Chinese Remake of "The Queen of Dramas" Sparks Outrage; Eddie Peng's Involvement Criticized

A Chinese variety show's remake of the popular Netflix Taiwanese drama "The Queen of Dramas" has ignited a plagiarism controversy. The show, "Infinite Challenge 4," features actor Eddie Peng in a directorial role, but has faced backlash from both Chinese entertainment bloggers and Taiwanese netizens.

Critics argue that the remake fails to capture the essence of the original series. A nearly 8-minute video by a Chinese entertainment blogger meticulously compared scenes, highlighting how the remake strips away the nuanced emotions of the characters. The blogger pointed out issues such as the lack of layered age settings for a veteran agent and a rookie actor, the superficial imitation of original costumes without establishing character backgrounds, and the addition of "highlight lines" not present in the original. These changes, the blogger contends, make the remake feel more like content designed for short video clips rather than a character-driven drama.

“

What do they copy? They just can't copy well!

Specific scenes were analyzed, including one where Peng's character, a director, expresses annoyance at an agent delivering a drink, making the set too noisy. The original scene conveyed a sense of everyday life and the director's focus on filming, while the remake portrays the director's anger in isolation, lacking the original's authentic atmosphere. The blogger also noted that subsequent scenes, despite similar dialogue and costumes, fail to maintain the character's state or relationship dynamics, altering the audience's emotional response.

Beyond Peng's character, the remake's simplification of delicate emotions in other key scenes, such as a female star suspecting plastic surgery or an extra being stepped on, was also criticized. The blogger concluded that the remake prioritizes external appearances and catchy phrases over genuine character development, deeming this the production's most significant flaw. The controversy has led to widespread anger online, with many questioning the show's authorization and condemning the poor quality of the adaptation.

“

It cares more about external styling and golden phrases, rather than whether the characters are truly established.