Let’s play a game that has been making the rounds online. It turned out really well in the r/kdramas sub.

So now —

Describe a Chinese drama using only three words, then see if everyone else can guess it.

If you’re guessing a drama, please hide your answer using Reddit’s SPOILER feature (marked by the icon that looks a bit like <!> in the formatting ribbon) so everyone has a chance to play before revealing it.

Examples (maybe too obvious and purposefully bad but I’m leaving the fun ways to describe them to you this way 😉)

Lotus — Detective — Poison
Guess: >!Mysterious Lotus Casebook!<

Orchid - Fairy — Devil
Guess: >!Love Between Fairy and Devil!<

(Honestly, these should both examples of what not to do😆)

💡 Lastly — you can describe one drama more than once.

After-all, there are so many different 3-word combos that can depict a drama and have us giggle, right?

Now it’s your turn! Leave your own three-word clue, then have fun guessing everyone else’s.

Photo source

As the founding moderator of r/LiuYuNing, I'd rather be upfront about where I'm coming from than pretend to be a neutral observer.

I'm obviously a fan of Liu Yuning.

I'm also someone who believes that facts matter, context matters, and primary sources matter.

That's why I'm sharing this today.

Edit (marked between > and < )

> Topic of the post: Toxic online culture, fandom wars, and respecting both artists and fans.

This is not intended to be a breakdown of the allegations surrounding Liu Yuning or an attempt to convince anyone who’s right or wrong in this particular situation. I deliberately wanted to avoid that. Instead, I’m using today’s news as a starting point for a broader conversation about misinformation, fandom culture, online defamation, and the way we speak about both artists and one other. <

The lawyer's statement concerns Liu Yuning, but what I want to say is about something much bigger.

If you've been following Chinese entertainment for any length of time, you've almost certainly seen similar situations unfold before.

Bai Lu.
Xiao Zhan.
Zhao Lusi.
Dilraba.
Xu Kai.
Esther Yu.
Wang Hedi.
Gong Jun.

And many, many others.

Different people. Different circumstances. Different allegations. Different fandoms. Yet the same patterns seem to repeat over and over again.

Rumors become "common knowledge." Edited clips spread faster than complete videos. Context disappears. People pick a side first and only then decide what evidence they're willing to believe. Some fans rush to defend. Others rush to condemn. Before long, the discussion often becomes less about what actually happened and more about defending the version of events we've already chosen to believe.

Liu Yuning just happens to be the reason I'm writing this today.

He won't be the last.

That's one of the reasons I wanted to share this statement here too. Not because I think he's uniquely affected, but because he isn't.

There's another pattern that has bothered me for a long time. The byproduct of these situations.

The way we talk about entire fandoms.

"The fandom is toxic."
"They're all bullies."
"They're a cult."
"They're the problem."

I honestly think those kinds of sweeping statements are, in most cases, indefensible.

No fandom is one person.

No fandom speaks with one voice, thinks with one mind, or behaves the same way. Every large fandom contains thoughtful people, impulsive people, quiet people, loud people, kind people, and people who cross the line. That's true whether we're talking about Liu Yuning's fans or anyone else's.

Oh and as a side-note on this specific case — Gong Jun and Liu Yu Ning are long-time friends, the fight is not between them. Same as there wasn't one between Song Wei Long and Zhang Ling He, and so many others in similar situations.

Likewise, not everyone criticizing an artist is acting in bad faith.

Once we start reducing millions of people to a single stereotype, we've already stopped having a meaningful conversation.

Judge people by what they do.

Not by the label they happen to wear.

With that said, today's statement concerns Liu Yuning.

Liu Yuning Studio's legal representatives, Shanghai Leezhao Law Office, have published an official lawyer's statement addressing what they describe as the organized spread of false information, defamatory content, and other online infringements targeting Liu Yuning.
Since many members here don't read Chinese, I've translated the statement into English below and attached the original Chinese version as an image.

I hope people will read it. Because I'm sure, even falsehoods about this very legal statement will be shared eventually.

Over the past several weeks, I've watched this situation spread far beyond Chinese social media. Some of you might have seen it reached Reddit too (edit: I’m not handpicking or referring to any single place — I have seen this come up in different spaces and under varying contexts. The platforms mainly concerned are the ones listed in the legal notice from LIU Yu Ning’s lawyers, which you can read later in this post).

Some criticism has been perfectly fair. Some of it has not.

