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| Nian Xiangsi Rumours Denied: Esther Yu and Hou Minghao’s Drama Still Filming as Planned |
Rumours that Nian Xiangsi has stopped filming and could replace Hou Minghao have been dismissed by a source familiar with the production, putting a rather large question mark over the latest online speculation surrounding the Chinese costume drama. Despite days of discussion about tensions between the teams behind Esther Yu and Hou Minghao, the source said production has not been halted and is continuing as planned.
The drama, also known as Nian Xiangsi (念相思), has attracted plenty of attention since filming began on 30 June 2026, with its two leads already at the centre of a surprisingly busy online conversation.
The latest rumours claimed that disagreements surrounding the actors had become serious enough to affect filming and that the production was considering a change to its male lead. According to the source, however, that version of events is simply not accurate.
The source, speaking to Sina Entertainment, reportedly rejected the claim that filming had been suspended and said the production remains underway. There has also been no official announcement confirming that Hou Minghao is leaving the drama, making reports of a replacement premature at best.
The speculation appears to have grown out of an older disagreement among sections of the two stars' fan communities. Nian Xiangsi is primarily structured around its female lead, with Esther Yu receiving first billing and Hou Minghao listed second.
That arrangement did not go down equally well with everyone, particularly among some of Hou's fans, who questioned whether his character would receive enough prominence and screen time.
As often happens in the world of drama fandom, a billing order that might look like a routine production decision quickly became something considerably more dramatic online.
Some fans argued that the placement reflected the importance of each character, while others believed it could signal an imbalance in the way the two leads would be presented. The disagreement eventually created friction between parts of the two fan communities, although that does not establish that the actors or their professional teams were personally at odds.
There has been no confirmed statement from Esther Yu, Hou Minghao or the production team claiming that the two actors' representatives are engaged in an internal dispute. That distinction matters because online discussions have increasingly blurred the line between disagreements among fans and claims about what is actually happening behind the cameras.
Their different schedules have also contributed to the speculation. Esther Yu was reportedly involved in preparations for Nian Xiangsi earlier, including costume fittings and other work ahead of filming.
Hou Minghao, meanwhile, was said to have joined the production later because of his existing commitments to the variety show Singer, alongside concert-related and promotional activities.
The different arrival dates naturally gave fans something to analyse, but a different work schedule is hardly proof of a disagreement. Actors frequently enter productions at different times because of existing commitments, while filming itself can be organised around individual availability. In other words, sometimes a calendar is just a calendar, despite the internet's impressive ability to turn one into a detective board.
The drama's launch ceremony on 30 June added another layer to the speculation. Esther Yu and Hou Minghao did not appear together at the official production event and were instead seen separately in their respective fan-support areas.
Their lack of a joint appearance quickly became a talking point, with some netizens interpreting it as evidence that the two stars were not particularly close. That interpretation remains speculation.
Not appearing side by side at one event does not establish that two actors have fallen out, particularly when productions can have separate promotional arrangements and schedules. Still, the absence of a shared appearance gave fans another detail to debate, and the discussion continued to grow from there.
The conversation intensified again after separate incidents involving the two actors prompted renewed exchanges between their respective fan communities.
Hou Minghao attracted attention after an incident involving him leaning out of a moving vehicle, while a vehicle associated with Esther Yu also became the subject of online discussion over claims concerning where it had been positioned and the driver's actions while reversing.
Rather than remaining isolated incidents, the discussions encouraged some fans to revisit older disagreements and bring previous issues back into the conversation.
Reports and complaints from opposing sides subsequently became part of the wider online dispute, placing both actors back at the centre of attention even though none of this provides evidence that their drama production was affected.
It was against that backdrop that the latest Nian Xiangsi rumours began circulating. Claims that the disagreement between the two sides had reached the production itself suggested that filming could be delayed, while more dramatic versions of the story alleged that Hou Minghao could be replaced as the male lead.
The production source's response directly challenges those claims. According to the clarification, Nian Xiangsi has not stopped filming and remains in production according to its schedule. There has also been no confirmed decision to replace Hou Minghao, so the casting rumour should not currently be treated as an established development.
There is also a practical reason to be cautious about replacement claims. Nian Xiangsi had already been filming for more than a month by the time the rumours gained momentum.
Replacing a principal actor at this stage would not be a simple matter of announcing a new name and carrying on. Scenes already filmed with the original actor could potentially need to be redone, while the change could affect scheduling, production costs and the wider work of the cast and crew.
That does not mean a cast change is impossible in any drama production, but it does mean such a significant decision would normally require clear confirmation from the production rather than relying on social media speculation. Until an official announcement appears, Hou Minghao remains the reported male lead of Nian Xiangsi.
There is another possible explanation for adjustments to the filming timetable that has received less attention: the weather. The production is being filmed in Zhejiang, including the Hengdian area, where changing weather conditions can affect outdoor shoots.
If filming schedules are adjusted because of severe weather or the possibility of a typhoon, that would be a normal production consideration rather than evidence that the cast or their teams are having problems.
For fans, the biggest takeaway is therefore fairly straightforward. The disagreement between sections of the Esther Yu and Hou Minghao fan communities is real as an online discussion, but that should not automatically be converted into a story about the actors themselves.
There is currently no confirmation that the two stars are personally at odds, that their professional teams are in a dispute, or that their disagreement has brought Nian Xiangsi to a standstill.
Nian Xiangsi, adapted from Shen Xian Rou by Yi Du Jun Hua, remains in production with Esther Yu and Neo Hou, with the latest source clarification pushing back against claims of a filming halt or a male-lead replacement. For now, the drama's biggest storyline may be happening outside the script, as fans continue to debate billing, schedules and every tiny detail surrounding its stars.