Chinese actor Zhang Linghe previously partnered with Zhao Jinmai in the period drama 'Du Huá Nián', where their on-screen chemistry received rave reviews. The two quickly reunited for the modern drama 'Cherry Amber', but due to the poorly written female lead and the drama being cut from its original 40 episodes down to 24, the plot ended up disjointed and abrupt, resulting in a poor reputation.
In the drama, Zhang Linghe plays “Jiang Qiaoxi”, and in the first 17 episodes, his screen time is less than one-third of “Lin Qile” (played by Zhao Jinmai). Almost all of Zhang Linghe’s highlight moments were cut. His studio also released behind-the-scenes footage on Weibo of him diligently practicing Cantonese for the role, prompting many netizens to feel sorry for him.
During the early promotion for 'Cherry Amber', many netizens noticed that the production team focused on female lead Zhao Jinmai, with Zhang Linghe not even getting solo promotional photos. As expected, the series turned into a female-centric growth drama after airing. Some netizens calculated that in the first 17 episodes, Zhao Jinmai appeared on screen for 420 minutes, Zhang Linghe for 129 minutes, second male lead Wu Sheng for 109 minutes, and second female lead Shen Jiayu also for 109 minutes. Zhang Linghe’s screen time even included flashback scenes, meaning some shots were repeats, and his actual screen time was about the same as the second male and female leads.
Moreover, Jiang Qiaoxi takes on jobs like laboring at construction sites, tutoring, and even learning to play cards to earn money for his cousin’s medical bills—all so he can be with Lin Qile sooner. However, the story cut out the motivation for his earning money, which led some to misunderstand that he was just slacking off by learning to play cards, making his character’s portrayal fragmented. Many background actors also stated they had scenes with Zhang Linghe that were cut, bluntly saying: “If all the celebrity’s scenes were cut, what chance do we have?” The studio also released footage of Zhang Linghe’s hard work memorizing Cantonese lines, making many netizens feel distressed. They declared that 'Cherry Amber’s' poor reputation and ratings were the responsibility of the production team and Zhao Jinmai.
News source: Shangbao Pop Culture