 |
| Bao Zhu Sparks Copycat Row Days Into Filming as Lai Weiming and Dai Luwa Face Familiar Plot Claims. (Credits: Upmedia) |
Filming has barely begun, yet Bao Zhu is already making more noise for controversy than content. The new Mango TV period drama led by Lai Weiming and Dai Luwa has landed in hot water after viewers flagged what they say are glaring similarities to the earlier hit Pursuit of Jade. For a project meant to mark a career step-up for both leads, the conversation has swiftly veered from promise to déjà vu.
The series itself, on paper, ticks all the right boxes. Set in the Ming Dynasty, it follows Jin Baozhu, played by Dai Luwa, a butcher’s daughter determined to escape a suffocating family situation by marrying into wealth. Her match is Xie Yan, portrayed by Lai Weiming, a rebellious aristocrat with paralysed legs and a reputation that precedes him.
What begins as a transactional arrangement gradually evolves into a layered story of survival, power play, and emotional redemption. It is the sort of premise that usually draws viewers in—if it feels fresh.
That is precisely where the trouble begins. Within days of production updates surfacing, Chinese drama fans began drawing comparisons to Pursuit of Jade, and not the subtle kind.
 |
| Dai Luwa (left) and Lai Weiming (right) recently officially announced the start of filming for their new costume drama Bao Zhu. |
The first point raised is almost uncanny: both dramas centre on a female lead who is a butcher’s daughter. In a genre packed with noble families and hidden identities, the overlap feels oddly specific rather than coincidental.
The second issue lies in the visual direction.
Early glimpses of Dai Luwa’s styling—coarse fabric outfits, muted tones, and a simple braided hairstyle tied with fabric ribbons—have been widely compared to the look of Fan Changyu in Pursuit of Jade.
Viewers argue it is less “inspired by” and more “copied with confidence,” with some comments noting that even the colour palette appears recycled.
 |
| Dai Luwa’s Costume Drama Debut Overshadowed by Pursuit of Jade Comparisons |
Then comes the male lead comparison, which has only added fuel to the discussion. Lai Weiming’s Xie Yan mirrors the arc of Xie Zheng from the earlier drama: a once-brilliant heir from a prestigious family, reduced to physical disability after a tragic incident.
The similarities extend beyond character background into narrative trajectory, raising eyebrows over whether this is homage or repetition dressed in new robes.
Perhaps the most talked-about detail is the name itself. Xie Yan versus Xie Zheng—one character apart, same surname, same aristocratic aura.
 |
| Is Bao Zhu Playing It Too Safe? Fans Call Out Recycled Plot Elements |
For many viewers, it feels less like coincidence and more like a deliberate echo, prompting blunt accusations that the production is chasing an already proven formula rather than carving out its own identity.
Behind the scenes, confidence is not exactly soaring either. While the drama is directed by a team linked to Blossom, the script comes from Wei Jingjing, whose previous project struggled to gain critical traction.
That track record has become part of the online discourse, with some fans questioning whether an “original script” label actually guarantees originality.
For Lai Weiming, the timing is crucial. After gaining traction through Shine on Me and steadily climbing the ranks, Bao Zhu is his first major turn as a male lead in a costume drama—a moment meant to cement his status rather than test his credibility.
Meanwhile, Dai Luwa, long praised for her standout supporting roles in titles like Lost You Forever, now faces the pressure of carrying a full-scale historical drama on her shoulders for the first time.
 |
| Mango TV |
Online reactions, unsurprisingly, are split. Some viewers are reserving judgement, arguing that shared tropes are nothing new in period dramas and execution will ultimately decide the outcome.
Others, however, are far less forgiving, calling the similarities “lazy,” “calculated,” and “hard to overlook.” A louder corner of the internet has already labelled the project a replica in progress, while a quieter group insists it is too early to write it off entirely.
The real question is whether the drama can shift the narrative before audiences make up their minds for good. So, is this just coincidence, creative overlap, or something a bit too close for comfort?