Producer Yu Zheng Publicly Apologizes for Plagiarism
While Chinese producer Yu Zheng (于正) helmed many of China’s most popular dramas, he had also plagiarized other works as his own. For years, Yu Zheng adamantly denied the claims until recently he bowed to escalating pressure from over 100 industry insiders.
Yu Zheng’s most high-profile plagiarism allegations resulted in a legal battle in 2014 over claims that his drama Palace 2: The Lost Daughter <宮鎖連城> lifted ideas from Taiwanese author Chiung Yao’s (瓊瑤) novel Peach Blossom Scar <梅花烙>. Though Yu Zheng lost the lawsuit and was ordered to pay 5 million Chinese yuan in compensation and issue a public apology, he refused to admit he ever plagiarized.
Things took a turn when more than 100 industry insiders consisting of writers, producers, screenwriters and directors spoke out about Yu Zheng’s plagiarism and agreed to boycott his works. He was forced to withdraw from his role as a mentor on I am an Actor 3 <我就是演員3>, and his filmed scenes were deleted. His completed dramas were also unable to secure broadcasting dates.
Faced with a crisis in his career, Yu Zheng finally apologized for his plagiarism. In his apology to Chiung Yao, Yu Zheng shared his admiration for the author and the harm he caused. Yu Zheng revealed that it was not easy for him, as he reflected on his mistakes while paying the compensation. He also expressed his regret for taking six years to face his mistakes.
Yu Zheng’s drastic change in behavior was not viewed favorably by netizens. Many believe he only relented and apologized after facing significant headwinds from the industry boycott.
As a result of Yu Zheng’s plagiarism controversies, many of his upcoming dramas did not get confirmed broadcast dates yet and indirectly impacted many popular aritstes such as Li Yitong (李一桐), Qin Lan (秦嵐), Wu Jinyan (吳謹言), Jiang Qinqin (蔣勤勤), Yang Rong (楊蓉), Bai Lu (白鹿), and Jin Chen (金晨). Yu Zheng’s upcoming dramas include: Song of Youth <玉樓春>, Zhaoge <朝歌>, Ode to Daughter of Great Tang <大唐女儿行>, and Legacy <传家>.
Source: HK01
i only watched 1 of his production that i found it eerily similar to hanayori dango if not a direct copy from present to ancient times from the plot and the scenes
Well, they are more like him but he is definitely one of the highest Profiled…
Dude is a 2 faces, who literally would not careless about leeching off others’ ideas!
“ Yu Zheng revealed that it was not easy for him” – yea, because his huge a!! ego prevents him from apologising 6years ago, and even now, if not for the government cracks down on plagiarism.
Honestly I would not care if they put him in jail, the only person I’m worried for is Bailu, she and many other actresses have nothing to do with this really.
I can never forget watching an episode of Palace and being stunned into disbelief at how it was a direct copy of Meteor Garden. It surprised me how popular the drama was given that it duplicated the entire plot, but in ancient setting. Maybe I shouldn’t be shocked since he came from TVB and his alma mater had a tendency to copy other people’s work in the past. Still, the fact it did well on TV disgusted me
@coralie He was probably hoping no one would remember it since MG has been out for a good long time…Just like China, not to apologize for releasing covid and just hiding from the facts….Typical.
@exodus and shame on the US for not apologizing for the Spanish influenza, which should’ve been correctly named after Kansas, the city of origin
@exodus is that a fact or are you just blindly believing?
@conan2209 Who knows what’s true regarding Covid…But alas like Sars…And the way Covid spread so
well is because the CCP/PRC had more freedom to travel now, then back then when Sars came out… @msxie0714 Military base in Kansas yeah I don’t think so…Plus this was also in UK, US and Asia soo….
@exodus Unless English is not your first language, it seems to me as if what you said is a known fact, there’s no trace of doubt in your statement. I’m no PRC so no I’m not defending them, I just find it amusing for people to take the easy way out by blaming everyone else. So, what’s your take on Spanish flu, on Small pox, on TB, on Cold War and on the recent riots in US?
@exodus please take back what you said then. There’s no need to create further hatred. In the mean time, stay safe and stay healthy!