We've seen livestream clips spliced together and manipulated. We've seen screenshots and "candid accounts" stripped of the conversations they belonged to. We've seen recurring audience interactions and familiar song refrains sang by the concert attendees presented as though they proved something completely different.
We've even seen graphics circulating that attempt to portray his fandom as some kind of pyramid, caste system, or cult hierarchy.

Whether people believe those claims or not isn't really the point I'm making.

But the result is that we’ve seen speculation and hear-say repeated until people began quoting it as established fact.

That's something I think all of us should care about, regardless of how we feel about Liu Yuning.

Because tomorrow it won't necessarily be Liu Yuning.

It'll be another actor.
Another actress.
Another singer.
Another public figure.

If we're comfortable accepting edited material, manipulated clips, missing context, or rumors simply because they support the conclusion we already wanted to reach, then we've created an environment where almost anyone can become the next target.

The same goes for fandom.

This isn't a war, and we're not anyone's soldiers.

Recently, I've seen more and more comments talking about "fighting," "winning," or "showing them" (from both “sides” of this "fight").

I understand where those emotions come from.

When someone you admire is being attacked, the instinct to defend them is very human.

But I also think it's worth asking ourselves whether charging into every argument actually helps.

Liu Yuning has never struck me as someone who wants thousands of people fighting strangers on his behalf.

If you happen to know him and have followed him for a while, you've probably heard him say more than once that he has to be careful with his words because they can so easily be taken out of context. To me, that's never sounded like fear. It sounds like experience. He understands how quickly narratives can take on a life of their own online.

He's a big man. (fact)

An exceptionally intelligent, thoughtful, and deeply competent man. (my opinion)

He doesn't need saving.

What he deserves is fairness.

They all deserve the same fairness. And I think there's an important difference between supporting someone and feeling personally responsible for defending them.

Sometimes those lines become blurred.

The point is that extreme behavior — from fans or anti-fans alike — gives people material to reshape into whatever story they already want to tell.

None of us should want to hand anyone that opportunity.

So this isn't me telling anyone not to speak when they come across a diss/misinformation targeting the actor they support.

I've corrected misinformation myself in the past regarding different actors and actresses when I believed it was important to do so, and I probably will again.

I'm simply asking — to the void and with no right, of course — that if we choose to engage, we do it calmly, factually, and with the awareness that our behavior doesn't exist in a vacuum. These so-called fandom wars are just absolutely ridiculous, aren't they?

And I mean that — irrespective of whose “side" you're on, or if you're not even picking a side (because there really might not be one...).

I suspect most people who are fans of someone/anyone are simply rolling their eyes at this.

Fairly or unfairly, people judge artists by the conduct of their supporters.

Personally, I'd rather people look at Liu Yuning's fans and see people who value facts over rumors, context over outrage, and respect over insults.

I think that reflects well on him.

And in the end, that's one of the best ways we can support any artist.

(If you are curious to read my post on the same topic but dedicated to r/LiuYuNing community, you can read it here)

————————————————

English Translation

Lawyer’s Statement

Shanghai Leezhao Law Office (hereinafter referred to as “the Firm”) has been instructed by Liu Yuning Studio (hereinafter referred to as “the Client”) to appoint a team of lawyers to address the recent dissemination of information concerning Mr. Liu Yuning and related acts of infringement across online platforms. The Firm hereby issues this lawyer’s statement with due seriousness.

Recently, certain internet users and online groups have continuously organized and disseminated false and harmful information concerning Mr. Liu Yuning through posts, videos, hashtags, comments, and other forms of interaction on platforms including Weibo, Douyin, Xiaohongshu, Bilibili, Douban, and Zhihu. They have also spread misleading and defamatory content and published derogatory remarks. Some content has been circulated through deliberately cropped material, screenshots taken out of context, selective editing, and maliciously provocative wording, thereby creating antagonism, inciting unnecessary disputes and negative publicity, seriously exceeding the reasonable boundaries of normal public discussion and public opinion oversight, and severely disrupting the normal order of online discourse.

The above conduct violates applicable laws, regulations, and the management rules of the relevant online platforms. It has seriously infringed upon Mr. Liu Yuning’s lawful rights and interests, adversely affected his personal reputation, social standing, and normal work, and caused substantial harm.

