The big box office surprise over Chinese New Year
But it's not just the movie people are talking about
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Actress, comedian, and director, Jiǎ Líng 贾玲, topped the trending lists on Weibo and other social media platforms during the Chinese New Year holidays.
She’s been out of the media spotlight since her directorial debut in 2021, with the award-winning box office hit, Hi, Mom (你好，李焕英).
Her latest movie, YOLO, hit cinema screens in China on 10 February, the first day of the Lunar New Year. YOLO is from the English, "you only live once.” The title of the movie in Chinese is, "Hot and Spicy" (热辣滚烫 rè là gǔn tàng).
Box office sales on its first day of release exceeded 400 million yuan, reaching over 1 billion yuan within three days. Ticketing platforms predict that it could become the biggest hit this season with sales totalling 4.4 billion yuan.
《热辣滚烫》上映首日票房突破4亿，上映三天票房突破10亿，票务平台预测其总票房将达44亿，极有可能登顶春节档冠军。[1]
But it was Jia Ling’s remarkable weight loss for the movie which grabbed attention on social media.
In a Weibo post on 11 January, Jia wrote she had been working on the movie for a year, and lost a staggering 100 jin (110lbs, 50kg) for the role.
Her new look came as a huge surprise to fans.
On one hand, the before and after of weight loss can create a tremendous visual impact, which is crucial for the success of a commercial film. On the other hand, weight loss journey has always been an inspiration for stories of comeback in film and television. The transformation of appearance is often seen as a metaphor for a person's total renewal.
一方面，减重的过程可以实现视觉效果的极大刺激，这对一部院线电影的重要性不言而喻；另一方面，减重的故事历来是逆袭题材影视作品的灵感来源，外形的蜕变往往被视为一个人脱胎换骨的表现。
YOLO is a remake of the 2014 Japanese film, "One Hundred Dollar Love" (百元之恋). It’s a story of redemption, following the journey of a woman who, after experiencing pain and frustration, and being abused by her husband and sister, finds boxing as a way out, and to take back control of her life.
Jia Ling’s remake follows a similar plot: her character, Lè Yíng 乐莹, is an unemployed woman in her 30s who still lives with her parents. She meets a boxing instructor, takes up boxing with the goal of "hoping to win once" (想赢一次), and eventually transforms her life.
The adaptation in "YOLO" is skillfully done. The protagonist becomes a tragic character who is bullied because of her kindness. The change in physical appearance owing to boxing symbolises the beginning of self-care, which is the way that she protects herself from others who hurt her. [1]
《热辣滚烫》的改编显得既聪明又讨巧，主人公摇身一变成为一个因为“人善被人欺”的悲情角色，在打拳的过程中改变自身形象就是她关爱自己的开始，而关爱自己就是她隔绝他人伤害的方式。[1]
Reviews of the film are mixed, though, with some commentators suggesting the main draw is Jia Ling’s weight loss and not the plot.
And as always, quick-moving, opportunistic businesses in China are looking for ways to leverage the movie, and Jia Ling’s brand, to profit from the media buzz:
The film has also prompted the discussion on the secret recipe to lose weight and gain a six-pack. Some gyms even started using Jia Ling's images on flyers to attract customers. [3]
跪求减肥秘方、如何练成腹肌马甲线，变为《热辣滚烫》的衍生话题，甚至还有健身房开始以贾玲瘦身剧照作为招徕顾客的宣传单。 [3]
So, is the film any good? How are people talking about it, and Jia Ling?
That's what we're discussing this week!
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Favourite Five
1. 内核 nèi hé
core, kernel
它的内核无关拳击与减肥，反倒是一部描写女主角是如何找到自我的电影 - At its core, it has nothing to do with boxing or weight loss. Instead, it's a movie on how the female protagonist finds herself. [2]
2. 杀手锏 shā shǒu jiǎn
trump card, killer move
如今上映后，减肥效果毋庸置疑是影片宣传最大的杀手锏 - After its release, there is no doubt that her weight loss is the film's biggest selling point. [3]
3. 吊胃口 diào wèi kǒu
create suspense
“减重100斤的贾玲”吊足了观众的胃口 - "Jia Ling who lost 100 jin" has truly got the audience excited. [1]
Related:
吊足好奇心 diào zú hào qí xīn - arouse curiosity to the fullest
4. 脱胎换骨 tuō tāi huàn gǔ
a radical transformation, total renewal
外形的蜕变往往被视为一个人脱胎换骨的表现 - The transformation of appearance is often seen as a metaphor for a person's total renewal. [1]
5. 为了这瓶醋，才包的这碗饺子 wèi le zhè píng cù, cái bāo de zhè wǎn jiǎo zi
I made these dumplings to enjoy the vinegar
姜文那句“我是为了这瓶醋，才包的这碗饺子”，用在《热辣滚烫》身上也并不违和 - Jiang Wen's line, "I made this bowl of dumplings for this bottle of vinegar", also fits in the context of "YOLO". [1]
Background: A line from 2018 movie, Hidden Man (邪不压正), a comedy by Jiang Wen 姜文. The phrase has became a humorous way to say “putting the cart before the horse” (本末倒置).
