I think the sole existence of screenwriter-producer Yu Zheng in the world of C-dramas and movies is really to act like a troll on history and fandom. He exploits anything and everything with equal aplomb, and with this new drama casting bombshell I’ve officially decided that he is also blind and has no ability to pick leading ladies. He ought to get kicked out of the gay brotherhood for being such a repeat offender in casting truly unattractive actresses as his leading ladies. He’s just wrapped filming on Tong Hua‘s Yun Zhong Ge and is about to start plundering his next Louis Cha wuxia novel (the first that he butchered being The Swordsman) setting his grubby paws the romantic Return of the Condor Heroes. This one has been adapted into a drama many times and the most recent one was only 7 years ago in 2006 with Huang Xiaoming and Crystal Liu. Both are easily the most gorgeous Chinese entertainers so their casting passed the looks test since leads Yang Guo (a lady killer) and Xiaolongnu (best beautiful woman in the wuxia world) need to be insanely beautiful people. That adaptation had problems – I thought Huang Xiaoming was miscast because he was too young to play the teenage Yang Guo and he overacted like his pants were on fire, while Crystal was literally a beautiful but dead zombie sleepwalking her way through the drama. But at least they were pretty! Yu Zheng has already cast his resident next generation hottie Chen Xiao as lead Yang Guo, and I wholeheartedly approve. To have such an amazingly charismatic gorgeous guy who can act as Yang Guo makes me happy, but then his Xiaolongnu needs to be extraordinary to match up to him. Rumors for the last few months centered around Angelababy and newbie TW-actress Haden Kuo. Both are plastic beauties but at least pretty, so my jaw literally hit the floor to hear that Michelle Chen was Yumama’s pick for Xiaolongnu. Excuse me? Doughy, dull, and dumpy Michelle Chen as the most beautiful wuxia girl ever? Oh hells no. I will never ever understand why she’s considered a “goddess” after her breakthrough performance in You’re the Apple of My Eye. This offends every fiber of my aesthetic sensibilities.
Yumama wants to pair her (?!?!?) with the unreal vision of male gorgeousness that is Chen Xiao? This is totally the perfect description of the Chinese saying 一朵鮮花插在牛糞上 (a fresh flower stuck on a pile of cow manure). Even famed Hong King directer Wong Jing had to post a snarky Weibo comment when he heard Michelle was cast, asking “那麼胖的小龍女?” (Is there a Xiaolongnu that fat?). Netizens are eviscerating Michelle as well, saying that she’ll snap the rope bed in the Ancient Tomb when she lays down to sleep on it. Or that she’ll look like a duck trying to fly when she is supposed to glide. Or how can she act as a ethereal beauty with her droopy-eyed pancake face.
Leave it to Yumama to defend his choice saying that Michelle is “很瘦很清純” (very skinny and very refreshing) and says that once her official character still is out then everyone will love her as Xiaolongnu. He lies. It’s out and I posted it below, and she looks horrendous. He admits Michelle isn’t as fairy goddess as Crystal (no shit, Sherlock) but says she will make a very good GuGu (auntie), since Xiaolongnu is 6 years older than Yang Guo in the novel. Yumama also revealed he’s got some juicy cameos – two already cast ones being Zhao Li Ying (Chen Xiao’s constant co-star and rumored girlfriend) playing his mom in this drama (she cameos as Mu Niangci, mother to Yang Guo), while Jiro Wang has a cameo as Hu Bi Lie, the first Emperor of the Yuan dynasty. I see hot mess already written all over this. Let’s take a trip down happier times with the former sane adaptations, shall we?
Best and most iconic Xiaolongnu in terms of looks, acting, and chemistry with her leading man playing Yang Guo (that would be Andy Lau) – Idy Chan. This version also had my favorite Yang Guo as well. Andy handled the entire teen-adult-jaded elder transition with aplomb.
83 version with Andy Lau and Idy Chan:
[youtube id=”ulnuOSoBD4c” w=”650″ h=”450″]
[youtube id=”1SOC3hir1oM” w=”650″ h=”450″]
Decently pretty but dull second generation Xiaolongnu – Carmen Lee. I’m ambivalent about Louis Koo as Yang Guo. Sometimes he was fine, other times total fail.
95 version with Louis Ku and Carmen Lee:
[youtube id=”_3P9T43BpIk” w=”650″ h=”450″]
Random Singapore version Xialongnu with the worst hairstyle ever – Fann Wong. She did end up marrying her Yang Guo co-star Christopher Lee, who is back in this RoCH playing Huang Yaoshi.
The horrible Taiwanese all-black version of Xiaolongnu – pretty Jacklyn Wu all miscast.
The earnest big-budget Zhang Zhi Zhong C-drama version with admittedly the most beautiful and physically perfect Xiaolongnu of all time – Crystal Liu. She’s pretty much exactly the novel description come to life. Except she can’t act, and even Louis Cha was annoyed at her woodenness. Sadly Huang Xiaoming was so OTT and destroyed the character of Yang Guo turning him into a sleazy flirt. Ewwww.
2006 version with Huang Xiaoming and Crystal Liu:
[youtube id=”KGpS3cypA9c” w=”650″ h=”450″]
While there has been only one Xiaolongnu I’ve loved (Idy’s version), at least there has never been a fugly Xiaolongnu. Until now. The evolution has gone from the raving beauties above to…..this? Get ready to hurt feast your eyes on the first official still of Michelle Chen as Xiaolongnu.
*@%!%^#*@#*! ARGHHHH!! No, just no. First off, ALL WHITE. Xiaolongnu wears ALL WHITE. That cannot be messed with, Yu Zheng! What the fuck is with the random blue bits in her outfit? Second – how can Xiaolongnu have a tummy! C-netizens are wondering why the food in the Ancient Tomb is as rich as at a Palace buffet to produce that dumpy version. Xiaolongnu barely eats, that’s why she’s literally this slender lithe goddess. She sleeps on a rope! She is 不食人间烟火 (not feasting of the human world’s airs), and Michelle is not that description in a million years. And she’s so short and squat to boot. Her expression is also all wrong. ALL FUCKING WRONG. What’s with the smile above? Xiaolongnu does not smile (other than occasionally at her Guo Er), and she also does not look all dewy-eyed-deer-in-headlights like the picture below. She is the uber icy queen. She does not give a fuck about the world outside the tomb or about any one not named Yang Guo. End of story.
If author Louis Cha was still sane, he ought to be writhing in pain. This is how the novel describes the MOST beautiful woman ever to walk the wuxia world – 面容秀美絕俗，清麗秀雅，莫可逼視，神色間卻是冰冷淡漠 (Her face was unearthly beautiful, elegant and refined, impossible to gaze upon, but in her eyes was dispassionate coldness). Using what ungodly barometer of beauty is Yumama associating doughy Michelle Chen with her pancake face with lithe icy goddess that is Xiaolongnu? I know that objectively speaking Michelle is a pretty girl in the real world and is nowhere near ugly or fat by any measure of real world standards. But this is about novel and cinematic standards. I am a novel purist especially when it comes to holy grail wuxia novels of my childhood where I need the actor cast to actually have the looks and charisma to fill the part as described in the novel. The words, it means something!