In response, the Firm has been formally instructed to investigate and collect evidence relating to the relevant online content, the accounts responsible for publishing it, and its dissemination. The Firm is currently carrying out evidence preservation and other legal work, and the collected evidence will serve as an important basis for pursuing civil litigation, criminal complaints, and other legal measures to protect Mr. Liu Yuning’s rights and interests.

In view of the above, the Firm hereby solemnly declares as follows:
1.
Relevant internet users and online groups must immediately cease publishing and disseminating false or harmful information, misleading content, defamatory remarks, and any other material that infringes upon Mr. Liu Yuning’s lawful rights and interests.
Any such content that has already been published must be deleted immediately, its further dissemination must cease, and active measures should be taken to eliminate its harmful impact.
2.
The Firm calls upon all internet platforms to lawfully fulfill their responsibilities for information content management. Content suspected of infringing upon lawful personal rights, violating platform rules, or disrupting the normal order of online information dissemination should be reviewed in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
Where appropriate, platforms should take the necessary measures, including deleting content, blocking or restricting access, disconnecting links, limiting dissemination, and taking action against the relevant accounts.
3.
With respect to individuals or entities that refuse to cease unlawful or non-compliant conduct, continue disseminating false or harmful information, or continue infringing upon Mr. Liu Yuning’s reputation and other lawful rights and interests, the Firm will submit complaints and reports to the relevant online platforms and administrative authorities, initiate civil proceedings, and pursue legal liability to the fullest extent permitted by law.
Where the relevant conduct is suspected of constituting a criminal offense, the Firm will also initiate criminal complaint procedures in accordance with the law and cooperate with the judicial authorities in pursuing criminal liability.

Cyberspace is not beyond the reach of the law.

The public has the lawful right to discuss and comment on film and television works, variety programs, and artists’ performances, but such discussion must always be conducted on the premise of respecting the lawful rights and interests of others.

With regard to the use of online platforms to disseminate false and harmful information, maliciously manipulate public opinion, create hostility, or infringe upon the lawful rights and interests of others, the Firm and its Client will oppose such conduct in accordance with the law and will firmly pursue all available legal measures to protect their rights.

This statement is hereby issued.
Shanghai Leezhao Law Office
July 22, 2026

Source of the statement

I'm going to Comicon as one of my favourite characters. Liao Ting Yan from When Destiny Brings the Demon and this is the first time I'm actually trying to do something special.

I have my outfit (second last photo) [I was too lazy to find the original image I made so I just downloaded it from the Reddit post I made the image for originally] and my basic accessories (last photo) but I need to think of my hair now.

My hair isn't nearly this long (to be fair, whose hair is?) and I know I need to get some hair ornaments and butterfly earrings.

I plan on using Temu because it's quick and also, it's not like I'm going to a wedding.

My questions are:

1. Should I just use my natural hair (length: below my shoulder) and follow a tutorial.

2. If the answer to 1 is "yes" does anyone have links to tutorials I can practice with?

3. If the answer to 1 is "no", should I try to find a hair stylist that specialises in things like this? I have no idea if that's even a thing, ironically, I'll probably only find something with someone who does hair for weddings lol.

I'm open to using temporary extensions as well but I don't think a full-on wig will have the effect I want unless I buy a super expensive fancy one, which is not within my realm of possibility.

Now that I’ve finished Key to the Phoenix Heart, I decided to start on my list of Zhang Xincheng dramas.

If you’re asking: “Who is he?”, here is his profile: (Steven) Zhang Xincheng Feature

I know - I started Ultimate Note but I’ve put that on hold now. I haven’t been in the mood and no one here is complaining.

I picked The Day of Becoming You because it has good ratings and reviews, and because it’s a comedy. That’s my mood lately.

I’ve only watched two episodes so it’s too early for a Why You Should Watch.

But I will say… this was a good choice - for Xincheng’s abs but also because Xincheng acting like a girl is hilarious!! He’s doing a fine job so far and I look forward to watching the rest.

- 8.4 MDL rating
- Synopsis: Romantic comedy about Jiang Yi, a cold and distant boyband leader, and Yu Sheng Sheng, a bubbly entertainment reporter, swapping bodies.
- 26 episodes
- Available on iQIYI and Viki

I recently started watching it and I’m a bit confused about Shen Xihe and Gu Qingzhi. By the current point in the story, has Shen Xihe’s soul merged with Gu Qingzhi’s, or is it only Gu Qingzhi’s soul inhabiting and controlling Shen Xihe’s body?

