The excessive makeup of the male lead in a Chinese historical drama has become a hot topic online, prompting authorities to step in.
On the 3rd, according to multiple Chinese media reports, amid continuing reactions that the makeup of Zhang Linghe, the male lead of the recently popular Chinese drama drama 'Chu Yook: In search of jade' is excessive, Chinese authorities strongly criticized the production of appearance-centered dramas.
The Chinese drama drama 'Chu Yook: In search of jade' is a romantic historical drama set in a fictional era, and Zhang Linghe, who plays the male lead Sa-jeong, has been appearing in the show with heavy makeup, prompting mockery among recent Chinese internet users who call him the "foundation general."
Multiple Chinese media also raised their voices in criticism, saying, "The general in the historical drama who wears rouge and forehead powder is portrayed as excessively delicate, damaging the socially responsible masculinity that a man should carry."
In response, the National Radio and Television Administration held a "forum on healthy aesthetic standards for drama" on the 2nd, demanded that productions "break away from appearance worship" when making drama, ordered creators to firmly defend creative red lines, and strongly pushed the industry to shift from a "star-centered system" to a "script-centered system."
The authorities pointed out that there is currently a problem in the film and television industry where distorted aesthetic red lines are collapsing. Criticizing that, including the "serious gap between makeup and styling," some drama actors' excessive makeup, clothing, cosmetics and props are completely disconnected from the characters' personalities and story backgrounds, and demanded that production teams establish "healthy aesthetic standards."
They also demanded that drama productions break away from appearance worship and eliminate reliance on view counts, emphasizing that what the public wants is that the story is worth watching, not that faces are merely pretty. They also said dramas should return to their professional essence, clearly demanding that "content is king, character is fundamental."
They also emphasized that clothing, makeup and props must contribute to character building and story expression, align with the character's image and display healthy and progressive mental traits, and demanded that visual works embody "China's ethos" and "China's style" to raise cultural confidence.
[Photo] Zhang Linghe SNS
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