According to Sina, Born to Be Alive, starring Yang Zi and Hu Ge, has produced disappointing results just three days after its premiere, with performance indicators continually declining. The setback dealt a severe blow to the reputation that Yang Zi has worked hard to build over the past decade.
The series airs on CCTV8, one of the major national television channels in China. However, its average rating for the first episode was only 1.77%, and subsequent episodes fluctuated without ever crossing the 2% mark. On iQIYI, the show’s popularity rating has yet to surpass 9,000 points. Compared to Zhao Liying’s drama The Dream Maker, Yang Zi’s ratings are lower and do not reach CCTV8’s usual audience standards.
Adding to the disappointment, Yang Zi’s performance elicited mixed responses, much of it negative. She plays Bai Ju, a police officer who fights poachers who hunt Tibetan antelope and other protected animals on the Tibetan Plateau. Critics note that Yang Zi appears excessively thin and lacking in vitality, and that her action scenes – whether fighting, chasing suspects, shooting or driving at high speed – lack power and precision. His posture and movements were described as unconvincing for a police officer constantly in danger of his life.
Yang Zi was also criticized for failing to control her facial expressions during emotional climaxes. His features reportedly contort awkwardly, relying heavily on screaming rather than nuanced emotion. His line delivery was also called unclear, with some dialogue difficult to understand.
Viewers have drawn comparisons between Yang Zi and Dilraba Dilmurat in Sword Rose. Although Dilraba is often labeled as the weakest actress, many felt that her action scenes were more assertive, powerful and visually appealing than Yang Zi’s.
This disappointing performance visibly damaged Yang Zi’s reputation. Some viewers now argue that the praise he has received for his past acting has been overly inflated, saying his performances are formulaic and limited to certain types of roles.
In fact, as actresses get older, the pressure only increases. Senior stars such as Zhao Liying, Yang Mi, Liu Shishi and Tang Yan have all moved away from idol dramas to pursue serious and realistic works focusing on social and family themes. However, such “everyday life” roles require much greater depth, naturalism and emotional range.
Yang Zi has also attempted to transition into serious drama, but has yet to play a truly memorable role. Critics say he continues to bring the acting style of romantic dramas to his new projects, resulting in performances that seem forced and even weaker than those of non-professional actors.
According to Sina, idol dramas benefit from romance-driven plots, large built-in audiences, captivating visuals and dramatic plots, allowing acting flaws to be more easily overlooked. Serious dramas, by contrast, require more rigorous character development and realistic storytelling, with fewer sensational moments. As a result, not all idol actors make the transition. Previously, Zhao Lusi, Cheng Yi, and Luo Yunxi have all faced failures, while Dilraba’s achievements in serious dramas have also been less than impressive.
For Yang Zi, the message is clear: If he hopes to survive and thrive on this more challenging path, much greater effort and transformation will be needed.
Sources: K14
