On May 16, Sina Weibo released the list of the most popular celebrities on Douyin during the first half of 2026. Zhang Linghe ranked first among male stars with 15.63 million points, while Zhao Lusi led the female category with over 22 million points.
According to Sina, Zhang Linghe attracted huge attention in the first half of 2026 thanks to his role as General Xie Zheng in the historical drama The Jade Hunt. In terms of viewership, ratings and social media discussions, the drama has become one of the biggest Chinese historical productions of the year. The series reportedly averages over 80 million views per episode, an impressive achievement that far surpasses many recent period dramas.
Although Zhang Linghe faced criticism for appearing too heavily made-up on screen, with some viewers deriding him as a “foundation general” and criticizing his weak action scenes, the controversy itself only increased the drama’s popularity. For this reason, many people were not surprised to see the actor ranked first among male celebrities.
Meanwhile, despite not acting in a drama recently, Zhao Lusi has gained huge media attention thanks to his concert in Thailand. Content related to the concert reportedly surpassed 1 billion views on Douyin. The actress continually attracts public attention through her controversial statements and actions, helping her maintain her status as one of the most talked about stars on the platform.
However, shortly after the ranking was released, fans of both Zhao Lusi and Zhang Linghe began accusing the opposing side of exaggerating popularity and manipulating data. As a result, both fandoms have entered into a heated online battle, constantly criticizing and attacking each other.
During the controversy, Internet users resurfaced several unflattering moments of Zhang Linghe smiling. Many mocked the actor for narrowing his eyes into thin lines while smiling widely, with some netizens commenting that his facial expressions made him look much less attractive. Without lighting and beauty filters, some viewers also said her skin looked rougher than expected. One viral comment even bluntly stated, “Please don’t let him smile anymore.”
Zhang Linghe was also reminded of a previous controversy involving alleged racist comments during an appearance on a variety show. While participating in a drawing segment with actress Tian Xiwei, the actor reacted to a portrait by saying, “Who does she look like? I feel like I was born in Southeast Asia.” The comment sparked a backlash from viewers, who criticized him for lacking sensitivity and emotional intelligence, eventually forcing him to apologize.
Zhao Lusi also failed to escape criticism as netizens reported discussions over her revealing stage outfit during a recent musical performance, in which she accidentally exposed part of her lower body. The actress has already faced criticism for several controversial statements and actions, with some online users even labeling her a “lying beauty” due to contradictions in her past comments.
In the end, many netizens believe that the war between Zhao Lusi and Zhang Linghe’s fandoms has not brought any real benefit to either celebrity. Instead, the controversy has damaged both stars’ public images and turned them into targets of online ridicule.
Sources: kenh14
