theotherayn

it was his PR that released multiple melons about how he was unhappy with the script and had better offers

https://weibo.com/7457096465/5231566100895881
https://weibo.com/7474918646/5231765874803498
https://weibo.com/6566905425/5234644404667674

of course if you'd rather believe the conspiracy that the platform, producers, investors, and the director (who himself is close with cfy), would all rather work with yz instead that's also fine.

WXY was the first rumored ML around May* but there were scheduling issues (the drama was supposed to shoot in Dec), the producers just approached yz again when cfy refused to sign the contract

*if you need proof
https://www.douban.com/group/topic/326115279/?_spm_id=MjU0MjY5NTU0&_i=62419170nD7928
https://x.com/Allcbizmelons/status/1925511330729226626?t=FlxylmxYm5bQedwc-fjfbw&s=19
https://x.com/yueyawans/status/1987925677828673929?t=VUL-FN_aG4Gxq4aXxvuHGA&s=19
https://kisskh.at/people/51889-wang-xing-yue#comment-21933812

he turned it down. refer to this weibo post for the 🍉
https://weibo.com/6566905425/5234644404667674

feng he at the park with (possible spoilers)
https://weibo.com/7983019176/5244884857913636
http://xhslink.com/o/g4YFaT2LlQ

park solo shots of WXY
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSRqjMACIpv/?igsh=Z2V1d3ByZ3c4anpj
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSZpOtmiLZb/?igsh=d3NuZjB5bDM2OGJy
http://xhslink.com/o/ARXmDyCNwlo
http://xhslink.com/o/4O7DHr4F5w0
http://xhslink.com/o/7VleQac5P2d
http://xhslink.com/o/4QgX4njTJv4

WXY doing vocal exercises between takes
http://xhslink.com/o/1d1wr6bP9pb

restaurant/cook feng he is back
http://xhslink.com/o/FSKGqrEePi
+ so many people came to the set again
http://xhslink.com/o/9NAXsV8wnih

the director of a museum they shot in praised WXY
http://xhslink.com/o/9PdBmfVszCb

car scene
http://xhslink.com/o/7p2IPn8ztO9
http://xhslink.com/o/81udw9251hu

and another video of cai wenjing
http://xhslink.com/o/5iZgWM7pIWc

played by Ge Xinyi

possible villain role. she's connected to the drug cartel and has a similar name to Feng He's wife.

apparently they've been filming until late night/early morning the past few days
http://xhslink.com/o/8GTpeJsY6ol
http://xhslink.com/o/3RwPg0EbioW
http://xhslink.com/o/5CBwtFN0y75
http://xhslink.com/o/xXjo05zEUC
http://xhslink.com/o/5hPy7pDBRuu
http://xhslink.com/o/7fGTDa7rcL7
http://xhslink.com/o/4mxJc5ycaBQ

CWJ spotted
http://xhslink.com/o/9YDyWnLm677

there's a big crowd of people are at the filming site today
http://xhslink.com/o/2hLvQsTolaK

and last but not the least🔥🔥🔥
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSNLt60gdhv/?igsh=MWE1c2F0Y3dzdDVsdg==
(btw this is the new official IG account of one of WXY's dedicated cfansites so you guys might want to follow)

seems like new styling
http://xhslink.com/o/3429etJMt8
http://xhslink.com/o/31AQuvWkIQj

00s feng he in a fancy restaurant
http://xhslink.com/o/5XvbJuJY9c2

+ new videos of older looks
http://xhslink.com/o/7pdtXohOFwY
http://xhslink.com/o/91qx1rwTYvM
http://xhslink.com/o/3prgHz1BudK

bai lu's vlog has a quick part with her set visit
http://xhslink.com/o/2Qe9tZ26XOE
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DSAiUQIiH0B/?igsh=MXBzdHRxYWo4dWFmNQ== (eng subs)

in short, WXY says it feels like he's "peeling his skin" to act in a realistic drama and BL is like "pain brings out good things" lol

and icymi WXY's recent vlog shows how he exercises, eats, and plays on set
https://weibo.com/3023889587/5240900260464805

YZ did reply to a comment saying that it's still under negotiation but I think he wouldn't have been so chatty about this if he didn't want to pursue it in the first place (the rumored 2nd FL is a newcomer actress in Huanyu which is his usual MO to put as many company actors in a drama if he can.) but I really hope they keep the rumored director, WXY needs to work with more good directors.

