So there are rumors for the past few weeks that Chinese Paladin 4 would be airing in January 2024. It’s not a big budget drama and was filmed in 2022, plus there is Sword and Fairy based on Chinese Paladin 6 just wrapped filming that would be ready to air soon as well. But this week there is no CP4 airing and instead lots of controversy and fandom fighting online between leads Ju Jing Yi and Chen Zhe Yuan‘s teams. Reportedly Ju Jing Yi was top billed for this A-level production when it was filmed but due to Chen Zhe Yuan’s leveling up in the summer hit drama Hidden Love he’s arguably more popular that her right now. So the production reportedly is thinking of making him top billed but her fandom is going loud and berserk refusing to accept that and let it happen. There is for sure drama behind the scenes as the official drama Weibo hasn’t updated in 2 years and there has been no promos on the drama (which would make it clear who was top billed). Insiders say the drama was going to be suddenly dropped this week but at the last minute it was scuttled. Let’s wait and see what the final outcome is.
Gosh, the problem of the world.
Ahhahah I choked 🤣
Lol, so funny…is it really fans who started it? Or media play by agency? Now no one will benefit… The biggest lose will be the investors.
I don’t know these stars but I’m just so amazed that fandoms, in general, can make so much issues… To the point that the production team have to respond or pull a drama (especially when the stars themselves don’t seem to make any waves. And if they do, they should go to their respective companies or the people in charge, not the fandoms clamoring.).
Eh this is just plain ugly. I’m not a fan of either but if her side isn’t lying then his team is truly a piece of shit. I’ve been seeing melons every now and then about how they couldn’t finalise the billing since Hidden Love aired. That’s half a year. Her position is clear – her contract shows she signed on as first billing. The problem is that the production team didn’t officially announce the lineup prior to filming. So the story goes is that with Hidden Love, his team is demanding for at least an equal billing. And the production team is more than willing to accede because he’s the kiwi prince. It’s come to a point where both fandoms generally accept that they should just release and honour the original contract – that’s the noise her fandom has been making, but the production team continues to ignore. I’m with her side on this – she’s without any major backing and if she gives in, it means she allows a big capital like iqiyi to bully her and renege on the contract, her status weakens and every other young rising actor will fight her on billing. It’s not the “stupid fandom fight” international audiences are so quick to mock. She’s niche but her fandom is sizeable and dedicated, definitely more popular than him.
Lol if she had no major backing she wouldn’t have main lead roles on first place.
Why not? she was a top idol in China. Her data is always one of the top, which always surprises me given how low profile she is. I think she is known to barely spend any money on marketing. People like Zhou Ye are getting lead roles as well, probably much better productions than whatever JJY has been in or will ever be in (I’ve only tried watching that white snake show, but dropped it in the 1st episode because the quality was laughable, the filters were atrocious). Zhou Ye’s boss is Li Bing Bing, I don’t consider that to be major backing either, but her connections are good. If you’re talking about capital, everyone relatively popular has capital investments behind them but they don’t have an entire platform to promote them.
If the contract says that she is first billing then that cannot be changed.
It’s a law that came into being after HJY screwed over XZ in Ace. So if she has it in contract, he can’t do anything about it. Which makes it even worse if he is creating so much trouble.
What happened to Ace Troop? I dislike how that drama was scripted A LOT. TBH, I was indifferent to HJY before watching the drama. But he turned me off in that drama and I’ve kept away from his dramas since then.
I do rather like CZY onscreen and am not a fan of JJY, but I agree that since this was filmed back in 2022 with her being originally top billed then it should stay like that even though he has more recognition now. It is only fair that way if they’re going to compete over who should be top billed. To me, it sounds wrong when you read between the line of this article and I’m not sure if it’s the production or his PR team making the noise, but it sounds like bullying to me so it makes sense why her fans would fight over this issue.
The are both MID as the kids say. 😶
i dont understand the C-drama world, but aren’t top billings usually shared between the Male and Female Main Leads? Unless one of them is way above in rep. At least this seems to be the case in K-drama world
Forgive my naivete..but does it really matter who’s top billed? Does one get paid more if they’re top billed? Seems like a small thing to argue about unless one is a superstar and the other isn’t.
And honestly, being top billed won’t help determine whether the drama is successful or not.
Apparently more money, if drama is a hit more prestige etc…
Theres so much noise on this billing thing in C dramaland. Production team shd honour what was written during first signing. But I think its all bout money for them, and not honour.
I know that smell. Hmm it’s gonna fail lol
Passerby don’t usually watch drama mired with controversy like this
I disagree. Passersby will check it out to see what the fuss is all about. If the drama sucks then Passersby will drop it. If it is good they will watch it.
This is media play for a drama which would ordinarily have attracted little attention when it aired. At least now it’s on my radar and I will definitely check it out.
Ju Jing Yi was bigger star between the pair in the past, however it is true that CZY has gotten more popular since Hidden Love. But they should stick to the original contract, air the drama and move on. He can be top billed in future dramas according to how those contracts are written. His team isn’t doing him any favors by dragging this out, the worst that can happen is that he’ll develop a reputation for sticking it to his colleagues and then no one worth their salt would want to act with him in future.
He should just take the hit and move on to future dramas. My question is, how much clout does he have with his production team? I doubt that all this behind the scenes drama is coming from the actor/actress themselves.
Seems a bad idea for 2 Chinese Paladin shows to drop in a month. This controversy is getting press, so that’s also helpful
It is a well know fact Ju Jing Yi had very extensive cosmetic surgery on her looks. There was a period the GOV did release a guideline against artiste that undergo extensive cosmetic surgery. Saying it sets bad example for the youth. I believe that affect her status alot…many production company stay off using her till the air is clear. She is back on screen now…but the absence period did affect her career. As new liuliangs have replace her old status…
For me, one hit drama alone shouldn’t qualify CZY enough to contest against the original billing status if that had already been settled and signed off on the contract, let alone Hidden Love’s popularity was mainly attributed to Zhao Lusi’s acting and charisma, not CZY. Although I like CZY better than JJY as an actor, CZY and his team should still honor the contract they signed before his breakout and abide by the terms and conditions in the contract. Chinese businesses including ppl in the showbiz are notorious for not being credible in following contract rules! How amazing Hmmmm! SMH!