The question arose later Swords into plowsharesstarring Zhou Yutong, aired recently. Zhang Ruonan was among the first celebrities to publicly promote the drama on social media. During the filming period, Zhang Ruonan reportedly visited the set, offered the cast and crew milk tea, and later purchased VIP theater screenings with his own money as a show of support when the drama premiered.
Despite this, Zhou Yutong publicly thanked several fellow artists for promoting the drama, but did not mention Zhang Ruonan. When Zhang Ruonan’s fans pointed out the omission, Zhou Yutong initially remained silent, which further fueled dissatisfaction among netizens. It was only after fans of both actresses were involved in heated discussions online that Zhou Yutong left a comment thanking Zhang Ruonan under his promotional post.
The incident drew widespread criticism, with many netizens accusing Zhou Yutong of being one ungrateful and labeling it as a “bad beauty.” Following the backlash, Zhou Yutong’s studio apologized to Zhang Ruonan, explaining that Zhou Yutong had already expressed his gratitude privately via direct message. The studio stated that the omission was due to staff oversight, which led to Zhang Ruonan’s name being accidentally left out of the public thank you post.
However, the apology did little to ease public sentiment. The controversy reignited past criticism of Zhou Yutong, which had been previously criticized accused of having behaved unprofessionally towards colleagues. In 2024, while appearing on the reality show The divas hit the road 6Zhou Yutong was criticized for allegedly overpowering other participants, placing others in uncomfortable situations, and repeatedly positioning himself as the center of attention. These moments led to renewed scrutiny of his interpersonal conduct.
The actress also faced criticism for presumably exaggerating his closeness with colleagues. Some netizens say that he often refers to co-stars or newly met acquaintances as close friends. Actor Gong Jun previously addressed the rumors by clarifying that he and Zhou Yutong were simply colleagues, despite Zhou Yutong’s public behavior suggesting a closer relationship.
Sources: HHT
