Overseasidol.com — On December 1, the team behind the upcoming drama “The Heir”, led by stars Yang Zi and Han Dongjun, issued an official statement through Huace Film & TV, strongly condemning short dramas that blatantly imitate their unreleased series.
According to Huace, several short dramas circulating online have copied promotional clips and key plot points directly from The Heir.
The studio criticized the act as a serious violation of creative originality and professional ethics. The account that initially uploaded the copied content has reportedly removed the videos.
The Heir has not yet announced its broadcast date. The official trailer, released on September 25, reveals a story set during the Ming Dynasty (Jiajing era), centered on a historical case involving Huizhou tribute ink.
The plot follows Li Zhen (played by Yang Zi), the youngest daughter of the prestigious Li ink-making family, who hopes to revive her family’s legacy through her natural talent in ink crafting.
Along the way, she transitions from rival to partner with Luo Wenqian (Han Dongjun), the second son of the Luo family.
Together, they confront challenges from the rising Tian Mo ink clan and foreign competitors, striving to create the “finest ink under heaven” to preserve Huizhou’s centuries-old craft.
By late November, several netizens voiced frustration after encountering short dramas that appeared to replicate lines, scenes, and storyline elements from The Heir almost exactly.
Fans expressed anger, noting that the original production spent more than five months filming across multiple locations, while Yang Zi prepared by studying traditional ink-making for three months before shooting.
Meanwhile, the imitation short dramas seemed to reproduce the essence of the series within a few days.
Many viewers worry that releasing such content before the official premiere could diminish the freshness and impact of The Heir.
For fans and observers alike, the situation feels deeply unfair to the cast and crew’s dedicated efforts.
