In just a few days, the Taiwanese drama "We Are Not Kind Enough" written by Sir has risen to 9.0. (Click here for the review)
In addition to Ariel Lin, there is another person I haven't seen for a long time-
He Junxiang.
I don't recognize it.
It was impossible for the Taiwan puppets of the year to be without his name, Jiang Meng in "The Devil is by Your Side", Han Yilie in "Falling in Love with Chameleon", and Ariel Lin also collaborated on a "Love Contract".
I didn't expect that this was already in the past for so long.
How is the idol drama actor of the year now?
There have been great successes.
Ruan Jingtian's popularity skyrocketed with "Removing the Three Evils in the Week", and last year's Golden Horse 60, Wu Kangren won the actor crown.
There are also those who are embarrassed to be tempted.
Ming Dao went to "Actors Please Be in Place", and said that he hadn't started work for a long time, and later he had a new drama, and he was a girl with Wenli.
Zhang Dongliang was on "Infinite Transcendence Class", and was output by Ji Lingchen's face: I remember your song "Little Dimple".
This is the case with idol actors.
One is popular, known all over the world, and the scenery is infinite.
But once it is outdated, the appearance is no longer mediocre and the acting skills are mediocre, so you can only "have nothing to rely on".
Today, let's talk about the transformation and comeback of the former idol male protagonist.
At the same time, you can also compare every flow and fresh meat that is red at the moment-
All grace is but a prelude to abandonment.
What is it that can really stay?
01
The rise of male consumption
Idols.
It was originally derived from the "Idol First-Class Theater" time period broadcast in Taiwan in 1996.
It wasn't until the emergence of a drama in 2001 that this genre was established as an official genre.
That's the "Meteor Garden" that we all know.
F4 was popular, and the idol effect swept the whole of Asia.
Taiwan Entertainment, which tasted the sweetness, struck while the iron was hot, and launched hundreds of Taiwan puppets within ten years, and entered the mainland in large quantities.
"The Wedding Dress of Heaven", "Green Light Forest", "Smile PASTA", "The Devil is by Your Side", "Princess Little Sister", "Mischievous Kiss" purchased by Hunan Satellite TV...... All from this period.
The mainland audience's first memory of idol dramas has also been formed.
Internal entertainment's own idol dramas and ancient puppet dramas are derived from different dream-making systems.
The former's first work "Love to the End" revolves around campus love, and most of the mainland idol dramas are not far from campus and urban fairy tales;
The latter originated from the remake of Aunt Qiong Yao's work, which was an instant hit by "Huanzhu Gege".
However.
Whether it is a Taiwan puppet, an internal entertainment idol drama or an ancient puppet, these adolescent dramas have a common feature -
That is, the story must revolve around love, and the plot is often detached from reality and has a strong sense of assumption.
Among them, the degree of freedom of male actors is mostly fixed.
The character design consists of the following elements:
Handsome, golden, infatuated.
Most of the heroines are ugly ducklings or Cinderellas, and the disparity in background is used to set off the male protagonist's wealth and the subversive role played by "romantic love" across classes, so as to attract female audiences.
Because the story is highly homogeneous.
Therefore, for the "bosses", there is no additional space for "bosses" to practice their acting skills.
△ Taiwan puppets, land puppets, ancient puppets
At that time, the idol drama Xiaosheng was regarded as making his debut "with a golden spoon".
There is no need to be born in a professional class, no need to run a group to ask for resources, a drama can become an instant hit, be praised to the forefront of traffic, and the capital is coaxed to feed it.
But here's the problem.
Idol drama is a genre, which is full of the most tolerant and critical aspects of the actor industry.
Young idol drama actors can take on the drama with a pair of skins.
But as long as you are a little older, it is almost a matter of minutes to be disliked and eliminated.
Sir looked through the collections of most of the male actors in Taiwan Entertainment and Domestic Entertainment and found a phenomenon-
That's these actors who started out in idol dramas.
Because the appearance has more innate advantages than the "powerful faction" in the early years, most of them will choose to eat the old book and eat the appearance bonus before leaving.
Those who become famous continue to play puppets, and those who rise continue to play ancient puppets, or simply swap tracks.
It's not that while you still have hot traffic, hurry up and make a good book transformation.
Here's an example.
Zhu Zixiao of "Infinite Transcendence Class 2".
He said on the show that he had not been able to receive a drama for a year, and he could only make a living by selling chicken feet.
But if you pull through his works, you will find that in the nearly ten years after "Let's Watch the Meteor Shower", his choice is to repeat the number of "meteor showers", and the only difference is to jump from all kinds of current puppets to all kinds of ancient puppets.
