Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo's 'The Untamed' Loses! The Top 10 'Reputation Reversal' Mainland Dramas: Mocked by the Entire Network Before Broadcast, Directly Reversed and Deified After Broadcast

The discussion volume before the broadcast of mainland dramas does not necessarily mean they will receive good reviews after the broadcast; similarly, a work that is not highly regarded may reverse its evaluation through actors' performances and the pacing of the drama. In recent years, there have been many mainland dramas that have been questioned when their casting, costume photos, or trailers were announced. Some were concerned that the actors did not match the original characters, while others thought the production scale was too small. However, after the official broadcast, they gradually accumulated good word-of-mouth and even became annual hit works.

Which mainland dramas had the largest gap in reputation before and after the broadcast? Below, we have compiled a list of the top 10 mainland dramas that had the most improved reputation after the broadcast, based on positive volume from Weibo, Douban short reviews, discussion areas, audience recommendation degree, and the difference in evaluation before and after the broadcast.

10th Place: Yu Shuxin and Ding Yuxi's 'Eternal Night Galaxy' 'Eternal Night Galaxy' tells the story of Ling Miaomiao accidentally entering a novel world and becoming the supporting character Lin Yu in the book. To return to the real world, she not only has to survive until the end of the story but also has to win over Mu Sheng, who has a very low favorability towards her, and embark on a demon-hunting adventure with Mu Yao, Liu Fuyi, and others. Yu Shuxin plays the clever and lively Ling Miaomiao, while Ding Yuxi plays the half-demon Mu Sheng, who appears obedient but is actually sensitive and ruthless. Initially, they are wary of each other, but gradually they see each other's true hearts, moving from testing and utilizing each other to understanding and protecting each other. Before the broadcast of 'Eternal Night Galaxy,' Yu Shuxin's voice and Ding Yuxi's casting were questioned, but after the broadcast, their role interactions became the most discussed highlight among viewers. Netizens commented: 'The first episode was unexpectedly good,' 'The pace is fast, and the setting is interesting,' 'I really underestimated Ding Yuxi.' Many people initially thought this was just a common 'book crossing' theme, but after watching a few episodes, they discovered that the drama's task settings, comedic pacing, and character growth all have their unique features.

9th Place: Wu Lei and Zhao Lusi's 'Starry Sky' Zhao Lusi plays Cheng Shaoshang, who was left with her grandmother from a young age and lacks parental care. She appears mischievous but is actually very insecure; Wu Lei plays Ling Buyi, a young general burdened with family blood feuds. The two meet through family conflicts and court crises, moving from testing each other to mutual redemption, gradually uncovering Ling Buyi's long-hidden identity secrets. When 'Starry Sky' first aired, some viewers complained that the early family drama was too much, and the male and female leads had little progress, so the reviews were not consistent. However, as Cheng Shaoshang's growth line and Ling Buyi's identity gradually unfolded, the discussion direction slowly changed. Netizens praised: 'Wu Lei and Zhao Lusi have great chemistry,' 'The plot unfolds layer by layer, the more you watch, the more flavorful it becomes,' 'It is one of the few ancient costume love dramas in recent years that people are willing to slowly follow.' In addition to the male and female leads' love line, the interactions and conflicts among the Cheng family also make the whole story more lively.

8th Place: Jing Tian and Zhang Binbin's 'Si Teng' Jing Tian plays Si Teng, who wakes up after decades of sleep, beautiful and proud, with a guarded attitude towards the human world; Zhang Binbin plays the young designer Qin Fang, who accidentally wakes up Si Teng while searching for his family roots and is drawn into her investigation of her identity. The two gradually build trust during the investigation of past secrets and discover that their destinies have already been connected. Jing Tian's past acting evaluations were quite polarized, so when 'Si Teng' announced its casting, many original readers did not have high expectations. After the drama aired, her cheongsam costumes, cold and arrogant demeanor, and Si Teng's personality were very well matched, changing many viewers' opinions. Netizens said: 'Jing Tian really chose the right role this time,' 'Original readers can also accept it,' 'The visuals and actors are much better than expected.' The aloofness of Si Teng might have become a limitation for acting, but in this role, it just became the most memorable feature.

