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| . “Even Fifth Billing Is Fine”: Liu Yuning Sets the Record Straight on Drama Rumours (Photo: Weibo) |
When silence lasts long enough, the internet fills in the gaps — and for Chinese actor Liu Yuning, those gaps turned into assumptions about ego, hierarchy, and “first billing or nothing.” After dominating c-drama charts yet stepping away from new acting projects for over a year, the speculation was inevitable. But Liu Yuning’s response didn’t fuel the drama. Instead, it dismantled it, one sentence at a time.
For over a year, online chatter has suggested that Liu Yuning became “too picky” after rising in status — allegedly only accepting first-billing roles and struggling to find top actresses willing to take second billing alongside him.
The rumours painted a picture of an actor sidelined by his own success. During a recent livestream, Liu Yuning shut that narrative down in one clean sweep.
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“If I truly cared about empty titles, I wouldn’t have made it to where I am today,” he said bluntly, making it clear that billing order has never been his priority.
“Even Fifth Billing Is Fine”
In an industry where name order on posters is often treated like a scoreboard of status, Liu Yuning’s stance stood out. He explained that, to him, billing is ultimately meaningless.
“Even if I’m billed fifth, whatever belongs to me can’t be taken away,” he said. “And if something isn’t meant for me, I can’t keep it even with first billing.”
the way he talked about the most sensitive topic in c-ent industry
— 妙妙🥯 (@malatang99999) December 27, 2025
“i came across a post..it said liu yuning hasn’t joined any new productions for over a year because he feels his status has risen after a few dramas aired, and he wants to be the first-billing actor—#liuyuning https://t.co/MwysVwPol7 pic.twitter.com/sfMYhUPb5w
Rather than sounding defensive, his tone was calm, confident, and unmistakably self-assured. He even joked about how he motivates himself, admitting that he sometimes talks to his own reflection like a personal hype man.
“I’ll tell myself, ‘Liu Yuning, your value doesn’t need to be proven by billing.’ Some people might think it sounds a bit pretentious — that’s fine. That’s just how I think.”
With his trademark humour, he added, “I don’t have much value — but I still want to tell myself that my value doesn’t need to be validated by billing order.”
Results Speak Louder Than Rankings
say it louder, ning ge! 😭
— 妙妙🥯 (@malatang99999) December 26, 2025
“liu yuning, your value doesn’t need to be proven by billing order.”
“that’s what i tell myself, and it’s what i encourage myself with. of course, you might think it sounds a bit pretentious, but it’s not important—#liuyuning pic.twitter.com/T5zHp3ek7R
What makes his response land even harder is the timing. Despite often appearing as a second-billed lead, Liu Yuning’s recent dramas have delivered serious numbers across all major platforms. Multiple titles have crossed the 10,000 heat index milestone, with Tencent titles even breaking past 30,000 — a rare achievement that places him in a very small group of male leads to dominate all three major platforms.
In short, the data tells a far louder story than poster rankings ever could.
Rather than fighting for name placement, Liu Yuning has been quietly stacking results.
While others debate billing hierarchy, his projects have been breaking records and earning industry recognition — proof that audience response, not title order, is what truly lasts.
Why He’s Been Away From Drama Sets
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As for his year-long gap from acting, the explanation is far less dramatic than the rumours suggest. Liu Yuning hasn’t disappeared — he’s simply shifted focus back to music.
Over the past year, he’s been busy holding concerts, releasing new songs, and appearing on music variety programmes.
For someone who built his career as a singer before transitioning into acting, returning to the stage feels less like a detour and more like a full-circle moment.
What began as a simple rumour-clearing livestream ended up becoming something bigger — a subtle but pointed challenge to the industry’s obsession with hierarchy and optics.
“when i saw that, i thought, if you can use this mindset, for example, when i’m filming a drama, regardless of others, and i don’t mean to belittle anyone, i’m talking about myself. if i cared too much about these empty titles and so-called billing order—#liuyuning https://t.co/aPmR7J5Ldn pic.twitter.com/qSAOzvneLR
— 妙妙🥯 (@malatang99999) December 27, 2025
Liu Yuning’s message was clear: real growth isn’t about moving your name one slot forward, but about delivering work that audiences actually remember.
At a time when billing disputes dominate headlines and fan wars, his attitude feels almost refreshing. Whether first, second, or fifth, he’s betting on substance over symbolism — and so far, it’s paying off.
Now over to you: do you think billing order still matters in today’s drama industry, or are results the only ranking that counts? Drop your thoughts — this one’s worth debating.