On April 3, a video circulating online claimed that “Dao Xiaodao,” a Chinese internet celebrity with millions of fans, was taken away by the police for investigation, sparking public attention.
“Dao Xiaodao,” whose real name is Gao Jingjing, was born in 2001 in Anhui, Lu’an, and was once a “star” at Chengdu OST Media. According to the video shooter who spoke to the Hangzhou Daily, the video was filmed at noon that day, and there was an economic dispute between the company where she worked and a certain Mr. Gao mentioned in the video, with debts owed for nearly a year.
According to a report by Nandu Entertainment, “Dao Xiaodao” has been included in the list of dishonest persons subject to enforcement. She is involved in a contractual dispute with her former talent agency, and according to relevant legal documents, she is required to compensate the company approximately 4.26 million yuan, but the progress of execution shows that she has the ability to pay but refuses to do so.
On her Douyin account, “Dao Xiaodao” displays over 17.17 million followers and over 500 million likes. Her latest video was posted on March 29.
After news of “Dao Xiaodao” being taken away for investigation surfaced, many internet users left inquiries in the comment section of her videos.
In the early hours of April 4, “Dao Xiaodao” responded to the incident of being taken away by the police in a lengthy post, stating that the court required her to cooperate in mediation regarding the contractual dispute with her former talent agency, and she has since returned home.
According to her post, on February 28, 2020, Dao Xiaodao gained popularity with a viral “hair flip” transformation video, at the urging of her ex-boyfriend Yang (the plaintiff in this case) to establish a talent agency. Consequently, on March 23, 2020, Anhui Jincheng Culture Media Co., Ltd. was founded, with Dao Xiaodao and Yang holding 49% and 51% of the shares, respectively. Dao Xiaodao and Jincheng company officially signed a talent management contract in May 2020. During their relationship, Dao Xiaodao realized that they were incompatible in both emotions and company management philosophies, leading to a breakup and contract termination.
Dao Xiaodao mentioned that her ex-boyfriend’s family feared losing their “money tree,” prompting him to sue her in the name of the company in June 2020, demanding 17 million yuan in liquidated damages. The court ultimately ruled for Dao Xiaodao to pay 4.42 million yuan. She was prepared to use her property for compensation, but Yang insisted on a one-time cash settlement, leading to the scene of her being taken away.
Dao Xiaodao stated that Jincheng company operated at a loss, and as a shareholder, she did not receive financial accounts or an understanding of the company’s operations. To protect her legitimate rights, she has filed a lawsuit to dissolve the company, won in the first trial, and is awaiting the second judgment. Additionally, she has applied for a retrial in the talent management dispute with Jincheng company, which was accepted by the Anhui Provincial High Court on November 8, 2024.
In conclusion, she advised individuals in related industries, especially girls, to carefully examine similar contracts, consult with family and lawyer friends, and not make hasty decisions based on temporary impulses.
On May 25, 2014, Dao Xiaodao released a video revealing her severe depression and announced her contract termination with the company.
Dao Xiaodao said, “I believe many friends came to know me from that hair flip video… In the past two years, my popularity has declined, and I have been in conflict with the company team for a long time, but the data continues to be low.”
She also mentioned that she paid more attention to her appearance and figure than her fans did, choosing extreme dieting methods to look good on camera, leading to severe anorexia and mental anxiety, causing one nail-sized portion of hair loss on her scalp, eventually diagnosed with severe depression.