After deleting her Weibo account with over 31 million followers, many believed Zhao Lusi would finally escape unnecessary negativity and online drama. However, a new controversy has emerged, pulling her right back into the spotlight.
Recently, actress Li Yitong was accused of copying Zhao Lusi’s fashion style. Within just eight days of filming, Li Yitong was seen wearing six outfits—down to the hairstyles—that were nearly identical to ones Zhao Lusi had previously styled herself.
At first, netizens criticized the drama crew’s stylist for lacking creativity and “plagiarizing” Zhao Lusi’s looks. But soon after, public opinion took a shocking turn. Online discussions began accusing Zhao Lusi of exaggerating the situation to “bring down” her colleague, labeling her as “manipulative” and “attention-seeking.”
Adding fuel to the fire, Zhao Lusi was also attacked for allegedly copying Korean fashion trends, from her outfits and makeup to her hairstyles, with critics mocking her for “imitating others while accusing someone else of copying.”
Things escalated when a small but vocal group of Li Yitong’s fans began mocking Zhao Lusi’s past health issues, prompting widespread outrage from neutral netizens. The fan war between both fandoms quickly spiraled out of control—though Zhao Lusi’s powerful fanbase, known for their unity, fiercely defended their idol and turned the tide online.
Currently, two major theories are circulating on Chinese social media. The first claims that Li Yitong, often called one of C-ent’s “cold” or “unpopular” actresses, may have stirred up the drama intentionally to gain attention from Zhao Lusi’s massive fame. Her ongoing drama suddenly received a surge of interest, and her name dominated trending searches across platforms. Fans also noted that Li Yitong’s current manager used to work for Zhao Lusi, and their partnership ended on bad terms—fueling more suspicion.
The second theory suggests that a third party may be orchestrating the chaos, deliberately pitting the two actresses against each other. Internet users discovered that the bloggers who first instigated the conflict had previously written numerous positive posts about Esther Yu, leading to speculation that someone within her team could be pulling strings to weaken Zhao Lusi’s position in the industry.
While the truth remains unclear, one thing is certain — Zhao Lusi appears to be the innocent victim of yet another baseless online storm. Many fans believe her overwhelming popularity and ongoing success have made her a prime target for jealousy and manipulation, with one netizen summarizing it best: “When you shine too brightly, there will always be people trying to dim your light.”
Sources: K14
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