LayarHijau – Chinese period drama Against the Current (兰香如故), starring Tan Songyun and Liu Xueyi, premiered on September 11. As viewers shared mixed reactions to the opening episodes, Tan Songyun’s close relationships with fellow actors in the entertainment industry also became a hot topic.
Eight actors who have previously worked with Tan Songyun — Hou Minghao, Song Weilong, Zhang Xincheng, Bai Jingting, Wallace Chung, Lin Gengxin, Ou Hao, and Wang Kai — publicly showed their support for the new drama.
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Meanwhile, Jing Boran, who previously starred opposite Tan Songyun in the 2023 drama Road Home (归路), notably did not appear among those supporting the series publicly. His absence quickly sparked discussion and speculation among netizens.
Against the Current itself got off to a strong start. Just hours after its premiere, the drama reportedly surpassed 23,000 in-platform popularity. However, its strong initial buzz has been accompanied by sharply divided reactions from viewers.
The drama opens with a devastating storyline in which the Shen family is wiped out, while the women of the household collectively face death.
The scenes of separation and loss left many viewers in tears. Some even joked that they had already gone through an entire pack of tissues just from watching the first episode.
Production Earns Praise, While Pacing Draws Criticism
On the production side, Against the Current has received considerable praise. The production team reportedly spent significant time building a 40-mu real-life garden set, covering approximately 2.7 hectares.
The detailed sets, costumes, makeup, and production design, all heavily influenced by traditional Chinese aesthetics, have been widely praised for creating an immersive period-drama atmosphere.
However, not all viewers have been impressed with the storytelling.
Some viewers, particularly fans of the original novel, feel that the early episodes move too slowly. They believe the drama has adopted a more traditional long-form storytelling style, which contrasts with the faster pacing commonly seen in recent Chinese costume romance dramas.
The dialogue has also become a major point of criticism. Some viewers feel that certain conversations sound overly didactic, making the characters seem as though they are directly delivering life lessons rather than speaking naturally.
The drama’s promotional strategy has also generated controversy. Its use of comparisons to The Story of Minglan and its “Minglan-style family intrigue” branding has irritated some viewers, who feel that Against the Current does not need to be deliberately compared with another popular costume drama to attract attention.
Tan Songyun Gets Support From Eight Former Co-Stars
Amid the debate over the drama itself, the amount of support Tan Songyun has received from fellow actors has become a talking point of its own.
Eight male actors who have previously worked with Tan Songyun have reportedly sent their congratulations and promoted Against the Current.
Hou Minghao, who co-starred with Tan Songyun in the costume romance drama The Unclouded Soul (逍遥), was among those showing their support.
Song Weilong and Zhang Xincheng previously worked with Tan Songyun in the hit family drama Go Ahead (以家人之名).
Bai Jingting appeared alongside Tan Songyun in New Generation (我们的新时代), specifically in the segment Because of Home (因为有家). New Generation is the title of the anthology series, while Because of Home is the title of their individual story segment.
Wallace Chung also starred opposite Tan Songyun in the costume romance drama The Sword and the Brocade (锦心似玉).
Tan Songyun previously worked with Lin Gengxin in Master of My Own (请叫我总监), Ou Hao in The Eight (民初奇人传), and Wang Kai in the aviation drama Flight to You (向风而行).
Their support stands out because these are not simply fellow actors from the same industry. All eight have previously shared the screen with Tan Songyun in different productions.
Why Is Jing Boran Missing From the List?
While so many of Tan Songyun’s former co-stars showed their support, Jing Boran’s absence quickly became a topic of discussion.
Jing Boran and Tan Songyun previously played the lead couple in Road Home (归路), which aired in 2023. Some netizens therefore wondered why Jing Boran did not publicly congratulate Tan Songyun or promote her new drama.
Some fans linked his absence to Jing Boran’s current promotional activities. The actor is still promoting The Early Spring (早春晴朗), his drama with Sun Qian.
This led to speculation that Jing Boran may be deliberately keeping a low profile to avoid unwanted interpretations, particularly as The Early Spring is currently receiving significant attention and Jing Boran and Sun Qian are actively promoting the drama as an onscreen pairing.
However, neither Jing Boran nor his representatives have confirmed such speculation.
Other netizens, meanwhile, see nothing unusual about his absence. Since Road Home ended, Jing Boran and Tan Songyun have not frequently been seen interacting publicly outside of their professional work.
From that perspective, some fans believe the two simply maintain a professional relationship as former co-stars. They argue that there is no reason to read too much into Jing Boran not publicly supporting every new project involving a former co-star.
For now, Against the Current is attracting attention both for its reception and for the lively discussion surrounding Tan Songyun’s industry friendships. While the drama has made a strong start in terms of popularity, debate over its pacing, dialogue, and promotional strategy continues.
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