On the evening of May 9, Zhao Lusi officially held her solo concert titled Stay Romantic at IMPACT Arena in Bangkok. The event quickly attracted major attention from fans across Asia, with many praising the actress for her glamorous visuals and upgraded stage presence.
However, shortly after the concert ended, videos and photos filmed by audience members began spreading rapidly across Chinese social media platforms. Instead of showing a fully packed arena, several clips appeared to reveal large empty sections throughout the venue, particularly in upper-level seating areas and side sections near the stage.
The images immediately triggered heated debate online, with many netizens questioning whether Zhao Lusi’s popularity overseas is strong enough to fill a large-scale venue like IMPACT Arena.
Some critics bluntly argued that the actress may not yet possess the ticket-selling power necessary to successfully transition into large concert tours outside China. Others pointed out that online popularity and strong drama ratings do not always translate into successful live concert attendance.
Amid the growing mockery surrounding the alleged low attendance, fans quickly stepped forward to defend Zhao Lusi. Supporters claimed that several empty sections had actually been reserved by brand partners and sponsors, and that staff members temporarily leaving their seats to film promotional content created the illusion of a sparse crowd.
Still, many netizens remained unconvinced by the explanation. Some argued that it seemed unrealistic for such large seating sections to become simultaneously empty simply because people were recording content outside the arena.
The controversy soon escalated further into a fan war between Zhao Lusi’s fandom and supporters of Esther Yu. While Zhao Lusi’s fans focused on praising her visuals and teasing upcoming acting projects, rival fandoms mocked the alleged poor ticket sales and accused the actress of copying styling choices and choreography concepts previously seen in Esther Yu’s concert performances.
Born in 1998, Zhao Lusi is currently considered one of the most popular young actresses in the Chinese entertainment industry. She first gained attention as an internet personality before rising to stardom through hit dramas such as Oh! My Emperor and The Romance of Tiger and Rose.
Her career reached new heights through blockbuster projects including Love Like The Galaxy alongside Wu Lei and Hidden Love with Chen Zheyuan. The actress earned praise for her natural acting style, charming visuals and strong chemistry with co-stars, helping her become one of the top traffic stars of her generation.
Despite her enormous popularity as an actress, Zhao Lusi’s attempts to expand into music and live performance have remained controversial. In the past, the actress faced criticism over her live singing abilities, with some netizens claiming her vocals sounded weak during public performances and accusing her of relying heavily on backing tracks.
Even so, many industry observers believe the ongoing controversy is unlikely to significantly damage Zhao Lusi’s popularity. The actress still maintains an extremely loyal fanbase in China, which continues supporting her projects despite repeated online criticism.
For now, discussions surrounding the Stay Romantic concert remain one of the hottest entertainment topics across Chinese social media platforms.
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