Do you say he has poor resources?
Not.
The actors he partnered with at that time were: Zhou Dongyu, Zhao Liying, Chen Xiao, Li Xian, and Zhu Yilong.
And Zhu Zixiao is in the position of the second and third men, strictly speaking, it is not marginal.
The only difference is.
The young actors in the same period just returned to their roots in bad movies and bad dramas, and turned their own ways after they were done.
Only Zhu Zixiao ran out of throttle until there was no drama to film.
Before complaining on the show.
Sir checked that his last work was the Internet University, and when he looked at the title, he thought that Di Renjie had solved the tomb robbery case.
Coarse and coarse counts.
From the rise of Zhu Zixiao's idol drama (early millennium) to the filming of variety shows on the Internet, it has spanned almost more than ten years.
He is unwilling to move out of the original track, so he can only accept the career curve that is destined to fall downward.
There is no drama to film, and the variety shows that have emerged over the years have brought back a wave of blood to the old idols:
In the past few years, Ming Dao and Yan Yalun, Yan Chengxu, Lin Zhiying, Xu Shaoyang, Tang Yuzhe, Wu Jianhao of "Brother Phi", ......
The first thing each of them does on a variety show.
are all out of "Flowers", "Tears of the North Star", "Lonely Heart", these old books at the bottom of the box.
to try to use a rose-colored ancient filter to evoke new empathy for traffic.
But cruelly said—
In a way, they are all unable to run in their comfort zone and miss the best tumbling heat.
Therefore, he was in a hurry to fry back the cold rice, and wanted to use the residual heat of idol dramas to gamble on the last handful, in an attempt to transform.
But here's the thing.
The old boys who are used to acting in idol dramas, can they really act in other dramas?
02
Proposition essay on transformation
Take a look at mainland male idols now.
Feng Shaofeng scored 6.7 points in this year's "Yellow Sparrow is Behind!", and his other resources are mainly in the ancient puppets "Scorching Romance", "Liang Chen Meijin" and "Galaxy Changming".
Lin Gengxin and Zhao Liying took "Walking with the Phoenix".
In the top-tier period, they basically had all the resources.
Feng Shaofeng caught the cake of the Sino-French co-production blockbuster "Wolf Totem", and he can star in the literary masterpiece "Golden Age", and he was also selected for Han Han's debut film "After the End".
Lin Gengxin starred in the Spring Festival blockbuster "Journey to the West", and Tsui Hark's new red classic "Outwitting Tiger Mountain".
During the top-tier period, they fully blossomed, more because of their popularity and business ability.
So once the tide recedes, the main thing they can stay behind is the old position of the ancient puppet.
There are also the most successful male idols in the mainland.
The first one is Hu Ge.
There is almost no embarrassment in his career, and when he is about to be embarrassed, there is always a big hit drama in time to lift him up.
idols became famous with "The Legend of Sword and Fairy", and the quality precipitation was "Langya Bang", and almost tailor-made for him was "Flowers".
Purple microstars fell from the sky, and they were stunned to give him three times.
But putting aside this elusive metaphysics, what is the more common path for mainland male idols?
Through big data.
In the past five years, the most stable and solid food and grass for male actors is the main theme.
This is also determined by the general environment.
In the total box office list of Chinese films, the main theme accounts for 5 films.
In the past five years, the main theme movies have dominated the domestic protection month, Spring Festival, and Chinese New Year, which can be said to support the entire cinema industry.
Transformation is equivalent to moving closer to the main theme.
Those successful idol drama actors have already walked through this fixed path.
Hu.
"The Pretender" opens up the situation, and "County Party Committee Compound" is solid.
Zhu Yilong.
"Soul of the Town" exploded, "Rebel" transformed, and the main theme of "1921" warmed up.
Then there are realistic themes such as "Life Events", "She Who Disappeared", "Mistakes by the River" and so on.
Wei Chen.
"The Year in a Hurry" ended, followed by "Eight Hundred", "King Kong River", and then "Three Teams".
Even the old man Li Moufeng of internal entertainment.
Before retiring from the circle, there were still dramas like "Secret and Great".
The patriotic line is guaranteed, and this is a road that is guaranteed and not easy to make mistakes.
Because the main theme can not only bring the actors to subvert the image of a "small → tough guy".
More importantly, as a film industry within the system.
As a must-have project every year, the main theme can get schedule resources and participate in the major narrative endorsed by the official, which in itself means that it can share a piece of the pie in the circle, talk about it, and get mainstream green eyes.
So you see.
From 80 to 85, and now to Wang Yibo, Xiao Zhan, and Yu Shi.
Those who were or are currently the most popular traffic niches choose to repeat this formula.
