Non-Singer Li Hongyi Sparks Debate After Awkward Dance at 'The Shadow Sovereign' Promotion Event

"Why Should an Actor Be Forced to Do an Unnecessary Dance During a Drama Promotion?" C-Netz Slam Organisers Amid Li Hongyi Backlash. (Weibo)

Just as The Shadow Sovereign (昭阳公主) cements itself as one of China's standout costume dramas this summer, Li Hongyi has found himself caught in an entirely different kind of spotlight. The actor is facing online backlash after viral clips from a promotional event appeared to show him looking detached while co-star Snow Kong Xueer enthusiastically entertained fans. The footage has triggered fierce debate across Chinese social media, with some accusing him of lacking professionalism and others insisting the internet judged a few awkward seconds without seeing the full picture.

Ironically, the biggest plot twist this week did not happen on screen. It happened on stage. During a fan event, Snow Kong enthusiastically performed a viral hand dance while Li Hongyi appeared noticeably reserved, barely moving and keeping a serious expression throughout. 

Within hours, cropped clips flooded Chinese social media, with many viewers accusing the actor of leaving his co-star to carry the promotion alone.

The timing was unfortunate because The Shadow Sovereign, adapted from Qing Wei's novel Princess Pingyang, has become one of the strongest-performing short-form historical dramas in China. The drama follows scholar Shen Xiao, played by Li Hongyi, whose pursuit of justice unexpectedly entangles him with Princess Zhaoyang, portrayed by Snow Kong. 

Their enemies-to-lovers relationship, combined with impressive production quality and cinematic visuals, has helped the series climb to No. 4 on Maoyan's online drama rankings despite its roughly 25-minute episodes. 

For Snow Kong, the success carries extra significance. After building her reputation through supporting roles in dramas including The Double, Blossom, The Prisoner of Beauty and The Legend of Anle, this marks her first historical series as the leading actress. International viewers have also embraced the drama, making its promotional campaign more important than ever.

That is exactly why the promotional event became such a hot topic. Videos showed Snow Kong confidently leading the dance with energetic expressions while Li Hongyi struggled to keep up behind her. 

The contrast immediately fuelled criticism, with hashtags suggesting that Snow Kong looked as though she was "working hard alone" trending across Weibo. Some viewers argued the pair lacked promotional chemistry, while others questioned Li Hongyi's enthusiasm during an event meant to celebrate the series.

Li Hongyi Faces Backlash Over Dance He Wasn't Even Supposed to Perform

Comments quickly became increasingly harsh. Some claimed Snow Kong deserved a more engaged promotional partner, while others questioned why Li Hongyi even attended if he looked uncomfortable. As often happens online, a few seconds of footage became enough for many people to write the entire story before the credits had even rolled.

However, the full picture turned out to be rather different. Several people present at the event, including the host, later explained that the dance was never supposed to involve Li Hongyi in the first place. 

The hand dance was introduced as part of a punishment game, and because Li Hongyi actually won the earlier challenge, he was not required to dance at all. According to the organisers, the actor joined only after fans and fellow cast members encouraged him to participate anyway.

The host later defended the actor publicly, saying everyone approached the event professionally and sincerely. The message also urged fans to accept that performers have different personalities and different strengths, adding that not every actor is naturally comfortable with dance performances during promotional activities. 

🫖 So things got awkward during #ZhaoYangGongZhu promotions after cnetz accused #LiHongyi of leaving #SnowKong to carry the event on her own.

Clips of Snow Kong dancing energetically while Li stood by with a noticeably reserved expression quickly sent the hashtag… pic.twitter.com/67rRex0xxb

— Oolong Dispatch (@oolongdispatch) July 25, 2026

Additional accounts from attendees painted an even more balanced picture. Fans who watched the entire event said Li Hongyi remained active throughout the programme, joking with the audience, participating in games, singing on stage and interacting with the cast. 

They argued that the viral clips only highlighted the few awkward seconds when he was attempting unfamiliar choreography. 

According to those familiar with the event, Li Hongyi is reportedly short-sighted and was not wearing glasses or contact lenses under the bright stage lights, making it difficult for him to follow the movements from performers standing in front. 

เอาคลิปแค่ไม่กี่วิมาตัดสินว่ามันไม่ใส่ใจโปรโมท ไม่คิดว่ามันไม่ยุติธรรมกับมันมากเกินไปเหรอ? แล้วหน้ามันก็เป็นอย่างนั้นอ่ะให้ทำไง ให้มันทำในสิ่งที่มันไม่ถนัดที่สุดจะให้มันใส่ให้เต็มที่แค่ไหนว่ะ แต่อะไรที่มันทำได้มันก็ไม่เคยเกี่ยงนะเว้ยยย pic.twitter.com/LFvtYjkXjb

— 𝙵𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚝𝙼𝚎𝙽𝚘𝚝_𝙱𝙾𝚉𝙾 (@BoZo_0810) July 25, 2026

Concentrating on copying unfamiliar dance steps apparently resulted in the serious facial expression that later became internet evidence of "bad attitude". Sometimes looking confused is simply... looking confused. 

While the dance debate continued, another controversy involving Li Hongyi added even more fuel to the discussion.

Former manager Li Dengke recently claimed during a livestream that he had heard stories suggesting Li Hongyi sometimes entered an "unspeakable state" while filming, even implying there were incidents that had allegedly been handled privately. The comments quickly attracted attention across Chinese social media.

Li Hongyi's studio responded swiftly, rejecting the allegations, demanding supporting evidence and warning that legal action would be taken if necessary. The firm response initially received praise from many fans, who viewed it as a strong defence against rumours.

Then came another unexpected twist.

Less than a day later, the studio quietly removed the statement from social media. Around the same time, Li Dengke posted that he had booked an entire cinema showing of The Shadow Sovereign, leading many online to speculate that tensions between both sides had eased behind the scenes. 

Neither side officially confirmed any settlement, but the deletion immediately became another talking point. Li Hongyi's studio initially issued a firm statement saying it had taken Li Dengke's remarks seriously and would continue protecting the actor's rights should similar allegations arise in future.

Ironically, the move created fresh frustration among Li Hongyi's own supporters. Some questioned why such a strongly worded statement disappeared so quickly, arguing that it left fans confused after they had publicly defended the actor. 

The backlash eventually reached fan communities, where the president of one of Li Hongyi's fan clubs announced their resignation, saying supporters should not be treated as tools whenever online controversies emerge. Members of the online promotional team also reportedly suspended activities, expressing disappointment over how the situation unfolded. 

Even with all the headlines, Cnetz remain deeply divided over Li Hongyi. One side believes his reserved body language during the promotional event reflected poor engagement and failed to match Snow Kong's enthusiasm. Another argues the criticism has become wildly exaggerated, insisting that awkwardness, introversion and poor dancing should not automatically be mistaken for disrespect. Many also believe viral edits removed important context by excluding the rest of the event, where Li Hongyi actively interacted with fans and participated in multiple segments.