Zhang Linghe Apologizes: What This Means for His Career and the Hit Drama ‘Zhu Yu: Finding the Jade’
Daniel Kim Views
I never intended to be racist.
Zhang Linghe (Jang Ling-hyeok, 28), the star of this season’s hit romance Chukok: In Search of the Jade, posted on Instagram to apologize to his Southeast Asian fans. He drew significant backlash after making a remark about Southeast Asian people during a recent broadcast.
Zhang, who scored a breakout hit with the romance drama opposite his peer Tian Xiwei (Jang Hee-mi), appeared on a variety show to talk about the series. When Jang showed a portrait she had drawn of him, Zhang laughed and said, “It looks like someone born in Southeast Asia.”
Chinese actor Zhang Linghe, who stars opposite Jang Hee-mi in the hit drama Chukok: In Search of the Jade, has been attracting daily attention. 「Photo = Zhang Linghe’s Instagram」
The clip spread quickly on social media. Fans in countries such as Thailand and Vietnam pushed back and left critical comments on his Instagram. Some argued that comparing a person’s appearance to a specific region and using it to mock them can come across as racist.
On the 10th, Zhang replied on Instagram in both Chinese and English to apologize. He wrote, “I sincerely apologize for causing discomfort with my remark. I never intended to discriminate.” He added that many Southeast Asian fans have supported him for a long time—sending messages and letters and even traveling to China—and that he did not want to make the fans who love him in Southeast Asia feel sad.
Jang Hee-mi (left) and Zhang Linghe, the leads of Chukok: In Search of the Jade, have drawn attention for their comic yet heart-fluttering romantic performances. 「Photo = iQIYI」
Some fans defended Zhang, saying his comment on the variety show wasn’t malicious or intentional. Still, talk of boycotting Chukok: In Search of the Jade highlights how immensely popular the drama has become.
Released on the 6th of this month on iQIYI, Tencent Video and Netflix, Chukok: In Search of the Jade begins when Ban Jang-ok, who takes over a butcher’s shop after her parents die, sees her clan wiped out. She hides her identity to pursue revenge and becomes entangled with the marquis Sajeong. The series’ leads, Jang Hee-mi and Zhang Linghe, have drawn praise for their striking visuals, immersive storytelling and polished cinematography, earning fans across China as well as in South Korea, Japan and Southeast Asia.
Jiwoo Seo, Reporter zeewoo@sputnik.kr
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