Born in 1995, Yu Shuxin and born in 1998, Zhao Lusi, are currently the front-runners of the post-95 generation of actresses. In terms of popularity, fanbase, and hit projects, they stand equally matched. However, unlike the few typical top actresses from the post-85 generation, the competition landscape among the current post-95 actresses is more open. The question of who will be the first to soar to new heights and establish a significant lead remains uncertain. This has made competition amongst the post-95 actresses particularly fierce, especially between the two leading candidates, Yu Shuxin and Zhao Lusi, whose fans often find themselves in heated rivalry.

Following their simultaneous releases of the dramas "Moonlight Variation" and "Accidentally Found Love" in 2021, and the summer release of "Canglan Jue" and "Xinghan Chaos" in 2022, this time, the ancient romance dramas led by Yu Shuxin, "Eternal Night Starry River," and Zhao Lusi, "Jade Curtain and Pearl Drapery," are going head-to-head again. This competition can be seen as an equal match—both are comeback works following failures, premiering on the same day, and both actresses are vigorously promoting their dramas across the entertainment industry.

Yu Shuxin and Zhao Lusi face off with their new dramas

After their release, fans in various Douban groups related to domestic dramas are fiercely debating, comparing viewership numbers, effective play data, and marketing outcomes as if each side's idol is crushing the other.

While it’s normal for ancient romance dramas to compete, the face-off between "Eternal Night Starry River" and "Jade Curtain and Pearl Drapery" carries deeper implications—one ancient romance drama could directly determine who among the post-95 actresses will ascend first.

However, as of now, neither "Eternal Night Starry River" nor "Jade Curtain and Pearl Drapery" appears to possess that kind of potential.

The post-95 actresses still rely heavily on ancient romance dramas

This year has seen a plethora of failed S+ rated ancient romance dramas, which does not indicate that the genre is dead; rather, it reflects how heavily the industry previously relied on ancient romance dramas and the investments made in them.

Ancient romance dramas have consistently been one of the strongest genres for producing top stars (if not the strongest). Their stunning visuals, captivating love stories, and rich elements of traditional culture combine to create a powerful allure, with an exceptionally large audience base. The protagonists in these dramas are vividly characterized, whether it's the deeply affectionate male lead or the wise and independent female lead, satisfying the audience's yearning for idealized personalities. As viewers fall in love with the characters, they also develop a strong fondness and recognition for the actors, allowing them to fully reap the benefits of their roles.

Much like their post-85 counterparts, nearly all top actresses have had hit ancient romance dramas to bolster their careers. For example, Yang Mi is recognized for "Palace" and "Three Lives, Three Worlds, Ten Miles of Peach Blossoms," Liu Shishi for "Scarlet Heart," Liu Yifei for "Chinese Paladin," "The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils," and "The Return of the Condor Heroes," and Zhao Lusi for "The King's Avatar," "The Story of Ming Lan," among others. Yu Shuxin and Zhao Lusi themselves have risen to fame through ancient romance dramas, with "Canglan Jue" being Yu Shuxin's current most significant work, while Zhao Lusi gained substantial popularity through ancient dramas like "The Legend of Chen Qianqian" and "Xinghan Chaos."

Yu Shuxin's representative ancient romance work "Canglan Jue"

Zhao Lusi's surprise hit "The Legend of Chen Qianqian"

Therefore, ancient romance dramas continue to be one of the most valued types of series for the post-95 actresses. Yu Shuxin's previous ancient drama "Pray for Today" and Zhao Lusi's "Hidden" both failed to make an impact, so it’s only natural that fans have high hopes for "Eternal Night Starry River" and "Jade Curtain and Pearl Drapery," both being S+ rated ancient drama projects.

Yu Shuxin's last ancient drama "Pray for Today" failed

Zhao Lusi's last ancient drama "Hidden" also did not succeed

At the same time, the post-85 actresses are gradually stepping away from the ancient romance genre, creating a valuable yet possibly fleeting opportunity for the post-95 actresses—after all, the post-00 actresses are making their way onto the scene.

Once the queens of ancient romance dramas, the post-85 actresses have seen their era evolve. With the passing of time and shifts in market trends, if they continue to cling to their past successful patterns and remain in the heavily homogenized realm of ancient romance dramas, they not only face a bottleneck in their acting skills but also struggle to meet the increasingly diverse demands of audiences. The recent summer release, "Fox Demon Matchmaker: Moon Red Edition," resulted in an epic failure. With the transition and cession of power among the post-85 veterans, the fertile ground for producing top stars in ancient romance dramas is in urgent need of fresh faces, offering a wide stage for the post-95 actresses.

