Two distinctly different urban dramas have been trending on social media lately: the long-form series "Promise Me to Be Dazzling," starring Zhao Lusi and William Chan, and the short series "Summer Fendera," starring Liu Xiaoxu and Guo Yuxin. Interestingly, both dramas begin with a marriage as the bond, with the protagonists experiencing various breakups and reunions, the hero's pursuit of his wife, and ultimately a joyous, family-friendly finale.
Zhao Lusi, William Chan
Why did these two dramas become so popular? I would like to analyze them from two perspectives: long dramas becoming short dramas, and short dramas becoming long dramas.
In terms of narrative rhythm, "Promise Me to Be Dazzling" exemplifies a strong plot formula, starting with a scam, with the main hook of the first half being the question of when the heroine will "fall out." The heroine, Xu Yan, isn't the typical naive, innocent character of contemporary idol dramas. Instead, she resembles the sinister, "I want both love and career" second female lead, Ou Yaruo, from the classic idol drama "My Lucky Star." The male lead, "Good Luck Brother," isn't some gullible, idiotic rich kid either. Instead, he's a ruthless character who knows everyone around him inside out, only feigning a good-natured charade in front of his wife.
It quickly and accurately captures the current audience's curiosity about "rich family feuds." The heroine's every move is thrilling, seemingly calculated, but in reality, the all-seeing hero is behind the scenes. This kind of xipi, where sincerity is hidden in the calculations, and sincerity is hidden in the calculations, is actually a common combination in short dramas in recent years, and it is also the reason why the long-running drama "Promise Me to Be Dazzling" quickly captured the audience's attention from the beginning.
The dramatic couple sometimes show true love.
While pursuing innovation in narrative rhythm and character design, moving closer to short dramas, "Promise Me to Be Dazzling" also maintains the advantages of a full-length series in details like costumes, props, and lighting. Every outfit Zhao Lusi wears sparks requests for the same look on social media, and the jade jewelry worn by wealthy mother-in-law Wen Zhengrong has also attracted many viewers.
Many lines in the drama have also been played around by netizens on platforms such as Douyin and Xiaohongshu - such as the clever transition of cultural and tourism integration "You are not here for tourism"; the reason for not wanting to return to school after the National Day holiday is "I have to accompany my bestie to get a divorce on the 8th"; the famous line complaining about the school cafeteria "It's unpalatable, can I force myself to eat it?"; and Chen Weiting's Hong Kong Mandarin Reuters "Yan Yan (yeye) answers the phone" has become a joke for netizens to use against him for "making a big face".
If the first half of "Promise Me to Be Dazzling" has a touch of Korean drama, the second half, with its sudden shift in tone, is down-to-earth. The protagonists' falling out and threatening divorce coincide with the cooling-off period. As Zhao Lusi joked in a previous interview, this scene has become the "emoji package for William Chan for a lifetime." After all, the "old money"-style overbearing CEO isn't new; what's new is seeing him come down from his pedestal and suffer a setback.
Another example of a bossy boss who gets frustrated is Zhou Sheng'an, the male lead in "Summer Fender." His obsession with the female lead, Bai Qingmei, develops like a house on fire. This xipi pairing is a perfect match: the sunny female lead and the cold-hearted male lead.
"Summer's Fendera" has exceeded 3 billion views on Hongguo.
A spin-off of last year's hit short series "Deep Temptation," "Summer of Fendera" focuses on the relationship between the protagonist's older brother, Zhou Sheng'an, and his older sister, Bai Qingmei. Through the lens of the Fendera rose, the three states of bud, half-opened, and fully blossomed, the protagonist of "Summer of Fendera" is a metaphor for the different stages of their relationship. In stark contrast to the protagonist of "Deep Temptation," the protagonist of "Summer of Fendera" is a reserved, self-possessed individual who acts without saying anything. Many netizens have remixed clips of the two series, mocking him for having a wife who resembles his younger brother and constantly worrying about the trivialities of his wife, younger brother, and sister-in-law.
Unlike the intensely plot-heavy format of "Promise Me to Dazzle," some of "Summer Fendera"'s empty shots and transitions are so slow that they require viewing at 1.5x speed. The female lead, Bai Qingmei, is a photographer, and the series features numerous scenes where she travels abroad for filming, resonating with the current audience's desire for spontaneous travel that often proves impossible. Its overall artistic, refined style has attracted audiences beyond the short-form drama world, making it a rare example of the transition from short-form drama to full-length drama.
The reason "Summer Fendera" stood out among a sea of short dramas, becoming the year's biggest hit, lies fundamentally in its delicate emotional control and the acting prowess of its dually trained leads—advantages often reserved for longer-form dramas. The infamous bathroom kiss scene, in particular, showcases the anxious, broken look in the male lead's eyes, mingled with a touch of heartache for his helpless female lead. This scene offers a new dimension to short dramas beyond the fast-paced production model. Liu Xiaoxu, 27, born in 1998, has also earned the nickname "Uncle Kid" for his mature and reserved demeanor, earning him a reputation as a 45-year-old. He rose to the top of the short drama industry in just one month.
One netizen left a message on Xiaohongshu, the Xiaoxiaoshu account of "Uncle Xiaoxiao," saying, "Tell the domestic entertainment industry that I can't go back. From now on, I'll just watch short dramas."
The explosive popularity of "Promise Me to Dazzle" and "Summer Fendera" shows that in the domestic drama market where ancient idol dramas have long dominated the screen, urban dramas can find their own blue sky as long as they are brave enough to break through and seek novelty. In recent years, many people in the industry have been discussing the competition between long and short dramas. Whether it is the short-termization of long dramas or the operation method of short dramas being long dramas, it can only mean one thing -
We are all thousand-year-old foxes, so don't try to play some "Liao Zhai" in front of the audience. No matter how long or short, only a play that is truly made with heart can gain the audience's recognition.