I also think its just stupid to cast an actress that 99.9% of the fans will hate on sight and then make her feel bad with all the bashing. Poor Ying Er was so young when she was cast as Princess Xiang Xiang (Princess Fragrant) in the drama adaptation of Louis Cha’s first novel The Book and the Sword a few years ago. Netizens tore her apart for being too fat and not beautiful enough, and she apparently developed an eating disorder because of all the criticism. The problem with these castings is that LC’s books are iconic int the modern Chinese literary world, and in all his novels, the three most beautiful female characters he wrote about are Xiaolongnu in Return of the Condor Heroes, Princess Xiang Xiang in The Book and the Sword, and finally Wang Yu Yen in Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils. Casting an actress who is not considered a raving beauty in any of those roles is just asking for fans to unleash holy hell. Plus all Xiaolongnu has are her looks! She’s a moron in all aspects of social skills, barely any book learnings though not a complete imbecile, and has the personality of a cold wet fish to everything and everyone not named Yang Guo.
I see the casting of Michelle a double whammy of bad from a looks as well as ability perspective since I find her a terribly uninteresting actress. Even worse is that Chen Xiao has the potential to be be the perfect Yang Guo and I hate feeling like he’s been wasted in this outing. Ugh, I am not pleased, at this point I’d vote for bringing back Crystal to reprise the role. She’s actually gotten better as an actress since then and being a few years older she has an even better aura for the role. A hilarious snide comment from a C-netizen had me in stitches “This will be the first RoCH where the giant condor will be prettier than Xiaolongnu.” Knowing another RoCH is coming gives me all these ideas even if I know its going to be a hot mess.
1. Why can’t Yumama get Liu Shi Shi and Yuan Hong to cameo as the Yang parents? Hello? They are the perfect ages now that its been 7 years since they filmed Legend of the Condor Heroes playing Mu Nianci and Yang Kang. That would be the guest starring coup of this drama. Zhao Li Ying as Mu Nianci makes no sense.
2. Yumama mentioned the rape scene is going to be very different. How different does he want to make it? Like Zhang Zhi Zhong didn’t make me want to spork my eyes out when he turned it all flower petals and romantic and shit. I don’t even know why he wants to attempt something with respect to that scene.
3. Of all the female characters in RoCH, my favorite is hands down little Guo Xiang. Yes, she doesn’t show up until the final section of the story but many of the drama adaptations have picked young actresses that have totally stolen the drama. Young Yang Mi in RoCH 2006, adorable Wong Man Yi in RoCH 1983, mega-watt smile Theresa Lee in RoCH 1995. Yumama better not let me down here as well.
4. Apparently Yumama’s “revisions” include some of the following blood-spitting nastiness – Yang Guo falls for Guo Fu first when they meet as kids at Peach Blossom Island. Then they are torn apart when he’s sent away to the Sect. So Guo Fu legitimately as a love line with Yang Guo to validate her chopping his arm off later because she’s a heartbroken ex. Instead of a spoiled sociopath that she used to be. THEN Yang Guo falls for Xiaolongnu’s sect sister Li Mu Chou first!! And she loves him back! Da FUCK! After their love fails, then he gradually falls for Xiaolongnu. And her side is even crazier. She is in love with the revised version of Yin Zhi Ping (he has a new name now) the taoist priest. But since their sects hate each other, their love also cannot be. And the rape? It’s an act of passionate LOVE gone awry when he gets crazy jealous of Xiaolongnu and Yang Guo getting all nekkid to learn martial arts. Even writing all this nonsense makes me die a little inside.
5. Yu Zheng has managed to piss, crap, and massacre one lovely memory of a Louis Cha novel drama adaptation after another. Sometimes I wish I never grew up, because there are bad people out in this world and I can’t stop their reign of terror.
Wow, I have to agree that MC is not a beautiful or pretty lady. She’s cute but thats it. So sad to hear this news.
YZ should have picked a newbie leading lady with the looks even if she can’t act.
I feel bad for the MC being ripped by netizens because of her look. What can you do when you star in a iconic remake drama that so many people like?
MC is perfect. She got anythings that requires to be as XLN. And I think that XC and MC are very adorable couple in the drama. Love It so much (:
I was anticipating to see the drama, since I loved the 2006 version with Liu Yi Fei and HXM. She was so gorgeous and innocent looking and the story was really beautiful. Then I came here and saw this post…
I’ve only seen Michelle Chen in a drama with Vic Zhou, and I wouldn’t have even watched that if it weren’t for Vic. Now I see her in this and I am no longer motivated to watch as much. It doesn’t even sound like RoCH anymore after all the extra, unnecessary stuff he added.
I have nothing against fat people, and I don’t really think she’s all that big… but I don’t appreciate her in the costume (which also is really messed up compared to what Crystal wore). But I can’t help be be reminded of the nun characters in some other wuxias dramas I saw.
The role, the costume, the hair, it just doesnt fit her.
I am disappointed as well!!!!!
I totally hear you! >____< My goodness, the casting for the female lead is just all sorts of wrong. I sure as hell won't be touching this drama despite my love for Chen Xiao. I've only ever watched the 2006 version of Return of the Condor Heroes and enjoyed it despite its flaw and Huang Xiaoming's overacting. And yes, at least visually they were perfect. Seriously I'm having less and less faith in regards to these adaptions. I marathoned through BBJX recently and felt sad at the thought that no other cdrama has managed to deliver anything remotely good in comparison. And looking at these upcoming cdramas, well things sure are looking even bleaker. Bleh.
Aiya where to begin …. no comment for this batshit …. so many actresses fit the ancient beauty look like Michelle Ye yet he pick her …. aiya!!!
Michelle Ye looks rather old for the role and has a masculine air that is off-putting in period dramas.
…did you mean MY’s modern air (alpha femaleness)? I find it is generally that which clashes with the acting necessary for period roles.
@ anya, yeah… she’s a tomboy IRL and it shows no matter how hard she tries.
I understand that Michelle Chen is not at all appropriate for the role but the backlash strikes me as excessively cruel.
if i read i was ‘fugly’, ‘doughy’ etc…. whew no wonder C-actresses turn to plastic surgery. and the irony! of getting called ‘plastics’ after… ✌
Must say, Ms. Koala, when you rant you rave eloquently. This post is most entertaining and on-point. Andy Lau and Idy Chan is the gold standard for me (subjective as it may be). Their acting carries subtlety, a certain deftness for nuance, and something about their chemistry transcends. Despite that standard, I wish art for art sake that a modern production had at least meet, if not exceeded, that classic one so many decades ago.
Word on Andy and Idy. To think in 30!!!! years there has never been another YG and XLN to come close much less exceed their performance and chemistry. I can watch RoCH1983 now and still love it, foam mountains and bad make up and all. It’s nearly perfect.
I totally agree.
Yep… Andy and Idy forever. This new RoCH is so miscasted esp. Michelle Chen. No comparison here. Massacre indeed.
Me too!! I agree with this. Of all the subsequent adaptions, just have not compared to Andy & Idy’s version for me.
Even the awful makeup couldn’t get Idy Chan to look ugly. She was indeed the gold standard. Poor Michelle though, she isn’t ugly but definitely not the right actress to play such an iconic character.
I wish Yu Zheng would stop messing up history and wu xia novels!
I am honestly put off by YZ’s casting as well (what’s new there?) but the amount of crap written here, in baidu, weibo, and everywhere else is just harsh, rude, disturbing and plain disgusting.
