After a period of success with her signature “youth goddess” image, Tan Songyun recently returned to the small screen with a completely different project, My Destiny. However, contrary to expectations, the drama has been met with a wave of negative reactions. Many viewers have openly criticized its illogical plot. Amid the controversy, Tan Songyun once considered a reliable ratings draw has also become a target of criticism, with her character portrayal and styling deemed unconvincing. Some even see this as a major “fall from grace” in her career.
Controversial plot, audience turns away from female lead
My Destiny tells the story of Fang Wanzhi (played by Tan Songyun) in the 1970s. After the death of her adoptive mother, she discovers she was abandoned by her biological parents and suffers betrayal from her lover. At 20, she drops out of school and moves alone to Shenzhen to work. Starting as a cafeteria worker, Wanzhi embarks on a difficult journey to become a CEO, eventually achieving success in both career and love amid the era of economic reform.
While stories of strong, independent female leads are no longer new to audiences, the addition of a historical backdrop has made the drama overly melodramatic. Many plot points feel unrealistic, even reminiscent of outdated dramas from decades ago.
From the beginning, the series introduces shocking twists: her adoptive mother takes her to the countryside for treatment, where she coincidentally encounters her biological sister. The protagonist is repeatedly subjected to domestic abuse and treated as little more than a tool for childbirth tropes that viewers have grown tired of. The drama escalates further when she unknowingly meets her biological father, who ends up saving her life, leaving audiences questioning whether it is fate or forced storytelling.
As secrets unravel, it is revealed that her father abandoned her because of her gender, while her adoptive mother unknowingly took on the responsibility of raising her. Despite her adoptive mother’s kindness, the narrative continues to pile unnecessary hardships onto Wanzhi.
The character’s actions are also criticized as illogical. Despite knowing she was abandoned, she actively seeks out her biological parents, adopts multiple struggling relatives, and later burdens her adoptive mother with their care. Meanwhile, she shows resentment toward her kind adoptive father and even jeopardizes his career due to a past relationship, nearly costing him his position as vice mayor.
It is clear that the drama overuses conflict while neglecting narrative logic, making the female lead difficult for audiences to connect with. This approach fails to properly represent the “independent female growth” genre, suggesting a fundamental misunderstanding of the character by the writers.
Controversial visuals: neither youthful nor mature enough
Beyond the storyline, Tan Songyun’s appearance in the drama has also sparked debate. At 36, she portrays a character spanning decades from youth to middle age but the transition has been seen as unconvincing.
In the early stages, while playing a woman in her twenties, her naturally youthful face still gives off a sense of forced innocence. On the other hand, when the character matures, heavier makeup fails to convey the depth and experience required, creating a disconnect between appearance and role.
Many believe that Tan Songyun’s “baby face,” once her biggest strength, is now becoming a limitation as she attempts to transition into more mature roles. Combined with questionable script choices, her transformation has become even more challenging.
Additionally, her acting has not shown significant growth. In the drama, she alternates between portraying forced innocence and restrained emotional scenes, which falls short of the nuanced performance typically required for period dramas. As a result, she struggles to carry the project on her own.
While My Destiny is not a complete failure, it has clearly fallen short of expectations. From its weak script and controversial character development to issues with casting and styling, the drama faces significant challenges both critically and publicly.
Notably, even before this project aired, Tan Songyun had already experienced two consecutive underperforming works. The 2025 fantasy costume drama The Unclouded Soul marked her first attempt in the xianxia genre but failed to generate the expected buzz. Viewership remained stable without any major breakthrough, and the chemistry between the leads was considered lacking.
Following that, Brocade Odyssey, another historical drama, was expected to be a highlight but also received mixed to negative reviews. Critics pointed out its predictable storyline and repetitive tropes, leading to a diminished viewing experience. Ratings remained average, and audience scores were relatively low, indicating that the project failed to capitalize on Tan Songyun’s star power. Some also questioned her suitability for youthful roles, which made her performance less impactful than anticipated.
As a result, My Destiny is now seen as an extension of this series of setbacks, placing Tan Songyun under pressure to regain her footing and redefine her career direction. While this may mark a temporary slowdown, in an increasingly competitive television market, every experiment successful or not becomes part of an actor’s evolution.
The key lies in her next choices: whether she can step out of her comfort zone and find roles that better suit her growth as an actress. For now, as the drama continues to air, audiences are still waiting to see if it can improve in its later episodes.
Some viewer reactions include:
- “Does anyone else feel something is off with this drama? Why did Tan Songyun choose this script?”
- “Tan Songyun has a new drama?”
- “She really doesn’t suit mature roles.”
- “The plot feels ridiculously unrealistic, like something from the ’70s.”
- “What kind of script is this? Where is the Tan Songyun we loved?”
- “The story is illogical and the acting is average. No wonder it’s flopping.”
Sources: K14
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