FYI after a liuliang like Dylan got rumored his big fandom began protesting the project & author for being unpatriotic (they are mainly unhappy he's considering a drama named after the FL and fear he has to share equal screentime with the FL lol, they want male-centric dramas where the FL's presence is low and he's the main starπ€ ) because the ML takes on a Japanese identity as a spy and says horrible things as part of his undercover job i.e. he tells the FL "I'll throw you in a comfort women parlour if you don't keep quiet about my real identity" bc he wants her to steer clear when he's pretending to be ε°ζ± ιΎδΊ) and they are upset about the Japanese 2ML who's written in an ambiguous manner i.e. he's tortured by his conscience and tries to stop war crimes in Nanking but Chinese fans are very angry because they feel it's wrong to portray Japanese perpetrators of the Nanking massacre as having a conscience or being forced by circumstances to wage war (this I agree, the author does make it seem like Fujita is forced by his dad to partake in war which is a way of garnering sympathy for the Japanese, the author makes an effort to show "he's one of the nice ones" which will make viewers like the 2ML bc they're brainless and like any handsome actors). Nevertheless every drama adaptation significantly alters the original novel (LBFAD & TPOB did, so did Guardians of Dafeng bc the MLs are all written to be terrible people who cheat, rape or murder at will) so it's silly to assume the rumoured production firm Linmon and scriptwriter Even Jian won't cut or alter a lot of the source material.
Also Dead to Rights/εδΊ¬η §ηΈι¦ is the most popular film in China this summer so anti-Japanese sentiment is at a high now, China prefers this film to City of Life & Death (I really liked this, but Lu Chuan is criticised for being pro-Japan for portraying a few Japanese soldiers in a sympathetic light) because they portray Japanese soldiers as unambiguously evil. Point being, the only interpretation of history Chinese netizens can accept is that Japan was unambiguously evil (I agree, my country was also invaded by Japan) and there shouldn't be any 'grey area' portrayals where viewers are encouraged to sympathise with a Japanese soldier in Nanking or to think "there were good and bad ones" (I like nuanced portrayals but China doesn't). In that light this project is a bit risky because Dylan's fans are already trying to report the author and claiming that he shouldn't film it bc rival fandoms will report the drama for harbouring pro-Japanese sentiment if it gets filmed (even if the script alters the original novel so the 2ML is shown as unambiguously evil... Welcome to China where they don't care for nuance and don't even give you a chance to write a different 2ML).
It'll be interesting to see if Linmon the rumoured producer (it's one of the top firms) does go ahead given how Dylan's fans kicked up a big fuss over reporting it to authorities, I just wish they steered clear of casting liuliangs bc this is exactly how much trouble liuliang fans and their rivals can cause, they will start a big campaign online to kill the project or prevent it from airing e.g. Chengyi's drama θ΅΄ε±±ζ΅· couldn't air in May bc Xiaozhan's fans kept reporting the 2FL for"saying Sinophobic things" and want to help their idol this way π Dylan's fans even started a fake rumor saying the title Azhi Azhi is bc the 2ML calls the FL by that name and a lot of Chinese people are aware that Japanese call Chinese βζ―ι£β but it's a lie, the FL is Xie WanZhi and says she's Azhi ιΏθ (sesame, homonym to her real name) when she's abducted by bandits to avoid giving away her rich family's surname, the ML calls her ιΏε± (also a homonym) after a creaking door because he knows she's lying. That becomes his nickname for her, it's not a reference to ζ―ι£ but Dylan fans are already running with it..... Ultimately this is why Cdramas are becoming mid, you have to contend with liuliang fandoms and how they want their idol to dominate the plot & screentime and for all other actors to be peripheral (as opposed to telling a good story....) or have uglier costumes & makeup so their idol doesn't get outshined, then you have to contend with rival liuliang fandoms trying to report projects to authorities for every minor infraction in hopes they can get it banned or postponed so their idol's rivals get screwed. Even Revenged Love has tons of post on Douban calling for the leads to be banned in China or Chai Jidan to be prosecuted and jailed because Cnetz have a stick up their arse & liuliang fans are worried Tian Xuning & Ziyu will become their idol's rivals. There's like, zero hope China can produce a Squid Game or Breaking Bad because it'll be reported millions of times for offending the masses or encouraging drug use etc etc, Cnetz have no nuance or concept of ambiguity so everything is either same old boring plotline recycled in many dramas or "report it it's offensive to me and breaks the rules" π
So, which episode reveals his mom's reasoning for mistreating him?
