Liu Xue Yi Declines Period C-drama Love Travels Through Time as Production Looks for Another Male Lead for Young Actress Ai Mi
The C-drama Love Travels Through Time (揽流光三) got way more attention with the first casting new then normal for a drama nowhere near S+ level budget. That’s due to C-actor Liu Yue Yi being discussed for a romance period role opposite young actress Ai Mi, when he is more than double her real life age. Basically netizens were rightfully dismayed that this casting combo was even considered and worried for Liu Xue Yi and his career which has been takes two steps forward one step back in a slew of recent projects. Now comes word that Liu Xue Yi has declined the role due to also being concerned about the reaction once the drama is released and now production will be moving on to finding a new male lead that hopefully is more compatible with 16 year old Ai Mi.
Who would be compatible though? Another 16-18 year old? Who would risk it? If he backed out with such concern who else wouldn’t? It will be interesting to see who ends up with her. Time will tell.
The perfect ML is the one she’s always coupled up with in Edward Guo’s dramas. He’s not that much older than her and kissing scenes don’t need to be required to display affection.
You’re probably talking about Zuo Ye? He’s still 7 years older than her (born in 2001) but they matched quite well imo. However I still think she’s too young to be cast as FL in a romance. Give her coming of age/high school theme dramas for the moment with age appropriate partners.
I feel bad for Liu Xueyi tbh…he shouldn’t have been the one to step down, her agency should have known better and declined the role (she’s 16 for God’s sake, even if she were paired with Wang Xing Yue, a 2002 liner, it would feel like robbing the cradle *SMH*)
I don’t think she is FL material yet. I’ve seen her in a few dramas and I’m not impressed
I imagine that the role requires a very young actress – but so do most roles, since in almost all period webnovels the heroine is like 15 (and of course there no one protests that they have a love – and sex- life at that age). So my opinion is, just hire an older actress (in her twenties). Liu Xue Yi did right to reject the role though anyway (if he was ever considered and this is not just a silly way to attract attention to the drama), because no matter who the actress is, he is too good to be stuck in this kind of roles.
Wise move.
She is a minor…
Isn’t about compatibility. She’s still 16 and most comments say in China that’s considered a minor or underage? But i googled and the age of consent is worse… 14. So there isnt issue of her doing romance roles with older actor. But shes too young to handle the publicity.
Imagine that. 14 years old. That’s insane and up for abuse.
Well I remember Crystal Liu was 15 when filming with partner Jimmy Lin
I’m glad he and his agency had some integrity and turned the role down. They would be so creepy as a romantic couple and he would be the one who would be-rightly-criticised.
I think her agency are too greedy and pushing her too soon. I Ai Mi is beautiful, talented and a standout in every drama I have seen her in but her agency need to let her cook and give her at least two years before pushing her into leading romantic roles. If they want her to have a leading role they should choose a school drama or family drama maybe with a cute little school romance sideplot but definitely not a leading a romance period drama role yet.
Kdramas made this mistake with Kim Yoo Jung and Kim So Hyun when they were much too young for the romance roles opposite much older lead and it was off-putting to watch. They even cast 15 year old Kim Yoo Jung as the lead in a period Kdrama ‘Secret Door’ opposite 30 year old Lee Je Hoon. Then belatedly realised halfway through the drama airing that developing the onscreen romance between the two actors was too uncomfortable and abruptly replaced her with an older actress.
The most suitable lead for her is a teenager her age or a little older 18 or 19. That being said, I agree with majority of the posters on the site. She has plenty of time to do mature leading lady roles when she’s older. Until she turns 18, it is very suitable for her to play age-appropriate leads like a high school romance drama, where there is next to no skinship. Or just stay away from the romance genre completely.
With all this noise on censorship, I’m surprised that they haven’t clamped on casting news like this. smh.
The most suitable lead for her is a teenager her age or a little older – 18 or 19. That being said, I agree with majority of the posters on the site. She has plenty of time to do mature leading lady roles when she’s older. Until she turns 18, it is very suitable for her to play age-appropriate leads like a high school romance drama, where there is next to no skinship. Or just stay away from the romance genre completely.
With all this noise on censorship, I’m surprised that they haven’t clamped on casting news like this. smh.
Dude just choose another FL,pretty sure Cdrama land are not that dry of actresses, how strong the resources that this girl have that she is being push as FL too after two years of her debut.
She should’ve stepped down instead. Why are you casting a person as a romantic lead if that said person cannot do the love scenes?!