Xiang Liu and You (Yes, You)

 HeadInTheClouds:

I just saw the end product but didn't realise all the behind-the-scenes dramas. It sounds like she doesn't know how to act, to the point that she does not understand how to translate direction into acting. I do feel sympathy for these young hopefuls. Yes, they entered this transaction willingly - they could do something else instead of the entertainment industry, but they are one person against a powerful organization - the balance of power is not in their favour. Some of them may have enough ambitions and ruthlessness to play the games, but more will be chewed up and spit out once they have no value left to be exploited.

Holy cow.  How can you not follow direction?  I mean, are we talking about the acting or understanding the jargon like "hit your mark" and "upstage or down stage"?  Either is pretty sad, but anyone should understand 'more _fill in the blank_ emotion'

I guess I've sat through some truly dreadful shows and movies, cause I've seen lots worse than Yang Chao Yue.  I mean, she wasn't good, but she didn't make me want to pluck my eyeballs out when I watched Love Me Seven Times.  And apparently she got trashed bad, and was crying  in one interview with her co-star.  She's going to have to grow a thicker skin at the very least, if she wants to continue.  I heard on Marcus Here, that the studio is supposedly getting her some acting lessons and going to move her to supporting roles to give her some experience.  There was another actress that was supposed to get the same treatment but I can't remember her name.

 HeadInTheClouds:

Whenever people insist that so-and-so improved it usually means from F- to an F. This industry is probably the only one where zero skills and training don't stop you from getting hired for the top job. Imagine a med school student being hired to perform surgery.

After the atrocity that was The Legend of Anle, I'm not touching his dramas with a 10-foot pole. His acting (if you could even call it that) was non-existent. He was so vacant - facial expression was set to zero. It's like there is no internal world there.

LOL!  F- to F.  heh

I haven't seen anything with Gon Jun, including Word of Honor, but he seems popular.  But I don't care how pretty someone looks, if they have that vacant expression, they do nothing for me.  There's quite a few popular Western actors that leave uninterested for exactly that reason.

 HeadInTheClouds:

It would be good for him to do more "adult" dramas since the idol-style ones will be filled with young, cute and "feisty" female leads. If he wants to work with more solid actresses, I don't think idol dramas are the way to go.

He's going to have to move toward these dramas.  I'd argue that Under the Skin was more in that vein.  But I really do love him in costume more.

 Kokuto:

OMG.  Look at poor Tan Jian Ci trying to deal with the press.  lol

https://x.com/JCT_1005/status/1732366590925295956?s=20

Poor babe, he looks so overwhelmed, lol

TJC does have some more serious dramas in his resume. Winter begonia, Advisor Alliance and its sequel, and Under the Skin (I‘m not sure in which category Over the Sea I come to You falls into?) are not idol drama right although I think they were aired in Online tv only and not the main TV channel, where older people usually watch their drama and where generally the more serious dramas are aired? He only played supporting character in those dramas but I think his acting was universally praised? I really hope that all of his modern romantic dramas with him as ML will get popular in China. We need more THC on our screen.

I really symphatize with Yang Chao Yue. She became famous through that idol talent show  and right away her agent is trying to milk her dry for money without preparing her properly first. She doesn‘t have any proper training in acting, no wonder she can‘t follow the director‘s direction. Hope she did get to earn good money for herself and a nice saving before her agent drop her because she‘s not profitable enough for them. 

@Kokuto

There was another actress that was supposed to get the same treatment but I can't remember her name.

Is that Guli Nazha? I think I heard somewhere that her agent made it known that instead FL role she is going to accept SFL roles to learn and improve her acting. 

I just realize that although I don‘t watch many Cdrama, I do know a bit about C-celeb gossip =p I follow Avenuex and trust her opinion about which actor/actresses can act or not and which Cdrama is good/interesting enough. She helps me wheedling out the really crappy dramas. Thx to her I think I‘ve dodged a lot of bullets. 

