Tian Xiwei and Hu Yitian's 'Genius Girlfriend' Criticized for Radical Adaptation! Most Heavily Altered Chinese Drama Tops the List — Book Fans Can't Recognize It, Even Wu Lei and Lin Yun Can't Save It

The Chinese drama 'Genius, My Girlfriend,' starring Tian Xiwei and Hu Yitian, has come under fire since its premiere for significant deviations in character portrayal from the original novel, prompting accusations of being another 'heavily altered adaptation' and reigniting discussions about the long-standing issue of Chinese drama adaptations. From 'Battle Through the Heavens' with its infamous 'fighting qi turning into horses,' to 'Wu Dong Qian Kun' shifting from热血 cultivation to romantic entanglements, and 'Qing Yun Zhi' and 'You Fei' redistributing character arcs, many popular IPs, once adapted for screen, retain little more than character names from their original source.

This article compiles a top 10 list of the most criticized 'heavily altered' Chinese dramas, based on the original IP's popularity, extent of plot changes, volume of negative fan feedback, and duration of controversy.

10th: Wang Hedi and Tian Xiwei in 'The Night Watch' Adapted from the male-oriented web novel of the same name by Mai Bao Xiao Lang Jun, 'The Night Watch' stars Wang Hedi as Xu Qi'an and Tian Xiwei as Princess Lin'an. The story follows a modern man who transmigrates into the Da Feng dynasty, using logic, modern knowledge, and cultivation talent to solve cases and gradually gets entangled in power struggles between the imperial court, sects, and supernatural forces. The drama amplifies the light comedy tone, transforming Xu Qi'an from the original's cunning, strategic protagonist into an exaggerated comedic figure with overt expressions and gestures.

Some novel fans argue that too much screen time is devoted to slapstick humor, weakening the case-solving, cultivation system, and political intrigue. Viewers have stated, 'You didn't properly adapt the serious plot elements the novel had,' and criticized key supporting characters' core traits being rewritten. For audiences unfamiliar with the novel, it's an entertaining historical comedy; for fans expecting a male-oriented detective thriller, it feels like a completely different story merely borrowing character names.

9th: Huang Xiaoming and Song Qian in 'Ancient Love Poetry' Based on Tong Hua's novel 'Once Promised,' starring Huang Xiaoming as Chiyun and Song Qian as Mu Qingmo, the drama depicts a tragic romance between a warrior and a royal princess, hindered by family politics, arranged marriages, and tribal wars. 'Once Promised' is also the prequel to 'Lost You Forever,' with deep connections to the parents of Xiao Yao. However, the drama changed nearly all character and location names, rendering the original mythological backdrop and character relationships unrecognizable.

After 'Lost You Forever' gained popularity, many novel fans revisited this adaptation, calling for a proper remake of 'Once Promised.' At the time, viewers described the experience as 'garbage film, run away fast,' lamenting that the original's grand mythological scale and tragic fate were reduced to exaggerated costumes, idol-style romance, and repetitive misunderstandings. Acting performances also drew criticism, turning the novel's profound weight into a drawn-out historical melodrama.

8th: Lei Jiayin, Zhang Zifeng, and Zhang Xincheng in 'A Lifelong Journey' Adapted from Chang Er's novel of the same name, starring Lei Jiayin as Lin Zhaosheng, Zhang Zifeng as Lin Chaoxi, and Zhang Xincheng as Pei Zhi. The story centers on mathematics, family, and parallel worlds, following Lin Chaoxi, who lacks confidence in life, as she enters another world to confront her mathematical talent, her father's illness, and her life choices. About half of the drama's content is rewritten, with significant changes to Pei Zhi's motivation for crossing worlds, Lin Chaoxi's romantic subplot, and Lin Zhaosheng's backstory.

The most unacceptable change for novel fans is the portrayal of Pei Zhi as someone interfering in another world solely to save his parents, undermining his original rationality, pride, and restraint. Some viewers bluntly stated the drama 'has nothing to do with the original,' while others felt the novel's themes of talent, effort, and life choices were replaced with excessive confessions, misunderstandings, and emotional drama, turning an inspiring, restrained story into a youth romance.

7th: Yang Yang and Zhao Lusi in 'The Legend of Anle' Adapted from Qing Leng Yue's novel, starring Yang Yang as Hei Fengxi and Zhao Lusi as Bai Fengxi. In the original, both protagonists are peerless martial artists and royal heirs, with their romance built on equal strength, mutual testing, and competing for supremacy. The drama, however, adds extensive royal succession conflicts, palace intrigues, and father-son distrust, dedicating much screen time to the male lead's royal lineage.

