LayarHijau – The costume drama Pursuit of Jade (逐玉), which is currently airing, has recently become the center of controversy after viewers noticed a change to the name of one of its antagonist characters.
In the original novel, the villain carried the surname Liu (刘). However, in the drama adaptation, the screenwriter changed it to Mi (幂), meaning the character is now known as Mi Wuya (幂无涯).
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In the story, Mi Wuya serves as a county magistrate’s advisor. The change to the character’s surname quickly drew attention from viewers and triggered widespread debate online.
The surname “Mi” is rarely used, but it is also strongly associated with popular Chinese actress Yang Mi. Because of this, many netizens began speculating that the name choice might be a deliberate reference.
The controversy spread rapidly across Chinese social media. Related hashtags soon climbed to the top of trending lists, with reported view counts surpassing hundreds of millions.
Many users questioned the decision to alter the character’s name in the adaptation. Some argued that the change was too obvious to be considered a coincidence.
“In the novel the surname was Liu, but in the drama it suddenly became Mi. That feels too deliberate,” one netizen wrote. Others accused the writer of inserting a personal grievance into the work.
The debate intensified after internet users began digging up the screenwriter’s past activity on various platforms. Screenshots circulating online suggest that the writer had previously given very low ratings to several dramas starring Yang Mi.
Among them were the popular series Eternal Love (三生三世十里桃花) and Novoland: Pearl Eclipse (斛珠夫人). In comments linked to the account, the writer was also said to have described Yang Mi’s acting as “formulaic” and claimed it “dragged down the overall quality” of the shows.
These findings led some netizens to believe that the name change in Pursuit of Jade was not merely a creative decision. However, not everyone agrees with that interpretation.
Some viewers argue that using the surname “Mi” could simply be an artistic choice and should not automatically be interpreted as a reference to a real person.
The controversy has since evolved into a broader discussion about the boundary between creative freedom and professional ethics in the entertainment industry.
Some observers say the strong public reaction reflects concerns that content creators might insert personal opinions about real individuals into works intended for a wide audience.
From a legal perspective, entertainment law experts note that screenwriters do have the right to adapt and modify elements of the original source material. However, if a character is perceived as clearly referencing a real person in a way that damages their reputation, it could potentially lead to legal disputes.
If it were proven that a character was intentionally designed to mock or harm someone’s reputation, the affected party could theoretically pursue legal action.
For now, public attention is focused on how the production team behind Pursuit of Jade will respond. Some commentators believe that a clarification from the screenwriter or the production team could help calm the growing controversy.