 Kokuto:

Holy cow. How can you not follow direction? I mean, are we talking about the acting or understanding the jargon like "hit your mark" and "upstage or down stage"? Either is pretty sad, but anyone should understand 'more _fill in the blank_ emotion'

I would say it's about the acting. She probably struggles to act - so someone telling her to "be/look sadder" would mean nothing if she doesn't know how to adjust her facial expression/body language to capture sadness. Some people have an instinctive ability, others have to take lessons to learn how to convey emotions. She doesn't have natural talent and hasn't gone through training.

 Kokuto:

I guess I've sat through some truly dreadful shows and movies, cause I've seen lots worse than Yang Chao Yue. I mean, she wasn't good, but she didn't make me want to pluck my eyeballs out when I watched Love Me Seven Times.

Apparently she'd improved in Love Me Seven Time. I haven't checked that out so I can't say, but her earlier series was not good. It's not easy to get criticised and the C-netizens pull no punches. Hopefully, she'll use it as motivation to improve.

 Kokuto:

that the studio is supposedly getting her some acting lessons and going to move her to supporting roles to give her some experience. There was another actress that was supposed to get the same treatment but I can't remember her name.

They should have done this right from the start. Like atmosphere said, they placed her squarely in the firing line to make money off her. Was it Guli Nazha? Many of these actors/actresses need lessons, but taking time away from work means less money for their agency so they get pushed into dramas and shows. Their well-being and long-term development are not important to these organizations.

 Kokuto:

LOL! F- to F. heh

Too harsh? :-)

Despite what I wrote here, I'm not all that critical when it comes to acting. As long as the script is sufficiently good and the acting is not too painful, I can watch it. You don't go to McDonald's and expect Michelin-star cuisine, and it's the same with a lot of these dramas.

 Kokuto:

He's going to have to move toward these dramas. I'd argue that Under the Skin was more in that vein. But I really do love him in costume more.

Go East is the only costume drama that he has coming up, right? Not counting Winner is King. I would like to see him in more costume fares as well.  I don't think he should do exclusively serious stuff (heavy, serious dramas are not my go-to for entertainment), but more "adult" dramas rather than idol-style ones. Mix things up so there's something for everyone. Love My Voice just isn't my cup of tea, although I'll revisit it once more episodes are released. The one with Wang Chu Ran is a rom-com and looks promising.

 Kikinaki:

Poor babe, he looks so overwhelmed, lol

He's like... I only have two hands!  My hands are big, but not THAT big.  hahahaha

 nathsketch:

Those microphones are just awful. What do they expect him to do? Hold them all together? Hmpf >:(

He actually held like three of those sorts of microphones in ... the Valentino livestream?  I was very impressed.  But these are even bigger, and it's like they ambushed him. 

His expression and him trying do something with his hands, before putting them into his pocket. ... it just makes me laugh.

 luv2bafangurl:

@Kokuto

But I really do love him in costume more.

Xiang Liu/FFB reigns supreme from his throne! I never thought that someone can usurp Phoenix but it does happen =)

All hail our Supreme Lord, Xiang Liu, and Hydra of Sexual Tension!

But I love him in all of his costume dramas more than the modern ones.  Court Lady (flawed as it is) and Secrets of the Three Kingdoms -- what I've seen of Winter Begonia, though that's almost modern.

 Kokuto:

All hail our Supreme Lord, Xiang Liu, and Hydra of Sexual Tension!

But I love him in all of his costume dramas more than the modern ones.  Court Lady (flawed as it is) and Secrets of the Three Kingdoms -- what I've seen of Winter Begonia, though that's almost modern.

Not Winter Begonia, I don‘t dig his look there. But he really showcased his acting skill playing the more effeminate type of man, from his voice, the way he talks to his bearing, everything is so in character. I kind of miss the chubbier TJC, not his Guan Zhen Lei chubby more of his Zhou Zi Yi in Never Gone. He really looks to thin now. Pls don‘t let him follow Leo Yunxi.