LayarHijau – The new Chinese period romance drama Princess Zhao Yang (昭阳公主), starring Li Hongyi and Kong Xueer, has come under public scrutiny following allegations of plagiarism involving its costume and styling designs.
The controversy began after a designer published a statement accusing the production team of using her original creative concepts without authorization. According to her account, she had participated in the early stages of the project, contributing initial design sketches and visual concepts for the drama’s costumes and styling.
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However, the collaboration did not continue after the two sides reportedly failed to reach an agreement regarding the budget. The designer further claimed that the production team had explicitly stated in writing that her designs would not be used.
Despite that assurance, once filming officially commenced and on-set photos from the opening ceremony circulated online, she alleged that the costumes and overall visual presentation bore strong similarities to the concepts she had previously submitted. She accused the production of directly copying and adopting her original ideas without consent.
The allegations quickly sparked heated discussion on social media. Some netizens pointed out perceived similarities in costume elements and styling details, while others urged caution and called for an official response from the production team before drawing conclusions.
On February 28, the production team of Princess Zhao Yang released an official statement addressing the claims. In their response, they asserted that the core design concept was independently developed. The final design drafts, they said, were completed by a third-party team commissioned by the production, and there are substantial differences between the finished designs and the materials previously submitted by the other party.
The statement also revealed that the production had signed a costume and styling service contract with Mu Shang Film and Television. However, that cooperation has since been terminated.
Produced by Shanghai Kuan Entertainment Digital Technology Co., Ltd., the historical romance drama is directed by Deng Zhanneng and written by Chu Chu. The series is adapted from the novel Pingyang Gongzhu by Qing Wei.
The story follows Shen Xiao, a young man from a humble background who studies diligently in hopes of entering officialdom and uncovering the truth behind his father’s death. He unexpectedly becomes entangled with Princess Zhaoyang, Li Shu. What begins as a relationship marked by conflict and opposition gradually evolves into mutual respect and affection, as the two move from confrontation to cooperation. Along the way, they come to realize that the deeper roots of their struggles lie in class divisions and political tensions, and that personal destiny is closely tied to the stability and prosperity of the nation.
The drama was officially registered in June 2025 and began filming on February 5, 2026, alongside the release of its opening ceremony photos. As of now, the alleged plagiarism dispute continues to draw attention online, with both sides having presented their respective statements.
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