She’s nowhere near ideal, and she’d probably be my last choice. Heck I’d pick Yuan Shan Shan over her any day. But she’s already casted, and although everyone has every right to say whatever they want, the insults are… I’m a bit speechless. Particularly in light of finding out about Ying Er’s eating disorder (which is news to me), I hope Michelle isn’t too bogged down and stays strong mentally.
As for the drama, I’m skipping not because of Michelle, but YZ. The guy slaughters every project he gets his hands on, and I’d rather not ruin this for me.
I don’t think Michelle should get a pass on the valid criticism of her looks and acting ability being not right for this role just because she’s a woman. If Yu Zheng had cast the wrong Yang Guo, the same criticism and vitriol would be unleashed on that actor as well. The same torrent of commentary happens all the time whenever someone is cast as a Superhero in a Hollywood movie and totally ruins fanboys image and the character requirements. Unless someone attacks Michelle for her personality, then she needs to be able to handle the critique or else get out and decline the role.
Dang. Chill, all ye netizens. Geesh. I’m with Rina and Kelly. I’m all for casting to fit, but ferreals? The hate is a but much.
TWINNIE!!!!!!
I just read your rant after I posted this. I might as well have just directed everyone to read yours instead rather than to Wonder Twins Activate my verbatim post. Everything you said is WORD.
Michelle is an ACTRESS. Her job has two requirements – looks and acting ability. Viewers are fully able to criticize her for both. I am not going to shy away from commenting on the fact that she does NOT have the LOOKS to play XLN. Especially in light of the character being ALL ABOUT HER LOOKS!!! She barely has a personality. Nothing is required other than to be the most beautiful goddess to walk the Earth. That is it. Michelle is not that in this world, the next world, or in an alternate world. Michelle’s face is too round, her aura too wet and soft, her physique too short and doughy. In short, she would be the Bizarro Universe version of XLN.
Just because someone offers her the role of XLN does not mean she has to say yes. And if she says yes, then its open season to be criticized for ruining readers image of the most beautiful woman in the wuxia world. XLN is basically an entire C-generation’s Helen of Troy. My brother called me to RAGE. Men probably got off as teenagers reading the novel and imagining her in their minds and its a sacred almost sacrosanct character that has one requirement in casting her – superficial beauty.
I don’t even like XLN as a character! She’s probably one of least fave LC heroines in all his novels. But the way Yu Zheng crapped over her character still offends the novel purist in me. And my aesthetic sensibilities.
I am pissed at myself naively thinking what can go wronger than Swordsman with this?! I do not care about RoCH nor XLN, and we have our CX…he can convincingly romance a YSS, he’s THAT good, so get him a pretty vase, that is all we’re asking. The only thing YZ can’t crap all over the place is his makjang ‘romance’. But this is actually pissing me off more, because his Swordsman and 笑傲 have no resemblance and nothing is giving me any hope that was watchable. This one has C!X! seriously YZ, this is your only golden ticket to worm into our heart a little in your lifetime and you’ve decided to F with us all. Of course it would be great if we get an Idy, pretty enough, but more importantly fit the cold despondent vibe and a decent actress. But out of the 2, it’s really the out of this world beauty that will make or break it.
There are clear simple chinese describing a XLN and we aren’t even allow to even point it out the white elephant and MC’s looks are what those characters mean at all?!?!??! What are illustrative words for then to not even allow us a framework of the visual?!? I thought 腦子裝滿屎 is just a saying, but YZ obviously has it inside his cornea as well. We are judged one way or another all our lives, even if one is the cutest, normal wt hippo which can ballet, good luck getting the title of prima ballerina absoluta. I think any oversensitive palliating of very simple aesthetic attributes of an actor, where his/her craft even inner workings of the character hinges on the physical accoutrements portraying a character that has nothing to do with their innerself, what else are we doing now watching dramas placating everything?! By making it almost taboo to talk sensibly about appearance and how it contribute in a successful portrait, especially from a questionably competent artist, it is being excessfully passively judgmental in looks, as if calling out an actress being not pretty enough is saying she has cancer. It’s simply she is not pretty enough and hence unsuitable for a role which beauty is everything. We are watching the butchering one of the most read C novels and characters ever, not making friends with a Michelle.
And like you, MC is to blame too. She’s a 30 year old actress, she has her niche with the densha otoko, be content with it, unlike a newcomer YingEr, I understands she or her management might take a big gamble. If she didn’t see any of this coming, it’s too telling how uncouth and delusional she is, so aside from the unsuitable physicality, her lack of judgement is what is rubbing me wrong as well.
If Michelle can’t handle the heat, her taking this role is both delusional on her part as well as an insult to the fans who love the novel.
My comments are so mild compared to what torrent of anger directed at her. When her pictures came out, some of the most hilarious ones include, and I’m paraphrasing from weibo and baidu because I’m not creative enough to come up with this commentary:
1. Chen Xiao is so gorgeous he can play BOTH YG and XLN.
2. 新版《神鵰俠侶》還沒開拍，網友就逼楊過跟鵰在一起，這是鬧哪樣. Ppl are rooting for a Brokeback Mountain scenario where YG has a forbidden love with the Giant Condor. It’s spiritual love so we don’t need to worry about bestiality, but even that is better than YG with this XLN.
3. Michelle’s picture as XLN has been called 女版哪吒 (female version of Nezha). Those who don’t know what the deity Nezha looks like can Google it.
4. 就連陳妍希粉絲都忍不住吐槽她真的不適合扮古裝.Even her own FANS, the less diehard delusional ones, are not happy with her casting. Because they know she does not fit the requirements of XLN and they know she’ll get hate for it, and its a bad career move, and they wished they didn’t take it. Now those are fans I actually respect.
5. 批新版小龍女有傻氣沒仙氣，完全扼殺了角色應有的氣質. New XLN looks goofy and not goddessy, completely destroy the “aura” this character needs to have.
6. 陳妍希成為新一代「小龍女」，刺痛了很多《神雕俠侶》粉絲的心. The casting of MC has already hurt the hearts of fans of the novel.
7. I really got so annoyed when Michelle responded to the fan complaints by saying this 也許不是大家心目中經典小龍女的樣子，但我會努力詮釋出一個新的小龍女給大家看的 (I may not be what everyone had in mind for XLN, but I will do my best to create a new XLN for everyone). No Michelle, we don’t want a NEW XLN. We want the XLN as described in the novel. How tone deaf can she be?
I can go on and on, but YZ is just an evil troll and we need to stop thinking he will grow a heart, brains, or respect.
I DONT KNOW WHAT UR TALKING ABOUT MC HAVE EVERY RIGHT AND I SEE HER AS THE PERFECT XLN
EVEN THOUGH SHE WASNT AS PRETTY AS THE 2006 ONE BUT HER ACTING WAS FLAWLESS TO MY OPINION!!!!
Crystal Liu was perfection, you don’t get that every year. She was stiff and her acting isn’t much but beautiful.
And honestly do they really need another version!
what the fuck is wrong with you, complaining about people not looking good enough. seriously, koala, your taste SUCK and you have no eyesight when it comes to who’s attractive or not, so you may as well stop trying. What a joke. seriously, some people need LIVES, instead of judging others by their looks.
