Zhao Liying's office recently reposted an old interview of the actress at the time of starring in "Princess Agents", with the caption: "Time repeats itself, no disappointment to faith, Sở tâm as before". This move quickly attracted attention, because the time coincided with the time part 2 of the movie was being broadcast.
Not long after that, the official account of the Ho Trong Sinh Gang project - which is part 2 of the film - also posted implicit content: "In front of others, it's hard to maintain face, behind you it's hard to be a decent person... Living in chaos, everyone has to rely on acting, who doesn't have two faces?" This post was later deleted, further raising suspicions of "response" back and forth.
On forums, many opinions suggest that the two sides are taking retaliatory actions against each other. Some comments commented that recalling Trieu Le Dinh's old image inadvertently creates comparative pressure on the new version, while the crew of part 2 is said to be reacting with lack of restraint.
The controversy became even more intense when the quality of "Princess Agents 2" was not convincing to the audience. Right from the first episodes, the female lead character was criticized for lacking the charisma of an experienced female general. From appearance, aura to acting, they were considered not "weighted" enough to shoulder a heavy role.
Meanwhile, the 2017 version made a strong impression thanks to Trieu Le Dinh's performance. The actress once lost weight, limited doubling roles and accepted unkempt designs to maintain the authenticity of the character. This investment helped the role of So Kieu become one of the typical female leads of Chinese cinema.
The too big shadow from the previous part makes part 2 difficult to avoid comparison. Many viewers believe that the crew was hasty in casting, when choosing young, inexperienced faces for roles that require inner depth and experience.
From this story, the issue of casting actors for Chinese TV series continues to be raised. Many projects are complained about because they prioritize fame or appearance instead of character suitability, leading to quality not as expected.
Reality shows that a successful work is not only based on existing brands, but also depends on acting and serious investment. The case of "Princess Agents 2" is a clear proof: the film has not yet "heated up" but has been overwhelmed by behind-the-scenes controversy and inevitably comparisons from the audience.
