The Entertainment Industry in Turmoil: Young Actresses All Want to Rise to the Top

"The Shura Field of Chinese Entertainment: All the Young Actresses Want to Rise to the Top" - Stunning writing and a thrilling plot!

Yu Zheng could no longer suppress the pent-up anger in his chest, and at this most heated moment, he chose to personally take charge.

When Tears Become the Sole Standard: A Brief Discussion on the "Emotional Overdraft" and "Lack of Substance" in Some Hit Dramas

At the beginning of the article, he first adopted the attitude of a seasoned industry professional and "affirmed" the market success of "The Journey of Flower".

"Undeniably, a certain fantasy drama recently achieved astonishing viewership numbers. Its ability to evoke audience emotions, especially its skillful creation of a tragic and heart-wrenching atmosphere, is remarkable. From a commercial perspective, this is undoubtedly a successful operation."

Then, the pen suddenly turned downwards.

"But as content creators, beyond the hype, we may need some cool-headed thinking."

"When the core driving force of a TV series relies heavily on the accumulation of suffering, misunderstandings, and hurts, and on repeatedly shattering beautiful things in front of the audience, with the ultimate goal of stimulating tear ducts and adrenaline, does this mean that we have taken some shortcut, or even gone astray, in our creative process?"

He pointed out directly: "To torture for the sake of torture is creative laziness and a brutal exploitation of the audience's emotions."

"When a character's suffering no longer stems from the inevitable clash between personality and fate, but instead becomes a tool to drive the plot and generate buzz, the character's logic and the world's credibility will be greatly diminished."

"Viewers are initially immersed in intense emotional fluctuations, but upon reflection, what's left besides 'so heartbreaking' and 'so tear-jerking'?"

Yu Zheng cleverly made an implicit comparison between it and his own production, "Legend of Lu Zhen".

"In contrast, a solid drama series should strive to build a complete and self-consistent worldview, a logically clear character development arc, and details that can withstand scrutiny."

"It doesn't aim to make the audience 'cry and forget,' but rather hopes that the audience can follow the characters' struggles, feel the power, wisdom, and weight of history, and gain enlightenment that goes beyond the plot itself."

"This may be the more lasting and deeper value of film and television works."

He concluded.

"The market needs diverse genres, and audiences have the right to choose their preferred forms of entertainment."

"But as members of the industry, we have a responsibility to be wary of a tendency that equates 'torture' with 'profoundness' and 'traffic' with 'success'."

"If this continues, it will damage the creative ecosystem of the entire industry and the aesthetic expectations of the audience."

"The craze will eventually fade away, and what will remain are those works that truly have substance, depth, and can withstand the test of time."

This long article, like a piece of ice thrown into a pot of boiling oil, instantly stirred up a huge wave!

Yu Zheng's remarks immediately resonated with some viewers who had been puzzled or even opposed to the explosive popularity of "The Journey of Flower".

"Yu Zheng hit the nail on the head! What else is there in 'The Journey of Flower' besides its heart-wrenching moments?"

"Finally, someone dares to speak the truth! We're tired of all this crying and wailing all the time."

"I support Teacher Yu! Films and television dramas shouldn't just focus on sensory stimulation; they also need depth and scope!"

"Lu Zhen may not be a 'blockbuster,' but it is definitely more solid, and the characters are more believable."

"Traffic volume doesn't represent everything; this kind of reflection is rare."

"Our heroine, Lu Zhen, rose from humble beginnings to become a female prime minister—that's something truly worthy of praise and emulation!"

Some self-media outlets quickly followed up, steer the discussion towards higher levels such as "the value orientation of film and television creation" and "the competition between fast-food culture and high-quality dramas".

They attempted to cloak Yu Zheng's criticisms in the guise of "rational thinking" and "industry responsibility."

However, Yu Zheng's remarks were more like stirring up a hornet's nest.

"What is 'substance'? Is it only historical intrigue and Machiavellian tactics in the workplace that constitute substance? Don't extreme emotional experiences and questioning of fate and faith count as substance? Yu Zheng, aren't you being too narrow-minded?"

"Have you watched the show? Every hardship Xiao Gu endures has a cause and effect! Is Bai Zihua's substitution of punishment 'torture for the sake of torture'? Their suffering stems from intense conflicts in personality, identity, responsibility, and emotions—this is classic tragic aesthetics! If you don't understand, you don't have to watch it; don't jump to conclusions!"

"Whether it's good or bad, the audience doesn't vote with their feet! The biggest approval is the clicks of the remote control and the mouse!"

"What's left besides tears?" What remains is the genuine empathy of millions of viewers, their enduring concern for the characters' fates, and the in-depth discussions surrounding the plot! Isn't this the best proof of a work's vitality?

"They're getting anxious! Their ratings have plummeted, and now they're resorting to sour grapes, attacking others' successful models?"

"Using your own 'historical weight' standards to judge fantasy dramas is like using a ruler to weigh things, which is utterly ridiculous."

"If 'Legend of Lu Zhen' is really as 'meaningful' as you say, why haven't we seen such enthusiastic spontaneous discussions from the audience? Meaning isn't something that can be fabricated through press releases; it's something that the audience experiences!"

"Yu Zheng, if you have so much 'industry responsibility,' why don't you first take care of the modern lines and formulaic plots in your own drama? Stop using market-oriented promotional methods to hype up the CP (couple pairing) while putting on the airs of an artist and criticizing others for commercialization."

"Subtlety? I think you're just jealous that we 'Painting Bones' couple have true love! Your couple are colleagues, ours is destiny!"

"Yu Zheng, shut up! I'm taking Xiao Gu and Master away, no thanks!"

Faced with Yu Zheng's personally launched "subtle" attack, Shen Mo's lips curled into a cold and mocking smile.