Consuming the Conversation
Useful Words
6. 废柴 fèi chái
useless person, loser
贾玲饰演的主人公杜乐莹是个一毕业就宅在家里的“废柴” - The protagonist Du Leying played by Jia Ling is a "loser" who stays at home right after graduation. [1]
7. 瘦身 shòu shēn
lose weight, slim down
她瘦身成功后的照片已经传遍全网 - The after-photos of her successful weight loss have spread across the entire internet. [1]
8. 掺假 chān jiǎ
to mix with fake
长达一年多扎扎实实的训练掺不了假 - It is impossible to fake it given the intensive training for over a year. [1]
9. 谐星 xié xīng
comedian, comic star
凭借小品与相声出道的贾玲常以“谐星”的形象示人 - Jia Ling, who debuted with skits and cross-talk, often presents herself as a "comic star". [3]
10. 蛰伏 zhé fú
lie dormant, bide one's time
蛰伏三年，闭关八个月不露面，这次诚意满满的贾玲能否“再赢一次” - With three years of preparation and eight months of staying awaying from the public, can Jia Ling, who is determined to give all she has, "win again"? [3]
11. 霸屏 bà píng
trending on social media
从大年初一首映至今，与贾玲相关的热搜词条屡屡霸屏 - Since its premiere on the first day of the Lunar New Year, hot search terms related to Jia Ling have consistently dominated social media feeds. [1]
Three-character phrases
12. 话题度 huà tí dù
topical, trending
它在同期的几部贺岁影片中，是极具话题度的 - Among all the films released around Chinese New Year, it is one of the most hotly discussed. [2]
13. 卖关子 mài guān zi
to create suspense, keep people guessing
董宇辉则为她卖关子，“贾玲那个电影，真的变化挺大的，完全认不出来了” - Dong Yuhui also teased that"Jia Ling is really another person in the film. I couldn't recognise her at all." [2]
Idioms
14. 改头换面 gǎi tóu huàn miàn
to transform, change one's appearance
这次她以改头换面的决心坚持了一年，最终以减肥成功作为映前的最大热点 - This time, with a determination to transform herself, she persisted for a year, ultimately using her weight-loss success as the biggest selling point before the premiere. [3]
15. 棱角分明 léng jiǎo fēn míng
chiselled, sharply defined
似乎一夜之间变成了另一个人，棱角分明、神情淡定、若有所思，恍惚间让人感到有些陌生 - It seems that she turned into another person overnight, with chiselled features, a calm demeanor, and a thoughtful expression. In a daze, it makes people feel somewhat unfamiliar. [1]
16. 深居简出 shēn jū jiǎn chū
to live in seclusion, to keep a low profile
在长达一年多的时间里刻意深居简出 - Deliberately living in seclusion for over a year. [1]
17. 挥汗如雨 huī hàn rú yǔ
to sweat profusely
主人公在拳馆挥汗如雨的减重历程 - The protagonist's weight loss journey at the boxing gym, where she puts in a lot of blood, sweat and tears. [1]
18. 横冲直撞 héng chōng zhí zhuàng
rush about recklessly, charge headlong
贾玲这股靠肉身横冲直撞的力量，已经贡献出内娱不可多得的诚意 - Jia Ling's unwavering determination to transform herself physically for the movie shows something that is often missing in the domestic entertainment industry. [1]
19. 若隐若现 ruò yǐn ruò xiàn
indistinct, faintly discernible
她作为导演所打造的故事，都沦为了若隐若现、可有可无的背景 - The plot she crafted as a director have become largely irrelevant. [1]
20. 阴差阳错 yīn chā yáng cuò
by a twist of fate, coincidentally
原本倾心戏剧的她反而与其失之交臂，阴差阳错地踏进了喜剧世界 - She wanted to do drama, but didn't get the chance. Yet by a twist of fate, she stepped into the world of comedy. [2]
21. 一劳永逸 yì láo yǒng yì
a permanent solution
以身体形象作为最大的营销点并非是一劳永逸的方法 - Using the physical image as the biggest selling point will not solve all problems for good. [3]
Phrases
22. 歇斯底里 xiē sī dǐ lǐ
hysterical
那是一种颓到极点的反弹，是对无望生活歇斯底里的反抗 - It's a rebound from the lowest point, a hysterical resistance to a hopeless life. [1]
23. 头号种子 tóu hào zhǒng zi
top seed, leading contender
今年春节档，《热辣滚烫》无疑是最为神秘的头号种子 - In this year's Spring Festival film lineup, YOLO is undoubtedly the leading contender that people know little of.
24. 票房号召力 piào fáng hào zhāo lì
box office appeal, a film that sells
这样的票房号召力足以羡煞影视圈 - Such box office appeal is enough to make the film and television industry extremely jealous. [1]
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