FL, he clearly saw her face right so why didn't he remember after 3yrs when he married…
My impression was she was so meaningless to him at the time - just one last random member of the family he was wiping out - that to him her face wasn't important enough to remember, and he's a psycho who has k1lled so many people one more doesn't stand out to him.
He only showed up 3 times with FL after they became adult. 1. When he and FL met again2. When he and FL went out…
Uh oh....that sounds like a natural way to expand the story might be having him become the stereotypical SML who either falls for the FL, turns into a villain, or both. I hope not!
So, this is really good so far! I watched all ten episodes currently out on Tencent (under the title Twin Fire Dawn.) YZX plays a dual role, brothers: one is the antagonist, one is the ML. I don't want to give any spoilers, but I will just say man, the antagonist a true psycho, and the ML is not. Honestly, this is so far probably the best Republican Era drama I've seen. While it has some familiar tropes: revenge, enemies-to-lovers, they are done in a pretty unique way as far as these dramas go, and of course, the chemistry from the leads is top notch!
Also, the directing and cinematography. Both leads look amazing in this. There have been times when I've literally thought "Wow, HXL has never looked more beautiful than in this shot."
I've watched every drama this pair has done together. After their last one (Eternal Joy with You) I saw a live they did together that someone posted with subs. They talked about how easy their chemistry and rapport is, that they find it very easy to act together because they hardly have to say things out loud, or if one of them has a thought about a direction for a scene and says something, it immediately clicks for the other. They clearly enjoy working together, and I think it comes across in their acting. They are a strong duo on screen because I think that level of tacit understanding allows them to bring their A-game. So far, I think this is their strongest drama since Love and Bid Farewell. In that same live they had a cute section where they asked each other questions they'd prepared. She asked him "Now that we've done this third collaboration together, what do you think?" And he responded immediately with "Bring on the fourth!" It was clear in their conversation that they know they make a strong on screen couple and feel that working together is a boost for both of them. It was honestly super wholesome and didn't play into any of the off screen fan service we sometimes see in CPs, but instead focused on their professional relationship and how much they each value it and enjoy working together.
Okay, someone who has read the novel please tell me if my man Wang Duo is going to be a villain or in love with FL in this, because I cannot TELL YOU how tired I am of seeing him ALWAYS end up with that kind of story. Or, you know, the tragic messed up romance he had in...the name escapes me but the Neo Hou drama he was in. I just need this man in a genuine SML role with his own happy ending for once, okay??
PoJ was okay but not a gem if we're to be honest. No hate I love the actors but sometimes logic went missing.…
I'm not sure which comment you're replying to, but I didn't really compare the martial arts of this to WRTW. I just said the FL here reminds me a bit of the FL there, meaning both are meant to be viewed as powerful figures of the martial world, and I like both of them. Honestly, as someone who is actually married to someone who has studied old world koryu martial arts for more than 30 years and used to train with him myself, NONE of the martial arts in ANY wuxia dramas are "real". They're meant to be flashy and look good on screen. Which is why my husband just cannot suspend disbelief and watch any with me, lol. So, the fact that the FL in WRTW fought with a length of fabric that defied physics didn't bother me any more than the fight scenes in ZZA. 🤣
I need honest review is it good? Romance? Also high quality?
Whether it's good or not will depend a lot on whether you like this genre. This is NOT a romance. This is a classic wuxia martial arts drama with a ML focus. Even though there are three main characters, as you might gather from the title Zhan Zhao is the main lead. The story focuses on the three leads joining forces to investigate and uncover conspiracies that threaten the peace of the land, so lots of gorgeous cinematography, epic fight scenes for all three leads, and growing friendships and bonds between the three of them. I'm loving every second, personally. But Yang Yang is one of my favorite actors, and I also really love the other two leads, which I've enjoyed watching in other dramas, and I don't mind a great wuxia even if it doesn't have romance.
REMINDER for everyone that you can block users on this platform! Click their username and where it says "add friend" there is a dropdown with the option to "block user" and then you won't have to see their repetitive and unnecessary hate comments clogging up the discussion.
For whatever reason, certain actors and actresses have unhinged haters that have nothing better to do with their time than come to social media and post endless negativity.
On your whole break down of how we don’t know if HMH was protective of her or if AM felt safe in every scene: yeah, okay, I have no proof. I’m basing it on BTS and interview interactions for this and previous dramas, both of them together and of HMH as an individual. you also have ZERO evidence for the reverse assertion, All of the haters posting crap are making a lot of assumptions about literally every aspect of this casting, the filming, etc. oh, and a 36 year old actor WAS attached to this project before HMH - Liu Xueyi, you can look it up if you want.
Also, you’re trying REALLY hard here to say that just being cast in a romantic lead role at 17 for a Chinese production is somehow comparable to western shows se*ualizing minors. It’s mind boggling to me. My entire point is that this is not an isolated occurrence in Chinese entertainment, and you can look at other productions for how it was handled, such as the no real kiss practice.
