LayarHijau – The story recently shared by the popular actor Zheng Kai during a live broadcast has gone viral. The 38-year-old recounted his experience filming a short drama. He revealed that he received an offer to star in a short drama with the “older woman, younger man romance” (jie di lian) genre, which typically depicts a relationship where the woman is older than the man.
Zheng Kai explained that he assumed he would be acting opposite a beautiful, older actress—perhaps in a story modeled as “a dominant female CEO dating a younger man.” However, once the cameras started rolling, he discovered his romantic co-star, playing the “older woman,” was a veteran actress aged 68.
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The shock prompted him to directly address the director:
“Isn’t ‘the older woman’ a little too old, Director?”
This 30-year age difference (38 vs 68) instantly fueled heated discussion, exposing the bizarre realities of the Chinese short drama industry. The incident dominated trending topics on November 25, with related views surpassing one billion in a single day.
It should be noted that this Zheng Kai is not the one known as “Little Cheetah” from the Keep Running variety show. Though their names are pronounced similarly in Mandarin, the written characters are different. This actor was born on March 11, 1986, in Hangzhou, and is a graduate of the Beijing Film Academy. He has appeared in many well-known dramas such as Struggle, Scarlet Heart, and Snow Eagle Lord, and won the Best Newcomer award at the Shanghai College Student TV Festival in 2012. Nobody expected his career to take a turn into the short drama world, an industry that is currently booming but full of irregularities.
Wild Exploitation of Absurd Age-Gap Tropes
The theme of relationships with extreme age gaps is not new, and audiences recall previous controversies, such as “grandmothers playing young maidens” or elderly men forced to appear as handsome heroes. Mini-dramas frequently chase sensationalism with plots designed to clash and shock for clicks and traffic, disregarding logic or inherent value.
Examples of Sensational Plots:
- A 50-year-old widow runs off with a handsome young man
- A daughter-in-law is mobbed by her mother-in-law
- A groom abandons the altar for a forbidden lover
When the budget is focused on paying for “names that can sell viewership,” production processes are rushed to mere weeks, and scripts are only superficial additions, the result is absurd scenes like “a pregnant woman cycling fast” or “a classroom applauding a divorce.” It is no wonder critics sneer:
The short drama industry now resembles a stage for sensational experiments rather than a creative space for actors.
When the Industry Repeats Past Mistakes
Zheng Kai’s situation reminds the public of a similar incident from over twenty years ago, specifically the drama Xi Men Wu Hen in 1998.
At that time, the handsome actor Jiao Enjun—then 31—was paired with Yang Junjun, who was around 40 but insisted on playing the young maiden. Yang Junjun also served as the drama’s director, scriptwriter, and investor.
The drama not only forced romantic scenes but also included kissing and shared bath scenes. The awkward visual contrast led viewers to nickname Yang Junjun “Auntie Ximen.” Jiao Enjun was reportedly unable to withdraw due to contract obligations and the threat of fines equivalent to three times the pay for a standard project.
The drama became a long-running joke online, with his line “Silly girl~ / 傻丫头~” still circulating as a meme today. Seeing this, the public is often sympathetic to actors—they sometimes truly have no choice.
The Industry Needs to Find a Sane Path
Some argue that if packaged well, cross-generational love stories can offer moving new perspectives. However, this theme is too often used only to pique curiosity, lacking empathy for psychological or social realities. In fact, many touching stories could be adapted from senior actors, such as:
- The struggles of the elderly starting new businesses
- Genuine love in the twilight years
- Intergenerational conflict and reconciliation
The best example is the film Hi, Mom, where public emotions were stirred not by sensationalism, but by the depth of the story and characters that matched the actors’ ages.
Currently, the public is still wondering about the identity of the 68-year-old actress and the title of the short drama that caused the commotion, as these key details were deliberately not disclosed by the actor. The lack of information has fueled strong speculation among netizens, including the suspicion that the actress might have ‘brought capital into the group’ (‘带资进组’) to secure the role. Furthermore, Zheng Kai’s fate after the on-set shock—whether he was forced to complete the project under penalty threats like the case of Jiao Enjun, or what the official response from the producers was—remains a mystery, which will be the main focus for readers following the incident’s aftermath.
