Once regarded as one of the brightest stars in China’s booming short-drama industry, Guo Yuxin is now at the center of a major controversy after a leaked private audio recording triggered widespread criticism across Chinese social media.

The 26-year-old actress, who had successfully transitioned from viral short dramas to mainstream television projects, is now facing what many Chinese media outlets describe as a career-threatening scandal.

According to Yule 360, a private conversation between Guo Yuxin and one of her staff members was recently leaked online. The recording, lasting approximately 1 minute and 23 seconds, quickly climbed to the top of entertainment trending charts in China.

In the audio, Guo Yuxin is reportedly heard making insensitive remarks about actress Zhou Ye. She allegedly suggested that Zhou Ye benefited from Guo Yuxin’s popularity after the two actresses were seen wearing the same luxury fashion design. The comments immediately ignited controversy, with many internet users criticizing Guo Yuxin for speaking negatively about a fellow actress.

As the scandal intensified, netizens began digging up Guo Yuxin’s previous interviews and videos. One resurfaced clip showed the actress saying she did not want to have a daughter, explaining that a daughter might compete with her for her husband’s affection. The remarks drew further criticism, with many social media users accusing her of promoting outdated and problematic views, adding even more pressure to the growing controversy.

The situation escalated further after renowned romance novelist and screenwriter Ye Feiye joined the discussion.

Ye Feiye, often referred to as the “Queen of Romance Novels,” previously collaborated with Guo Yuxin on a successful adaptation that helped raise the actress’s profile. However, the partnership reportedly ended on bad terms. According to Ye Feite, shortly after their drama premiered, Guo Yuxin promoted another project she was filming instead of supporting the newly released series, which Ye Feiyeconsidered unprofessional.

Ye Feiye later shared additional allegations, claiming Guo Yuxin had once complained that actors from traditional television productions were taking roles that should belong to professionally trained performers. “If those non-professional TV actors hadn’t taken our roles, we professionally trained actors wouldn’t have ended up acting in short dramas,” Guo Yuxin allegedly said. The alleged comments further fueled criticism online.

Ye Feiye also alleged that Guo Yuxin frequently criticized fellow actors behind their backs and even ranked the performers she had worked with.

According to Chinese outlet Sohu, Ye Feiye claimed Guo Yuxin once spent around 20 minutes publicly criticizing both the director and lead actor Yan Zixian while visiting the set of the short drama With Jin Chang’an. The accusation drew particular attention because Yan Zixian had reportedly once saved Guo Yuxin’s life during an underwater filming scene.

According to 163, Guo Yuxin’s fall from grace has been remarkably swift. Born in 1999, she built a reputation as one of China’s top short-drama actresses, earning the nickname “Queen of Short Dramas.” Several of her productions reportedly accumulated billions of views, making her one of the industry’s most bankable stars. Her success eventually opened doors to mainstream television productions, with several high-profile drama projects following.

However, following the recent controversy, Chinese media have described her career as collapsing “overnight.” As of now, Guo Yuxin has remained silent, offering no public statement or explanation regarding the leaked audio or the growing allegations surrounding her.

Sources: Znews