According to Sohu, Zhang Linghe is considered an actor who struggles with facial expression management, leading to performances that often fail to properly convey emotions or accurately build his characters. This weakness has reportedly even caused the actor to be criticized as “creepy” by some viewers.

During a promotional event for the drama The Best Thing, Zhang Linghe was asked to reenact a pulse-checking scene with co-star Xu Ruohan, since he plays traditional Chinese medicine doctor He Suye in the series.

However, after checking Xu Ruohan’s pulse, Zhang Linghe suddenly licked his lips, a gesture many viewers interpreted as inappropriate and suggestive toward his female co-star. On Chinese social media platforms, numerous netizens expressed discomfort with the moment.

Some comments included: “It was supposed to be a pure and innocent scene, but his expression made it feel like he had dark thoughts,” and “Why does Zhang Linghe, despite being young, already have the greasy expressions of a creepy middle-aged man?”

Others even commented, “If a real doctor behaved like Zhang Linghe while checking a patient’s pulse, he would immediately be reported for sexual harassment.”

According to Sohu, this is not the first time Zhang Linghe has sparked controversy because of strange behavior toward female co-stars. In the drama Story of Kunning Palace, there is a tense scene in which Zhang Linghe’s character threatens the female lead, played by Bai Lu, with a knife against her neck. The moment was meant to portray the character’s dangerous and unstable personality.

However, Zhang Linghe unexpectedly stuck out his tongue and touched Bai Lu’s cheek, causing the actress to burst into laughter and ruin the scene. The actor’s habit of sticking out his tongue during performances was heavily criticized by viewers, with many calling it ridiculous, creepy, and easily misunderstood.

Sohu further stated that Zhang Linghe struggles to portray emotions naturally. According to viewers, when the actor attempts to appear seductive or charming, the result often feels awkward and unsettling instead.

In the drama My Journey to You, Zhang Linghe played Gong Ziyu, a character who initially pretends to be naive in order to deceive others. However, critics argued that the actor constantly frowned and relied on repetitive facial expressions, making the character come across as noisy and immature rather than cleverly deceptive.

Similarly, in Tiger and Crane, Zhang Linghe’s portrayal of Qi Xiaoxuan also received criticism. Many viewers complained that the actor repeatedly used pouting and grimacing expressions throughout the drama, giving his character a permanently annoyed appearance.

In The Princess Royal, despite playing the male lead, Zhang Linghe was criticized for frequently giving side-eye expressions toward supporting characters. Some viewers felt this made him appear more like a petty villain rather than a calm, intelligent, and righteous main character.

Previously, Zhang Linghe was also accused of making racially insensitive remarks during a variety show appearance. During the program, Zhang Linghe and actress Tian Xiwei were asked to draw portraits of each other. After seeing the portrait drawn by Tian Xiwei, Zhang Linghe commented, “Who does this look like? I feel like I was born in Southeast Asia.”

The remark quickly sparked backlash online, with many criticizing the actor for lacking sensitivity and emotional intelligence. Zhang Linghe later issued an apology over the controversy.

The actor has also previously drawn criticism for comments that many viewers considered falsely humble but secretly arrogant. Zhang Linghe once stated that he worried audiences would underestimate his acting abilities because he was too handsome.

He even cited Leonardo DiCaprio as an example, saying the Hollywood star’s striking appearance sometimes overshadowed public recognition of his acting skills. Zhang Linghe added that he feared being similarly stereotyped because of his looks.

Sources: K14