'Is it really her?' Fans can't recognise Joe Chen in new Chinese drama

If Joe Chen ever wanted to remain incognito, she might have just figured out how.

In images shared on Weibo, Joe's new role in Chinese fantasy drama Wu Geng Ji has netizens second-guessing who they're looking at.

The images, released by the official Weibo account of the drama, show the 44-year-old Taiwanese actress dressed in a light purple period costume while sporting hair with an even lighter shade of purple.

While Joe's costume is unique, fans and netizens are having a hard time recognising her.

"To be honest, if it wasn't for the text identifying the actress as Joe, I wouldn't recognise her," a user wrote on Weibo. "Joe doesn't look like this, this picture is worthless!"

Said another: "Why doesn't this image feel like it's representing Joe at all?"

A hashtag for "Joe Chen is unrecognisable" is currently trending on Weibo, with over 13.8 million views and over 214 comments.

'Prince turned into a frog'

While Joe's appearance in the promo images sparked an "identity crisis", the looks of another actor in the same show left some disappointed.

Ming Dao, who is making a guest appearance in Wu Geng Ji, had some netizens poking fun at him.

In the official drama photos, he's dressed in a gaudy gold outfit with golden, horn-like shoulder pauldrons and also had a vertical eye on his forehead with gold veins spreading out from it.

The 43-year-old Taiwanese actor had a visible scowl written across his face, the corners of his lips curved downwards in a stern frown.

"There really is a prince that turned into a frog," one user said, alluding to how Ming Dao's hit drama which he co-starred with Joe in 2005.

Another netizen wrote: "Both of them (Joe and Ming Dao) have turned into frogs! But what's happened to Joe… I can't even recognise her."

ALSO READ: 'Is it holding a human brain?' Joe Chen gets imaginative while sightseeing in Singapore with husband

khooyihang@asiaone.com

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