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| Why Top Billing Drama Never Goes Out of Style in C-Entertainment |
Ever been excited for a drama just 'cos your fave actress landed the lead—only to spot the male actor’s name plastered first on the poster, bolder, bigger, and screaming for attention? Yep, it’s that age-old C-drama headache again: top billing.
It’s not just about name order, either. Top billing—the spot your name takes in credits, posters, and promo—is basically a silent announcement of “who matters most” in the showbiz hierarchy. And lately, fans aren’t staying quiet about it.
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Case in point: the upcoming historical drama The Imperial Ballad (or Royal Court Ballad, official English title TBD), starring Wu Jinyan and Chen Zheyuan. On paper, they’re both billed as co-leads—what’s known in Chinese as ping fan (equal standing). But let’s be real: poster layout, name order, and even font size say otherwise.
Turns out, producer Yu Zheng spilled some behind-the-scenes tea: Chen Zheyuan allegedly refused to be listed second. To keep the peace, the production slapped a “ping fan” label on both actors. But viewers weren’t fooled. Many argued this felt like a downgrade for Wu Jinyan, especially given her track record—hello, she was the face of Story of Yanxi Palace.
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While Chen Zheyuan has gained popularity in recent years, some reckon he hasn’t yet earned “equal billing” status beside someone with Wu Jinyan’s seniority. “It’s like putting a rising rookie next to a national champion and calling them equals,” one netizen quipped.
Top Billing = Top Priority?
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The drama’s not new. C-drama land has a long history of lead actresses being visibly sidelined even when the story is literally about them.
Take Qiao Chu for example. It was supposed to be Chen Duling’s vehicle—based on a novel that centred around her character’s journey. But her co-star Zhou Yiran, a rising male actor, ended up taking equal billing. Fans weren’t having it. “Why is the heroine being made to share the spotlight in her own story?” many asked.
Same thing happened with Who Rules the World, initially hyped as a tale of a badass female lead (Zhao Lusi). But as the story played out, her role gradually tilted toward “damsel needing rescue”, with the male lead dominating both the screen and the promotional wave.
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Contrary to what you might think, billing isn’t always about character importance. Sometimes, it’s not even about talent. It’s a business decision—here’s how the sausage gets made:
Traffic ≠ Talent: If someone’s trending online or pulling in numbers, they might demand first billing just to boost marketability, even if their role is smaller.
Contract Locks: Agencies often negotiate top billing into contracts before filming even starts. That means once it’s signed, it’s locked.
Investor Power Plays: If a backer is supporting a certain actor, they’ll usually push for more visibility—including first-name rights.
Script Drift: Sometimes the original storyline focuses on a female lead, but midway, writers or producers shift it toward the male character for commercial reasons.
A textbook example? Chinese Paladin 4. Both Ju Jingyi and Chen Zheyuan reportedly signed contracts stating they’d be first lead. What followed was a confusing mess of mixed promo, unclear poster hierarchy, and even legal clarification to explain who was actually “first”.
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Why This Still Stings for Female Fans
At the end of the day, top billing seems minor—until you realise how deeply it reflects the industry’s gender bias. For many women, especially long-time viewers, this isn’t just about whose name goes first. It’s about the systemic downplaying of female talent, effort, and presence.
A male actor refusing second billing, even in a story built around a woman’s character, speaks volumes. And every time a poster “accidentally” makes her look like the sidekick, audiences notice.
Until genuine ping fan becomes the norm—not just on paper but in editing rooms, posters, and marketing—it’s likely we’ll keep seeing this drama play out again... and again.
Because sometimes, the real power play isn’t on screen. It’s in the font size.