(no subject)

I slept on it and I still want to say it, so controversial opinion: I think it's natural to compare WOH to CQL, as a touchstone of a recent Chinese danmei adaptation that has made it relatively big in the anglosphere. 

 

I don't care about the particular article, but this sort of thing has been backlashed MULTIPLE times in the last few months, and there's something in the shape of the backlash that's been a little weird to me. Like, yes, it's frustrating when someone who doesn't know basic genre differences acts as if they were an expert. It's an easy dunk to make! 

 

Leaving aside the question of simplification for a popular audience, there are still huge similarities between the two, especially for an audience that isn't already super familiar with the genres in question? Like, Vorvayne pointed out, even if the only thing in common they have is that they're Chinese, this is... a pretty significant common factor? Culturally, narratively, historically, that's a lot of commonality that is notable to an anglophone audience. They also are relatively recent danmei adaptations that have gained huge popularity both in and out of China; it's kind of weird to say that they HAVEN'T been influenced by each other. I know the wuxia vs xianxia divide is strongly defended, but they are adjacent genres, even if they aren't in direct conversation.

 

I hate reading facile articles, and I'm hardly going to consider this kind of article / twitter comparison / what have you as recommended reading. I too would rather read that article by an expert who has the background to make interesting comparisons and delve more deeply than any of these pop articles do! Erin has much to say about WHY we don't get those Good Articles and how difficult it's been to get anyone expert to write ONE article on CQL, but all I have to contribute on that is: the Bad Take gets the views. 

 

In conclusion, GOT is a super weird comparison to make for WOH, but CQL feels to me, not only a natural comparison point, but also a justifiable one? These comparisons are made to sell the show to a new audience!