Instead of resorting to expletives, let me explain that a viewer has every right to judge an ACTRESS on looks. That is part of the job requirement of that particular profession. A quarterback needs to have arm strength, agility, and accuracy. I can judge on these criteria and say Tim Tebow is a terrible quarterback because he doesn’t have any of the three requirements. I will not say Tim Tebow is a terrible quarterback because he’s ugly, because that is NOT a requirement to being a quarterback.
And regardless of my particular opinion on Michelle’s looks vis-a-vis being XLN, the entirety of the Chinese drama watching world thinks she’s unsuited to play the role. So this is not my opinion and mine alone. My taste may suck, but that’s neither here not there with respect to whether Michelle’s got the looks required to play a role that is written as the most beautiful woman in the entire wuxia world.
Correction. Tim Tebow has arm strength (too much of it sometimes) and agility. He lacks accuracy, thank you very much.
Nope, beg to disagree. Tebow is a bust in all three criteria. He’s got an ugly throwing motion, scattershot accuracy and unpredictable pocket awareness. How can one have strength when you just heave the ball? Strength in the QB position is about the flight of the ball traveling long and firm, not heaving it. His accuracy is a joke. And he can’t be agile if he can’t read the pocket. Just having a fleet foot is meaningless if he runs into a tackle.
“how can Xiaolongnu have a tummy” LOL u just made my day
I never got the appeal of condor heroes.. but she doesn’t look THAT bad. Definitely not as pretty as the previous ladies but she’s not really that doughy looking as rants would indicate. Well, she got the casting somehow so people will have to deal with it or vote by not watching it. While she is an actress, the hate for her looks really astound me, it makes it seem like she’s an overweight Pillsbury doughboy when she’s just normal sized.
This is…speechless. I have watched every remake and this has to be the worst. I think this may be the only version I won’t see. I could even accept the actress but to actually butcher the story like that… this is unacceptable. I won’t be seeing this version PERIOD.
Also I’m a novel purist as well. I totally understand where ockoala is coming. Fann Wong’s hair and Jacklyn Wu’s black dress totally annoyed me to no end so to see this new version with her dressed with even hints of blue is already annoying me. Yu Zheng is a terroist.
I’m not going to even comment on her looks…which is so not appropriate for the role. Every time I try to watch Michelle drama or movie (usually because I like her co-stars) I fall asleep. I still have no clue why she’s so popular. Her acting is totally blahhhh.
To me it just feel like the more remake they do the more tarnishing it becomes to such a beloved wuxia novel …. which is why I don’t watch any remake and stick to my original golden era collection on all the classic LOCH, ROCH, HSDS …. with the exception of hu ge and ariel LOCH ….
Wish they ban such person from producing this given his casting is terrible….such famous classic novel should only be allowed to produce when casting and story fit the novel itself
…
Michelle chen I U
YOUR FANS FROM INDONESIA
I have a total dislike for Fann Wong. Her face is plastic all over. Her brow doesn’t impress me. Nothing beats Andy Lau and Idy Chan’s version. The same with The Duke of Mountain Deer (Tony Leung’s version). I love Michelle Chen. I find her cute but she just doesn’t have the face to do PERIOD movie/drama. No matter how she can act, she just doesn’t fit into that role.
They should cast Vicky Zhao! She is best suited for the role.
So disappointing in casting …. but sadly we can only voice our opinion to each other since poducer such as him has no respect for originality of the novel to even care about what netizen or evrn devoted fans to the novel has to say …. that was the same when news of ROCH remake in 2006 … poll vote for Shui Ling tp play XLN but it went to Crystal who has look but acting wise is eh … guess reason like this that I don’t watch any of this producer works … can’t have him tarnish my love for wuxia
Wow, that sure sounds like a great story that needs to be told again and again if the heroine´s most outstanding attributes are her beauty and her skinniness.. Oh, and a rape scene – how innovative!
I didn’t discuss the novel at all here so one can’t render an opinion on the substance of the epic story based on my rants about select elements.
RoCH is a sequel. To an epic first novel LoCH that merits its down post, but RoCH is about the next generation of kids and the fall out of everything that happened to the parents. It’s an outcast’s journey to hero. To use a Harry Potter analogy. It’s as if Harry Potter was the son of Lord Voldemort, and he wants to prove that he’s his own person and his father’s sins do not reflect on him. It’s also about Harry rebelling against the rules and orders of the Magic World, which says he can or cannot do something.
The heroine in RoCH is a cipher. She’s the creation of a writer who wanted to make every man’s dream beautiful woman who only loves and cares about the hero. She is a failure as her own person, but she is what the angry and hurt hero needs when he feels like the entire world sucks and she’s the only one who is not a part of it. RoCH is flawed as a novel IMO, but it is a genuinely gripping hero’s journey that doesn’t paint the hero as ideal but instead a rebel with a cause. There is a reason generations of readers love this novel and it keeps getting drama remakes.
Thank you for the summary. You know, as those were the things that I gathered from this post (oh, and that netizens are means-spirited, what else is new?!),of course it will affect any opinion I might form on the whole story.
I am not a fan of the “woman exists solely to be of support for the oh so heroic hero during his quest”-trope (and it´s a trope that´s been done to death) but other than that the story does not sound uninteresting, I guess. But still,it is not the plot that is being “discussed” by netizens, so it appeared to me to be marginal in contrast to the importance of the female lead´s beauty and thinness, especially considering the foulness found in the quotes above.
No, everything is being discussed. The plot is as important as the characters. This novel’s significance for three generations of Chinese readers is akin to kids growing up with Harry Potter or even earlier when kids imagined their own Lord of the Rings. Its a fantasy world, with very vividly described characters, dealing with amazing challenges and emotional angst and large scale nationalistic conflict and small scale familial scars.
The reason why Michelle’s casting is such a hot topic is because the heroine in this novel isn’t described simply as “beautiful”, because if she were then I may not think Michelle is all that beautiful but I would have no objective opinion to say she is miscast. The problem is that the heroine is described very vividly, in wonderfully lyrical and evocative prose, as to what she looks like.
It’s not simply words like beautiful or attractive, or conversely ugly or dumpy. The writer took his time and actually used words to paint a portrait. The reader can close their eyes and actually imagine her beauty in a very specific way. A reader with an active imagination and a good understanding of the words would all come up with very similar renderings of this heroine Xiaolongnu (Little Dragon Girl). It’s not like 10 readers reading the same passage would draw 10 different pretty girls. I guarantee everyone’s rendering of the XLN as specifically described often in the novel would pretty much look the same. That is how iconic she is.
She is slender and looks like a young girl, 16-ish or so, forever young because she lives in the Ancient Tomb and practices a martial arts that requires her to be dispassionate. She is very thin because she rarely eats, she is detached from the world of both emotional and physical needs.
Her beauty strikes men and women speechless, but she doesn’t care what anyone thinks. There is only one person she cares about and that is her disciple Yang Guo. She is older than him, also his master, so their love is taboo as the world sees it. But neither care and to each other, it is not a love of passion but a love of commitment and mutual understanding. It is because they don’t understand or care for the world outside the Ancient Tomb, the world where people fight for power, nations slaughter innocents to become the ultimate ruler, the world where people lie, steal, and commit crimes because of desire.
I think Yu Zheng makes it a point to miscast and butcher things in order to get attention and people to discuss his work. Michelle Chen doesn’t have the 淑女 aura that XiaoLongNu presents.
