Did Meng Ziyi Push Her Way Into ‘Keep Running’? C-Netz Think They Found “Evidence”

‘Keep Running’ Hit by Fresh Controversy as Cnetz Accuse Meng Ziyi of Replacing Song Yuqi. (Credits: Epop MY Malasyia)

The chaos surrounding Keep Running Season 14 (Running Man 14/奔跑吧14) somehow keeps running faster than the actual cast at this point. Just as the backlash involving Bai Lu was beginning to cool down, Chinese social media has now shifted its full detective energy towards Zoey Meng Ziyi, with some netizens accusing the actress of allegedly taking Song Yuqi’s place on the long-running variety show. And because this is C-ent internet culture, people did not stop at vague theories. They arrived carrying screenshots, costume receipts, filming schedules, flower-count analysis, and enough online investigation threads to qualify for honorary police training.

The controversy exploded after viewers noticed that Meng Ziyi, who joined the latest season as a regular cast member, was reportedly not included in early discussions surrounding the original fixed lineup. 

According to entertainment bloggers circulating rumours earlier this year, the planned cast allegedly included Li Chen, Zheng Kai, Sha Yi, Fan Chengcheng, Bai Lu, Song Yuqi, Zhang Zhenyuan, and Li Yunrui. Then suddenly, by late February, Meng Ziyi appeared as a permanent member instead. In C-ent fandom terms, that was apparently enough to trigger a nationwide conspiracy board.

The story began in early January this year

What made things messier was the amount of “evidence” fans started collecting online. 

Cnetz pointed out that during the annual New Year greetings traditionally released by the programme, only eight regular members were officially introduced, and Meng Ziyi’s name was nowhere to be seen. 

Netizens claim Meng Ziyi was added late to Keep Running as she was absent from the original 8-member lineup

From there, the internet did what it does best: zoom in aggressively on absolutely everything.

Fans soon noticed that for three consecutive episodes already filmed, the official styling teams reportedly did not publicly claim responsibility for Meng Ziyi’s outfits, unlike the other members. 

Netizens later found the official costume team never credited Meng Ziyi in three episodes.

That detail quickly became a trending topic because when she appeared as a guest previously, costume staff had openly tagged and credited her styling online. This time? Silence. Which, naturally, only made people louder.

Meng Ziyi’s studio also suddenly added more variety show recording schedules

Some viewers then compared outfits from the new season to clothing she had already worn in previous appearances, fuelling speculation that she may have prepared some costumes herself rather than receiving official programme wardrobe support. 

One particularly viral discussion focused on her uniform in the latest couple-themed episode, where eagle-eyed fans claimed her outfit looked noticeably different from everyone else’s. At this stage, people were comparing stitching patterns like they were judging Paris Fashion Week instead of watching celebrities run around completing games for rice balls.

The internet detectives did not stop there. Another viral post claimed that swimwear worn by Meng Ziyi and comedian Xu Zhisheng could allegedly be found through a local online shopping platform near the filming area, leading some users to speculate the production team had made last-minute purchases. 

Everyone’s outfits were credited except Meng Ziyi’s across three consecutive episodes

Meanwhile, another post involving a customised Hami embroidery outfit — tied to Xinjiang cultural heritage craftsmanship — added further fuel after the original artisan reportedly confirmed the actress personally commissioned the piece herself.

Then came the flower theory, which honestly sounds ridiculous until realising how seriously fandom spaces analyse variety shows. During recording for the first episode, production staff reportedly prepared only nine flower bouquets. 

Last year, when Meng Ziyi appeared as a guest, her team listed her as a cast member.

Take a look at Meng Ziyi’s makeup and styling after her Episode 1 outfit reveal before filming.

The other outfit also remains unclaimed

Meng Ziyi became the only cast member to prepare her own costumes

In the latest couples special, Meng Ziyi’s uniform looked different from the other guests’ outfits

Even Meng Ziyi and her partner Xu Zhisheng’s swimsuits were reportedly found on an online shopping site, with the store located near the filming location, raising speculation that the production team may have purchased them at short notice.

