Wong Jing Defends His Casting for “New Kung Fu Cult Master” After Criticisms that the Actresses Have a “Typical Influencer Plastic Face”

"New Kung Fu Cult Master" Director Wong Jing Defends His Choice of Casting for Xiao Zhao and Zhou Zhiruo
Photos: Yun Qianqian and Sabrina Qiu Yinong / Weibo

Wong Jing’s New Kung Fu Cult Master is one of the movies for Spring Festival 2022 except not in theaters but as a two-part movie released online. Part 1 (倚天屠龙记之九阳神功) is essentially a reboot that follows Zhang Wuji as a child until his climactic confrontation with Zhao Min as an adult. Part 2 (倚天屠龙记之圣火雄风) which continues the story of Zhang Wuji finally going to Da Du made its premiere on Feb 3.

Criticisms about casting such as Raymond Lam being too old has led to Wong Jing repeatedly defending his choices even before the movies premiered. On actresses Yun Qianqian (云千千) as Xiao Zhao and Sabrina Qiu Yinong (邱意浓) who plays Zhou Zhiruo, Wong Jing is pretty adamant about his choice of casting both ladies. This is what he had to say in response to some Netizens criticising them for being “too plastic”.

Wong Jing’s Response Regarding the “Typical Influencer Plastic Face”

Wong Jing likened the situation to how people used to bash actresses Shu Qi and Chingmy Yau (the original Xiao Zhao in Kung Fu Cult Master) when they first debuted years ago. “Now regarded as a goddesses today, do you know what people said when they debuted?” he asked. “Chingmy broke her jaw when she fell on the stairs as a child and had to undergo surgery. When she joined the Miss Hong Kong pageant, her opponent accused her of getting plastic surgery, forcing her to forfeit the title and getting labeled “plastic face”. Even after becoming more popular, people still took cheap shots and called her “fake chin”. Today she has become a goddess. Her beautiful daughter only proves that she is anything but plastic. When Shu Qi debuted, she was criticised for being ‘too dark’. She is completely different from the likes of Nina Li Chi, Rosamund Kwan and Carina Lau. Some even labelled her as ET (the aliens in the Spielberg film.)

Wong Jing defends his casting

Wong Jing challenged the bashers calling out Yun Qianqian and Sabrina as having the “typical internet celebrity face” and looking alike to post their own photos. With all the talk surrounding the ladies, the showbiz veteran said he is relieved. “This guarantees (Sabrina) Qiu and Yun (Qianqian) will follow the footsteps of the goddess. Meanwhile trash talkers, there’s only one fat and ugly future for you.

Yun Qianqian Says No One is Perfect

Meanwhile, Yun Qianqian also took to social media to give her two cents. “Internet celebrity face? I’ll take that as saying I will become the most celebrated face on the internet. Some people say I have an influencer face which just shows that I conform to the current aesthetic. At the very least this made everyone pay attention to the first two works of a newcomer. I urge everyone to witness the growth of a new generation of Xiao Zhao by Yun Qianqian. You don’t accept me now, but what if you were moved by Xiao Zhao after watching the film? They say no one is perfect, I am also just an ordinary person that cannot be perfect.

Now that both movies have been released, it seems the criticisms have grown louder as many feel it fails to live up to its predecessor. Douban ratings as of press time for New Kung Fu Cult Master 1 and 2 is at 3.5/10 and 3.9/10 respectively.

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12 Comments

  1. Mei

    February 3, 2022 10:13 PM
    • Anon

      February 4, 2022 12:21 AM
  2. Anon

    February 4, 2022 7:50 AM
    • Una

      February 4, 2022 6:03 PM
      • Anon

        February 5, 2022 6:39 AM
  3. Jia

    February 4, 2022 2:52 PM
  4. Zhao Min

    February 4, 2022 8:04 PM
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    February 4, 2022 8:50 PM
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    February 6, 2022 3:22 AM
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    February 7, 2022 4:46 PM
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      March 15, 2022 12:45 PM

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