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| Hu Yanbin And Yi Mengling Go Public After Maldives Kiss Clip Sparks Online Debate (Photo: China.com) |
Chinese singer-songwriter Tiger Hu (Hu Yanbin) has officially stepped forward to clarify his relationship status after a whirlwind of rumours, late-night fan chats, and one particularly chaotic “AI kiss” explanation that set the internet on fire.
The 42-year-old musician found himself under a sudden spotlight when a video of him kissing 26-year-old influencer-turned-actress Yi Mengling on a Maldives beach went viral. The clip showed the pair strolling hand-in-hand along the shoreline before leaning in for a kiss — pretty standard couple behaviour, but apparently enough to trigger a full-blown online storm.
The moment the footage hit social media, reporters reached out to Yi Mengling for comment.
Her response? She claimed it was “AI-generated.”
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The internet didn’t exactly buy it — and neither did Hu Yanbin.
Not long after, the two were spotted together at the airport in the Maldives, casually walking through security and chatting with fans.
Hu Yanbin wasn’t trying to hide anything; in fact, he encouraged people to “post it online so everyone knows it’s not AI.”
That alone was enough to send the “AI kiss” excuse straight into the bin.
Hu Yanbin Logs On For Five Hours To Calm Fans
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In the early hours of 22 November, Hu Yanbin joined his fan group chat and later apologised publicly. He thanked long-time supporters for standing by him through the noise, writing:
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“I’m deeply sorry you’ve had to bear so much.”
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“I’ve never tried to hide anything.”
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“I have no obligation to report personal relationships to the world.”
He also dropped a rather emotional line: “You made me and you can destroy me.”
And, after spending five straight hours chatting with fans until 3 a.m., he joked: “Wonder if anyone can still say I don’t care about fans.”
Fans Split: Romance Is Fine, But The Messaging Was Messy
Some of Hu Yanbin’s followers said they weren’t bothered by the romance itself — but felt the mixed messages were frustrating.
Yi Mengling’s “AI” comment directly contradicted HuYanbin’s later statement, and many felt the pair should have kept their story straight from the start.
Others argued that celebrities don’t owe anyone an announcement about who they’re dating, calling the backlash unnecessary and overly dramatic.
Yi Mengling’s Side: A Misunderstanding Or Panic Response?
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According to Yi Mengling’s friends, she claimed she thought the call asking about the video came from a private stalker using her personal number, so she panicked and blurted out the “AI” excuse.
Unfortunately for her, the internet moves fast — and receipts move faster.
Media quickly dug up earlier footage of her returning to a hotel with Hu Yanbin, and experts analysed the viral video, confirming it looked nothing like AI:
“It doesn’t behave like AI — the movements are too natural, especially the kiss,” one expert explained.
Airport Sighting Seals The Deal
Eyewitnesses at Maldives airport later posted pictures of the pair checking in together and heading into the lounge. Hu Yanbin even stopped for photos with fans and told them directly:
“Post it. Let them know it’s not AI.”
At that point, the romance was as good as confirmed — and the AI excuse officially retired.
Source: China.com