Even Meng Ziyi and Xu Zhisheng’s swimsuits were reportedly bought last-minute

During a programme promoting Quanzhou’s intangible cultural heritage, Meng Ziyi commissioned a custom-made Hami embroidery piece, a form of intangible cultural heritage from Xinjiang. 

The original creator later shared the work online, seemingly confirming that Meng Ziyi personally paid for the outfit herself.

Meng Ziyi reportedly personally paid for her custom Xinjiang Hami embroidery outfit

During the recording of the first episode, the production team reportedly prepared only nine bouquets of flowers. Including guests Chen Zheyuan and Huang Zihongfan, there should have been ten people in total, which ultimately led to Zheng Kai carrying a potted plant instead. For many netizens, this further reinforced the theory that the original plan only included eight regular cast members.

First episode had only nine bouquets, hinting Keep Running originally planned eight regular members

Here’s the important part~ Song Yuqi, a regular cast member of Keep Running, temporarily missed filming, but she still sent her blessings when the show premiered.

Keep Running regular Song Yuqi missed filming

In her Bubble post in late April, she revealed she would return to film Keep Running in May. 

Surprisingly, when her latest schedule was revealed, there was no “Keep Running” segment at all, even though her schedule did not appear to be particularly packed.

Once guests Chen Zheyuan and Huang Zihongfan were counted, netizens argued there should have been ten arrangements present if another permanent member had originally been planned. Instead, Zheng Kai reportedly ended up carrying a potted plant himself, which online users interpreted as accidental proof that the original lineup only had eight fixed members. Somewhere inside all this, a florist probably became the most unexpected supporting character of 2026.

The biggest reason the rumours gained traction, however, revolves around Song Yuqi. The idol and regular cast member temporarily stepped away from filming earlier this year. At the time, she still publicly supported the programme and hinted in April that she expected to return to filming in May. 

But when her updated schedule was later released, fans noticed there was no sign of upcoming ‘Keep Running’ activities despite her calendar not appearing especially packed. That immediately sparked theories that Meng Ziyi was either temporarily filling in or potentially becoming a long-term replacement.

Some viewers insist the timing looks suspicious and believe the production quietly reshuffled the cast after filming plans changed. Others argue the accusations against Meng Ziyi have spiralled into outright harassment built entirely on speculation, screenshots, and “evidence” that would probably collapse under basic adult conversation. 

Several fans also pointed out that variety show casting changes happen constantly behind the scenes and do not automatically mean someone was “pushed out.” Still, on Chinese social media, nuance tends to disappear faster than screen time during a badly edited survival show.

As the discussion intensified, Meng Ziyi’s side officially responded through legal representatives on 19 May 2026. In a public statement, her legal team rejected allegations spreading online, including claims suggesting unfair involvement in the programme’s casting process.

The statement described the rumours as defamatory and harmful to both her reputation and personal dignity, confirming that evidence related to multiple social media accounts had already been collected. According to the statement, several users accused of spreading false information have been identified, while legal procedures are ongoing to uncover additional identities through official channels. 

Her legal team also suggested that civil action could follow, including demands for public apologies and financial compensation if responsibility is confirmed. In other words, the situation has now moved well beyond ordinary fandom arguing and entered the “see you in court” phase of celebrity internet drama.

Interestingly, many fans also noticed that the official account for Keep Running, also known internationally as Running Man China, reportedly liked the statement released by Meng Ziyi’s side. That tiny social media interaction immediately became another debate of its own, with some viewers seeing it as quiet support for the actress while others argued people were overanalysing a single click from an exhausted intern managing the account at 2am.

For now, neither the programme nor Song Yuqi has directly addressed the replacement rumours themselves, leaving fans to continue debating whether Meng Ziyi was always intended to join the permanent lineup or simply entered during a production reshuffle that spiralled into controversy.