Chinese actress Angelababy’s TV drama “Everlasting Longing” has aired, sparking speculation about her return a year after her activities were restricted due to her attendance at a striptease performance by Blackpink’s Lisa at Crazy Horse.
According to Next Apple, “Everlasting Longing” premiered unexpectedly on Jan. 20, with no prior announcement about its release date or streaming platform.
The premiere has sparked speculation about Angelababy’s return. Since Sep. 2023, she had reduced her public engagements in the entertainment industry after facing criticism for allegedly attending Lisa’s performance at the Paris-based cabaret Crazy Horse.
The backlash centered on accusations of violating Chinese laws, which classify stripping as a sexually related activity and prohibit entertainment industry workers from organizing, attending, or promoting such performances.
163.com described this controversy as the most significant challenge in Angelababy’s career since her debut in 2003. In Nov. 2023, her Weibo account was restricted from posting or commenting due to “violating laws and platform regulations.” Additionally, Douyin, China’s largest video platform, disabled the “follow” button on her account, which had about 140 million followers at the time.
At the start of 2024, her social media accounts were restored to normal. However, throughout the previous year, she was absent from film events in mainland China, television shows, and promotional activities.
Angelababy, born Yang Ying and now 36, has built a multifaceted career as a model, businesswoman, investor, and singer since debuting in the entertainment industry in 2007. She is regarded as one of China’s most prominent actresses.
Her personal life has also drawn significant public attention, especially after her highly publicized divorce from Chinese actor Huang Xiaoming, 48. The couple, who went public with their relationship in 2014, married in 2015, welcomed a son in 2017, and announced their divorce in 2022.
