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When Princess Pearl [Huan Zhu Ge Ge] came out in 1998, Xiaoyanzi and Yongqi became an instant favorite pairing of C-dramas. Their appeal is apparent no matter what generation of drama-viewers you are from.
A headstrong and free-spirited princess and a prince who looks for adventure beyond his royal life. The appeal of their romance relies on the innocence of heart and the youth’s optimism they represent. But of course, the 2011 remake just had to go ahead and… erm… “add more depth” to this golden dynamic, because it is totally the job of remakes to digress and fix what was never wrong about the original.
*SPOILERS AHEAD
In the remake of Princess Pearl [2011], we have a new addition to the protagonist group: an English painter who works in Qianlong’s imperial palace – Benjamin. Yes, the Benjamin with a tiny, tiny role that takes up about 70% of total screentime.
He too falls in love with the heroine Xiaoyanzi, but due to the fact that Xiaoyanzi and Yongqi are canon, Benjamin is left heartbroken in the end.
And the reason I say “Xiaoyanzi and Yongqi are canon” is because that is their only justification. Watching Princess Pearl [2011] as an entirely individual drama, separate from the source material, the new Yongqi becomes an unsuitable choice for Xiaoyanzi for multiple reasons, the very reasons that elevate Benjamin’s role. I mean… besides the fact that Zhang Rui ‘s acting is all-time bizarre.
It’s pretty impossible to tell whether he’s happy, angry, nervous, about to throw a tandrum at his mom, or just hungry.
It is surprising how we even made it to the end of this drama, but that is another story.
So here we go, the reasons why they should have just let our fearless heroine be with the English painter in this new version and let the Xiaoyanzi/Yongqi ship be the trademark of the original:
BENJAMIN’S PERSONALITY IS IDENTICAL TO YONGQI’S
Why have two guys who are the same fall in love with the heroine?
Yongqi is noble, so is Ben. Yongqi is caring and creative, so is Ben. Yongqi is a little childish and adventurous, SO IS BEN. Whatever Yongqi is, we see it in Benjamin first because, let me repeat it: the screentime given to Benjamin is equal to that of any protagonist here.
BUT DIFFERENT FROM YONGQI, BENJAMIN RETAINS HIS PERSONALITY
As drama throws tragedies at them, Yongqi’s character becomes revolved around a single purpose: fighting and fighting to be with Xiaoyanzi. And in the process, his own unique traits fade into the background; and he is no longer the goofy and caring Yongqi that we love, but only the man who fights really hard for Xiaoyanzi.
In the meantime, Benjamin remains himself. He struggles to balance his affection for Xiaoyanzi and his friendship with Yongqi, but does not lose his interests or purpose. What Ben is introduced to have, he still has; while Yongqi, I guess, turns out to have chronic breathing issues — because gasping is all he does in response to his problems.
WITH BENJAMIN, XIAOYANZI IS WHAT SHE IS
A kind, persistent, inspirational young heroine we can all look up to – which, needless to say, is the point of Huan Zhu Ge Ge in the first place.
In this remake, instead of being the innocent and optimistic couple that complement Ziwei and Erkang, Xiaoyanzi and Yongqi become a tearful and tragic pairing on the verge of jumping down a cliff together.
The whole palace doesn’t want them together. Another woman successfully gets in between them. Yongqi’s mother is that mom-figure no one wants to see in a drama.
The amount of melodrama Xiaoyanzi and Yongqi bring to the screen makes Ziwei and Erkang look like the FUN couple.
The heavy focus on these issues overwhelms the core qualities of Xiaoyanzi and Yongqi. In the end, they become the dullest and least likeable versions of themselves due to the terrible writing obstacles they went through. Yongqi berates his mother and leaves his wife and NEWBORN SON to chase after Xiaoyanzi. Xiaoyanzi is reduced to the gullible “other woman” who moons over this guy.
And that is sold to us as “true love conquers all.”
With Benjamin, however, Xiaoyanzi almost always appears to be happy, wide-eyed curious, generous — EVERYTHING that her character stands for. They are both fish out of the water, they find support from one another have a lot in common and can hold a conversation for five minutes without the weird, forced “romantic” tension that suffocates the audience.
But of course, that’s just not enough. Because a guy needs to give up everything he has for the girl he loves in order for a romance to sell, even his identity and moral compass.
BENJAMIN IS ALWAYS THERE
Nothing makes a ship more than interaction given in the correct dose, and that is what Benjamin has with Xiaoyanzi: just enough interaction that leaves the relationship intriguing to viewers.
He helps her communicate with Ziwei, makes her gifts, pats her on the back when she does something right, grows up with her, and contradicts her when necessary. He knows when to approach and when to back off. He doesn’t force kisses on her.
Basically, he’s always where a male lead is supposed to be and he is usually there before Yongqi.
So… why is he not the male lead?
Could Benjamin and Xiaoyanzi have been friends? Yes, I fully support friendship between male and female characters: Ruoxi and the Thirteenth Prince [Scarlet Heart] are one of the best duos on screen, and they’re friends. Feng Zhiwei and Gu Nanyi [Rise of Phoenixes] are the definition of adorable, they are friends. Jiuchen and Qingyao [Love and Destiny] make more sense than the drama they’re in, they are friends.
But this story engages Benjamin in the most unnecessary love-triangle ever and accidentally makes him a much better fit for Xiaoyanzi than the male lead himself and also a better CHARACTER.
Watching this drama, my main question is not “why isn’t Xiaoyanzi with Ben?”, it is rather “why is Xiaoyanzi with Yongqi?”.
[Besides the question “why did they do a remake?”, that is.]
Yes, Benjamin and Xiaoyanzi are also… bizarre sometimes, and I am not a big fan of his musical productions. But nothing they do can be more bizarre than Yongqi’s storyline.
However, I would like to assure you all that I like a few things about Xiaoyanzi and Yongqi in this new version too.