I found this on r/lotr and seems to be making the rounds.

Should we do it?

It seems very fun and we have no shortage of characters.

I'm running out of ideas for the intro and I can't post yet, I need more filler.

So anyway this games seems to be everywhere. Enjoy!

Hey guys! I’ve been rewatching all my favorite dramas because I cannot find anything new that actually grabs me.
I’m looking for something similar to The Starry Love, Till the End of the Moon, Lost You Forever, Story of Kunning Palace, The Double, and The Romance of Tiger and Rose.
I strongly prefer a female main character, lots of romance, complicated relationships, emotional drama, and maybe multiple love interests or a good love triangle. I also like more complex plots, as long as they don’t become painfully repetitive. Please give me your best recommendations, especially if you liked most of these shows too. I cannot survive another rewatch.

EDIT: Thank you everyone for your amazing recommendations, I will look into all of the ones you e recommended ❤️ since the one that came out the most was veil of shadows I will give it a watch first! If yall want me to make a review lmk 😭🙏

Disclaimer: I'm FINE with kissing scenes in dramas, and have watched many dramas with kissing. But many of the romances that have left the biggest impression on me were the ones where there was no kiss, but the chemistry and bond feels just as strong. And there's something special about that.

I've watched just a few Cdramas where the lead couple didn't kiss:

Bloody Romance - loved the show, but hated the ending.

Key to the Phoenix heart - their love feels so pure and sweet

Word of Honor - I mean technically it's a bromance/censored BL, but I loved the leads' chemistry so much. The deep connection they had with one another gave me the warm fuzzies, no kissing needed!

Hey guys! I wanted to bring this up and see whether anyone else feels the same way, or whether this has happened to you with another actor. I’ve watched several Ding Yuxi dramas now, including Love Game in Eastern Fantasy, The Romance of Tiger and Rose, and currently Love You Seven Times. After seeing him in a few different roles, I’ve realized that I sometimes have trouble connecting with him as the main male lead.
To me, he has a softer and more boyish appearance. He gives me more of the vibe of a sweet, quirky, slightly naive character who likes having fun and doing cute things. Because of that, I personally have a harder time seeing him in very powerful, serious, or intimidating roles, such as a general or the God of War in Love You Seven Times. I’m enjoying the story, but I’m struggling to fully believe him as that type of character. I actually think the role that suited him the most out of the dramas I’ve watched was his role in Love Game in Eastern Fantasy. His appearance and energy really matched that character. In some of his other dramas, though, I feel like I see him more naturally as a second male lead or a memorable side character rather than the powerful central romantic lead. This is only my personal opinion, and I completely understand that many people love him and connect with him in these roles. This is by no means me saying that Ding Yuxi is a bad actor or anything like that. I think this is just a normal human experience sometimes you naturally connect with an actor on screen, and sometimes you don’t. Has anyone else felt this way about Ding Yuxi, or experienced something similar with another popular actor?

Zhang Linghe's new drama, Overdo is finally here! I am rewatching Pursuit of Jade. And I'm planning to start Our Generation, too. I guess I'll have to balance both shows. Oh, how I love these kinds of problems!

Image source: Harpers Bazaar Singapore

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Is this drama a bit underrated? Because I absolutely loved it.

I started it as a break from all the historical cdramas I'd been watching and it completely won me over. The story, the pacing, the supporting cast... everything just worked. It was such a well made drama.

The ML is a little reserved but that actually worked for me. I have a soft spot for calm, cool-headed male characters who keep their emotions under control so I really liked him.

The second male lead... OMG. 😅 I know a lot of people fell harder for SML and I totally get why. As handsome and charismatic as the male lead is, I caught myself going back and rewatching the second male lead's scenes. If they ever decide to give the SML a spin-off, I'm pretty sure the ratings would be through the roof.

I'd already seen the female lead in My Journey to You and really liked her there but she was even better here. She carried the drama beautifully and was such a perfect casting choice.

The plot was great and stayed consistently strong from beginning to end. The metaphors in this drama were excellent too. I won't go into details because they'd be spoilers, but the relationship/plumbing metaphor and the company/building foundation metaphor were both surprisingly clever and really made me think.

I honestly didn't expect this drama to take over all my free time but that's exactly what happened. It went from being a little side watch to becoming the only thing I wanted to watch.

I'm genuinely surprised it isn't talked about more or hasn't gone more viral. I definitely recommend it.