According to 163.com, on the night of May 22, actress Zhao Liying had a direct confrontation with Sina, one of China’s largest media platforms. Her fierce and bold attitude surprised many, and shortly after, Zhao Liying dominated Weibo by taking up 5 out of the top 10 trending keywords.
Earlier that day, Zhao Liying attended a commercial event. Following the event, a trending topic appeared on Weibo (which is operated by Sina) titled, “Zhao Liying makes her first appearance after dating rumors were exposed.” The rumors referenced her alleged relationship with director Zhao Deyin, who helmed the upcoming drama The Unseen Sister, in which Zhao Liying plays the lead role.
In response, Zhao Liying cleverly turned the trending topic to promote her upcoming drama What A Wonderful World. She went as far as to refer to Sina, Weibo’s parent company, implying that the outlet is known for slandering and undermining celebrities.
“Since they gave me a free hot search, What A Wonderful World is about to air,” Zhao Liying sarcastically wrote. Chinese media noted that Zhao Liying had flipped a smear campaign into a marketing opportunity for her new show.
Not long after, Weibo pushed out another hot search titled: “Does Zhao Liying indirectly admit to the dating rumors?” This topic drew 350 million views, igniting another firestorm.
Zhao Liying responded furiously: “Admit my ass!” a blunt denial that shocked many netizens for its raw emotion and for her willingness to confront the most powerful social media platform in China.
This isn’t the first time Weibo has allegedly “targeted” Zhao Liying. In the past, the platform falsely reported that she had committed tax evasion, forcing Zhao Liying to issue an immediate clarification. Time and again, she has used the platform’s own smear topics to promote her work.
Her next project, the short drama series What A Wonderful World, is set to premiere soon. Zhao Liying plays Jia Xiaoduo, one of the multiple personalities of a man named Xu Tian (played by Yin Fang). In the story, doctors attempt to remove six of Xu Tian’s alter egos, leaving only his main self and Jia Xiaoduo.
Despite the continued controversy, Zhao Liying remains undeterred—turning online attacks into publicity fuel as she prepares for her drama’s release.