Top Chinese celebrity: Debuted from Running Man

Chapter 250: Ratings Plummet

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On the television screen, the opening music of the third season of "Running Man" rang out.

The premiere of the third season of this nationally popular variety show attracted countless eyes.

And the focus of this attention was undoubtedly Lu Han, who stood next to Deng Chao in the center with a sunny smile.

He replaced Gu Qing, who rose to fame and became one of the top celebrities thanks to Running Man.

"Three top stars, two of them facing off head-on"—this fiery title had already swept across major forums and social media before the show even aired.

Lu Han's fans, known as "Reed Sisters," were generally overjoyed:
"Little Deer Takes Flight! The resources of a national variety show are truly exceptional!"

"Finally, I don't have to watch that awful school-themed variety show anymore! This is the stage that top stars should be on!"

"Looking forward to Lu Han shining on Running Man! Let's boost the ratings, ladies! Turn on your phones and TVs, let's contribute double!"

"Gu Qing? Ha, a former SM Entertainment trainee, what makes him comparable to my little deer!"

However, aside from the revelry of the supporters, the entire public discourse was almost entirely overwhelmed by criticism and discontent:

The original Running Man fans (fans of the team spirit) are very dissatisfied and angry:
"Again?! Season 1 was Shao Baoqiang, Season 2 was Shao Guqing, and Season 3 is a complete cast overhaul? Is this still Running Man?"

"Have you forgotten the Huayi conspiracy theory? They said all artists who aren't from their own company should be replaced!"

"Wake up, production team! Frequent cast changes are damaging the show's foundation! If this continues, Running Man will be finished!"

"I miss the original seven... the taste has changed..."

Gu Qing's fans, the "Gu Family," have taken a clear stance against the move.

Notify all fan groups to collectively boycott the show and urge fans not to watch tonight's Running Man premiere. Instead, watch the replay or edited episodes later. We will resolutely refuse to provide any ratings.

The viewership ratings are seen by fans of both sides as the most direct and brutal factor in determining the outcome of this top-tier clash.

An invisible smoke of gunpowder filled the air.

Amidst much anticipation and undercurrents, the first episode of Running Man Season 3 premiered in the ancient capital of Luoyang.

First came the familiar music and the familiar recipe, but the characters in the scene gradually changed.

This season of "Running Man" is promoting the slogan of "integrating more traditional culture."

Thus, the first phase was launched in Luoyang, a culturally rich ancient capital.

The Running Man cast's opening was as hilarious as ever.

Chen He, dressed in a chrysanthemum prince outfit, recreated the classic battle between Chrysanthemum Hero and Peach Blossom Monster from the sitcom "iPartment".

Deng Chao's cockscomb flower boy costume is also 'absolutely gorgeous'.

But apart from the two of them making funny faces, no one else responded to their jokes; all that was left was awkward laughter from those around them.

[Pfft... Chichi's look is reminiscent of Love Apartment!]

[Brother Chao really went all out for the sake of the show, hahaha!]

But...it feels so awkward...is it just the two of them acting?

Embarrassingly,

Apart from Deng Chao and Chen He's energetic performances, the reactions of the others seemed bland or even perfunctory.

Lacking a sense of humor, Li Chen and Zheng Kai only gave a perfunctory smile.

Wang Zhulan also seemed out of sorts, while Yang Ying maintained her persona and didn't join in the quirky atmosphere.

[That's it? Is the conversation going to freeze?]

The atmosphere is weird... It feels like everyone's not familiar with each other?

When his younger brother was around, he was quick to catch his older brother's jokes! Now...sigh...

Many viewers expressed disappointment in the comments.

Immediately afterwards, the camera focused on the newcomer, Lu Han, without any suspense.

The production team has clearly placed their bets on this newly emerging top star.

He was given the unique identity of "Peony Flower Guardian" and his mission was to fight against six other "assassin" members.

The camera was constantly capturing close-ups of him—his wide eyes, slightly bewildered expression, coupled with deliberately added "cute" effects and the "silly deer" persona in post-production.

"Ahhh, the deer is so cute! The epitome of a silly roe deer! Absolutely adorable!"

The Reed Sisters were just about to flood the screen with comments.

"Dude, you're already 26, and you're still pouting and acting cute?"

"Yay! This is too contrived. I suggest you learn from your younger brother's natural cuteness. He's just doing his missions and it comes out unintentionally, not this kind of forced 'silliness'!"
"This script is way too obvious, isn't it? A newcomer taking on a veteran member?"

Even without the Gu family's intervention, the Running Man fans have already retaliated.

