In one of Chinese showbiz’s most spectacular cautionary tales, actress Shi Yu Fei went from playing a palace maid in Story of Yanxi Palace to headlining what was once hyped as a cross-continental blockbuster — only for it to become one of China’s most ridiculed and costly cinematic failures.
Once romantically linked to Jiang Hongwu, a real estate tycoon with a passion for film, Shi Yu Fei found herself at the center of a $130 million fantasy project titled The Mermaid Empire. With no filmmaking experience but a dream to conquer 160 global markets, Jiang poured billions into the venture, hiring high-profile Hollywood names like Star Wars’ Irvin Kershner and Catwoman’s Pitoff.
In this would-be epic, Shi Yu Fei was cast as the lead — while A-listers like Yang Mi, Hu Jun, and Alec Su were relegated to supporting roles. Her boyfriend spared no expense: luxury cars chauffeured her daily, and exclusive CGI effects were crafted solely for her mermaid character.
But things soon spiraled into chaos. Jiang’s over-involvement in production caused friction with top Hollywood creatives, eventually pushing them to exit the project. After four director changes, filming finally began in 2010 — with the budget doubling.
Behind-the-scenes conditions were disastrous: unsafe sets, unprofessional extras, allergic reactions from poor makeup practices, and a crew in constant rotation. Lead actor Steve Polites reportedly suffered from a severe allergic reaction due to improper makeup handling.
When the trailer dropped in 2012, it was met with collective mockery. Viewers compared its visuals unfavorably to Journey to the West monsters, calling the project “embarrassing” and “cheap.” Critics didn’t hold back, branding The Mermaid Empire as “China’s worst and most wasteful film project.”
Funding soon dried up amid Jiang’s business troubles. A crowdfunding effort raised a mere $300 of the $1 million target. To this day, The Mermaid Empire remains unreleased — a shelved disaster nearly 15 years in the making.
As for Shi Yu Fei, her once glittering future fizzled out. Despite claiming she could outshine Zhang Ziyi and Gong Li without relying on men, her career stagnated. Now rebranded, she only appears in minor supporting roles, a far cry from the days when even Yang Mi stood in her shadow.