LayarHijau — The Chinese entertainment industry has once again been stirred by dating rumors involving actor Hou Minghao and actress Kong Xueer. The rumor began with a netizen’s upload claiming that the two young stars had been in a secret relationship since 2022. The speculation, which emerged on February 8, 2026, immediately sparked an uproar.
However, the rumor was quickly and firmly denied. The studios representing Hou Minghao and Kong Xueer moved swiftly to issue official statements, refuting all circulating speculations.
Weak Evidence and Full Schedules
The “evidence” presented by netizens to support the alleged relationship is considered extremely weak. Several ‘clues’ cited include the use of purportedly matching items (such as furniture, phone cases, and a DIOR bag) and similarities in travel logs (often seen in Beijing and Hengdian).
Hou Minghao’s representatives explained that the evidence is completely invalid. The phone case was stated to be a gift from a fan. Furthermore, Hou Minghao is an ambassador for the DIOR brand, explaining the ownership of the related bag. Dining tables or similar furniture claimed as ‘evidence’ are promotional items readily available on the market and, therefore, cannot be used as a strong basis for claiming the two are dating.
Moreover, claims of overlapping schedules in Beijing and Hengdian are also deemed irrelevant. Beijing is the hub of the entertainment industry, and Hengdian is the primary base for drama filming. Almost all artists in China have traveled to both locations. This logic is reinforced by the fact that, although stalkers (paparazzi) have been monitoring them for a long time, not a single photo of them together (a ‘tong kuang’/same frame photo) has been successfully obtained.
Focus On New Works
Both artists’ current focus is on their professional projects. Hou Minghao’s staff even mentioned that the actor is working non-stop to the point of sleep deprivation. Hou Minghao is currently busy traveling between filming locations to work on two major dramas consecutively: Key to the Phoniex Heart (雀骨) and Immortalis (碧血蝉).
The same applies to Kong Xueer. She has just begun filming her transformation drama, Princess Zhao Yang (昭阳公主), a crucial project aimed at broadening her acting range into political and power struggle genres. The emergence of dating rumors just as this important project began is certainly detrimental to her career.
The public’s tendency to interpret every minor similarity as a sign of a romantic relationship has become a serious issue. Connecting similar phone cases or household furniture and immediately imagining a relationship is a form of excessive interpretation that is unfair to the artists. An artist’s value lies in their work on screen, not in the type of furniture in their homes.
