Chinese version of Japan's 'Midnight Diner' gets poor reviews
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A Chinese version of the classic Japanese TV series "Shinya Shokudo," or "Midnight Diner," debuted on June 12. Unfortunately, the series was roundly mocked by audiences, and ultimately received the lowest-ever rating for a television show.
How low was its rating? You can compare it with other versions on Chinese media review site Douban below.
Rating: 9.2 (Japanese version, 2009)
The original Japanese series received a high score of 9.2 for its first season. The following four seasons were scored slightly lower score, but the latest season in 2016 was still rated 8.6 out of 10.
Rating: 6.8 (South Korean version, 2015)
Rating: 2.3 (Chinese version, 2017)
The Chinese version is only four episodes in, but has so far scored a measly 2.3 out of 10.
This is reportedly the lowest-ever rating for a Chinese television series. Some 90.5 percent of viewers gave it a 1, and many noted that they would have scored it 0 if the rating system allowed it.
Why is the Chinese version so unpopular?
While the show was reportedly required to adhere to the original storyline, many audiences expressed discontent with the lack of Chinese elements.
The protagonist
Some pointed out that a midnight diner in China would not be an "izakaya" with one solemn-looking cook, as in Japan.
They said the protagonist should instead be dressed in a plain white shirt with a tattered apron. One netizen even posted a mocked-up photo of the ideal protagonist on Chinese question-and-answer website Zhihu. ☟
The venue
Chinese people tend to eat late-night snacks, such as noodles, kebabs and grilled seafood at outdoor food stands. Usually those snacks are served with beer.
Imagine this:
It's 9:00 at night. You go outside and find on every street corner stands selling barbecue, fried and boiled noodles, fried rice, and in some cases a full Chinese menu.
These stalls serve customers all night, often until the sun rises, when all that is left are streets and sidewalks strewn with chicken bones and crumpled greasy napkins. Short plastic tables are covered in beer bottles, and the clean-up crews come out as children heading to school.
The late-night stands may not be 100 percent clean, but it is a rite of passage for many citizens who stay up late and eating a bowl of fried rice in an alley is something that brings people together.
Not a real Chinese dish
The TV series's rigid adaptation made some viewers uneasy. In one episode, the series tried to replace "ochazuke", a Japanese dish, with something more Chinese.
However, the show's creators chose instant noodles – a snack more commonly consumed at home.
To faithfully present the diversity of Chinese food, the show should at least include some of the dishes below:
Street kebabs
Spicy crayfish
Guilin rice noodles
Stinky tofu
Sugar-fried chestnuts
Ma la tang
Poor acting skills
Many also complained about the cast's acting skills. Instead of striking a chord with audiences, some of the actors and actresses hammed it up for the camera, in a TV series that is intended to be warm and comforting.
The Chinese version of "Midnight Diner" features a number of famous actors and actresses from the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Its director, Tsai Yueh-hsun, is known for several TV series adapted from Japanese manga, such as "Meteor Garden."
The copyrights to more Japanese TV series are being purchased by Chinese producers all the time, even though a number of adaptations seem to be missing the mark and already proving unpopular with Chinese audiences.
It seems the copycat series are not having the desired effect of boosting the domestic TV market, as they have failed to fully embrace the themes and spirit of their predecessors.
Source: people.cn
Editor: Jiao Jie
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