The Emperor's Beauties - otherwise known as Mousie's Perfect Dilemma
(thanks to ockoala for the heads-up)!
Yu Zheng apparently recently announced a new drama, called The Emperor's Beauties and this has caused a perfect storm of conflict within yours truly.
On one hand, Yu Zheng's dramas, whatever you may think of his 'borrowing' tendencies, are (1) incredibly lavish and lush and gorgeous-looking, and (2) completely addictive and, if Jade Palace Lock Heart, Four Women Conflict, and Schemes of Beauty, made completely to my specs.
Plus, this particular drama will center around Xiang Yu, the warlord who overthrew the Qin Empire but eventually lost to Liu Bang, who founded the Han Empire. With the two female leads being Empress Lu, Liu Bang's smart and ruthless wife, and Consort Yu, Xiang Yu's legendary star-crossed OTP. Xiang Yu and his OTP are my favorite ever drama secondary OTP (in The Myth) so a whole drama centered around them is heaven. And the time period is complex and interesting.
So why am I not jumping around in glee and screaming my joy?
The cast.
Oh, God, the cast. It's like my perfect drama wrapped in my perfect nightmare cast.
Apparently, casting Ming Dao as the lead in a JPLH-but-not-really movie wasn't a fluke. It seems Yu Zheng has glommed onto his next leading man and that man is Ming Dao. Why? Why????? The man is ugly, can't act, has no on-screen charisma, and projects a vibe that makes me want to smack him. I've tried dramas with him repeatedly and in every single one I ended up wanting to put my fist through the screen. He's one of only two male actors who are on my automatic "will not watch, no matter what else is in play" list (the other one being Ryu Shiwon). Oh, and he has insane fangirls who think if his character attempts to rape another character it's OK because he's hot.
I also really dislike Chen Qiao En, who's been cast as Empress Lu (bzuh? How a life of playing a shrill idiot in OTT romcoms prepare you for the role I have no idea), but this bugs me less because Empress Lu has traditionally been portrayed as blood-thirsty, cruel and pretty evil. So at least my feelings of dislike for the actress might actually help me enjoy the performance. But Ming Dao is playing the freaking hero!
Consort Yu is still not cast, but by this point they could cast Yang Mi or Fan Bing Bing or even Crystal Liu, and I still won't care because it would be hard to overcome the above combination.
Why why why, Yu Zheng?
If this is the drama Feng Shao Feng turned down, pissing off YZ in the process, I am going to tear out my hair.
Yu Zheng apparently recently announced a new drama, called The Emperor's Beauties and this has caused a perfect storm of conflict within yours truly.
On one hand, Yu Zheng's dramas, whatever you may think of his 'borrowing' tendencies, are (1) incredibly lavish and lush and gorgeous-looking, and (2) completely addictive and, if Jade Palace Lock Heart, Four Women Conflict, and Schemes of Beauty, made completely to my specs.
Plus, this particular drama will center around Xiang Yu, the warlord who overthrew the Qin Empire but eventually lost to Liu Bang, who founded the Han Empire. With the two female leads being Empress Lu, Liu Bang's smart and ruthless wife, and Consort Yu, Xiang Yu's legendary star-crossed OTP. Xiang Yu and his OTP are my favorite ever drama secondary OTP (in The Myth) so a whole drama centered around them is heaven. And the time period is complex and interesting.
So why am I not jumping around in glee and screaming my joy?
The cast.
Oh, God, the cast. It's like my perfect drama wrapped in my perfect nightmare cast.
Apparently, casting Ming Dao as the lead in a JPLH-but-not-really movie wasn't a fluke. It seems Yu Zheng has glommed onto his next leading man and that man is Ming Dao. Why? Why????? The man is ugly, can't act, has no on-screen charisma, and projects a vibe that makes me want to smack him. I've tried dramas with him repeatedly and in every single one I ended up wanting to put my fist through the screen. He's one of only two male actors who are on my automatic "will not watch, no matter what else is in play" list (the other one being Ryu Shiwon). Oh, and he has insane fangirls who think if his character attempts to rape another character it's OK because he's hot.
I also really dislike Chen Qiao En, who's been cast as Empress Lu (bzuh? How a life of playing a shrill idiot in OTT romcoms prepare you for the role I have no idea), but this bugs me less because Empress Lu has traditionally been portrayed as blood-thirsty, cruel and pretty evil. So at least my feelings of dislike for the actress might actually help me enjoy the performance. But Ming Dao is playing the freaking hero!
Consort Yu is still not cast, but by this point they could cast Yang Mi or Fan Bing Bing or even Crystal Liu, and I still won't care because it would be hard to overcome the above combination.
Why why why, Yu Zheng?
If this is the drama Feng Shao Feng turned down, pissing off YZ in the process, I am going to tear out my hair.