Many viewers joked the drama should be renamed 'The Legend of Yong Prefecture,' as despite claiming to compete for the world, most of the plot revolves around internal power struggles in Yong Prefecture. The noble and pure character Yu Wuyuan is turned into a hidden antagonist, angering fans who asked, 'Does there have to be a villain to make the protagonist look noble?' With Bai Fengxi's abilities and political arcs compressed, the original balanced dual-power narrative is criticized for becoming a male-centered political drama.

6th: Xiao Zhan and Wu Xuanyi in 'Soul Land' Adapted from Tang Jia San Shao's novel, starring Xiao Zhan as Tang San and Wu Xuanyi as Xiao Wu. In the original, Tang San is a Tang Sect disciple who reincarnates into the Douluo world with past-life memories, using hidden weapons techniques, dual martial souls, and cultivation experience to grow stronger. The drama removes Tang San's past-life background and Tang Sect origins, altering his knowledge source, personality, and motivations. Many character relationships and story sequences are also rearranged.

Some fans remarked that if the drama had a different title, they might have accepted it, but using 'Soul Land' while keeping only character names and partial settings is unacceptable. Netizens criticized that 'the plot is unrecognizable even to original fans,' and some called the live-action version a historical comedy with minimal special effects. The already-established world and character images from the animated version intensified comparisons and backlash.

5th: Zhang Zhixi and Tong Mengshi in 'Bright as the Clouds' Adapted from Xi Zi Qing's novel 'The Proud Princess Consort,' starring Zhang Zhixi as Yun Qianyue and Tong Mengshi as Rong Jing. The drama follows a modern web novelist who enters her own story as Yun Qianyue, entangled in romance and court politics with the cunning prince Rong Jing. The female lead's background, transmigration method, personality, and political capabilities are all rewritten, with major discrepancies in character relationships and romantic development.

Fans angrily criticized the adaptation as 'completely ruined,' noting that Yun Qianyue, originally bold, intelligent, and strategic, was turned into a loud, impulsive idol drama heroine. Rong Jing, originally calm and cunning, lost his hidden intensity. Viewers stated that anyone familiar with the original characters would realize the drama 'failed to portray them,' making casting and script major points of controversy.

4th: Zhao Liying and Wang Yibo in 'You Are My Hero' Adapted from Priest's novel 'You Fei,' starring Zhao Liying as Zhou Fei and Wang Yibo as Xie Yun. The original follows Zhou Fei, heir to the Southern Saber, as she leaves the Forty-Eight Forts to roam the martial world, honing her skills and protecting the people in a chaotic era, eventually becoming a legendary master. During filming, controversies arose over supporting characters getting more screen time and the female lead's key moments being split. After Zhao Liying posted a comparison image of the 'original burger' versus 'adapted burger,' the adaptation issues sparked widespread debate.

After airing, many classic scenes were cut, and Zhou Fei's growth arc—rescuing people, training, and mastering martial arts—was compressed, while supporting subplots and romance took up excessive screen time. Fans described it as 'desecrating the original,' feeling the novel's chivalrous spirit of 'protecting the nation and its people' was lost, turning into an idol drama lacking martial world atmosphere. Despite the leads' popularity, criticism from novel fans over the script and production remained intense.

3rd: Li Yifeng, Zhao Liying, and Yang Zi in 'Qing Yun Zhi' Adapted from Xiao Ding's novel 'Zhu Xian,' starring Li Yifeng as Zhang Xiaofan, Zhao Liying as Bi Yao, and Yang Zi as Lu Xueqi. The original explores the boundaries between good and evil, faith collapse, and moral choices through Zhang Xiaofan's growth and descent into darkness. The drama, however, adds extensive youth camaraderie, mutual rescues, and romantic tension, while reworking Lu Xueqi's role and romantic arc.

Viewers criticized that distinct characters from the novel became distorted, with Zhang Xiaofan losing his quiet resilience and Lu Xueqi reduced to a cold secondary character. The complex conflict between righteous and demonic sects was simplified into a youth adventure. Fans stated the script 'stripped away the essence of Zhu Xian,' and the added romantic entanglements obscured the original's core. Years after airing, it remains a frequently cited example of poor adaptation.

2nd: Yang Yang and Zhang Tian'ai in 'Wu Dong Qian Kun' Adapted from Tian Can Tu Dou's novel, starring Yang Yang as Lin Dong, Zhang Tian'ai as Ying Huanhuan, and Wang Likun as Ling Qingzhu. The original follows Lin Dong, from a minor branch, who gains an ancestral stone and rises from obscurity to become the guardian of the realm. The drama drastically alters Lin Dong's personality, Lin Langtian's identity, female characters' romantic dynamics, and the cultivation process. The director used a realistic historical drama approach to repackage the fantasy world, weakening the original's satisfying progression.

The most frequent criticism is the excessive focus on romantic entanglements, while Lin Dong's cultivation, treasure hunting, and breakthroughs are rushed. Many fans felt the drama lost the 'upgrade and conquer' thrill of the original.