190: The 190th day of being popular
Ever since Feng Shiyuan's video overshadowed his own achievements, the mood of the content creator He Youkun had been quite sour.
Even though he had received quite a sum from the Lu Group for boosting Yao Bianliang's popularity in the past, he remained deeply concerned about his current situation.
The competition among content creators was just too fierce!
If he continued blindly following trends without improving his content quality, his audience and followers would gradually dwindle.
Therefore, when he was approached to create promotional videos for "The Legend of An Hua," he didn't immediately agree.
He could tell that, while "The Legend of An Hua" did fit the market, it was nowhere near the level of Yao Bianliang's new drama.
Character development was shallow, the plot was extremely absurd, the acting skills were subpar, and the overall theme lacked depth.
For this bit of money, he'd have to endorse "The Legend of An Hua" and criticize Yao Bianliang's work. It would tarnish his reputation as a content creator. He certainly wasn't willing.
Furthermore, based on his understanding of Feng Shiyuan, he was sure that Feng would side with Yao Bianliang this time.
By then, these content creators would accept the money for endorsements and release recommendation videos for "The Legend of An Hua." Feng Shiyuan would go against the tide, solidifying his reputation once again. That would just let the other side snatch the limelight once more.
He Youkun naturally couldn't accept this outcome.
Therefore, when "Spring's Warmth and Rich Dew." reached its 12th episode, he finally decided.
If you can't beat them, join them!
This time, he decided not to take any money. On the contrary, he would promote Yao Bianliang's new drama.
Not only that, but he would beat Feng Shiyuan and release the video ahead of him.
So, He Youkun wasted no time and finally produced the video that week.
The explanation was divided into three parts: "What Are Real Brothels Like," "The Real Lives of Courtesans," and "The Over-Glorification of the Prostitution Industry and Prostitution Behavior in Contemporary Film and Television: Does It Have Negative Influence?"
With these three topics, he practically aimed at "The Legend of An Hua" and "Spring's Warmth and Rich Dew.."
Although this approach could potentially anger An Sheng Entertainment, He Youkun wasn't afraid at all.
Risk and reward always go hand in hand. Without high risk, where would high reward come from?
"Hello, everyone. Recently, both 'The Legend of An Hua' and 'Spring's Warmth and Rich Dew.' have been airing, and both dramas feature courtesan protagonists."
"So today, I plan to discuss with you what real brothels were actually like."
In the video, He Youkun presented historical evidence while speaking confidently.
"Courtesans, the lowest existence among the masses. Once they step into the world of prostitution, it's hard to have a good ending."
"Lower-tier brothels are often called 'yanzi' (brothel). Female prostitutes serve dozens of clients every day. During busy times, they might not even have time to pull up their pants."
"Even high-class courtesans have to serve clients. In the eyes of nobles, no matter how high-class a courtesan is, she's nothing more than a plaything."
"The average age of prostitutes is around thirty. Most won't live long enough to leave this profession."
"Even if they manage to leave, husbands can beat them, mistreat them, force them to keep serving clients, or even sell them. They are still dependent on men for their lives, unable to control their own destinies."
"So, in 'The Legend of An Hua,' when the female lead advises her sister not to learn the arts so that no one will be interested in her and she won't have to serve clients... well," He Youkun chuckled, "that plot is utterly impossible."
"If a prostitute doesn't know poetry, music, and dance, she can only become a low-class prostitute, serving dozens of clients every day, unable to live past her teens, dying from venereal diseases."
"And to survive, to avoid serving dozens of men every day, they must study desperately. The pressure to survive undoubtedly accelerates their learning progress."
"Seriously, that plotline in 'The Legend of An Hua' is truly brainless..."
"You can avoid serving clients by not learning the arts? Then guess why other prostitutes still have to learn them (smiling.jpg)."
"Refusing clients means getting beaten up. Brothels don't support idlers. If you keep refusing clients, they might as well just beat you to death to save food."