She really dislikes him because she was raped by her stepbrother and he was born from that rape. Her husband was killed in a car accident where the ML drove hence why he stopped driving despite being a racer before. She probably sees him as a bad omen even if he's her son.
he is such a bad actor, always same face during his entire dramas
Yup, those gossip accounts should've never linked him to the role, either announce him directly (his fans won't protest too much if he already signed up) or don't.
I'm not sure how to present this. Plotwise it already seems better than her other rumored dramas so we're good.…
The 2ML's role and characterisation is already causing issues on Douban and Weibo (Dylan Wang's fans don't want him to take on a drama where the 2ML is Japanese and is written in a positive way at first) so the project is a bit jeopardised given that liuliang fans are crazy and are threatening to report the author for writing a Japanese 2ML who's "concerned for human rights" (but not really, he is a villain undoubtedly) because they see it as an insult to the victims of war.
So if this project does get filmed it will not involve any popular or semi popular actor like Tian Jiarui because Chinese fans view it as abhorrent if the 2ML gains fans (a lot of viewers will fall in love with the 2ML as long as he has a handsome face even if he's a perpetrator of war, that's how drama fans are like), imo if they do film it it's best to get a real Japanese or mixed Chinese-Japanese like Daichi Harashima who recently acted in εδΊ¬η §ηΈι¦ so he will not gain that many fans.
I am seeing a lot of comments speaking about breakup, can someone who has watched that far tell me the reason…
They don't breakup, they quarrel and got flash married. Then due to the FL's mum's death mystery the ML pretends to not be married to her to investigate her mum's death but they still hangout in private.
The novel is about a FWB relationship (or coworkers with benefits, the ML isn't too nice to the FL) between a boss ML and a new employee FL, it's hardly a "good" romance bc the FL is a pushover and the ML is mean (in Chinese terms he PUAs the FL a lot, talks down to her) and confesses only after the FL quits her job and leaves, after they've been FWBs for years bc she's worried about the repercussions of getting exposed.
Doubt Landy or Ao Ruipeng are suitable, both aren't a good fit. The FL is lovebrained although she's good at her work, she's described as tall with a hot figure. The ML doesn't confess til he's almost 40yo and is arrogant e.g. Liu Xueyi, Elvis Han? Sun Qian fitz the vibe, Peng Guanying is too old. They may change the story to be politically correct but it would alter the reason the novel is popular, i.e. FWBs becoming a real couple, the ML chasing after the FL after she quits and stops the FWB arrangement.
he is such a bad actor, always same face during his entire dramas
Well he's really new, so he hasn't done ML roles so far? Zuer can't choose her costars so please be kind to them and the project (she's rumoured to be working with Dylan Wang for her next drama but it's unconfirmed), so please also understand she agreed to this drama bc the team approached her at her lowest pointand it's almost a favor to Tencent in return for them giving her more opportunities in future.
Director Shawn Zhang rapping ππππ whilst the leads die laughing trying to reenact a scene https://v.douyin.com/usdK-w_f-MM/
Iirc the director composed and wrote the lyrics to all the OST songs himself, he's multitalented and does the background music composition in his dramas e.g. Our Secret, Always Home, King's Avatar.
