Unfortunately, Hu Mei’s most recent adaption of The Dream of the Red Chamber (溢楼梦之金玉良缘) has garnered a lot of negative feedback and bombed at the box office. The movie fell short of critics’ and viewers’ expectations in a number of ways. Adding to the dispute, director Hu Mei asserted that part of the negative comments was a deliberate slander. Many internet users have retaliated, stating that their viewpoints are genuine.
Various Iterations of the Red Chamber Dream
The 2024 adaptation’s Lin Daiyu, played by Zhang Miaoyi, has drawn harsh criticism for the role. Many online users compare her negatively to earlier depictions of the figure, claiming that she lacks the core of the character. A more contemporary parallel is with the 2010 TV show The Dream of Red Mansions, which starred Jiang Mengjie as Lin Daiyu. Though it has been more than ten years, this version featured Zhao Liying, Yang Yang, Li Qin, Yang Mi, and pretty much every current member of C-ent. Still, most people consider the 1987 film Dream of the Red Chamber, starring the late Chen Xiaoxu, to be the most memorable portrayal.
It is a Herculean effort to adapt Cao Xueqin’s great work for the big screen as opposed to a TV series, and many feel that the 2024 film version fell short in capturing the richness and depth of the extensive source material. The outcry was exacerbated by the movie’s depiction of Qin Keqing, which had already drawn criticism for being overly inflammatory.
“It Doesn’t Matter If You Call Me Ugly,” says Zhang Miaoyi.
Seven years ago, Zhang Miaoyi signed on for The Dream of the Red Chamber, marking the beginning of her career as an actress. But with the release of her first movie, The Dream of the Red Chamber, which wrapped up production in 2018, there have been a ton of criticism directed at her performance.
In response to the criticism, the 25-year-old actress said, “These past few days have been difficult.” I have a really complex mood. Receiving a reprimand makes everyone unhappy. If one wishes to live a fulfilling life, who doesn’t feel ashamed? But consider this: would you still accept this post if you could travel back seven years? I’m not able to fool myself. Without a doubt, I would accept. Being ignorant renders one fearless. She remarked, to illustrate her point, that she would have accepted it even if it had been as Zhu Ba Jie, the Journey to the West pig character.
Zhang gave thanks for the chance to work on such an important project as she thought back on her experience. She admitted that her performance might not have met Chen Xiaoxu’s expectations, but she is still dedicated to honing her skill. “It makes no difference if you think I’m unattractive; my appearance is natural and unchangeable. That was who I was then. I can only get better via life, so it doesn’t matter if you think I’m shallow. Life’s challenges will help me develop.
Most Sincere in Their Apologies to the Director, But It Backfires
While Zhang said, “I think the person I’m most sorry towards is Director Hu Mei,” she also offered her sincere condolences to Director Hu Mei. Hu Mei, the director, worked very hard on this film. The director persisted in going ahead with Dream of the Red Chamber even though everyone knew it would be a challenging film to make.
Hu Mei should be given more recognition, she added, citing the director’s devotion to Chinese historical works such as the Yongzheng Dynasty, Emperor Wu of Han, Qiao Family Courtyard, and Confucius. Although she acknowledged the controversy surrounding The Dream of the Red Chamber, she believes that the movie could still be beneficial in spreading awareness of Chinese literature if it inspires more people to study the original work.
The lengthy reply from Zhang Miaoyi backfired. Although she apologized to the director, many thought she missed the bigger picture—their dissatisfaction with her portrayal of Lin Daiyu. Zhang chose to emphasize on her personal struggles and the director’s attempts, which many perceived as abdicating responsibility, rather than answering the main accusation that she misinterpreted and fell short of fully embodying the character.