"It seems many people deeply misunderstand prostitutes. They think they can make decisions about whether to serve clients or not. In modern society, can you decide not to work overtime at night or attend extra classes on weekends? Things you can't even control in modern times, and you still think you can in the feudal society."
"Haha, even if someone becomes a famous courtesan, what can they do? When faced with a fat and powerful noble who wants to play with you, you have no right to refuse."
The barrage of comments was lively, and He Youkun soon moved on to the next topic.
He provided detailed explanations about the efforts made by the country in modern times to prevent the legalization of prostitution. He briefly touched upon the deeper intentions behind these efforts.
He Youkun: "When our Country was founded, our predecessors put in countless efforts to ensure that prostitution became a thing of the past."
"But nowadays, many films and TV shows not only overly glamorize the profession of 'courtesan,' but also romanticize the act of 'prostitution.' Many even believe that becoming a famous courtesan is 'elegant,' 'romantic,' and 'desirable.' This is not only ignorance but also a regression of thought."
He Youkun's words resonated with many viewers, and the barrage of comments became even more animated.
"My twelve-year-old niece told me that if she traveled back to ancient times, she'd rather be a glamorous courtesan than a confined official's wife (didn't know wether to laugh or cry.jpg)."
"Nowadays, many people seem to think that ancient courtesans are like modern celebrities, a fantastic career choice ."
"Countless women in ancient times wouldn't want to become prostitutes, yet so many young girls think being a famous courtesan is great..."
"In fact, the fate of most ancient courtesans was quite tragic. Even if you were the top one, if you couldn't make money anymore, your ending would be equally tragic."
"Ultimately, it's because modern novels and films overly romanticize these things, creating a misleading effect."
"Indeed, this subtle influence truly doesn't benefit the younger generation of our country in any way."
This video resonated with many people, of course, it also sparked disapproval among some.
Certainly, those with differing opinions were mostly fans of "The Legend of An Hua" or actresses like Wen Xuan.
In the eyes of some fans, people like He Youkun are the "black sheep" of "The Legend of An Hua." They might even consider them sent by the opposing side of "Spring's Warmth and Rich Dew" aiming to tarnish the reputation of "The Legend of An Hua."
【Just watching a sweet and enjoyable TV show, do you really need to take it so seriously?】
【Heh, I just love 'The Legend of An Hua,' and I will watch it no matter how much you criticize it.】
【'The Legend of An Hua' has a fictional historical background. It's not a documentary. Why should it strictly follow the conditions of ancient times? It's fiction, you know!】
【Even if the 'black sheep' keep making a fuss, I won't watch 'Spring's Warmth and Rich Dew.' heh.】
The army of fans quickly gathered, and the primary target was naturally the video blogger He Youkun.
The comments section under the video was soon filled with opposing voices, and some fans even started using strong language.
This action didn't effectively defend "The Legend of An Hua." Instead, it stirred significant displeasure among many people.
Some neutral viewers couldn't stand it and immediately argued with the fans.
【You admit it's just a brainless sweet TV show. When we criticize 'The Legend of An Hua' for being brainless, why are you getting so defensive?】
【Is there a possibility that in this world, apart from haters and fans, there's another group called the audience? (smile.jpg)】
【Nobody's saying they can't make a sweet and Mary Sue TV show! A show can be Mary Sue, but the problem is that promoting an attitude that glamorizes the extravagant life in brothels isn't acceptable.】
【If this show's 'fictional history' were completely fictional, then any portrayal wouldn't matter. But the issue is that 90% of this 'fictional history' is based on ancient Huaguo! How can such 'fictionalization' not mislead others?】
【Some fans with impaired judgment and reasonable criticism ≠ overhyping things, get it?】
Both sides exchanged arguments, and the dispute quickly escalated.
As a result, the related topic's popularity continued to rise, eventually trending on social media.
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