LayarHijau.com — On April 21, Chinese actress Zhang Ruonan finally spoke publicly about the origin of her former fanbase name, which had previously sparked controversy. Appearing on a television program, Zhang explained that the name “Nan Friends” was originally a symbol of mutual affection between herself and her earliest fans.
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According to Zhang, shortly after her debut in the film Cry Me A Sad River, her agency held a press conference featuring the lead cast. One devoted fan traveled all the way from Fujian just to support her. After the event, the fan posted a message referring to the term “Nan Friend,” meaning “Zhang Ruonan’s friend.” Zhang later adopted the phrase as the official name for her fan community, according to Sohu.
However, the original name of the fanbase, 媚男 (pronounced meinan), came under scrutiny due to its negative connotations in Chinese internet culture. Literally translated as “to please men,” the term combines the characters 媚 (to charm or seduce) and 男 (man). In today’s pop culture discourse, meinan is often used pejoratively to describe women — especially female public figures — who behave in an overly coy or submissive manner to attract male attention. Many netizens view the term as reinforcing sexist gender stereotypes.
Critics argued that the use of meinan was inappropriate, as it could be interpreted as portraying Zhang Ruonan in a demeaning light — suggesting that her image was crafted to pander to male fans. Others voiced concern that such a name undermined her work and talent by implying that her popularity was built solely on appealing to the male gaze.
Following widespread backlash, her fan community decided to rebrand with a new name to better reflect their values and protect the actress’s public image.
Zhang Ruonan now refers to her fans as “Little Seals” (小印章) — a new name that is lighthearted, creative, and symbolically meaningful, while steering clear of the controversy that surrounded the original label.
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