Not really understanding Michelle Chen’s fame, her acting is not my cup of tea and her singing skills are not-existent (I really don’t know who thought it was a good idea for her to release an album).
However, I also got to say these comments are a little harsh. Like, is she really considered “fat”?!? And I think she is cute, even if she isn’t quite the “Goddess” material. But man, theses days, with all these Goddesses emerging left and right, I don’t even know what the qualifications are anymore.
Michelle got eviscerated already in her first period outing in Ripples of Desire. I could care less since it’s just a random movie.
She has a softness that can do 淑女, and the only period setting I can see her for is the early Republic era, a Shanghai Bund type drama where she wears Western attire. But she is wholly unsuited for any wuxia drama except to play a character like Yang Kang’s mom Bao Xi Ruo in LoCH. She is that kind of “lady”, someone who cries all the time and has no edge.
Xiaolongnu is the epitome of a 玉女 (a jade woman i.e. an elegant perfection). She is cool with a side of frankly-my-dear-I-don’t-give-a-damn. Michelle is not “fat”, but she is “fat” to play the role of XLN, a girl who sleeps on a rope bed and flies around the air weightless. She barely eats as the novel tells us since she lives in an Ancient Tomb and practices a martial arts that makes her emotionless and rather ethereal. That is what the novel describes her as, it’s not like folks are picking on Michelle for no reason. It’s like most actresses are likely too “fat” to play the role of a ballerina, because the requirement is someone truly lithe and balletic and athletic.
Did LC honestly sold the copyrights of his novels to Yumama, or did Yumama tricked the old man with his usual dirty tricks? It’s not like we haven’t seen that before.. Yu is one cunning mama.
I’m usually silent fans here. But..the’revisions’ Oh my.. With all the additional interpretation just please change the title 🙁 Write it as inspired by the condor heroes,maybe? Please? *sigh*
I only watched 83 and 95 version… But for me xln and yg will always be Andy lau and Idy chan version 🙂
At least have the looks…sigh…
I think SARFT should ban this, even if they are not in charge of casting but I would ban this abomination.
Just thank our lucky stars it’s not Yuan Shan Shan…
And any Yuzheng remake is a horrible remake, I would just skip it altogether.
To be fair, Yuzheng’s female leads are all too gorgeous. I think very few people fit the bill. Liu Yi Fei was perfect though.
Nooo I meant Jinyong’s female leads LOLOL
Yes, I agree that Michelle is not the ultimate pits. The worst would have indeed been Yuan Shan Shan, with her franken-face and all. At least Michelle’s face moves. But that is a small consolation. It’s like saying “at least the man is alive” when picking a boyfriend.
LOL @ at least Michelle’s face moves.
True that!
Well… I’m not picking a boyfriend. Pfttt I think XAJH really scarred me (both in terms of miscasting & butchering of the plot) so I really am okay with anything now. It’s a GIVEN to me that Yumama will never get his casting right.
& About MC, I hardly think she’s that bad. he’s not ethereal beauty type but she has next door girl appeal at least. & I think it could work if she slimmed down a bit which she probably will for her role.
I know MC has the “girl next door appeal” for some people (not me) and she is objectively an attractive woman. But XLN is neither the girl next door or just an attractive woman. She is written as THE most beautiful woman EVER, like people’s jaws drop and are frozen in place by her beauty. A normally attractive actress isn’t suitable to play her, much less one who skews the opposite from icy perfection to sweet girl next door. So miscast.
ROCH 2006 was a bore-fest to me. I cannot sit through an episode without skipping. The female lead really isnt very “heavenly” good looking and it’s such a waste of a role for Chen Xiao. However I hope HIS acting would make up for her looks. BTW, it is quite mean to attack Michelle Chen. Man, I cant fathom how she feeling right now.
And tbh, Yumama is just have his ego trip in dramaland because he think he such a genius that he could do whatever he want without any respect to these classics. But we all cant blame him if people still gonna tune in to watch his crap, that will just give him more incentives to produce more crap.
ockoala, I agree with you one hundred percent on your rant at such blasphemy, but honestly it’s not like we didn’t expect yumama to do something outrageous with it, he massacred on our childhoods and imagination with his sick mind. The whole YG falling in love with all those other girls are just as bad as HXM being a flirt in the 2006 version, the rape scene, the star crossed lovers from different sect but he’s also suppose to be somewhat goofy then rapes her, DAFUQ? And as interested as it would be for Liu Shi Shi and Yuan Hong to play a cameo as YG’s parents, you know that it can never happen because they’re on Karen’s side of cdramas world war, you will never see them in a YZ productions, it’s just a no. Now the way I keep looking at it is if we don’t like it, let’s just not watch it. I’m sure that YZ is partly doing this so people can talk about him, you know the saying (somewhat) Any press is good press whether it’s good or bad. I hate to break it but knowing Yumama’s history, he’s gonna screw up the rest of the drama, probably the ending to so there can be no way for a third one.
TOTALLY AGREES WITH YA MS KOALA!!!
It’s a BIG mistake to cast MC is XLN. She bloody looks like YG and XLN’s daughter instead in the pictures. Nothing elegant, icy, beautiful or graceful at all. MC also has got too much BB fat on her face and looks too young and childish for the character. OMG…I was soooo looking forward to the remake but the casting now totally puts me off.
How can he do this to the story!!! How dare he butcher a Jin Yong!! I was disappointed with the casting for xln, but now I’m beyond furious about the rumoured plot changes. The original characterisations and developments are rich enough for any decent producer to get a ratings hit just by following the novel to the word. There is no need for a rethinking of this classic! I wonder what Jin Yong thinks about this crap…
I had never found Michelle Chen pretty. She is not ugly, but i never thought her pretty (not even the girl next door kinda pretty..she’s just normal). She’s not ugly either, of course. But throw her into ancient garb and she looks really awkward. And as THE xln? 我冇眼睇….
BULLY!
The amount of the words “doughy”, “fat”, “ugly” in this article frankly offends me. She may not be LYF-level of pretty but here she’s saddled with quite an unfortunate costuming and hairstyle that makes her a little plump but if you’re not blinded by your unhealthy level of fandom rage you will probably have noticed she was a tiny lady in all her previous dramas!
But, that’s not the point, the point is you just committed a CYBER BULLYING by calling a perfectly normal and frankly endearing actress (IMO, MILES better than LYF) a fat, talentless hack. Who knows, Yumama is going for a XLN with PERSONALITY and he sees that Michelle has IT?
Im ok with you being outraged by a miscasting and butchering and all but the amount of hate comments you spout is just too much this time.
If you get off your PC high horse, and actually READ the article, I never once called Michelle either ugly or fat. I never used either word, so don’t put words in my mouth, much less claim that I used it a lot in my post. I stand by what I write, otherwise why write it, but claiming I said something I didn’t is a bit too ridiculous, no?
I did call her doughy and dumpy, and she is both. I also said her official character still of XLN was fugly as what the character is supposed to look like. I stand by that. She is not a ballet dancer’s physique nor does she have the sharp high cheekbones with a v-shaped face. Those are facts. Making that observation does not a bully make. I also said she is NOT a fat woman by any measure of real world standards. But being tiny and short also does not fit the description of the character at all as being a graceful lean ethereal goddess.
