Creators Of Tiny Times & Story Of Yanxi Palace Finally Apologise For Plagiarism, But Netizens Doubt Their Sincerity

Last week, it was reported that over a hundred writers, directors, and producers had signed an open letter denouncing Chinese writers Guo Jingming and Yu Zheng, who are the creators of hit shows Tiny Times and Story of Yanxi Palace respectively.

Calling the both of them “literary thieves” and “terrible role models” (ouch), the industry insiders expressed their displeasure with the fact that Jingming, 37, and Yu Zheng, 42, were being featured so prominently on television when they were notorious for plagiarising the works of others.

Jingming was accused of copying Zhuang Yu’s In and Out of the Circle for his book Never-Flowers in Never Dream in 2006, while Yu Zheng was accused by Taiwanese author Chiung Yao of using her novel Plum Blossom Scar as a reference for his drama Palace 3: The Lost Daughter in 2014. While they were found guilty and ordered to pay damages, Jingming refused to apologise, while Yu Zheng was only forced to do so when the ruling was published in a newspaper.

However, it seems like their conscience has gotten the better of them — or has it?