Summary in Plain Language
This article, leveraging the controversial yet highly popular idol drama “Early Spring Clear Sky,” exposes the embarrassing shortcomings of current domestic modern idol dramas. These dramas can no longer generate the kind of nationwide enthusiasm and approval they did over a decade ago. The female audience, once considered a homogenous group, has now split into several factions with vastly differing opinions. On one hand, the drama producers rely on outdated themes like tyrant bosses and abusive relationships to attract viewers, while also trying to capitalize on politically correct themes like “female growth” and “women’s independence.” This approach often backfires. Interestingly, selling these clichéd romantic stories to overseas audiences has become a new source of revenue. However, the entire film and television industry still lacks the ability to create new idol dramas that truly reflect the emotional needs of modern women, remaining stuck in a stalemate.
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Detailed Explanation
1. The “Two Worlds” of “Early Spring Clear Sky”
The bizarre situation surrounding this drama is hard to understand: while many criticize the character of the female protagonist for being too submissive and the plot of a secret relationship between a superior and subordinate as a form of psychological manipulation (PUA), the drama’s viewership still accounts for 33% of the total online traffic, with Youku maintaining high popularity for 11 consecutive days. Meanwhile, many people on Douyin are obsessed with the attractive male lead. In fact, the two groups of critics are completely different. The critics are mostly women who have experienced the challenges of the workplace and see the drama as a glorification of workplace abuse, a regression in values. On the other hand, the fans are simply looking for a relaxing experience, enjoying the attractive characters and the romantic tension without seeking any deeper meaning.
2. Why Can’t We Create Dramas Like “Dear Love Again”?
The reason why dramas like “Dear Love” (2019), which were widely popular across all age groups without criticism, can no longer be made is that times have changed significantly. Back then, young people believed it was possible for an ordinary girl to attract a powerful man, but now, with more people having work experience, such stories no longer resonate. In 2026, people are more skeptical, questioning the reality of such scenarios. Moreover, even online novels from the same year, such as “Early Spring Clear Sky,” which featured a tyrant boss, coexisted with others that exposed the pitfalls of romantic relationships, showing a huge gap in audience preferences.
3. The Producers’ Mistake: Trying to Market the Drama as Progressive
The failure of the promotion by詹 Qingyun and Pang Ying was due to a misleading approach. The drama, which was essentially about a clichéd tyrant boss and a romantic relationship, was marketed as a story of a “female protagonist’s growth” and “working-class heroism.” These producers, who don’t usually watch such sweet dramas, were deceived into promoting it to their fans who associate themselves with progressive values. This is akin to fraud. A similar mistake was made with “My Human World,” which was labeled as a positive story about a woman breaking off relations with her family for love, only to be criticized for its negative themes.
4. Domestic Idol Dramas Find a New Path Overseas
Domestic audiences are increasingly averse to tyrant boss and abusive relationships. However, “Early Spring Clear Sky” became the second-highest-ranked drama on Netflix’s global non-English series chart, with Jing Boran gaining 400,000 new fans overseas. This is because in many countries, female audiences are not as influenced by feminist ideologies and find such stories fresh. Overseas, these dramas are more appealing because they focus on attractive characters and intimate scenes without the pressure of political correctness.
5. The Industry’s Embarrassing Reality
The industry’s biggest problem is its inability to produce high-quality idol dramas. Despite claims that people no longer want such clichéd stories, there is still a demand for them. The lack of innovation is evident in the fact that domestic dramas repeatedly recycle old themes, failing to create new, meaningful content. In contrast, Korean dramas have successfully explored more complex themes that reflect real-life situations, such as romantic relationships and workplace challenges.
In summary, while the demand for romantic dramas remains, the domestic industry struggles to produce quality content that resonates with modern audiences. The paradox is that while people still want to enjoy simple, romantic stories, the industry’s inability to innovate results in a lack of both popular and meaningful dramas.