Gossip mill: Liu Yifei's new drama has too many kissing scenes, Billie Eilish allegedly whitewashed by Korean show, 'well-known' Korean actor charged with rape

Liu Yifei's new drama has too many kissing scenes for viewers

Chinese-American actress Liu Yifei is playing the titular character Rosie in new C-drama The Tale of Rose.

Based on a novel of the same name by Hong Kong author Isabel Nee Yeh-su, the drama follows Rosie from youth to middle age in her relationships, career and life.

However, some viewers were reportedly put off by the show and even decided to drop it after too many kissing scenes — the first four episodes alone reportedly showed 27 — between Yifei and actor Peng Guanying, who plays Rosie's first love Zhuang Guodong.

A Weibo comment on a clip from episode nine of the show read: "Why are they still kissing? Can the next male lead please appear?"

Chinese media reported screenwriter Li Xiao's (transliteration) response to the criticism: "I want to say that this story is not about my first love, your first love, nor anyone else's. It's Rosie's first love."

She added: "In addition to being equally interesting and intellectual, the characters must also be very compatible physically and attractive to each other."

The Tale of Rose, available on Viu, also stars Lin Gengxin, also known as Kenny Lin, as Rosie's husband Fang Xiewen, and Wallace Huo as Rosie's "soulmate" Fu Jiaming.

Billie Eilish allegedly whitewashed by Korean show

A South Korean TV show has come under fire for allegedly whitewashing Billie Eilish — already a white woman — to look even paler.

The 22-year-old singer-songwriter was there on a press tour for her new album Hit Me Hard And Soft, which included an interview on KBS music talk show The Seasons: Zico's Artist hosted by rapper Zico.

However, a teaser image of Billie's appearance has sparked controversy after a filter was seemingly used to make her look ghostly white.

"They whitewashed Billie Eilish, I'm crying," an X user wrote on June 22, sharing the photo.

Comparing it to another screengrab of Billie on the same show with a more natural skin tone, they added: "Let's be serious, that's not 'stage lighting'."

for the korean in the quotes let’s be serious 😭 that’s not « stage lighting » pic.twitter.com/pFNDu4eO9N

— amel ꪜ CHIHIRO (@eilishsuga) June 22, 2024

Another X user replied with a sobbing emoji: "Whitewashing the most translucent person in existence is so crazy."

whitewashing the most translucent person in existence is so crazy😭 https://t.co/xtFKuqIVIT

— mara (@idleavealone) June 20, 2024

Meanwhile, Billie herself has faced backlash for a clip from The Seasons where she referred to Zico as "this one" instead of his name.

"Could've just nicely subtly asked for his name again on the show even if she forgot," a comment on Instagram read.

Another netizen wrote: "'This one'? I really hope that wasn't because she came on the show and didn't learn the host's two-syllable name."

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/C8gJFLdyLYQ/[/embed]

Earlier this year, Zendaya and Tom Holland also visited South Korea on a press tour for Dune: Part Two, and media outlet TV Report faced backlash for lightening the African-American actress' skin in photos.

"Whitewashed and heart finger — K-popification of Zendaya unnie (older sister) is real," a Redditor joked.

Another commented: "Omg, this is uncanny valley."

'Well-known' Korean actor charged with rape

A South Korean actor who was teaching at an acting school has been charged with sexual assault of his student, JTBC News show Scandal Supervisor reported recently.

The victim had attended a "fairly large acting academy" for about a year, and in October 2023, had bought the unnamed actor a birthday present along with fellow students. In turn, the alleged perpetrator invited her and two other students over to his home, where they were encouraged to drink alcohol.

Attorney Yang Ji-yeol, one of the panelists on the show, added that the perpetrator is "an award-winning and well-known actor whose face appears on TV".

The victim's father told the show that the actor sent the other two students home first, telling them that he would offer some "counselling" to the victim and send her home afterwards.

He allegedly then assaulted the victim, telling her to perform sexual acts with him to waive three months of unpaid tuition fees to the acting academy.

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Scandal Supervisor also showed a heavily-censored clip, allegedly filmed by the victim, of the actor kneeling in his underwear.

He can be heard saying: "I love you, so I'm really sorry. I misunderstood, can't you understand me? Can't you forgive me just once? I feel like I'm really going to die."

Meanwhile, the victim can be heard saying things like "I thought you were a real teacher" and "What are you misunderstanding? I said it twice!"

The actor denied the accusations to the Scandal Supervisor team, claiming there was "no sexual intercourse" and that the video was "misleading" with "various circumstances" preceding and following it.

He has also been reportedly charged with violating South Korea's Youth Protection Act and for rape, but has not been detained and continues to teach at the academy.

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drimac@asiaone.com

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