At the end of the day: Ai Mi and her family and her agency/company made the decision for her to take on a lead role, HMH very likely didn’t even know who he was cast opposite of, and had zero impact on casting and us receiving unfair hate directed at him by largely western viewers.
You can call my comment trying to give actual context an emotional defense of him if you want, I guess, but I would have made a similar post about any actor in this situation because cultural impact , historical practices in similar situations, and the established behavior of the actors involved adds important context that a lot of people are ignoring.
1. Strict "No-Real-Kiss" Rule Enforced: Due to China’s conservative censorship laws and to protect the minor actress, Chinese viewers and social media has reported that the director banned all kissing or physical intimacy scenes - a common practice when actresses younger than 18 are cast in lead romantic roles, which often happens in china with child stars transitioning to lead roles, both because like Ai Mi they often have an enormous body of work behind them by the time they are late teens, and also because the historical drama characters they are playing are quite often AS young or even younger than the actors. This to say, this drama and Ai Mi's situation is not unique, and China has practices in place to handle it, which includes no "real kisses". The romance in this drama is focused strictly on political alliance, growth, and slow-burn emotional partnership—not sexuality - which is also common in a large number of c-dramas, not just those featuring minor actors in lead roles.
2. Intimacy Scale Shifting: To completely shield the underage actress from adult themes, nearly all of the dramatic romance weight is carried individually by the adult male lead. It is expressed through Hou Minghao’s protective body language, micro-expressions, and eye contact.
3. The Male Lead Doesn't Control Casting: In C-dramas, the main leads are cast entirely independently by networks like iQIYI (https://www.iq.com/) and production boards. It is not unheard of for actors to not even know who they are starring opposite until the day they sit down for the first table read. But the salient point here is that Hou Minghao and Ai Mi were not cast together, and in fact often it is the network and the actors' individual company they are contracted to who picks their projects for them.
4. A Safe, Professional Dynamic: The two actors are trusted coworkers who previously established great rapport working together on other sets, including Fangs of Fortune and another drama. They are not strangers. Ai Mi is a seasoned professional with guardians and acting coaches overseeing her on set at all times - this is apparently standard practice for ALL minor actors in China. They are required to be accompanied by their guardian and acting coaches so they are never actually left alone on set without someone with the ability to advocate for them.
5. Western Media vs China: Western media historically has a dark track record of sexualizing minors, so Western audiences are hyper-vigilant to this. However, C-dramas keep these pairings strictly safe and strictly PG. Not to mention, almost all long form dramas even with adult actors are extremely chaste compared to their western counterparts.
Please stop attacking an actor for starring in a highly monitored, completely chaste historical production. In fact, be glad Hou Minghao was her co-star, because they know each other, because he is experienced in the field and would make sure to protect her and care for her on set, and because the first actor cast in this drama had an even LARGER age gap with Ai Mi. Stop putting Western expectations of what is "morally right" and Western assumptions of what this move means for Ai Mi onto an Eastern drama. Her next lead role will film while she is 18 years old, btw. This isn't true for other child actors who made this same transition, such as Huangyan Tian Tian, who played her first wuxia romance lead at just 15 years old - with the same protections and cautions in place that have been taken for Ai Mi.
Also, reminder to everyone: the block feature is your friend. Click on any user name, and then on the drop down arrow next to "add friend". choose "block user". You won't see anymore comments from that person.
It was bad and wrong and he absolutely needs to pay consequences for his actions, but as others have said it’s all part of his character growth.
Also, I 💯 agree with the other comment about MLs in this genre. Tantai Jin, Dongfang C, so many others. You can’t have a demon general/prince/king and not expect some dark plot moments. 🤷🏻♀️ Especially as they learn to grow emotionally, which is always part the of the character arc.
Also, the directing and cinematography. Both leads look amazing in this. There have been times when I've literally thought "Wow, HXL has never looked more beautiful than in this shot."
I've watched every drama this pair has done together. After their last one (Eternal Joy with You) I saw a live they did together that someone posted with subs. They talked about how easy their chemistry and rapport is, that they find it very easy to act together because they hardly have to say things out loud, or if one of them has a thought about a direction for a scene and says something, it immediately clicks for the other. They clearly enjoy working together, and I think it comes across in their acting. They are a strong duo on screen because I think that level of tacit understanding allows them to bring their A-game. So far, I think this is their strongest drama since Love and Bid Farewell. In that same live they had a cute section where they asked each other questions they'd prepared. She asked him "Now that we've done this third collaboration together, what do you think?" And he responded immediately with "Bring on the fourth!" It was clear in their conversation that they know they make a strong on screen couple and feel that working together is a boost for both of them. It was honestly super wholesome and didn't play into any of the off screen fan service we sometimes see in CPs, but instead focused on their professional relationship and how much they each value it and enjoy working together.
For whatever reason, certain actors and actresses have unhinged haters that have nothing better to do with their time than come to social media and post endless negativity.