Jerry Yan paired with actress 20 years his junior for comeback drama

Jerry Yan will be making his drama comeback with Chinese series The Exchange Luck. The romance drama is based on the web novel of the same name, which tells the story of an editor known for his lucky streak and a budding designer who has the worst luck.

This will be the 42-year-old’s first drama in four years after he went on hiatus for health concerns. He tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during a game of basketball back in December 2016 and took a break from acting to focus on recovery.

What caught netizens’ eyes was the large age gap between Jerry and his female co-star, Chinese actress Shen Yue. She turned 22 in February, which makes her 20 years younger than Jerry – or almost half his age. She also starred as the female lead in the 2018 remake of hit series Meteor Garden, the very drama that catapulted Jerry and the rest of F4 to heartthrob status back in 2001.

Jerry Yan (first from left) and Shen Yue (middle) have met on an episode of variety show 'Ace Vs Ace'

The Exchange Luck held their lensing ceremony on July 22, which Jerry was unable to attend. Netizens are divided on the casting, with some expressing their discomfort at the age gap between the two leads.

“Shouldn’t they be acting as uncle and niece instead of a couple? No matter how well he’s maintained his looks, I can’t accept this pairing,” one netizen wrote. Another interjected, “You’re only allowed to criticise him if you can look half as good as he does at his age. The casting has already been announced, so if you dislike it that much, just watch something else instead of throwing hate at the cast.”

Photos: PBE Media

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