LayarHijau – The drama Love’s Ambition (许我耀眼) has captured viewers’ attention since its first day on Tencent Video. Its audience numbers increased significantly, placing it on the platform’s must-watch list. The main spotlight falls on the female lead, Xu Yan, played by Zhao Lusi, a protagonist who breaks away from traditional stereotypes.
Xu Yan: Ambitious and Strategic Villainess
Xu Yan is not the typical “good girl” who usually occupies the center of urban dramas. She is depicted as ambitious, intelligent, and highly strategic. In the series, Xu Yan even uses deception to marry a wealthy man, pretending to come from a highly educated family to fool her future in-laws. However, her fiancé is fully aware of Xu Yan’s background, so her actions cannot be entirely classified as “marriage fraud.” In the workplace, Xu Yan demonstrates professionalism and diligence, confronting slander with skill and determination. This complexity makes her a character who is cunning and ambitious, yet logical and human.
The Villainous Female Lead Phenomenon in Modern Dramas
The phenomenon of villainous female leads has returned to popularity in recent years. Ambitious and calculating female characters are now in demand because they have clear, logical, and realistic motivations. Xu Yan can be compared with several notable predecessors:
Anna in Anna
In the Korean drama Anna, the titular character constantly displays exhaustion and pretension despite her sweet smile. Anna lives a life filled with pressure and deception, and Suzy’s performance captures the combination of inner fatigue and survival instincts. Her cunning and strategic nature is not simply for creating conflict, but a response to her environment and traumatic experiences, earning both sympathy and admiration from viewers.
Fu Ling in Moonlight Mystique
The character Fu Ling, portrayed by Dai Luwa, is complex and shrouded in mystery. Known by the nickname Cold Spring Demon, Fu Ling has complicated relationships with other main characters. Her background, marked by loss and internal conflict, gives her actions a clear logic and motivation. Dai Luwa brings depth to the role, balancing Fu Ling’s cold demeanor with her cunning strategies, making her both compelling and memorable for viewers. She is not an inherently evil character, but a woman who uses her intelligence and strength to navigate a harsh world.
Ye Bingchang in Till the End of the Moon
Ye Bingchang, portrayed by Chen Duling, is known for her courage in confronting injustice and pursuing revenge. She is not entirely “evil” but a woman challenging the system and those who have wronged her. Her motives for revenge stem from a childhood marked by pressure and discrimination, showing viewers that her displayed villainy is shaped by external circumstances rather than inherent malice. Ye Bingchang demonstrates that ambitious women using bold tactics can remain compelling leads without losing logical consistency.
Changing Trends in Female Characters in Drama
According to the producers and creative team of Love’s Ambition, introducing a character like Xu Yan carries certain risks. Writers and actors must ensure that such an ambivalent character does not provoke excessive controversy. However, since Xu Yan’s morality remains within acceptable boundaries and her lies do not significantly harm others, these risks are manageable. This reflects that modern audiences appreciate female leads who are realistic and complex rather than simply “good” or “bad.”
Beyond a strong central character, Love’s Ambition also portrays social dynamics and pressures within family and workplace contexts. The modern urban setting, tight story pacing, and carefully designed scene transitions bring Xu Yan to life. Zhao Lusi’s formal and firm acting supports the character’s need to maintain her image and personal secrets. Viewers who consider her performance “too stiff” are in fact observing a character who must remain vigilant and cautious, consistent with Xu Yan’s inability to openly display her true emotions.
This trend indicates that the drama industry is now giving space for more diverse female characters. Audiences no longer desire perfect protagonists alone but characters who are logical, consistent, and able to face conflict realistically. Xu Yan, with her ambition, flaws, and clever strategies, proves that a villainous female lead can be both central and beloved, rather than merely an antagonist.
Source: Sohu
