Noona Romance’s Shocking Age Gap Blindsides The Lead Actor
An actor who signed up for a May-December romance was in for a surprise when he arrived on set.
Zheng Kai is a 39-year-old Chinese actor, who was recently cast in a romantic short drama. He is best known for his roles in The Flame’s Daughter, Scarlet Heart, and The Legend of Xiangxi, and is sometimes confused for another Zheng Kai, a cast member on the variety show Keep Running.
On November 25, Zheng revealed that he had accepted the role of a CEO who falls in love with a middle-aged woman. Older woman-younger man romances, such as the American rom-com The Idea of You and the Korean drama Encounter, have risen in popularity over the years. K-Dramas with this dynamic are commonly referred to as “noona romances.”
When Zheng arrived on set, he was shocked to discover that a 68-year-old actress had been cast as his love interest. He shared his reaction in a social media post that quickly went viral on Chinese social media. On Weibo, the topic “Male actor films romance drama with 68-year-old actress” reportedly racked up over a billion views in 24 hours.
The 95th day of filming a short dramaThe director asked me to play a role who’s in an older woman-younger man relationshipI heard that filming the short drama means you get drugged daily, so I happily joined the productionI do have parts where I get drugged, but why is this noona 68 years old? Isn’t she a little bit too old, director?
— Zheng Kai
Who is this mysterious actress? Zheng Kai has not revealed her identity, and he’s also keeping the name of the show under wraps. This has reportedly fueled speculation about both, as well as criticism aimed at the Chinese short drama industry. Short dramas often feature exaggerated tropes, shocking plot lines, and character dynamics that are used to attract attention.
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