Compared to those so-called "strong female leads" who relied on men to ascend, Jiang Yuyan, a supporting character, was far more deserving of the title.
You've hit the nail on the head. In our domestic dramas, these female leads are hyped up to the heavens, only to ultimately depend on men for their success. Yet, they still claim to be so independent and self-reliant. It's like wanting to have your cake and eat it too, utterly disgusting!
For a time, the internet surged with a tide of discussions, with topics about Jiang Yuyan exploding one after another.
The focus of the heated debate centered on her imminent ascension to the throne as empress and her forceful advance on the male lead, Hua Wuque.
Initially, the audience was drawn in by the likable character of the "little fairy." After the little fairy's death, many viewers abandoned the show, only to be drawn back by Jiang Yuyan.
It was originally expected that after Jiang Yuyan became the emperor's favored concubine, the subsequent plot would involve her cooperating with the protagonist group to eliminate Liu Xi, after which Jiang Yuyan would remain his favored concubine, and Xiao Yu'er and Hua Wuque would roam the jianghu.
Unexpectedly, the plot reversed and reversed again. Liu Xi, the major antagonist of the early stages, was completely suppressed by Jiang Yuyan, who instead became the ultimate boss.
Although domestic dramas are not without their female villains, such characters generally lack intelligence and martial prowess. Very few manage to become the final antagonist.
Someone like Jiang Yuyan, who possesses both beauty and intelligence, with absurdly high martial strength, and who even dares to forcefully overpower the male lead, is virtually impossible to find.
In the realm of daily entertainment, while men dominate the gaming and anime markets, television dramas are almost exclusively the domain of women.
Women drive over eighty percent of the viewership and purchasing power for film and television dramas.
Jiang Yuyan's character, with her strong female persona, greatly appealed to female audiences.
Nearly everyone who watched "The Little Fairy of Sword and Sword" fell deeply in love with Jiang Yuyan's character, dreaming of becoming someone like her.
Jiang Yuyan's breakout success not only brought immense popularity to "The Little Fairy of Sword and Sword" but also impacted several highly anticipated major productions about to be released.
These anticipated dramas, advertised with the label of "strong female lead" shows, featured male leads and supporting male characters who all adored the female lead. Empowered by a halo of protagonist status, she sailed through challenges to reach the pinnacle of her life.
Although many netizens had previously criticized such dramas for being focused on the female lead, essentially relying on men for advancement, everyone made their dramas this way, making it difficult to openly condemn.
Now, with Jiang Yuyan's character established as a benchmark for strong female leads, future dramas claiming such a title must adhere to this standard, or they would face severe criticism. This put the production teams of several dramas in an awkward position.
Inside the Starfire Media building.
President Zheng Yueshan sat in his office with a thunderous expression, looking at several trending topics on his computer screen, all about Jiang Yuyan, his temper flaring.
"How is this possible? Jiang Yuyan is just a supporting character, how could she push Jiang Ling onto the trending list?"
Ever since Jiang Ling refused his request to return to Starfire Media last year, Zheng Yueshan had been having Wang Tian actively blacklist her while keeping a close eye on her movements.
When he saw Jiang Ling generate so many trending topics even while playing a supporting role, he couldn't help but feel immensely angry.
"Damn it!"
"How can this woman's popularity become more and more terrifying?"
"No, I must find a way to blacklist her, otherwise, Starfire will truly become a laughingstock!"
Zheng Yueshan's expression was grim as he gnashed his teeth hatefully.
On Wang Tian's end, seeing Jiang Ling's skyrocketing popularity, his face turned ashen, as if he had lost his mother.
Among the major productions featuring strong female leads scheduled for release, two were filmed by Starfire Media's top artists.