And no, criticizing an actress for the requirements of her profession, when she a public figure whose job is to be beautiful onscreen AND act well, is not an act of cyberbulling. I never once said anything to claim that she wasn’t, in your words, “a perfectly normal and frankly endearing actress”. She could be that, and still a “fat, talentless hack”. That would not be either contradictory, nor would saying it be cyberbulling. Except I never called her a fat, talentless hack. That is once again your words, put into my mouth.
If you want to have a discussion, you can’t manufacture words and then expect to be taken seriously.
Well you just called her fugly and doughy and dumpy while you can use more appropriate words than what you have written like “she’s too chubby and round even she’s pretty she’s more fits to be a town girl in the modern times than a beauty goddess to fits novel description of XLN” That would be better words choices and I dare to say what you have just said is more like a cyberbullying ‘in disguise’ of a critism beacause you were in fits of rage because of the overwhelming dissappointment you felt towards YZ’s XLN but I can understand that.
I also had read so many novels and then watch the adaptations in the movie version later and many of them never fit what I had imagined when I read the novel version. They even never fill my expectations. But even I want to critics I have no rights to use hurtful destructive words towards the director or the casts.
As for example, come from my personal experience. Like the recent popular movie in my country, Insurgent, to be honest I’m rather somewhat dissappointed with the movie even it’s big success in box office since I had read the novel version’s first. And because of huge modification in the movie parts and the main cats in movie, is misfits with the character’s description in the novel’s version even there’s some modification. I wasn’t okay and also disappointed.
It’s the same with Condor Heroes series even I never read the novels version since in my country it’s really hard to get (maybe in my Mom’s era the novel is still many) but I ever watched the previous version of Return of Condor Heroes from Idy Chan’s era to Michelle Chen since I have fallen in love with the Return of Condor Heroes since I watch the 95’s Version (Yes it was the first I watch because my mom’s persuaded me in the first place to watch them and liked it. When I knew there was the previous version I watched it too and don’t mind to watch it again) Since I had watched the previous films I agreed with the majority people here that she doesn’t fit to be XLN since she doesn’t have the description of XLN in JY’s novel. Looking from the best of Return of Condor’s film I already have a guess what XLN should be.
Even most people here like Idy Chan the best as XLN but I think Carmen Lee is the best XLN than Idy since she has somewhat cold aura inside her with her youthful looks and also mature. Maybe it’s im her fashion that makes her somewhat a bit dull. And as for Idy, she don’t have the natural cold expression on her face like Carmen even I must admit her acting’s better compare to Carmen Lee. She’s more fit to be WY (HR)in her youthful days.
Liu Yifei was good to me even her acting back then she wasn’t good enough at the acting but she fits the description of XLN and I even fell in love with her as XLN. Fann Wong may have a potential as good XLN too if her hair not messed up since she somewhat has a cold and indifferent aura coming from her. I also dislike the black XLN since she is like woman in filled with sorrow than a emotionless woman who actually innocent and pure as she never experienced the cruel side of the outside world.
Michelle may not fit for XLN’s role but at least I appreciate her for her effort to potrays XLN.
I don’t know what’s in Michelle’s mind when she was about to take the role as XLN or what’s inside Yu Zheng’s mind to make XLN like this but maybe he wanted to portray the real XLN from inside as an innocent girl who never know how to life as real’human’then she experienced it so normally at first it would make her overwhelmed and feel confused but should make her express more her feelings in later than hide it more in her cold shell because XLN actually like a baby who have just born into this world with purity and innocence.
That’s what just I think even I despise this but it was okay overall after all the Guo Family’s shouldn’t die after all in the battle of Xianyang.
I agree !!
This is hard to muster. What drives me crazy is that a previous post here is right… Viewers still watch Yu Zheng’s crap, so he’s still making money and still producing crap. No two ways about it.
I am not liking the possible butchering to the storyline. I am not always a purists but by and large I am (99% of the time). Just no no no to changing that.
As I mentioned, Andy & Idy’s version has remained my favorite by and far. I loved these two and nothing has quite compared to them at all. I agree that MC isn’t pretty enough to be the iconic XLN and couldn’t quite get all of her fame. I have no real problem with anyone saying that she’s not fit for the part because of her looks. It’s part of her job. However, I guess let’s see what she can do with it. Liu Yi Fei was absolutely gorgeous and had the looks for the role, but I still think she sucked in her role. So it’s just not enough to have the looks for me – even though it matches the description of the novel. I do think some netizens are particularly harsh toward MC but people are entitled to say what they want.
I think the best way is to vote with your money! Don’t watch it. Is there any way to get Yu Zheng where it counts? Sigh.
Why can’t they cast a newbie? MC is kinda established, I have no idea why she would want this role, maybe she thinks she has the xln look? I’ve only watched her with Vic Chou, and she was really boring there. Lol, this roch is a laugh fest, I think that’s what he’s going for, to create some noise for this drama, any publicity is good publicity. And I won’t be watching this but I’ll read reviews to laugh at the madness, I love the 95 version the most so its the only roch in my heart.
I’m not gonna lie, but I really want Shi SHi to take this role because she always looks AWESOME and PRETTY in wuxia style!! She’s actually doing one right now and the picture is looking great! but too bad she’s in Yumama’s rival company so I don’t see that every working out…I’m definitely skipping this one!!!
At least with Swordman, Qiao En was pretty and got the acting chops to pull the drama through! This one is gonna be hard! I remember I loveeee the 2006 version because of how pretty the actor/actress look since I could careless about their acting skills, so I’m pretty sure I can’t even watch this one…Even if Chen Xiao is pretty since YuMama will probably pull an ugly outfit…LOL…maybe I’ll just watch Chen Xiao with his lady prime minister cuts! XD
MC reminds me of Princes Fiona in Shrek.
Ever since I heard MC casting news, I’ve been waiting for your take on it. I read somewhere that YZ said the picture circulating atm is only for audition purposes and not the real costume. Well I surely hope that’s the case because that dye blue thingy is just absolutely ridiculous. I agree that this is a miscast, some roles requires certain physical beauty that you can’t just act your way through it no matter how good of an actor/actress you are. And to hear that they’re about to butcher the story with new “interpretation”. Seriously want to strangle YZ.
I equally love the ’83 and ’95 versions. Theresa Lee was the most memorable Guo Xiang for me.
I loved all three version of Guo Xiang, who is my favorite female character in RoCH. Which isn’t saying a lot because the female characters were either crazy bitches or madly in love with Yang Guo wet blankets. But Guo Xiang stands apart as an awesome character even outside of RoCH, stick her in another novel and she’d still be a billion percent awesome.
Theresa used to be my fave, and I still LOVED her version, but IMO the best GX is Yang Mi. This was before Yang Mi got herself a new face and removed half of her jaw and fiddled with other parts. But original flavor Yang Mi was absolutely enchanting as Guo Xiang. She had better chemistry with Huang Xiaoming then Crystal Liu did. But she kinda got lucky, because by the time Guo Xiang met Yang Guo it was 16 years later and he was this grizzly elder who was not OTT or sleazing his way through the story in that version.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqOUJILrofw
I really really hate Yu Zheng. He destroyed everything and what I hate even more is that he’s damn lucky. Even if people hate his show, but that’s only after the fact. There are still many teenies that do not know better think that his versions are the best.