He originally just wanted to get revenge for their previous attack on "My Love from the Star", so he used the release date to target and the publicity to suppress and belittle "Legend of Lu Zhen", and incidentally consolidate and highlight the status of "The Journey of Flower".

He never considered, nor did he deign to, completely "crush" the other party; that wouldn't align with his plans and business persona, and he was simply too lazy to waste his energy.

But now it seems that my "benevolence" has been taken as weakness and vulnerability by the other party, who can take advantage of my popularity and smear me with impunity.

"Since you've offered your face..."

A cold glint flashed in Shen Mo's eyes, and the last vestige of "decency" vanished completely, replaced by a chilling decisiveness.

"Then don't blame me for slapping you and skinning you alive."

That afternoon, a media storm suddenly descended.

Adaptation is fine, but avoid historical nihilism!

Historically, Lu Lingxuan (Lu Zhen) was the wet nurse of Gao Wei, the last emperor of the Northern Qi dynasty. She interfered in politics, wreaked havoc on the court, and was one of the key treacherous officials who hastened the fall of the Northern Qi. However, in the drama, she is portrayed as an "inspirational role model" who rose from a lowly palace maid to a high-ranking female prime minister through wisdom and kindness. This is tantamount to "rehabilitating" and "whitewashing" a historical villain. If this doesn't constitute historical nihilism, what does?

"Emperor Wucheng of Northern Qi, Gao Zhan, favored treacherous officials and massacred members of the imperial clan during his reign. He was incompetent and cruel, and ultimately died from excessive indulgence in wine and women. However, the drama portrays him as a deeply affectionate and diligently governing wise ruler. This is akin to depicting Qin Hui as a loyal minister who endured humiliation and Yue Fei as a warlord who held considerable military power, which is a serious distortion of basic historical morality."

[Later dynasty's historical allusions frame the earlier dynasty's history; Ming and Qing dynasty artifacts appear in the Northern and Southern Dynasties!]

"The 'Marine Arrest warrant' is used as a means of pursuit multiple times in the drama. However, the 'Marine Arrest warrant' was perfected and perfected during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, while the drama is set in the Northern and Southern Dynasties, which is a serious error in time travel."

Empress Xiao Guanyin, wife of Emperor Yelü Hongji of the Liao Dynasty, actually traveled more than 400 years to have a "love affair that transcends time" with Gao Yan and Gao Zhan!

Using the guise of "fictionalized history" to actually "mislead" others.

"Adaptation is not fabrication, and fictionalization is not nonsense. When a drama series that claims to be 'historical' cannot withstand basic historical logic in its core and details, the 'wisdom,' 'struggle,' and 'vision' it promotes are like a castle built on quicksand, appearing empty and ridiculous."

"The creators might argue that 'this is a fictionalized historical drama, not historical fact.' But since they used real historical dynasties and real historical figures' names, they should have the most basic respect for history and not completely abandon the historical facts and arbitrarily embellish them."

"Especially when a work uses 'female growth' and 'historical legend' as its selling points and attracts a large number of young viewers who are not very familiar with this period of history, this kind of systematic and subversive alteration can easily cause serious misconceptions about history."

……

These articles, with their sharp writing style, detailed research, and clear screenshot comparisons, were quickly pushed and reposted by major platforms.

This attack was devastating.

It directly hit the Achilles' heel of the "history" and "craftsmanship" that were most touted in the promotion of "Legend of Lu Zhen".

The previous debate about "connotation" may have been a matter of opinion, but these undeniable historical errors and temporal inconsistencies in black and white have turned all of Yu Zheng's previous "deep" and "profound" propaganda into a joke.

Public opinion reversed instantly, and the voices that previously supported Yu Zheng's "inner meaning theory" fell silent, replaced by widespread questioning and criticism.

"My God, Lu Lingxuan is actually this kind of person? What about the values ​​in this drama...?"

"The arrest warrant is from the Ming and Qing dynasties? Xiao Guanyin is from the Liao dynasty? What kind of nonsense is this! Did the screenwriter's history teacher teach PE?"

"To drastically alter history while simultaneously touting its historical accuracy—is this hypocrisy?"

"Why not do your own 'historical research' properly before criticizing others' 'lack of depth'?"

"In comparison, although 'The Journey of Flower' is a fantasy novel, its worldview is self-consistent and its logic is closed, which makes it seem to 'respect' the creative rules more."

The reputation of "Legend of Lu Zhen" has completely collapsed under this wave of professional, precise, and overwhelming research.

The viewership ratings declined more significantly, and the online ratings were also dragged down by a large number of one-star reviews.

Many viewers who initially just watched for entertainment have begun to view the show with scrutiny and skepticism.

"Teacher Yu, shouldn't you address the online public opinion?"

"I bought the rights to your show, and now I'm under a lot of pressure!"

"I've already suffered losses on your side twice in a row. Even for the sake of 'Palace,' I don't want to suffer a third time."

The words from the mango purchasing manager on the other end of the phone were like salt rubbed into Yu Zheng's wounds.

He sat in his office, staring at the overwhelming barrage of critical articles and comments on the screen, his face ashen, his fingers clenched so tightly they turned white.

His much-vaunted ability to "adapt" has now become the biggest joke and target.

The controversy over the "content" that he personally stirred up ultimately backfired, burning down the core "historical" brand of his project and the support of his partners.

This time, he faced not only overwhelming market popularity, but also a complete collapse of his professional reputation and creative foundation.

He wanted to do something, but didn't know where to start.

Since that day, news about Yu Zheng and "Legend of Lu Zhen" has almost disappeared from the internet.

To Shen Mo, it was just a roadside road, not worth mentioning.