LayarHijau – Chinese actor Li Hongyi has once again become the center of attention following a controversy during the promotion of the drama The Shadow Sovereign with Snow Kong. After facing criticism from netizens who accused him of appearing cold and uninterested during the promotional event, Li Hongyi was later targeted by vague allegations from his former manager, Li Dengke, during a livestream.
The allegations, which were not accompanied by any evidence, prompted a strong response from Li Hongyi’s studio. The actor’s team challenged Li Dengke to provide proof of his claims or face legal action.
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The controversy began on July 24, when Li Hongyi and Snow Kong attended an offline promotional event for The Shadow Sovereign. During one of the activities, Li Hongyi appeared somewhat awkward while participating in a dance segment with the cast members. Several video clips and screenshots from the event quickly circulated online, with some netizens accusing the actor of deliberately showing a “black face” and lacking enthusiasm during the drama promotion.
However, later that night, the event host stepped forward to clarify the situation. The host explained that Li Hongyi’s expression appeared stiff because he was nervous, not because he had a bad attitude. According to the host, the atmosphere at the event was actually cheerful, and there were no issues with Li Hongyi’s behavior.
Just as the controversy seemed to be fading, Li Hongyi’s former manager Li Dengke entered the discussion through a livestream on July 25.
During the livestream, Li Dengke claimed that he had heard from “people in the industry” that Li Hongyi sometimes had a “you know what I mean” kind of situation while filming. He also alleged that a paparazzo had captured Li Hongyi in a “state that could not be talked about,” but the footage was later purchased by Li Hongyi’s team and was never released.
Despite making serious claims, Li Dengke did not provide any videos, photos, or witness statements to support his remarks. Throughout the livestream, he repeatedly used vague phrases such as “you know what I mean” and “something that cannot be mentioned” without explaining what he was referring to.
In the same livestream, Li Dengke also admitted that he “wanted to become famous” and claimed that he remained in contact with several artists, including Snow Kong and Hou Minghao.
His remarks drew criticism from many netizens, who accused Li Dengke of using Li Hongyi’s controversy as an opportunity to gain attention and traffic.
After initially remaining silent, Li Hongyi’s studio finally responded on the night of July 26. In a post directly tagging Li Dengke, the studio questioned the meaning behind the former manager’s statements.
“Regarding the ‘state that cannot be talked about’ you mentioned, please show it to the public. What exactly does ‘you know what I mean’ mean? Sorry, we don’t know. Please explain clearly. If you cannot explain it, we will see you in court,” Li Hongyi’s studio wrote.
The strong response quickly received support from many fans and netizens. Some believed that public figures should no longer tolerate vague accusations without evidence.
“Finally, someone is standing up against this kind of ‘you know what I mean’ rumor spreading,” one netizen commented.
Another wrote, “Support this response. People who seek attention by making vague accusations without proof should be held accountable.”
Amid the growing discussion, several production staff members who had previously worked with Li Hongyi, event hosts, and fan photographers who have followed his activities also spoke out. They described Li Hongyi as a humble actor who never acted like a celebrity on set, remembered the names of backstage staff, and even helped resolve conflicts during production.
They also criticized the practice of creating controversy through ambiguous phrases such as “you know what I mean” or “something that cannot be mentioned,” saying that such methods have become a way for some people to attract public attention without providing verifiable evidence.
As of July 27, Li Dengke had yet to present any concrete evidence supporting his claims. Instead, he stated that he “did not reveal anything,” despite previously making statements about Li Hongyi during his livestream.
The incident has attracted widespread attention as Li Hongyi becomes one of the few Chinese entertainers to openly challenge vague allegations through legal means, drawing a clear line against unverified claims that could damage an artist’s reputation.