ROCH is actually my favorite story. I love Yang Guo, and Dragon girl. Yes, Dragon girl doesn’t have any personality, but atleast she’s decisive and not a pushover or a Mary Sue. Of course my favorite version has always been and most likely will be always be Andy & Idy. They are perfection for me. My second favorite was Crystal Liu. True that she was not a good actress but her looks alone carry the character for me, because Dragon Girl was never an expressive person anyway.
But this version destroy everything that is good and iconic about the story. It’s true that Yang Guo is a flirt, but that is it. He doesn’t love any women out there other than Dragon girl. This version is a complete butcher of Yang Guo character like he did in the Swordman. As for MC, she is one heck of a boring actress, and she doesn’t even have the looks to carry out Dragon Girl. The will be the worst looking Dragon Girl to ever exist in history.
I have to be honest I feel really terrible for Michelle Chen, wish she’d known what she was getting into! I honestly hope she doesn’t touch the internet till long after this version has aired! While I agree that she’s not at ALL who I would have picked I still feel terrible for her!
Here’s hoping she has really thick skin! And that her acting is up to par!
I hardly ever comment here, but don’t you think it’s a little OTT (to say the least) to call a particular actress doughy, pan cake face, and compare her to cow manure.
Give the girl a chance. She might not be how you imagined the character, but I’d rather have someone who understands the role than another Liu Yi Fei type “vase”.
Totally agree with you Koala. There are way more beautiful actresses around than Michelle Chen to play this role, especially on a role that speaks of ethereal, forever young and goddess of beauty (Xiaolongnu). I’ve seen some of MC’s drama & movie, I’m not mesmerized w/ her at all. Sorry to disappoint her fans. She could be a very good actress but certainly not a captivating, attractive, and charming. There’s definitely a miscasting for Xiaolongnu character here. The evidence is physically obvious!
I think we should stop talking about Yu Zheng and this adaptation. He is getting so much FREE promotion and it hasn’t started filming yet! He wants his dramas to cause drama to have EVERYONE talking about it.
The Singaporean version was not “random”. Fann Wong and Christopher Lee did well. Give them some respect.
I thought Christopher Lee did a pretty darn good interpretation of Yang Guo. I also liked Yvonne Lim’s version of Guo Xiang.
The Singapore version was my first version and i loved it (including each and every swimming pool tile under the lake lol)
I loved the Singaporean version too. Christopher Lee, Fann Wong, Yvonne Lim… They were all brilliant.
I feel myself getting more and more angry as i was reading your post.
First of all, i totally agree with you about the miscast of Michelle Chen. Like i think she’s honestly not that ugly as an actress but just not good enough to be compared to Xiao long Nu.
I recently watched the drama Badges of Fury with Michelle Chen and Liu Shi Shi in it and obviously, Liu Shi Shi mesmerized the screen with her beauty. No doubt for that. I seriously can’t fall in love with michelle even after seeing her stills.
and OMG. the plot.. the storyline. WHATTHEEFFFF just happened. I’m sorry for raging on this blog right now but i’m seriously so angry just by reading how Yu Zheng is going to changed the storyline of this drama.
This drama is seriously my childhood story. I can’t get sick of it at all. I remembered watching the version with Carmen Lee and Fann Wong and Crystal Liu. Thinking that they can pull off being Xiao Long Nu. I watched the same storyline in so many version yet I’m not sick of it. Yet this freaking stupid director/producer is coming in and ruining my childhood drama. HELL NO! :/
This picture of Li Bing Bing is so beautiful….reminds me of XLN.
http://photo(dot)weibo(dot)com/2278892160/wbphotos/large/mid/3618181577156466/pid/87d52280jw1e88fcjcv7vj20c20g874q
After reading this post, I just had to add my two cents.
The way that I see it, perhaps Michelle really is seriously miscast for the ORIGINAL XLN in RoCH. If the script was actually going to be like the original story that Jin Yong penned, I would also never forgive the director for the casting or for the actress for accepting a role that is obviously unsuited to her.
However… in Koala’s summary of the “Yu Zheng RoCH,” it seems that the story is no longer even the RoCH that people remember and love. Yang Guo is NOT 100% in love with only XLN… he has 3 lovelines! and XLN also is not the pure and naïve girl isolated from the world that book fanatics love… she actually has a relationship with the other dude (forgot his name sorry) before she meets Yang Guo… doesn’t that already change her 不食人间烟火 image?
Her experiences are not the same… so I’m assuming that her personality and image also are going to change in this new adaptation. and PERHAPS, just perhaps, Michelle Chen is wholly suited for this new XLN and new RoCH.
The point I’m getting at is… I think there is too much hate directed at Michelle, when it really should all be directed at Yu Zheng.
I don’t think MC is ugly, or doughy… and I don’t think she deserves the criticism … no, not just criticism, but blatant hate, from the people online. Hey, maybe this “new” XLN really does fit her image, that’s why she accepted the role in the first place. I don’t know. But some slack should be given to her.
In essence, Yu Zheng’s RoCH is basically another completely divergent story from the original, but just using RoCH’s name to promote and sell. I think he’s a horrible human being for destroying classics like this… but… what’s done is done.
So I suggest that we stop hating on Michelle for something that is, IMO, entirely Yu Zheng’s problem, and just sit back and watch this horrid mess unfold – viewing it as a completely different story from the classic that we knew… with just the same name coincidentally.
I love XiaoLongBao, and a good Xiaolongbao is not doughy but with a lot of inner good yummy qualities like good meat and juices flowing within, if I’m on a charitable day, I would be fine with Michelle’s character be renamed XLB. Michelle is an ordinary looking girl, yes not ugly, regular wt, but she is literally playing a dazzlingly blindingly anorexic. It’s hard to mistake a xiaolongbao with a thread of angel hair pasta for me. It is not like I worship XLN and dropdeadgorgeousness, but when it’s set in prose of a Louis Cha, the majority can choose to respect that and eviscerate any deviating ‘reinterpretation’ of it.
If this deviates so far from the original and yz has been repeating his offense when do we call it enough is enough?! Why do we have to take it as it’s alright if this XLN is nothing like a XLN but a XiaoLongBao?! Why do we have to have our aesthetics and expressions of our opinion robbed from us just because of an actress is not ugly or not doughy Being too sensitive as if we can not discuss the physical attributes of an actress/actor is as much a discrimination as if physicality is such a taboo we can not have a judgement.
ms. koala, have you seen chen xiao’s costume for this? because…omg…
You have pictures of his costumes???!!! Please share!!!!
Hold on people. Judge too quickly. Michele chen is very pretty and she’ll make one of the BEST xiao long nu in all versions.
The storyline changes you mentioned had me crying inside as well but I’m watching it now and so far no Yang Guo falling in love with Guo Fu and anything of that sort.
Michelle will be the best xln !
Why bother to rewatch a drama serial if everything is the same?
Keep an open mind !
Let’s get this straight people, Michelle Chen is not fat. Jesus, you guys act like she is this humongous woman who can’t see her own toes. Is she as beautiful as a goddess, no. But she still is very pretty. I know actresses have to be able to take on criticisms well, but there is still no need to be cruel. She certainly do not need this bullshit from everyone. Yeah, you can argue about free speech all you want and that you are just speaking your mind, but everyone deserves respect. You guys are cowards who hide behind a computer screen. If you think you can fit the role Xiao Long Nü better than Michelle, then go ahead, mock away. But 99.9% of you probably can’t fit that role either (I know I can’t.) If you don’t like her as Xiao Long Nü, then don’t watch it. The world can live without another bully!
