LayarHijau – Chinese drama Irreplaceable (无可替代), starring Zhao Jinmai and Wei Daxun, has aired its finale. Although the drama ends on a happy note, the conclusion to the main couple’s love story has drawn criticism from viewers who feel that the resolution of their conflict is forced.
Spoiler Warning: This article contains spoilers for the plot and ending of Irreplaceable. If you have not watched the finale, consider this before reading further.
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The drama concluded with its 20th episode. In the finale, Ye Xinzhi (Wei Daxun) faces a crisis involving a project at his company, while Xu Chi (Zhao Jinmai) makes a unilateral decision to protect him. However, her actions leave Ye Xinzhi feeling betrayed and trigger a psychological crisis as his past trauma resurfaces.
Irreplaceable Ending: Zhao Jinmai and Wei Daxun Reconcile at the Airport
The conflict begins when Ye Xinzhi and Xu Chi jointly handle the Jingmai.com project. A subordinate named Liu comes under severe pressure after his position is replaced by AI and eventually jumps from a building. The incident triggers a public relations crisis that threatens the company.
Senior executives then use Ye Xinzhi’s past case as leverage to pressure Xu Chi into taking over the crisis management. To protect Ye Xinzhi’s position as a business partner and safeguard his career, Xu Chi secretly removes him from the project group chat.
At a press conference, Xu Chi goes even further by declaring that she has been the project’s person in charge from the very beginning. She also claims that there has never been a consultant surnamed Ye on the team. Her statement directs all the negative public attention toward herself.
However, her decision creates a major misunderstanding. After seeing news coverage of the press conference and discovering that he has been removed from the project group, Ye Xinzhi believes Xu Chi has betrayed him and taken over his position.
The incident takes a further toll on Ye Xinzhi because he was previously betrayed by his mentor, Wen Ruosen (Lian Kai). His past trauma resurfaces, triggering a psychological crisis. Deeply hurt by what has happened, Ye Xinzhi sends Xu Chi a farewell video before flying to Turkey alone to clear his mind.
Xu Chi is devastated when she discovers that Ye Xinzhi has left without telling her. She eventually realizes that her way of protecting him has instead caused serious pain to the very person she wanted to protect.
Meanwhile, following the advice of his friend Shasha (Wang Yuanke), Ye Xinzhi decides to return to China and face Xu Chi. Upon arriving at the airport, however, he unexpectedly encounters Xu Chi, who is preparing to fly to the Blue Grotto, a destination they had previously agreed to visit together.
The two cross paths near a poster advertising the destination. The moment serves as a reminder that despite their separation, they still have feelings for each other.
As soon as Xu Chi spots Ye Xinzhi, she runs toward him and embraces him tightly. They both cry without saying much before eventually expressing their feelings and clearing up their misunderstandings. Their love story ultimately ends with a reconciliation.
Irreplaceable’s Happy Ending Is Criticized as Forced
Despite delivering a happy ending (HE), Irreplaceable has drawn criticism from some viewers. One of their main concerns involves Xu Chi’s character development in the final episodes.
Some viewers argue that Xu Chi uses the excuse of protecting Ye Xinzhi to justify a unilateral decision that ultimately hurts him. Her actions are seen as an example of someone trying to do the right thing but choosing the wrong approach, causing damage that is difficult to undo.
Ye Xinzhi has also become a point of discussion because he previously devoted considerable resources and attention to Xu Chi, only to end up suffering a psychological breakdown amid their conflict. Some viewers question whether their relationship truly portrays two equally strong partners who support one another.
In addition, some viewers feel that the storyline deliberately weakens the male lead to make the female lead stand out. The conflict’s resolution through a chance encounter at the airport is also considered too convenient to settle such a serious dispute.
These criticisms have led some viewers to describe the finale as rushed and the reconciliation as forced. Although Xu Chi and Ye Xinzhi eventually get back together, some viewers feel that the ending fails to adequately address the consequences of Xu Chi’s decision.
Irreplaceable Secures 15 Brand Sponsors on Youku
On the commercial front, Irreplaceable has achieved a notable advertising milestone on Youku. Although its popularity declined toward the latter part of its run and it failed to catch up with Against the Current and The Vanishing Beauty, the drama managed to secure advertising across all its episodes.
The series attracted 15 brand sponsors, with a total of 83 advertisements running for a combined 957 seconds. This achievement makes Irreplaceable Zhao Jinmai’s fourth consecutive drama to feature advertising in every episode. It is also the first drama starring Wei Daxun as the male lead to achieve the same milestone.
Ultimately, Irreplaceable has ended its run with mixed results. While the drama maintained strong advertiser support on Youku, the conclusion to Xu Chi and Ye Xinzhi’s love story has sparked debate among viewers over character development and the way the central conflict was resolved.
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