Rumour of Esther Yu Shuxin Being Replaced in A Journey to Glow Denied

Why the Storyline of A Journey to Glow Sparked Debate Over Esther Yu’s Casting

Mainland actress Esther Yu Shuxin (虞书欣) has once again found herself at the heart of the conversation, after her much-anticipated drama A Journey to Glow (一念江南) was swept up in swirling rumours of a last-minute cast reshuffle.

Whispers online claimed Esther Yu might be replaced as the lead, following a messy wave of negative press and a sudden drop of 1.35 million Weibo followers. 

The chatter quickly linked her supposed “exit” with reports that her co-star Wang Anyu had also withdrawn.

Speculation then spun further: industry talk suggested the production had discreetly sounded out Xu Kai (Moonlit Reunion), Zhang Linghe (Our Generation), and Ding Yuxi. All three, however, were said to have declined due to scheduling clashes or other ongoing issues.

Meanwhile, Chen Duling — known for The Glory and her skill in action sequences — became the internet’s top candidate for the role of the female thief. 

Many fans argued she’d “fit the character like a glove,” adding fuel to the already boiling pot.

Part of the frenzy came from how closely the script seemed to mirror real-world gossip. 

Esther Yu’s character is written as a clever thief, and some drew quick symbolic comparisons to family business controversies surrounding her name. 

That interpretation triggered worries the series might face roadblocks in passing review or airing smoothly if she remained in the role.

But on 11 September, the noise hit a turning point. Chen Duling’s studio officially clarified she had never received an offer for A Journey to Glow. 

Hours later, producer Yang Qi Ming reposted the project’s announcement with the cast list intact — Esther Yu and Wang Anyu both still firmly attached.

This public one-two response effectively shut down the “replacement” narrative, though not all netizens were entirely convinced.

A Journey to Glow is billed as iQIYI’s “sibling” project to A Journey to Love, the Liu Shishi–Liu Yuning hit. Filming is set in Huangshan, Anhui, with sets already constructed since August. 

The story brings together a ragtag group: a nimble thief, a failed heir, a wandering general, a weary tomb guard, and a powerless official, all thrown into a road-trip-style adventure filled with danger, laughter, and warmth.

The drama had originally targeted a September start, but both Esther Yu and Wang Anyu were absent from the opening ceremony, citing “unavoidable circumstances” and silence from Yu’s camp. 

That, paired with online scandals and the follower drop, only amplified doubts about whether production could stay on track.

For now, the producer’s clarification keeps Esther Yu officially in place, but the spotlight remains firmly on her next move. 

With iQIYI banking on the show as a big-ticket follow-up, the question is whether A Journey to Glow can dodge the turbulence and find its glow — or whether the controversies will keep dragging filming into delays.

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