Overseasidol.com — The Chinese web drama Zhao Yang Gongzhu (lit. Princess Zhao Yang) is currently at the center of controversy after being accused of copying costume and styling designs.
The dispute emerged when a former collaborating design studio publicly alleged that the production used their original concepts without authorization following the termination of their partnership.
Musang Film & TV Styling Studio claimed that the costumes and overall visual styling for characters portrayed by Li Hongyi and Snow Kong closely resemble the original drafts they had submitted.
The studio shared comparison images online, highlighting similarities in costume structure, makeup aesthetics, and the overall visual framework of the characters.
According to the studio, only minor adjustments such as color variations or accessory changes were made, while the core design remained substantially similar.
The studio further stated that when the collaboration ended, reportedly due to tax-related matters and budget disagreements, the production team had provided written assurance that none of the submitted design proposals would be used.
However, they argue that leaked on-set photos suggest otherwise.
In response, the production team of Zhao Yang Gongzhu issued an official statement denying all allegations of plagiarism.
They emphasized that the core creative ideas were independently developed by their internal team, and the final design drafts were completed by a separate third-party team.
According to the statement, the designs used in the drama differ substantially from those submitted by Musang Film & TV, and therefore do not constitute infringement.
The production acknowledged that a styling service contract had previously been signed with the studio but confirmed that the agreement has since been terminated.
They also expressed readiness to address the matter through legal channels if necessary.
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