Yang Zi’s highly anticipated Chinese drama The Family Lineage (家業) has become the center of a heated controversy after a short drama was found to have blatantly copied scenes and promotional materials. The production team behind the drama has issued a stern statement condemning the act as a “_desecration of artistic creation_” and has confirmed they are pursuing legal action.
The short drama in question, titled 墨香繾綣，贅婿竟是資本家 (roughly translated as Lingering Ink Fragrance: The Unexpected Capitalist Son-in-Law), reportedly mimicked iconic moments from The Family Lineage, including camera angles, character gestures, and poster design. Side-by-side comparisons revealed almost identical visual elements, prompting outrage from both fans and the original creators.
According to the statement from Huace Film & TV, the production company behind The Family Lineage, multiple short dramas have systematically plagiarized promotional clips and core storylines from the yet-to-air series. “These behaviors violate not only copyright laws but also the fundamental ethics of the creative industry,” the statement read. “It shows extreme disrespect toward our creators and actors.”
The team further revealed that The Family Lineage has been in production since April 2024, with nearly a year of dedicated work poured into its development. They emphasized the show’s “artistic and social value,” criticizing short-form series that exploit popular trends without regard for original effort. “These opportunistic productions disrespect the exclusive interpretations of our actors and the intellectual work of our team,” the statement added.
Legal action is already underway, with the production citing violations of the Copyright Law and Anti-Unfair Competition Law of China. The move signals a broader industry pushback against the rampant trend of short-form dramas capitalizing on the success of long-format originals without proper licensing or adaptation rights.
This case adds to growing discussions in the Chinese entertainment industry about the ethical boundaries of short-form content, especially as platforms rush to churn out viral dramas at the expense of originality and artistic respect.
As the situation develops, viewers and creators alike are watching closely to see how the legal system responds to what many see as a worrying trend of creative theft in the fast-growing short-drama market.
Sources: ETtoday星光雲
You must be logged in to post a comment.