7th Place: Zeng Shunxi and Xiao Yuliang's 'Ultimate Notes' 'Ultimate Notes' continues the story of the 'Tomb Raider Notes' series. After receiving a mysterious video tape signed by Zhang Qiling, Wu Xia independently heads to the Qaidam Sanatorium in Qinghai and meets up with Zhang Qiling, Xie Yushen, and others during the investigation. They delve into the Queen Mother of the West's palace in search of the truth, and then, due to Zhang Qiling's memory loss and Wu Sanxing's disappearance, continue to investigate the secrets of the Zhang family's ancient tower and the Nine Gates. Zeng Shunxi plays Wu Xia, who still retains innocence and kindness; Xiao Yuliang plays Zhang Qiling, who is silent and strong. Since the 'Tomb Raider Notes' series has had multiple adaptations, 'Ultimate Notes' was not highly anticipated before its broadcast, and the young cast was also questioned whether they could carry the original characters. After the broadcast, viewers discovered that the story's pacing was fast, and the important plots were relatively complete. Netizens commented: 'I completely changed my mind after watching the third episode,' 'Finally, there is a version that doesn't drag on,' 'This should be the version closest to the original work's style.' Zeng Shunxi and Xiao Yuliang may not be everyone's first choice for Wu Xia and Zhang Qiling, but as the plot progresses, their performances gradually let the book fans accept them.

6th Place: Meng Zi Yi and Li Yun Rui's 'Nine Layers of Purple' Meng Zi Yi plays Dou Zhao, who, after experiencing marital betrayal and family changes, returns to her youth. With the memories of her past life, she decides to change her original life trajectory, protect the business left by her mother, and no longer be a puppet of the family. Li Yun Rui plays Song Mo, who is deeply involved in the mystery of family changes and is eager to clarify the injustice of the Dingguo Gong lineage. The two initially have their own purposes, starting from a cooperative relationship of mutual testing, gradually becoming partners who can break through difficulties together and face court and family crises. Before the broadcast of 'Nine Layers of Purple,' the promotional volume was not high, and there were also doubts about whether Meng Zi Yi and Li Yun Rui could support the themes of reincarnation, family struggles, and power struggles. After the broadcast, the smooth pacing and the mature cooperative relationship between the male and female leads made it an unexpected dark horse of the season. Viewers thought: 'The picture quality is more exquisite than imagined,' 'There are few ancient costume dramas that I don't want to fast-forward,' 'The male and female leads deal with things together, which is comfortable to watch.' Unlike repeated misunderstandings and tug-of-war, Dou Zhao and Song Mo are more like real partners who can face difficulties side by side, which also left a good impression on many viewers.

5th Place: Cheng Yi and Yuan Bing Yan's 'Luli' Yuan Bing Yan plays Chu Xuanji, who is born with defective six senses and does not understand love; Cheng Yi plays Yu Sifeng, a disciple of Lize Palace, who appears restrained and calm but is emotionally very deep. The two face demons, sect conflicts, and past-life conspiracies together during their trials, and Xuanji gradually regains her sensory abilities and discovers her true identity. When the casting of 'Luli' was announced, Cheng Yi and Yuan Bing Yan's costumes were criticized by some original readers, and many were also concerned that the xianxia theme would fall into the same pattern. After the broadcast, Cheng Yi's delicate emotional expressions became the focus of discussion. Netizens said: 'Yu Sifeng's eyes are very dramatic,' 'I originally just watched casually, but later I was completely attracted by the role,' 'Cheng Yi performed Yu Sifeng's grievances and deep emotions very convincingly.' What viewers cared about in the end was not the initially criticized costumes but Yu Sifeng's repeated suppression of emotions and still choosing to protect Xuanji.

