Recently, popular mainland Chinese actress Zhao Lusi, who has been embroiled in a contract dispute with the talent agency “Galaxy Cool Entertainment,” starred in the new drama “Let Me Shine,” which premiered on Tencent Video on September 26. The show garnered a high viewership of 27,000 after just 4 episodes, making a strong debut. However, the unexpected appearance of actor Fan Shiqi (formerly known as Fan Shiqi) in the drama, who is currently embroiled in a controversy related to a hazy falling incident, has sparked significant backlash. Many netizens have vowed not to watch, inadvertently connecting Zhao Lusi’s comeback work with the controversy.
On September 11, 37-year-old Yu Menglong tragically fell to his death. The police swiftly “ruled out criminal suspicion,” and Yu Menglong’s studio, on behalf of his mother, released a statement claiming that he died due to a “drunken accident,” urging the public not to speculate excessively. These series of unusual events have led netizens to question the simplicity of Yu Menglong’s cause of death, vehemently urging authorities to disclose the truth.
As doubts surrounding the incident continue to surface, various shocking secrets within the entertainment industry and political-business backstage dealings have come to light. There are allegations that Yu Menglong was captured hanging outside a window, swallowing a crucial red USB drive. It was reported that the 33-year-old singer Fan Shiqi, who participated in the same year’s “2013 Happy Boys Voice” competition with Yu Menglong, was allegedly heard screaming at the scene, “Spit it out! Hu Haiyang, knocked him out and cut (his stomach).”
Furthermore, netizens discovered a 20-second video clip of Fan Shiqi at a concert in Beijing just two days after Yu Menglong’s passing. In the clip, he suddenly lifts his shirt and exposes his belly at the end of the performance, then looks up at the sky making a bizarre “belly rub” motion. This video left many viewers horrified and criticizing Fan Shiqi’s actions as provocative and disgusting.
According to mainland media reports, Yu Menglong was previously frozen for three years for refusing to comply with the unwritten rules of the industry. After rising to fame in 2017 with “Eternal Love,” he once again refused to adhere to these rules. Recent revelations from netizens suggest that Yu Menglong later registered a company in his own name, accidentally obtaining crucial evidence in the form of a “red USB drive,” resulting in continuous pressure to sign unfavorable contracts with the talent agency.
It was rumoured in August that Yu Menglong had bruising on his forehead, indicating possible abuse. His last public appearance was on August 29, after which his movements were restricted, and he was reportedly confined and subjected to violent interrogation for the next two weeks regarding the whereabouts of the USB drive. Between September 8th and 9th, he was taken to another villa where he was forced to drink, beaten, and humiliated.
In fact, a blogger had previously alleged that on the night of the incident involving Yu Menglong, there were either 6 or 17 people present, including directors, screenwriters, agents, a high-ranking CCP relative named “Xin Qi,” actress Song Yiren, and Fan Shiqi.
The actions of Fan Shiqi at the concert overlapped with the “rumors,” with some videos even suggesting that Yu Menglong shouted “Fan Xiaohua, save me” before falling, where “Fan Xiaohua” is a nickname for Fan Shiqi. Despite Fan Shiqi’s lawyer issuing a statement claiming that the video circulating on the internet is baseless and constitutes severe infringement, calling for its cessation, due to the repeated mention of Fan Shiqi’s name in discussions post-Yu Menglong’s passing, netizens see him as a crucial figure in the case.
Now, Fan Shiqi’s appearance in the new drama “Let Me Shine” has immediately triggered a backlash from netizens. Many of Yu Menglong’s fans have expressed anger upon seeing Fan Shiqi, refusing to give him attention and even calling for a large-scale boycott.
Given that “Let Me Shine” is Zhao Lusi’s first work after her recovery, her fans feel unfairly burdened, believing that the blame should not be directed towards the production team or other actors. They emphasize Zhao Lusi’s innocence and urge the public not to involve her in the controversy.
Adapted from the novel “Da Qiao Xiao Qiao,” the drama “Let Me Shine” starring Zhao Lusi and Chen Weiting tells the story of TV host Xu Yan and urban elite Shen Haoming’s growth journey after their broken marriage. The drama originally generated significant attention, but the involvement of Fan Shiqi in the controversy surrounding Yu Menglong’s passing threatens to shift the focus from the plot to the dispute. For Zhao Lusi, who is currently entangled in a serious dispute with her talent agency, the sudden onslaught of public pressure undoubtedly poses the first major test for her comeback.