Currently, the post-95 actresses are still in a competitive environment described as “heads without a leader.” Originally, the most nationally recognized “national girl” Guan Xiaotong is unclear in her career planning; Yu Shuxin and Zhao Lusi are relatively ahead, while actresses like Tian Xinyi, Wang Churan, Zhou Ye, Zhang Jingyi, Lin Yun, and Ren Min are also starting to take on various ancient romance dramas, but none have managed to pull ahead decisively... A clear top performer among the post-95 actresses has yet to emerge, and any one of them could potentially rise to fame through an outstanding work or a successful character portrayal.

This open competitive situation not only provides opportunities for the post-95 actresses but also stirs undercurrents in the top competition, leading to intense interactions among their fans.

This sets the stage for the rivalry between Yu Shuxin's "Eternal Night Starry River" and Zhao Lusi's "Jade Curtain and Pearl Drapery."

"Eternal Night Starry River" gives Yu Shuxin an edge

So, which of the two dramas is superior?

From data provided by Yunhe, in a year where ancient romance dramas have generally struggled, "Eternal Night Starry River" and "Jade Curtain and Pearl Drapery" both achieved satisfactory viewership figures, sufficient to satisfy their platforms. However, in comparison, "Eternal Night Starry River" has consistently held a slight edge over "Jade Curtain and Pearl Drapery"; shortly after its release, it even managed to earn an impressive score of 7.5 on Douban—quite acceptable for this year's ancient dramas, while "Jade Curtain and Pearl Drapery" has yet to release a score.

"Eternal Night Starry River" has a slight viewership lead over "Jade Curtain and Pearl Drapery." Data Source: Yunhe

"Eternal Night Starry River" received a score of 7.5 early on, with over 100,000 ratings

As of the morning of November 7, "Jade Curtain and Pearl Drapery" has not yet scored, raising suspicions about its lack of courage

While data can be compared, the two dramas themselves are not directly comparable due to their fundamentally different styles.

"Eternal Night Starry River" adopts a light comedy style. The drama is adapted from the novel "Black Lotus Flower Strategy Manual" and tells the story of a modern worker, Ling Miaomiao (played by Yu Shuxin), who accidentally time-travels into the world of the novel after bemoaning a supernatural story and becomes the villainous supporting character Lin Yu. She binds to a task system and must complete main and side tasks to return to reality.

Ling Miaomiao (played by Yu Shuxin)

The main mission focuses on eliminating the vengeful spirit of a powerful demon, while the side quest involves "capturing" the male supporting character Mu Sheng (played by Ding Yuxi), specifically, making him fall in love with her. Ling Miaomiao must join the main character group in the story and embark on an adventure with Mu Sheng, Mu Yao, Liu Fuyi, and others to capture demons. However, the primary storyline ultimately revolves around her strategy to win Mu Sheng's affection.

While the "time-traveling into a story" concept is relatively common in recent ancient dramas, "Eternal Night Starry River" effectively implements this idea. It doesn’t merely present it as a hook for the beginning but incorporates a system of directives and task execution that creates a genuine experience of time travel. For example, each time a task fails or she faces life-threatening situations, Ling Miaomiao often has to reset through the system back to before the task began, sometimes "dying" several times before successfully completing the tasks.

The script employs a large number of subversive plot devices in its design. For instance, Ling Miaomiao does not simply endure her situation but boldly critiques the absurdity and logic flaws of the original plot, reflecting the audience’s dissatisfaction with clichéd storylines and drawing closer connections between the character and the viewers. After her time travel, Ling Miaomiao repeatedly encounters "slaps to the face," as she tries to leverage her modern knowledge to alter the plot yet finds herself in jeopardy due to her limited understanding of the ancient setting, which creates numerous comedic moments and showcases her charm.

Ling Miaomiao critiques the illogical plot after her time travel

Yu Shuxin brings Ling Miaomiao to life, or rather, the traits of Ling Miaomiao perfectly reside within Yu Shuxin’s acting comfort zone. Ling Miaomiao is a quirky, lively, and adorable character; Yu Shuxin vividly portrays her playfulness, cleverness, and kindness, with each subtle expression and movement feeling delicate and vibrant—never contrived yet accurately conveying the character's inner emotions.

The emotional connection Ling Miaomiao feels for the fates of the supporting characters adds deep humanity to the role. For instance, when Ling Miaomiao discovers that the unfortunate maid Hua Yi is forced by Lin Yu's malice to marry a drunken scoundrel from