My Own Analysis Why The Old School Chinese Entertainment Model Ceased To Be Effective Since The 2000s
I've been shifting my focus to Korean entertainment lately. However, I'd like to recall my moments with Chinese entertainment, whether it came from the People's Republic of China (PRC), Taiwan (also known as the Republic of China or ROC), or Hong Kong. I grew up hating my Chinese heritage, since I was more into the AMERICAN SUPERIORITY MENTALITY for some time. I hated my Chinese heritage. Well, who wouldn't if one had boomer parents who were still stuck like they were still in China -- THINK OF A CHINOY VERSION OF THE JOY LUCK CLUB!
I could recall my late paternal grandmother, who would rent Chinese movies via Betamax. I couldn't remember the name of the store anymore -- the rental shop already closed years ago! I didn't give an F*** about Chinese entertainment back then. I didn't like studying Chinese either -- well, blame the Chinese schools in the Philippines that taught Chinese through rote overload! It didn't help that there was the rather ridiculous Chinese Sunday Theater. Who would be interested to watch those shows but a few people anyway? It was just strange and funny!
How Meteor Garden appealed to both boomers AND millennials
Barbie Xu may be dead now (died last February 2025 during the Chinese New Year), but she's always got a special place in my heart. Meteor Garden had two seasons, which was a series that clicked with both boomers and millennials. My mother watched it and enjoyed it. I watched Meteor Garden and enjoyed it. I watched Hana Yori Dango live action and concluded the following:
- Best Tsukasa Doumyoji is Jerry
- Best Makino Tsukushi is Barbie
It was also that time when I started hearing of names like Leanne Liu and Chin Han. Girls Marching On aired on ABiaS-CBN as well. Some of my friends thought Leanne was also Daoming Feng. Just a bit of clarification. The actress who played Daoming Feng is Zhen Xiuzhen. It was because of Jerry and Barbie that I ran into names I NEVER cared about before. Leanne was already acting motherly roles at that time. Chin Han was doing some paternal roles at that time. I had ZERO IDEA back then that they were once an on-screen couple!
To boomers, Jerry and Barbie HAD the capacity to be the next Chin Liu. Meteor Garden had Chiung Yao style acting with Xiu Zhen as Feng! Feng was carrying tropes from Chiung Yao villainous mothers. However, there were differences between the situation back then and today. Chin Liu operated BEFORE the digital age. Jerry-Barbie (or called Daobie back then) was operating in the early digital age. That meant the dawn of newer ways to study Chinese. Pinyin would be introduced to the younger generation OUTSIDE the Chinese-speaking territories.
It would mean two different worlds. Chin Han and Leanne were limited to the Chinese-speaking countries. A Chin Liu drama aired on the Chinese Sunday Theater wasn't the same thing as Meteor Garden aired on the UPGRADED Chinese Sunday Theater. However, the moment Jerry x Barbie came on screen, it BECAME impossible for them to become the next Chin Liu because:
- The Internet age was already booming (although not very accessible yet)
- The number of Mandarin speakers EXPLODED EXPONENTIALLY WORLDWIDE
- The global rise of Hanyu Pinyin made it easier for non-Chinese speakers to learn standard Mandarin (which is called Hua Gu in Hokkien)
- F4 became so popular by demand that talent fees were higher than usual, meaning Jerry had become MORE FAMOUS than Chin Han
- Barbie had reached the level of fame that Leanne COULDN'T
- The rise of other groups like 5566 was inevitable (and the talent fees get higher as well)
As the talent fees get bigger, it means that Jerry and Barbie getting into more projects together is EASIER SAID THAN DONE. The late Qiong Yao would probably have run out of money if she tried to have Jerry and Barbie as the next Chin Liu. What the boomers never realized was that the environment had totally changed.
The same could be true for Jolin Tsai's rise to fame as the Madonna of Taiwan
Anita's career, like that of Chin Han and Leanne, was defined by the analog era. Sadly, Anita was probably computer illiterate -- which meant she wasn't able to contact her nephews before she passed away in 2003. Anita's music only got more famous AFTER SHE DIED than when she lived. In my case, I would't be appreciating Anita's music (which I personally prefer over Jolin's music) if Jolin never existed. That meant that the Madonna of Taiwan was going to get more recognition than the Madonna of Hong Kong!
Jolin's demand for her CDs, concerts, etc. would've made her fees MUCH HIGHER than what Anita got during her time. Anita would be expensive only in her local market. However, Jolin, like F4, was introduced to a world where Mandarin speakers have exploded EXPONENTIALLY. Pinyin had even bridged the gap. Jolin even had a world tour called Ugly Beauty -- something that would be too expensive and something Anita's career never had! It's because Anita was from the analog era. Sure, one can purchase Anita's CDs or listen to them on Spotify. However, without Jolin's fame, I don't think anybody would've been interested in Anita's music either!
Given Jolin's fees, it's probably why she NEVER played as Anita in the film Anita (2021). It's because it would be too expensive to have her play as the legendary actress. I really wanted her to be Anita until I realized the film had problems with creative liberties. Louisse Wong was a "safe bet" and a "clean slate" for Edko Films. Sure, Jolin would be able to portray the concert scenes better. However, Anita is Anita, and Jolin is Jolin. Jolin's fees would mean that she became more expensive than Anita was back in the day.
The world's a constantly changing place. In the quote of Heraclitus, "CHANGE IS THE ONLY CONSTANT!"
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