On May 17, Zhang Linghe held a live broadcast to promote his new drama This second overfire. However, instead of the plot itself, it was the actor’s reaction to the drama’s English title that instantly became the Internet’s hottest topic.
During the live stream, fans began flooding the comments section with the headline: “Exaggerate.”
The English word directly translates to “doing too much“O”going too far”, which closely corresponds to the meaning of the Chinese title and also carries with it subtle implications of obsession, excess and forbidden passion.
The moment Zhang Linghe noticed the word on the screen, his entire expression froze.
Fans quickly circulated clips showing the actor widening his eyes in shock before blurting out: “Oh…“
He then fell into several seconds of awkward silence as he repeatedly asked staff members: “Is this really the title?”
Things became even funnier when Zhang Linghe attempted to pronounce the word himself. According to viewers, the actor confidently started with “Above…” before suddenly stopping and hesitating to say “Do,” finally laughing nervously as his ears turned visibly red.
The unexpectedly genuine reaction immediately exploded on Chinese social media platforms, with many fans calling it one of the actor’s cutest moments ever captured on live stream.
Online audiences were sharply divided over the drama’s unusually straightforward English title.
Some netizens joked that the translation sounded “too explicit” for a Republican-era romantic drama, while others argued the title perfectly reflected the intense and forbidden emotional themes of the story.
The series is adapted from a novel by renowned author Fei Wo Si Cun and tells the story of Murong Qingyi, played by Zhang Linghe, the son of a warlord who becomes entangled in a painful forbidden love affair with his future sister-in-law.
Since the drama itself centers on emotionally destructive and overwhelming love, many fans believe “Exaggerate” unexpectedly captures the feel of the story quite accurately.
Ironically, Zhang Linghe’s embarrassed reaction may have become the production’s best marketing strategy so far.
Known for his calm and casual public image, the actor unexpectedly revealed an adorably awkward side that fans found incredibly relatable. After the viral livestream clips, reports say the number of bookings on iQIYI and Tencent Video surpassed 6 million combined ahead of the drama’s release in July.
Many fans are now jokingly asking for overseas promotional events only to hear Zhang Linghe attempt to say “Exaggerate“in public again.
Sources: Yahoo News