△ Wang Yibo "Nameless" and "Wind Chaser" / Wang Hedi "Youth in the War" / Xiao Zhan "Ace Troops" / Yu Shi "Red Sea Operation 2"
Don't say young idols.
Even the powerful faction, the role is more and more limited to this genre.
Let's just say how many "police gods" Zhang Yi you have seen in a row.
Many idols are accustomed to the performance mode of idol dramas because they have eaten the dividends of puberty.
Compared with pondering acting skills, the subconscious idol burden is their first reaction to the camera.
This leads to:
Even if they have resources for other dramas, or even the main theme.
But many people's understanding of character creation is still simply stuck in the facial features and emotions.
The skin is old, and the acting skills are young.
In contrast, why doesn't the market choose more tender newcomers, or actors who already have strength?
Ultimately.
The success of older idol drama actors is attached to the times, and they miss the past more than the audience.
They cannot forget the glory of the past, and they cannot abandon the remnants of the throne.
I can't accept that I can easily have the tolerance of the audience and the immunity of acting skills if I don't hook my fingers anymore.
They ignore –
The glory of the past is the end of the strong crossbow after all.
It's not just an actor.
Any job that is placed in an increasingly tight and self-reliant environment will only have the same fate.
03
In the mirror and outside the mirror
The transformation of the male protagonist of idol dramas is definitely inseparable from comparison.
Because there is no harm if there is no comparison.
Although facing the same dilemma.
But embarrassingly.
What you think is sympathy for the same disease is actually an extravagant hope.
Although Ruan Jingtian has also filmed ancient puppets and bad movies, he returned to Taiwan to shoot "Zhou Place" as soon as he turned around.
"Paradise in the Army" and "Monga" are in front, and the Golden Horse actor is in hand.
Coming to the mainland is just to make money and play tickets.
In the same way, Xu Guanghan nominated for the Golden Horse with "Ghost Family".
Although he also came to the mainland to shoot "Hiding from the Sky and Crossing the Sea" and "Your Wedding".
But the money that should be earned is earned, and the plays that should be acted in are also acting, and the career has even extended to Korean entertainment and Japanese entertainment.
Yan Chengxu has filmed enough sweet pet dramas.
returned to Taiwan and collaborated with Ariel Lin on this year's to-be-broadcast drama "Together and Dispersing", piercing the truth of marriage.
Zhou Yumin also has a Douban 8.2 "Reversal".
For the male protagonists of idol dramas.
The same is to transform.
There are different options in different environments.
Taiwanese film and television dramas have also been transforming in recent years, from the earthy Taiwanese puppets in our early impressions to the current multi-line development of realistic themes and genres.
This is a perfect match for middle-aged idols waiting for a comeback.
From Alyssa Jia's "The Distance Between Us and Evil", to Ruby Lin's "The Beginning of the Lights", which she herself is the producer of, and now Ariel Lin's "We Are Not Good Enough".
Embarrassingly.
For mainland male idols, even if they really want to transform, how much space is there for them?
Sir took stock of the national dramas to be broadcast this year two days ago, with more than 90 works, and idol dramas accounted for most of them.
The ratings data of the webcast in the past three years are also the same, and half of the top ten hits are idol dramas.
△ 2022-2024 Webcast Data Top 2 Idol Dramas (Data Source: Maoyan, Lighthouse Professional Edition)
Other resources can't be grabbed, only ancient costumes.
If you can't do it again, you can either choose the Internet University, or go live and run variety shows.
Speaking of which, it seems that some people say that Sir sells anxiety.
But here's the thing.
Those Taiwanese entertainment actors and domestic entertainment actors who grew up in the same year are different because of different environments.
The peak of the past can be said to be the same as the day, but the difficulties of today cannot be compared.
Again.
It is the ability, perseverance and determination of the actor himself.
Fifteen years ago, an idol drama was born and occupied the second place in the ratings of the same period.
If "I May Not Love You" is called the last glory of the puppet, then this drama is a representative of the heyday of the puppet.
It's "Next Stop Happiness".
The male protagonist Wu Jianhao, the second male Wu Kangren.
The former has been a great success with this drama, and has relied on the role of "Ren Guangxi" to eat until now, and has been on variety shows at most since then, and there has been no splash.
The latter made his official debut and won the Golden Horse Best Actor last year.
What's the difference?
Wu Jianhao at that time.
With F4 in the limelight, he has the high profile of most idol drama actors, and he doesn't take a job to his lips seriously.
At that time, his mind was on music, and he only went to the set to check in after only going through the script once a day.
was scolded by the director for not doing his work and was not convinced.
