LayarHijau — Chinese drama actor Chen Xingxu has come under the spotlight following an awkward incident at the opening ceremony for his new drama, Jin Zhi (金枝), which was held on February 10, 2026. Previously, three of his projects—Love on the Turquoise Land (梟起青嚷), Love Between Lines (軋戲), and My Page in 90s (突然的喜歡)—aired consecutively. However, several media outlets considered that the three projects had yet to deliver a major hit or generate widespread buzz.
He has now begun filming the costume drama Jin Zhi alongside Li Yitong, who previously found success through A Dream within a Dream (書卷一夢) and Sword and Beloved (天地劍心). Jin Zhi is directed by the same director who helmed Blossom (九重紫).
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The controversy arose during the opening ceremony. While Li Yitong delivered a relatively lengthy speech explaining her reasons for accepting the project, Chen Xingxu gave a very brief remark instead. He candidly stated, “The production team didn’t ask me to memorize a speech beforehand.” After that, he simply thanked the director and the platform before concluding his remarks.
The stark contrast led some netizens to label Chen Xingxu as underprepared and not serious enough, even raising doubts about Jin Zhi’s potential before filming has progressed far.
In recent years, Chen Xingxu has been involved in several projects but has yet to fully shed the image of a talented actor who has not reached peak popularity. Therefore, Jin Zhi has become an important project for him to prove his appeal on screen.
Before filming officially began, fans of both stars had already clashed over billing order (fan ranking). The production team eventually announced that Li Yitong and Chen Xingxu’s names would be presented “without ranking order.” However, the official Jin Zhi Douyin account appeared to highlight the female lead more prominently, leading some to view Li Yitong as holding a stronger position in the project.
At the ceremony, Li Yitong shared that she was drawn to her character because of her perseverance and courage to defy fate. She also expressed gratitude to the director, screenwriter, and the entire production team.
In contrast, when it was Chen Xingxu’s turn to speak, he frankly said that the production team had not asked him to memorize a speech. He briefly thanked the director and the platform, promised to portray his character well, and ended his remarks. This contrast resulted in criticism from some who felt he appeared insufficiently prepared and not respectful enough toward the event.
Nevertheless, some netizens came to Chen Xingxu’s defense. They argued that although Li Yitong’s speech was longer, she paused several times, making it seem as though she was recalling a memorized script. Some viewers actually preferred Chen Xingxu’s spontaneous and straightforward speaking style.
They emphasized that there is no rule requiring actors to memorize speeches at opening ceremonies. What truly matters, they argued, is the ability to interpret characters convincingly in the drama, not the length of a formal address. In fact, when Chen Xingxu began filming Love Between Lines previously, he also delivered a similarly brief speech. This time, however, the difference stood out due to the sharp contrast with Li Yitong.
Jin Zhi (金枝) tells the story of a servant born into slavery, Chen Queer (played by Li Yitong), who strives to change her fate. Together with Prince Xianning, Sun Ruyang (played by Chen Xingxu), they use intelligence and courage to unravel conspiracies, uncover the truth within the palace, and ultimately achieve personal growth and redemption.
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