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The screenwriter of latest hit Chinese drama The Glory has finally spoken up after being accused of plagiarism.
A Weibo user stirred up controversy, claiming the drama's plot was copied from the novel The Laughing Lantern (Deng Hua Xiao).
This accusation raised eyebrows because The Glory is officially adapted from The Reborn Noble Girl is Hard to Find by Qian Shan Cha Ke, while Deng Hua Xiao is a much newer work from the same author.
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Some netizens who have read both stories noticed some eerie similarities.
They pointed out that the whole "main character returns to the city with secrets" storyline and the tense relationship between the male and female leads feel way too familiar.
In response, the drama's screenwriter took to Weibo and defended their work, saying, "The Laughing Lantern wasn’t even published until October 2023, by which time I had already finished 15 episodes of the script."
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The drama, starring Chen Duling and Xin Yunlai, follows a storyline that differs from its original novel, keeping only some names and character dynamics.
In the book, the protagonist, Zhuang Han Yan, is reborn after her stepsister poisons her on her wedding night.
Meanwhile, Deng Hua Xiao follows a young girl who survives a plague, sells herself into slavery, and undergoes horrific experiments before returning to a broken home.
Despite the differences, the plagiarism debate has set the internet on fire.
Some fans believe it’s all just a coincidence, while others argue that subtle copying is still copying.
With the entertainment industry constantly under scrutiny for originality, this scandal has left everyone wondering—will there be legal action, or will this all just fade into the drama world’s archives?