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| “DiYue” Fans in Shock as Million-Yuan Supporter Unfollows Wang Hedi Amid Shen Yue Fallout. (Credits: Weibo) |
Re: Dylan Wang vs Shen Yue Controversy. “Eight years of friendship” suddenly became the hottest battlefield on Chinese social media this week after awkward scenes from The Inn 2026 turned into a full-blown public debate — and now both follower counts and fan loyalties are shifting in real time. While some viewers rallied behind Dylan Wang for openly admitting he felt uncomfortable, others accused the actor of escalating what was originally meant to be a harmless variety show joke. Meanwhile, Shen Yue unexpectedly emerged as the calm centre of the storm, gaining hundreds of thousands of new followers as sympathy rapidly swung in her favour.
What started as a playful award segment during the finale of The Inn 2026 has now become one of the most dissected entertainment moments on Weibo this year. During the programme, Shen Yue and several cast members presented Dylan Wang with a joking “You’re Just Wang Hedi” award, supposedly intended to encourage the actor to stop carrying pressure and simply enjoy being himself again.
The phrase itself was already teasing enough, but the atmosphere reportedly shifted after the host accidentally read the title in a harsher way on-air, making the joke land far more awkwardly than intended.
Things became even more uncomfortable after one line revealed there was a private group chat without Dylan Wang included. Cameras immediately caught the actor looking visibly stunned, with many viewers later saying the expression on his face looked less like “variety show humour” and more like someone suddenly realising they had become the punchline in front of the entire internet.
A few hours after the episode aired, Dylan Wang posted a late-night response admitting that he genuinely felt uneasy during the segment. The actor said he did not fully process how uncomfortable the moment was until he read viewers analysing the clip online afterwards.
“I really did feel uncomfortable at the time,” he wrote. His studio later followed with a statement stressing that personal boundaries and emotions deserve respect, even among close friends. That response instantly split Chinese social media into two very loud camps.
Supporters of Dylan Wang argued that friendships do not magically excuse embarrassing someone publicly. Many praised him for speaking honestly rather than pretending everything was fine for the sake of celebrity image management. Some C-netz also pointed out that variety programmes often blur the line between comedy and humiliation, especially when “friendship teasing” becomes content for millions of viewers.
But critics were equally brutal. Another wave of viewers accused the actor of overreacting and turning a private misunderstanding into a national drama episode nobody ordered. Some said if he truly felt uncomfortable, the issue should have been handled privately rather than through late-night Weibo posts that inevitably dragged the rest of the cast into public criticism.
Almost immediately, old clips of Dylan Wang from previous variety appearances resurfaced online.
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Cnetz began circulating moments where he joked about senior actor Huang Xiaoming being “half buried already”, called Shen Yue “stupid” during earlier interactions, and laughed about actor-only group chats that excluded directors or production staff.
Critics claimed the actor was now facing the same type of humour he once participated in himself, leading accusations of double standards to trend across discussion forums. That backlash appeared to hit his popularity numbers hard. According to figures widely circulated online, Dylan Wang reportedly lost over 205k followers across social platforms after the controversy exploded, with some claims putting the number even higher.
The controversy escalated even further after reports claimed that a major “DiYue” CP fan account — allegedly operated by supporters who had spent close to 1 million yuan backing the pairing over the years through merchandise, events, and promotions — officially unfollowed Wang Hedi following the backlash.
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| Major “DiYue” Fan Account Reportedly Unfollows Wang Hedi After Friendship Fallout |
The topic quickly exploded onto Weibo hot searches alongside fresh rumours claiming Wang Hedi and Shen Yue may have removed each other from their private contacts, sending longtime fans into complete meltdown mode online.
Although the exact platforms were never officially specified, most conversations surrounding the scandal happened on Weibo, where the topic continued dominating trending charts for days.
Ironically, while Dylan Wang was losing followers, Shen Yue’s numbers reportedly surged. Online reports claimed the actress gained more than 459,000 followers in the aftermath, including over 300,000 within a single day. For many viewers, the shift reflected how strongly public opinion moved after Shen Yue released her lengthy apology.
Unlike the chaos unfolding around her, Shen Yue’s response was notably calm and carefully worded. The actress explained that the award was originally designed as a compliment celebrating Dylan Wang’s sincerity and genuine personality rather than an attempt to mock him publicly.
She even shared screenshots from work group chats to explain the context behind the planning process and denied any intention of excluding him.
Her handling of the situation unexpectedly became one of the biggest talking points online. Many netizens praised her emotional intelligence, maturity, and willingness to clarify the misunderstanding immediately instead of fuelling further tension. Others described her response as “graceful under pressure”, especially as criticism towards her began spiralling across social media.
Some fans also started defending Shen Yue more aggressively after clips emerged showing her first public appearance following the backlash. In videos shared online, the actress appeared noticeably exhausted while greeting supporters, quietly thanking fans who handed her letters and comforting messages.
Comments underneath quickly filled with viewers saying she looked close to tears and that the situation had escalated far beyond a simple variety show misunderstanding.
Meanwhile, Dylan Wang also made his first public appearance since the controversy during an event on 24 May. Wearing a relaxed white suit and greeting fans in Cantonese, the actor appeared calm, smiling throughout the appearance despite the online storm surrounding him.
According to livestream viewers, audience numbers reportedly jumped dramatically the moment he appeared on-screen, proving his popularity remains massive even while public opinion stays deeply divided.
Part of the reason this controversy exploded so intensely is because Dylan Wang and Shen Yue were never viewed as just co-stars.
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Since starring together in the 2018 remake of Meteor Garden as Dao Ming Si and Shan Cai, the pair became one of Chinese entertainment’s most beloved celebrity friendships. Fans spent years celebrating their natural chemistry, playful interactions, and ongoing closeness through social media videos, dance challenges, and public appearances.
For many longtime followers, the idea that the “DiYue” friendship could genuinely crack after eight years feels strangely personal.
Some fans joked that watching the controversy unfold felt like “seeing divorced parents on Weibo”, while others admitted they were more emotionally invested in this friendship than in actual drama plots airing this year. Cnetz bluntly said Chinese variety shows may finally need to rethink how far “embarrassing your friends for entertainment” should really go.
For now, neither Dylan Wang nor Shen Yue has directly suggested their friendship is over. But the controversy has already become one of the defining entertainment discussions of 2026 so far.