Also Dead to Rights/εδΊ¬η §ηΈι¦ is the most popular film in China this summer so anti-Japanese sentiment is at a high now, China prefers this film to City of Life & Death (I really liked this, but Lu Chuan is criticised for being pro-Japan for portraying a few Japanese soldiers in a sympathetic light) because they portray Japanese soldiers as unambiguously evil. Point being, the only interpretation of history Chinese netizens can accept is that Japan was unambiguously evil (I agree, my country was also invaded by Japan) and there shouldn't be any 'grey area' portrayals where viewers are encouraged to sympathise with a Japanese soldier in Nanking or to think "there were good and bad ones" (I like nuanced portrayals but China doesn't). In that light this project is a bit risky because Dylan's fans are already trying to report the author and claiming that he shouldn't film it bc rival fandoms will report the drama for harbouring pro-Japanese sentiment if it gets filmed (even if the script alters the original novel so the 2ML is shown as unambiguously evil... Welcome to China where they don't care for nuance and don't even give you a chance to write a different 2ML).
It'll be interesting to see if Linmon the rumoured producer (it's one of the top firms) does go ahead given how Dylan's fans kicked up a big fuss over reporting it to authorities, I just wish they steered clear of casting liuliangs bc this is exactly how much trouble liuliang fans and their rivals can cause, they will start a big campaign online to kill the project or prevent it from airing e.g. Chengyi's drama θ΅΄ε±±ζ΅· couldn't air in May bc Xiaozhan's fans kept reporting the 2FL for"saying Sinophobic things" and want to help their idol this way π Dylan's fans even started a fake rumor saying the title Azhi Azhi is bc the 2ML calls the FL by that name and a lot of Chinese people are aware that Japanese call Chinese βζ―ι£β but it's a lie, the FL is Xie WanZhi and says she's Azhi ιΏθ (sesame, homonym to her real name) when she's abducted by bandits to avoid giving away her rich family's surname, the ML calls her ιΏε± (also a homonym) after a creaking door because he knows she's lying. That becomes his nickname for her, it's not a reference to ζ―ι£ but Dylan fans are already running with it..... Ultimately this is why Cdramas are becoming mid, you have to contend with liuliang fandoms and how they want their idol to dominate the plot & screentime and for all other actors to be peripheral (as opposed to telling a good story....) or have uglier costumes & makeup so their idol doesn't get outshined, then you have to contend with rival liuliang fandoms trying to report projects to authorities for every minor infraction in hopes they can get it banned or postponed so their idol's rivals get screwed. Even Revenged Love has tons of post on Douban calling for the leads to be banned in China or Chai Jidan to be prosecuted and jailed because Cnetz have a stick up their arse & liuliang fans are worried Tian Xuning & Ziyu will become their idol's rivals. There's like, zero hope China can produce a Squid Game or Breaking Bad because it'll be reported millions of times for offending the masses or encouraging drug use etc etc, Cnetz have no nuance or concept of ambiguity so everything is either same old boring plotline recycled in many dramas or "report it it's offensive to me and breaks the rules" π
So if this project does get filmed it will not involve any popular or semi popular actor like Tian Jiarui because Chinese fans view it as abhorrent if the 2ML gains fans (a lot of viewers will fall in love with the 2ML as long as he has a handsome face even if he's a perpetrator of war, that's how drama fans are like), imo if they do film it it's best to get a real Japanese or mixed Chinese-Japanese like Daichi Harashima who recently acted in εδΊ¬η §ηΈι¦ so he will not gain that many fans.
Yemeng's outfits if any one is interested, Yuxi is good at making non luxury brands look expensive
All the clothes used for YeMeng's styling aren't branded or expensive but they look great on her.
Doubt Landy or Ao Ruipeng are suitable, both aren't a good fit. The FL is lovebrained although she's good at her work, she's described as tall with a hot figure. The ML doesn't confess til he's almost 40yo and is arrogant e.g. Liu Xueyi, Elvis Han? Sun Qian fitz the vibe, Peng Guanying is too old. They may change the story to be politically correct but it would alter the reason the novel is popular, i.e. FWBs becoming a real couple, the ML chasing after the FL after she quits and stops the FWB arrangement.
Iirc the director composed and wrote the lyrics to all the OST songs himself, he's multitalented and does the background music composition in his dramas e.g. Our Secret, Always Home, King's Avatar.