LayarHijau – The short drama Yield to You (折腰) recently caught attention after it was suddenly removed from the “Hongguo Short Drama” platform, even though many other short dramas with similar provocative content remain online. Blogger 吴磊Leo on Baijiahao Baidu shared his analysis of why the show was taken down.
Yield to You is a short-form adaptation of the popular drama The Prisoner of Beauty (美人心计), starring Liu Yuning and Song Zuer. The short drama itself features Yue Yuting as Xiao Qiao and Wu Xize as Wei Shao. Yue Yuting is known in the short drama scene as a hardworking actor, often praised for her elegant costumes and charming appearance. Wu Xize, who played Ximen Yan in the latest version of Meteor Garden, is also relatively well-known. The combination of a popular story and attractive leads helped the drama rack up over 1.5 million pre-release reservations.
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The short drama premiered on October 15, 2025, with episodes averaging about two minutes each. However, Yield to You was removed less than 24 hours after its premiere, with some reports saying it was gone in under 12 hours. Most viewers had only reached episode 13 before the show was taken down.
Various theories circulated among netizens regarding its removal, ranging from claims that the content was too “provocative” to rumors of internal issues behind the scenes.
According to blogger 吴磊Leo, the main issue was not the actors or minor controversies, but the content being overly focused on sensual interactions. Some examples of what was considered extreme included:
- Scenes of characters bathing together in hot springs with a suggestive tone.
- Kissing scenes linked to the use of herbs or aromas as triggers.
- Dialogue and sound effects that exaggerated romantic interaction.
The blogger also highlighted a public statement by the drama’s director:
“The most attractive thing about micro-short dramas is their vulgarity.”
吴磊Leo interpreted this as almost openly challenging regulations, which may have prompted the platform to act swiftly to remove the drama as a form of self-protection:
“It’s like telling the authorities: ‘I’m breaking the rules, come and get me.’ In the context of strict supervision over short dramas, this behavior is like walking on a knife’s edge. That’s why the platform’s emergency removal is more like a survival instinct.”
In addition, there were minor issues such as allegations of plagiarism from the full-length Yield to You, The Prisoner of Beauty, and rumors involving guest star Liu Xiaoqing, the veteran actress who played Wei Shao’s grandmother in The Prisoner of Beauty and was previously investigated for alleged tax evasion.
The blogger emphasized that these were not the core reasons for the removal. The show was taken down purely because its romantic content was too prominent and extreme, while other short dramas that remain online do not highlight these elements to the same degree.
吴磊Leo also stressed that Yue Yuting should not be blamed:
“Stop asking whether Yue Yuting caused the issue. The real losers are the creators who work hard, the audience waiting for quality content, and the standards of taste that our society should uphold.”
Thus, the removal of Yield to You serves as an example of how the short drama ecosystem can incentivize sensational content, which may ultimately be taken down when it crosses boundaries tolerated by platforms.
So, do you buy the blogger’s explanation, or is there more behind the scenes that we haven’t seen?