I thought to myself, "I'm happy if you don't replace me."
Ren Guangxi's character is a lawyer, and his lines contain a lot of legal jargon.
But because Wu Jianhao does not understand Chinese.
So the lines are even recorded by the director with his mobile phone and played to him (teach him to bite the words and tone by hand).
Interview the year before last.
In the face of netizens' love for Ren Guangxi, he was even more confused and puzzled.
"Why do you keep comparing me to my old characters...... Am I not handsome? ”
To put it bluntly, I have never treated myself as an actor.
Trapped in the trap of an idol and unable to get out.
And what about Wu Kangren?
He reminisced about his debut novel.
The first reaction was that because he hadn't gone to college, he didn't expect that as a non-professional actor, he could have a serious acting opportunity (and he was the second male lead), so he cherished it very much.
And I feel that I didn't act well, but I have to thank the director and staff for helping me a lot.
He also said in a later interview that because he likes acting, even if it is a role that others don't want, he will play it like a baby.
Last year Golden Horse 60.
Wu Kangren relied on the performance of "Fudu Youth" without lines to defeat Ruan Jingtian and others and won the actor.
In this play, he is an able-bodied person playing a deaf and mute, and he has only been NG once in more than 20 days of sign language shooting.
The nominated clip is that he is in prison, acting in a "crying scene" in sign language.
When it was played, the whole scene was silent.
It so happened to be.
Wu Kangren's last thank-you to receive the award was Chen Huiling, the director of "Next Stop" that year.
Although Director Chen is deceased.
But without idol dramas, without "Next Stop", he would not have the opportunity to stand here today.
In Sir's opinion.
There are three kinds of difficulties faced by the male protagonists of idol dramas.
One is the homogenization of resources, and the experience of early years determines the width of the comfort zone;
The second is the singleness of resources, the class differentiation caused by the 28th law of more monks and less porridge in the film and television industry;
In the end.
It is the cowardice, hesitation and even laziness of the individual that leads to the passivity of today.
And the dilemma caused by these three is also a problem faced by all film and television workers.
85 Flowers are also difficult to transform.
But Zhao Liying worked hard to hone her acting skills, and used dramas and small people to achieve self-salvage;
Tang Yan waited hard, three years just to boil a "Flowers";
On the other side, Ariel Lin and Xu Weining have long been out of the category of idol dramas, and they play a pair of "twin flowers" in the new drama to explore the plight of women.
These actresses are also popular.
But they have a stronger sense of crisis -
Because actresses have a shorter flowering period, once they get married and enter the family, they can't go back to their original idol drama roles.
Think about how many years Ariel Lin retired before, and the entertainment news will always only be how humble she is in her marriage.
And Alyssa Jia was in the divorce dispute that year, and her image was greatly damaged.
In the entertainment industry where there is never a shortage of flowers.
When you are a little older, you will only be left with the role of mother-in-law and mother-in-law.
These actresses realized much earlier -
Luck is not something you take for granted.
They didn't learn to get used to being favored.
They feel age anxiety more often than comfort.
And the top male idols.
Standing at the pinnacle of his career, it is easy to get lost in the "halo of the prince" and "the domineering of the president" created by himself.
When you were once at a high point beyond the reach of others, it is inevitable that you need an inner catastrophe that destroys your self-esteem and face if you want to lower your body and start over.
On this basis, the comparison is who withdraws faster, who knows the current affairs better, and who dares to break themselves.
Instead of lying in your comfort zone, with a speculative mentality, you can rely on the previous wave of dividends to eat the next wave of dividends.
From this we can see.
When Zhu Zixiao said that he had to rely on live broadcasts to make money, Hao Lei's face was confused.
When Ji Lingchen blamed his breakup with his ex-girlfriend for not being invited, the mentor frowned.
When Jin Chao and Zhang Rui crossed from one track to another, they wondered why they failed repeatedly.
How did these "little princes", who were fledgling with their skins, but really thought they could eat with their faces for a lifetime, revealed to us the cold and cruel truth of the film and television industry in a funny but realistic way.
Are they exceptional?
Engage in live broadcasts to play and bring goods, rely on variety shows to make money, complain during interviews, and be nostalgic when you go on variety shows.
With such a template, you must still think of some familiar "brothers" and even "uncles".
People are all the same.
When you only have one road, and that road is the one that most people are facing, you have to choose.
Either press up and try to catch up, or sit back and wait.
Otherwise, they will be like them.
He never blamed himself for the cold reception, and never attributed the glory to the times.
Pick up the white cloth.
Blindfolded.
Trapped yourself in the past, to this "ignorant" world, silently roaring.
The picture in the article comes from the Internet