The casting of this version drama really reminds me of those HongKong 3R movie that claims showbiz are dirty, some “lead actress” just need to sleep for roles or will be pre-fixed to be lead because the big boss who is paying have special connection with her.
It is not about if Michelle Chen is pretty or fat, it is that she does not look compatible to Yang Guo and EVERYTHING/EVERYONE needs to be compatible to make a good drama. It is just like insisting of keeping a modern TV inside a ancient chinese (gu zhuang xi) setting. It just look very out of place. Doesn’t matter if that TV is HIGH END or LOW END.
I’ve been watching the new ROCH and I actually think that Michelle Chen’s acting skills are better than LYF’S (Idk about the other actresses because I only fully watched ROCH 2006). Of course, her costume and that hairstlye…not the most attractive, in my opinion Carmen Lee was the most beautiful, Liu Yifei fit the “pretty, innocent beauty” description, but since YZ decided to totally butcher the innocent plotline, she is not to blame for XLN’s personality in the series. She shows a lot more emotion but that’s because YZ made her. What I thought was seriously disturbing was that all the old guys, Huang Yaoshi, etc,had a creepy love story with someone before. Huang Yaoshi apparently had a love story with MEI CHAOFENG. MEI CHAOFENG of all people! It was very gross to look at.
and that costume and makeup that Michelle has is pretty damn not good lol. Liu Yifei had the best figure out of all the actresses, at 5’7 and very slim and willowy, including in my opinion the prettiest costume and hairstlye, she simply looks fairylike with her snow white dress and long sleeves, but Michelle’s costume just makes it worse… that she’s only 5’3, the costume makes her look plump even though she is actually quite thin besides her face.
Your view of Michelle being cast in this series is way biased. I hadn’t known anything about The Legend of the Condor Heroes, or the Romance of the Condor Heroes before watching the series. I must admit that at first I was disappointed with Michelle’s childish look (I thought she seemed a bit too young). But since I was not biased by all the previous versions of the series, I saw Michelle in a different light. As I said, although at the beginning she did not make a strong impression, in time her character’s straight forward manner of being, purity and sincerity showed how fit she was for this role. Look at the acting and not just consider the way she looks. She acts incredibly well. She makes the role. Besides, she is not ugly, she is a very beautiful girl and while I catch myself doing it sometimes, I think our expectations of seeing exclusively breath-taking people (as defined by personal standards) on TV is a little worrisome and something to think about.
I think she and Xiao Chen made the most adorable couple I have ever seen. Yes Xiao is amazingly good looking, but the most important thing, it seemed to me, was the relationship between the two, the dynamics, who their characters represented. At least from this version, this is what I took. Their love story was the strongest. And the way she played such a sincere and pure heart made her more beautiful and more fit for the role than other more “beautiful” actresses could play; Chen Xiao’s strong character and composure only add to this unity that is them, both pure hearted, beautiful both on the inside and out.
I dont know..why u all hate michelle… she was so perfect to be xia long nu. Im really addicted watching this drama and her acting.. really love him. Im a woman… and i should say that she was so brilliant beauty.
Michelle chen/xln you’re is the best
Your fans from indonesia
i don’t care who took the role but the thing is, if they can’t act the role then the remake is bound to fail, in 2014 case, MISERABLY FAIL. i really cannot continue to watch.
2. i have no problem with the idea of emphasizing plus romance plus slow developing plot into the ROCH, but please, be faithful to the character. for e.g; herectic huang yaoshi is supposed to be known for his deep loving to his wife, even post death. but in 2014’s the char is portrayed as marrying the wife as to avoid rumors of him wanting to fuck his disciple. shit.
3. yang guo’s one among his most desirably watching moment is when he argues with guo jing in the gathering of heroes assembly for standing fastly wanting to marry xiao long nu. 2006’s spell the very definition of epicness during that event. its supposed to be intense, fill with emotion that can make any hard boil man cry, a crying baby stunt, a never watch chinese drama person starring the tv suddenly grown interest. 2014’s is all wrong gone worst. despite the supposedly heated argument which is lukewarm turn super stonecold, yang guo is not supposed to dare guo jing to kill him in a gangster like challenging tone. yang guo is the very portrayal of blood is thicker than water attitude towards guo jing, never a disrespect. 2014’s yang guo sucks big time, arrogant shit, disrespectful, self-inner murmuring piece of shit.
4. xiao long nu. idk where to begin. why do u generously smile and carelessly? its supposed to be a unique trait of the dry ice queen. when she smile exclusively for yang guo, its a once in a blue moon effect that make her so special and angel like. too many flaws, seriously.
5. jin lun. i really miss the playfull yet charismatically 2006’s jin lun, when he fools the indian monk into walking inside the cave after he himself get prick by li mochou’s poison needles. totally comedic. i’m practically tear laughing. 2014’s straight boring.
6. 2014’s noted cast mostly sucks, with exception to li mochou, young yang guo, young guo fu, adult li wushuang, and idk who else can be add cause i drop the series and decide to watch back the older version of roch to return the feel. 2014’s is that bad.
yo like I totally agree with some of the stuff you said but like I’ve never watched the previous adaptations thus I have nothing to compare it with. but from a newbie point of view, it was a great drama and it got me interested in the condor trilogy and ALL THE OTHER WUXIA DRAMAS. *I’d like to point out that I used to hate wuxia dramas as I thought the combats were really pointless lmao.
but since I’m watching the legend of the condor heroes 2017, and did more research on the condor trilogy, I realised there were some scenes truly wrong? like why did Mei Chao Feng even appear in the ROTCH 2014 when she was supposed to die in the LOTCH but apparently there were many revised versions of the novel so you can’t really tell which is right and wrong? plus the new adaptation shouldn’t follow the previous ones so closely as it’ll lose the purpose of making a newer version in the first place (it shouldn’t lose the main storyline too and the main traits of each character). **Other than the fact that making new versions allow you to watch the drama in relation with the effects and quality of the newer generation.
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I actually think Michelle Chen looks pretty and although her actings skill can be improved but I don’t really have issues with her being casted. And I don’t think angelababy is that perfect to be acting as Xiao long nu? Like lets be real she doesn’t have that innocent and pure look to her. And to have her acting all si wen is just er….. (I mean isn’t Xiao long nu supposed to be a very si wen sorta girl?) BUT CAN WE TALK ABOUT CHEN XIAO??? HE LOOKS HOT AS FUCK. He portrayed yang guo perfectly omg. His acting skills were impeccable and he acted the humorous, flirty and evil scene so well vjhdbvjbfvjb!!!! I’m so amazed omg!!!!! And I actually don’t ship Chen Xiao and Michelle Chen that much? Like their chemistry wasn’t really strong tbh? But it was a good drama as it got me interested in wuxia and the condor trilogy. Oh yeah, y’all should totally watch the recent remake of the Legend of the Condor Heroes 2017. Its like so good!!!!!! plus guo Jing and Huang song’s chemistry is cute as mad!!!! I legit ship them ahahahahah