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| Ryan Cheng Lei Sees Huge Popularity Boost Thanks to 'The First Jasmine' (Credits: Sina/Weibo) |
Ryan Cheng (Cheng Lei) has emerged as one of the biggest winners following the finale of historical drama The First Jasmine (莫离), with the actor adding an impressive 550,000 new followers during the series' broadcast. The surge placed him at the top of June's follower growth rankings and reinforced what many viewers had been saying throughout the drama's run: his performance did not go unnoticed. While the series generated plenty of discussion for different reasons, much of the spotlight ultimately landed on Cheng Lei, whose portrayal of the disabled prince Mo XiuYao/Prince Sing became one of the production's most widely praised elements.
Playing Mo Xiu Yao was never going to be an easy assignment. For much of the first half of The First Jasmine, the character remains confined to a wheelchair, leaving Cheng Lei with limited physical movement. Rather than relying on dramatic gestures, he had to communicate complex emotions through subtle facial expressions, posture and voice alone.
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The actor later admitted that performing under those restrictions proved far more demanding than many people might imagine, saying the lack of body language made every scene considerably more challenging.
That dedication appears to have struck a chord with audiences. Many viewers praised Cheng Lei for delivering a restrained yet emotionally layered performance, with social media filled with comments applauding how naturally he portrayed the prince's vulnerability without reducing the character to a single defining trait.
For many fans, his acting quietly became one of the strongest reasons to keep returning every week, proving that sometimes the calmest performance leaves the biggest impression.
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The drama's conclusion, however, also sparked fresh online discussion after Cheng Lei shared a nine-photo wrap-up post celebrating the end of filming. Fans quickly noticed that the images focused almost entirely on the actor himself, with no photos featuring co-star Bai Lu.
That immediately invited comparisons with his previous drama How Dare You!?, where his farewell post included several pictures alongside co-star Wang Churan. In the age of social media, even a missing selfie can apparently become a detective case worthy of its own fan forum.
C-netz argued there was nothing unusual about an actor choosing personal behind-the-scenes photographs to mark the end of a project, suggesting people were reading far too much into a simple social media update. Others, however, linked the absence of shared photos to long-running speculation surrounding the production, with theories spreading that the lead pair may not have enjoyed the warmest working relationship.
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Another talking point among viewers centred on Mo Xiu Yao's screen time during the latter part of the series. Some fans expressed disappointment, believing the prince's role became noticeably smaller as the story progressed.
Several scenes that audiences had anticipated were either shortened or absent from the final broadcast, prompting speculation that certain sequences had been trimmed during post-production. Those discussions have fuelled debate online, although there has been no official confirmation explaining any editing decisions.
Despite the surrounding conversation, the strongest takeaway from The First Jasmine remains Cheng Lei's growing popularity. Gaining more than half a million followers during a single drama is no small achievement in today's fiercely competitive entertainment industry.
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| Ryan Cheng Lei Popularity Soars with 550K New Followers After The First Jasmine |
The increase reflects not only expanding public recognition but also the confidence viewers have placed in an actor willing to embrace physically and emotionally demanding roles rather than chasing easy applause.
Many fans now believe The First Jasmine could become a defining moment in Cheng Lei's career, opening the door to even bigger productions in the future.
Whether audiences were drawn in by his understated acting, the emotional complexity of Mo Xiu Yao, or simply the growing curiosity surrounding the actor himself, one thing is difficult to ignore: his profile has risen considerably since the drama premiered