(no subject)

[superborb]

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! 

Comments

[rekishi]

I have so many questions about this, but may main takeaway is: people are comparing GoT with WoH?????

[superborb]

I think this article compared WoH with CQL, TGCF, and GoT?? IDK, of the three CQL feels quite justifiable lmao

[rekishi]

Now I have to clarify, is GoT = Game of Thrones?

Because that is not like the others.

I have to admit to you, I have not even logged into RSS the last few months, let alone looked at tumblr, so I have no clue what's going on atm. (It also feels like I don't want that sort of discourse.)

I agree with you though, just looking at it, it's very easy to compare the two! Even for me, though I know intellectually the genres are different, factually everyone sees swords and martial arts and nice Chinese landscapes, why should it not be compared?

[superborb]

Yes hahaha.

It just feels like this argument over comparing WoH to CQL has happened like 5x already, and the backlash is-- not positioned to argue or teach anything? IDK

[rekishi]

I don't even know where to start where comparing WoH with GoT is wrong.

Yeah, I believe it has been made (as I'm not even monitoring tumblr right now - let alone twitter - my exposure to the wank had gone down dramatically) repeatedly and none of the die hards are willing to accept that a stalemate exists and will not be resolved.

[goss]

*g* In my mind it's like comparing Marvel to DC, or Stargate to Star Trek, or whatever. Nothing wrong with it. People who like stuff in one, will actually recognize and possibly like similar stuff in the other.

It's totally fun to compare and contrast. But then some *other* people like to turn everything into a competition, and of course when you do that no one wins. :b

These comparisons are made to sell the show to a new audience!

*nods* And from what I have come to understand, pitting one Chinese drama or actor against the other seems to something that's actively egged on by TPTB to generate hype and grow their audience. (So not my thing. *shudder*)

[superborb]

Mmm, well, the argument is that they're different genres, unlike those examples, and them being different genres is somewhat of a sensitive point. Ungenerously, the first comparison to my mind is how bros will strictly differentiate hard vs soft SF. ^^; But that is a little mean of me.

[goss]

Yeah, I think just like the hard and soft sci-fi comparison - it is possible to like both, and enjoy both their similarities and differences in terms of genre. :)

[superborb]

For sure!

[spatz]

Weirdly, WOH reminded me of Guardian more than anything - mostly re: my personal reaction to it being 'this plot is nonsense and full of MacGuffins, but this romance is gorgeous', which perhaps is less weird when I remember they're both based on Priest novels lol. WOH had vastly better production values and CGI, thankfully :D Very different beast from CQL, though.

In conclusion, GOT is a super weird comparison to make for WOH

I mean, it's got the 'everybody who's playing politics is terrible', but if GOT is their first reference point for that, they haven't seen enough cdramas.

[superborb]

I do not think the people making the comparisons (or the intended audience) have seen a lot of cdramas, no. Haha!