4th Place: Peng Xiaoran and Chen Xingxu's 'Donggong' Peng Xiaoran plays the bright and cheerful Princess Xifeng of the Western State; Chen Xingxu plays Li Chengyin, the fifth prince of the Feng Dynasty, who, in order to complete a political mission, approaches Xifeng under the alias 'Gu Xiaowu'. Their love story begins in the desert but, due to political calculations, the Danchi clan's revenge, and memory loss in the River of Forgetfulness, gradually heads towards an irreparable tragedy. Li Chengyin is the one Xifeng loves the deepest, but also the one who destroys her life. When the casting of 'Donggong' was announced, neither Peng Xiaoran nor Chen Xingxu had high fame, and the costume photos did not immediately gain the recognition of the original readers. After the official broadcast, the desert scenes, the red-clad Xifeng, and Li Chengyin's complex emotional changes gradually reversed the evaluation. Netizens commented: 'I didn't expect it, but I ended up binge-watching several episodes,' 'Xifeng really has a princess aura,' 'Chen Xingxu performed Li Chengyin in a way that makes you both angry and reluctant to let go.' The two actors successfully made the more extreme emotions in the book believable, and let the audience, even knowing the story would end in tragedy, still couldn't help but continue watching.

3rd Place: Su Xiaotong and Wang Ziqi's 'The Coroner' Su Xiaotong plays Chu Chu, who comes from a coroner family and goes to Chang'an alone to take the coroner exam. She is not good at complex human relationships but is very sensitive to autopsies and cases; Wang Ziqi plays An Junwang Xiao Jinyou, who is in charge of the Three Laws, is calm and polite, and is good at analyzing clues. The two start cooperating from the relationship of examiner and examinee and gradually uncover the truth of a major case that has lasted for eighteen years. 'The Coroner' does not have high-profile actors, and its production scale is not large. When it was first released, it did not attract much attention. However, as the story unfolded, the performances of the actors and the depth of the plot gradually won over the audience. Netizens said: 'The acting is very realistic,' 'The plot is not clichéd,' 'The chemistry between the male and female leads is very good.' The interaction between the two leads and the supporting characters also added more layers to the story.

2nd Place: Zhang Ruoyun and Zhang Zifeng's 'The Longest Promise' Zhang Ruoyun plays the young and innocent Princess Linglong; Zhang Zifeng plays the cold and calculating Prince Jing of the Great Zhou Dynasty. The two meet in the desert and fall in love, but due to political intrigue and personal revenge, their love story ends in tragedy. Before the broadcast, the casting of 'The Longest Promise' was questioned, and the costume photos did not immediately gain the recognition of the original readers. However, after the official broadcast, the desert scenes and the complex emotional changes of the two leads gradually reversed the evaluation. Netizens commented: 'I didn't expect it, but I ended up binge-watching several episodes,' 'Princess Linglong is really charming,' 'Zhang Zifeng performed Prince Jing in a way that makes you both angry and reluctant to let go.' The two actors successfully made the more extreme emotions in the book believable, and let the audience, even knowing the story would end in tragedy, still couldn't help but continue watching.

1st Place: Liu Yifei and Hu Ge's 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes' Liu Yifei plays Yang Guo, who is raised by a group of beggars and falls in love with Xiaolongnu; Hu Ge plays Guo Jing, who is trained by Yang Kang and becomes a hero of the Jianghu. The two meet in the desert and fall in love, but due to political intrigue and personal revenge, their love story ends in tragedy. Before the broadcast, the casting of 'The Legend of the Condor Heroes' was questioned, and the costume photos did not immediately gain the recognition of the original readers. However, after the official broadcast, the desert scenes and the complex emotional changes of the two leads gradually reversed the evaluation. Netizens commented: 'I didn't expect it, but I ended up binge-watching several episodes,' 'Yang Guo and Xiaolongnu's love story is really touching,' 'Hu Ge performed Guo Jing in a way that makes you both angry and reluctant to let go.' The two actors successfully made the more extreme emotions in the book believable, and let the audience, even knowing the story would end in tragedy, still couldn't help but continue watching.