🍉 a reliable melon owner just posted that Confession is really WXY's next project. Wang Qianyuan is rumored to start shooting another drama in mid-January so Bao Hu is probably finishing in early January. if it's true, let's hope the production team gives him enough time to prepare for the role.

UPDATE: a lot of rumors that startup is happening around Jan 20. + they've posted hiring stuntmen/stand in with WXY's height and weight. director attached is still Zhang Xiaoan, 🍉screenwriter Guo Si Han (A Little Reunion.) no other crew confirmed but it's the production company behind the movie Better Days.

deleted kiss scene BTS: https://weibo.com/7744446449/5240493187531952

two kings in one frame
https://weibo.com/5938267729/5240627629657271

wxy being playful on set
http://xhslink.com/o/2NYhWjMURVj
http://xhslink.com/o/9BnrReJxswm

00s feng he wears an earring!
http://xhslink.com/o/zxFDjQgceq

but dirty feng he is still my favorite
http://xhslink.com/o/AAfSwtL05EG
http://xhslink.com/o/AX78bbPE3yZ

cai wenjing looking 🔥
http://xhslink.com/o/2tRN5pb3lsK

it's partly MDL's algorithm. it uses a bayesian formula where the more ratings there are, the higher the score and this has less than 200 so far (that's also why jdrama ratings are always unusually low.)

I don't think they were expecting a hit but I do think they thought it would do better. not breaking 5k heat within the VIP drop means WXY's die hard fanbase is not large yet but oh well, that's how careers go. at least the production company didn't spend on marketing so their profit margin should be higher lol. let's just hope he makes a comeback with good dramas next year.

December Schedule:

Dec 7 - Magazine Shoot (maybe for the rumored Tiffany endorsement?)
Dec 31 - New Year's Eve Gala (Hunan/Mango TV)

the rest of the time will be spent filming Bao Hu.

🍉Project Updates:

Shadow Detective - is not doing too well, it's been hovering at less than 5k heat which is just at the level of your average short drama (iQiyi's more popular revenue-sharing dramas can break 7k at least.) But the production company has bought only 6 hotsearches* and no douyin push streams so they're not really marketing it either and it's hard to gauge if this is already enough for their expectations.

*for additional context: TWD had 296 hotsearches, and one of iQiyi's most profitable revenue-sharing drama had 201 hotsearches.

Confession and Xing Zhi Wan - no updates from any of the reliable melon owners.

haha I know enough of the MDL algorithm to look at the number of ratings and the theme before I judge a drama. it bothers me more when people rate a show after only a few episodes.

I like the directing and cinematography better than TWD but I agree with the other commenter that it's nothing really new. the writing of the FL is nothing special and it does that cdrama thing where the ML is interestingly shady in the beginning but suddenly gets heart eyes/guilt and becomes the good guy without enough character beats to support it.

there just might be some trolls immediately downrating the show. I remember it happened when TWD started airing too (the only difference was that they were noisy in the comments lol.) it will settle more once all the episodes are out.

a glimpse of Wang Qianyuan with WXY
http://xhslink.com/o/95QliI7mACo

Cai Wenjing on set
http://xhslink.com/o/AQQDZk6ziWg

feng he giving duke su flashbacks in red
http://xhslink.com/o/8wTviOx4ayI

looks like he's fighting again
http://xhslink.com/o/4fTYircJeNv

non-drama related but lol WXY is so funny
http://xhslink.com/o/2RsEiCtATjJ

Bai Lu visited the set and treated everyone to milk tea
https://x.com/dablcpnk2/status/1993973208203293181
https://x.com/bailuniverse/status/1993961409982681594

I think iQiyi put it up early in China, the first episode is around 30min. idk now if it's considered a long or short drama🤣