I thought her looks weren't spectacular in Young Warriors either. She only became really beautiful in LOCH2008.
I came across an article which said that the actresses and female production crew of Young Warriors were asked to vote for the most handsome Yang brother...and they unexpectedly voted Yelu Xie as the most handsome
. 2 years later at the LOCH2008 press conf, Kathy Chow remarked that she didn't expect to have such a handsome "son". Then the Chinese media described LOCH2008's YK as "too handsome for words" causing endless embarassment to YH...to think he was the third choice for the YK role after Nic Tse and Wallace Huo. Now, all the articles on "Heaven and Earth People" keep describing YH's Qi Jun Zao as the most handsome imperial teacher in history.
But when YH first graduated and joined Tangren, people didn't really take note of him or thought that he was particularly handsome. Probably too boyish looking initially. YH even said at an interview that all the girls at university chased after Hu Ge, not him.