A Netflix star had to withdraw from a fan event on Sunday after a throng of enthusiastic followers turned a shopping center into a scene of chaos, even breaking through the glass doors.
Chinese actor Zhang Linghe, famed for his roles in Netflix’s popular series The Princess Royal and Pursuit of Jade, was set to attend an event hosted by an eyewear brand at MixC Mall in Nanning, the capital city of Guangxi province.
However, the situation rapidly deteriorated as soon as the doors opened. Fans surged forward, causing the glass to shatter and scattering shards across the entrance. This chaotic scene has since been widely shared online.
Amid screams, the crowd pressed further into the mall, resulting in injuries to five individuals who required medical care at a nearby hospital, according to The Paper.
The publication noted that devoted fans had started gathering outside the venue hours before the event, with social media videos capturing large crowds densely packed outside the mall’s entrance.
Ultimately, the chaos led the organizers to cancel the event, with the eyewear brand Molsion announcing on social media that Zhang Linghe’s appearance was called off.
Netflix star Zhang Linghe had to pull out of a fan event on Sunday after an army of excited admirers turned a shopping mall into pure pandemonium, smashing through the glass doors in the process
Screams rang out as the crowd pushed deeper into the mall, ignoring the hazards underfoot, leaving five people injured and requiring treatment at a local hospital
The eyewear company told fans that the event schedule had been ‘temporarily adjusted’ in line with ‘the safety requirements of relevant departments’ and in order ‘to protect everyone’s personal safety and avoid overcrowding and uncontrollable risks’.
Instead of appearing at the shopping center as planned, Zhang later joined a livestream organized by the brand, per the outlet.
The actor’s studio also addressed the incident on Weibo, issuing an apology to disappointed fans who had traveled to see him.
‘We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause due to the last-minute rescheduling of the brand event scheduled for today,’ the statement said. ‘Your safety is always our top priority and the premise for all our activities.’
In a move that drew praise online, the studio also pledged to reimburse fans who had traveled to Nanning for the event.
‘For fans who came to Nanning, all travel and accommodation expenses incurred due to this event, including airfare, high-speed rail tickets, hotel stays, and train fares, will be fully compensated by the artist and their studio.’
The extraordinary scenes are a testament to Zhang’s soaring popularity, with the 28-year-old emerging as one of the biggest stars in China’s booming television industry.
He first gained widespread attention with his role in the fantasy drama Love Between Fairy And Devil in 2022 before cementing his status as a leading man in a string of hit period dramas.
The mayhem ultimately forced organizers to pull the plug, with Molsion announcing on social media that Linghe’s scheduled appearance had been canceled; Above, Linghe in May
The Princess Royal helped introduce Linghe to an international audience through Netflix
Zhang’s latest series, Pursuit Of Jade, became another hit, topping iQIYI charts in six days and cracking Netflix’s Global Top 10 for non-English shows
Since then, he has starred in My Journey To You, Story Of Kunning Palace and The Princess Royal, the latter helping introduce him to a growing international audience through Netflix.
His latest series Pursuit Of Jade has proven to be another major success.
In the historical romance, Zhang plays Xie Zheng, a nobleman driven by revenge after the massacre of his family.
The drama surpassed a popularity index of 10,000 on Chinese streaming giant iQIYI within six days of its release.
It later debuted in Netflix’s Global Top 10 rankings for non-English-language shows, marking another major success for Zhang.