Next,
The name tag ripping game was the most controversial part.

Several experienced veteran members appeared "unusually sluggish" and "fell in fighting spirit" under the camera's gaze, all falling victim to Lu Han's "sneak attacks" and mimicking exaggerated expressions of bewilderment, especially Li Chen's dramatic fall when he was ripped off. [Holy crap! Li Chen, are you serious? Couldn't you hear those loud footsteps behind you? How come your acting isn't like this?!]

[Zheng Kai, what happened to your "Little Cheetah" persona on Running Man? It was so easily shattered by a newcomer?]

[It's all scripted! They're willing to sacrifice their reputation just to promote newcomers? Do they think the audience is stupid?]

What exactly is the production team trying to do? Do they really think the audience has forgotten how Huang Xiaoming's episode went wrong?

Angry viewers wanted to change the channel.

Especially the Reed Sisters, who are still posting things like: "It's just a game, if you take it seriously you'll lose."

Comments like, "Aren't all variety shows scripted?"

Running Man fans were completely overwhelmed.

"If I wanted to read the script, would I even watch Running Man?!"

What they liked was the real, witty, and courageous name tag ripping game that Gu Qing played.

No one dared to make a move against Lu Han; everyone was timid and hesitant.

With the name tag ripping game over, Lu Han "successfully protected Peony" and officially joined the Running Man team.

however,
Whether it was his self-introduction or his interactions with other members, he exuded a sense of restraint and distance.

Deng Chao and Chen He tried to smooth things over, opening their mouths several times, but Gu Qing's image inexplicably appeared in their minds, making their smiles somewhat forced.

In the end, they only offered a few simple words of welcome, which did not create much of a spark, and the atmosphere fell into a slightly awkward silence.

[Chao Ge and Chi Chi seem a bit reserved...]

[Nonsense, what could they say about Gu Qing being replaced? Welcome to the place where our brother is now?]

[Putting myself in Chao Ge's shoes, it's indeed awkward... On one side is his younger brother with whom he used to have perfect chemistry, and on the other side is the newly arrived top star...]

Even more fatal is the show's "aesthetic fatigue." Water-drowning, relay races, group jump rope... these game segments are utterly unoriginal.
Even the name tag ripping game lost its original tension and excitement due to the overly obvious script.

The celebrities' reactions were more like a routine performance.

Another major highlight of Running Man in the past—the ambiguous romantic pairings—has completely disappeared this season.

The CP (couple pairing) strategy between Zheng Kai and Yang Ying proved to be a failure and attracted criticism in the second season.

Lu Han's team took strict precautions and would not allow their top idol to have any romantic interactions with Yang Ying.

As a result, the entire episode consisted only of monotonous game battles, lacking any sweet touches that would bring a smile to the audience's face.

[Running Man is soulless without couple pairings!]

Could the distance between Lu Han and Baby be any greater? It's like they're afraid of getting close...

I wonder if Baby misses her younger brother now.

As soon as the end credits rolled, #RunningManSeason3Premiere# quickly topped the trending searches.

The official data appears impressive: 1.9 million online views, far exceeding "Where Are We Going, Dad?" during the same period; and a peak real-time viewership rating of 2.56% in CSM52 cities.

However, this data was immediately refuted.

The Gu family posted the ratings for the second season premiere.

3.36% vs 2.56%
Ratings plummeted by 0.8%!

Viewers have already voted using their remote controls!
The comment section was filled with fans of both sides arguing fiercely, leaving no room for casual observers to speak.

The significant drop in viewership and the massive amount of negative online reviews were like two resounding slaps to the face of the production team and Lu Han's team.

This fan war, triggered by the "change of top idols," did not subside after the first round of data clashes; instead, it became even more intense due to the unexpected outcome.

at the same time,

Inside Gu Qing's room, the screen went dark.

"It's not good, the acting is too fake."

Jin Cheng pursed her lips and directly offered her insightful opinion, "I'd also like to see Lu Han and Yang Ying create a CP (couple pairing)."

"You know what, if those two really start a couple pairing, the ratings for Running Man will definitely jump."

Liu Shishi, always eager for a good show, finished speaking and then secretly glanced at Gu Qing, wanting to see how his expression changed.

"Don't ask me, I don't know anything."

Gu Qing remained calm and raised his hand to change the channel.
Pointing to the time in the bottom right corner of the TV screen—less than ten minutes remain until the premiere of "Up Idol".

But at this very moment,

Deng Chao suddenly called him on video.

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(P.S.: Two more chapters to go)
(End of this chapter)