Yu Shuxin, who previously shot to fame as a Chinese drama goddess with roles in “Love Between Fairy and Devil,” “My Journey to You,” and “Eternal Night Star River,” has suffered a massive fall this year after being embroiled in bullying allegations and a family corruption scandal. She has lost 3 million followers on social media and her popularity has plummeted. Recently, her new drama “Dual Tracks,” co-starring He Yu, premiered unexpectedly, but its debut failed to surpass other dramas airing at the same time, such as “Chang’an 24 Hours” and “Sniper Butterfly.” Furthermore, Yu Shuxin’s awkward acting in “Dual Tracks,” coupled with lackluster costumes and props, and abrupt romantic plotlines, have all come under fire, resulting in poor word of mouth. On the first day “Dual Tracks” aired, Yu Shuxin even lost another 20,000 followers, leading commentators to conclude that it’s unlikely she’ll make a comeback with this show.
After “Dual Tracks” premiered unexpectedly on the 12th, its ratings and reputation fell short of expectations. In terms of ratings, its debut ranked below other new dramas like “Sniper Butterfly” and “Chang’an 24 Hours” on Maoyan’s Chinese Drama Heat Index. On iQIYI, the drama achieved a heat score of 6487 on the first day, ranking 17th among all annual contemporary idol dramas—a mediocre performance. On top of that, it has been criticized for three major flaws.
The first criticism is Yu Shuxin’s acting. Despite losing weight and filming without makeup to show sincerity for her role as “Jiang Mu,” Yu Shuxin’s lines still feature her familiar squeaky tone. Whether acting cutesy and calling He Yu’s character “brother” or praising a stranger on a plane, her delivery has been called cringe-worthy. Her expressions are said to be limited to widened eyes for shock, pursed lips for pouting, and furrowed brows for anger—an over-reliance on cliché expressions. Netizens say her acting always resembles her previous role as “Little Orchid” in “Love Between Fairy and Devil,” criticizing that, after so many years, her craft hasn’t improved at all.
The second flaw is that the production’s costumes and props have been described as slapdash. For example, Yu Shuxin is seen wearing a white floral dress full of wrinkles, paired with a bow hair accessory, both of which look cheap in quality. The male lead, He Yu, plays a boxer whose face is often injured, but sharp-eyed viewers noticed his wounds are always in the same spots—on the corner of his mouth and on his nose, with little variation, and heal completely in no time, breaking immersion. Supporting actor Fei Qiming plays a thug with messy ‘bird’s nest’ hair and a scruffy beard, resembling a homeless person, but he is dressed in a neat shirt, which is inconsistent and jarring.
The third point of criticism is the abrupt romantic plot between Yu Shuxin and He Yu’s characters. In the original novel, the truth that “Jiang Mu” and “Jin Zhao” are not biologically related is revealed only later, creating a forbidden tension key to the story’s appeal. However, to speed up the romance in the drama, the show reveals there’s no blood relation between the leads in the very first episode and quickly jumps into romantic scenes—hugging, motorcycle rides, and more—across different timelines. Though sweet, these moments feel forced and disrupt what viewers want most: the push-pull of a pseudo-siblings romance and the gradual emotional build-up, as well as the process of mutual healing between the leads. The drama’s rushed development undermines that sense of layered progression.
News source: Up Media