Chinese singer Li Ronghao personally stepped forward and posted online criticizing Dan Yichun for forcibly performing his song "Li Bai" at her concert without authorization, accusing her of "forcible infringement" and questioning whether she was seeking revenge for her experiences on "Sing! China" in the past. Dan Yichun immediately offered a kneeling apology, posting an apology statement: "I was just at rehearsal, and after coming offstage I've started looking into the situation. As a fellow creator, I understand how Mr. Li must feel at this moment, and first of all, I'm very sorry. My team and I will clarify the situation as soon as possible and give everyone an answer." However, netizens discovered that Dan Yichun herself was the chief director of the concert and suspect she might be trying to shirk responsibility.
Dan Yichun said: "I sincerely apologize to Mr. Li Ronghao and to all the other teachers troubled by this matter. As a creator myself, I deeply understand the importance of copyright awareness and will absolutely clarify this red line. Lastly, I still want to thank Mr. Li Ronghao for creating 'Li Bai', a song that has given me strength and warmth. Thank you, Mr. Li. I sincerely apologize again."
Because Li Ronghao harshly criticized Dan Yichun, netizens dug up footage from six years ago, when 18-year-old Dan Yichun competed on "Sing! China". Li Ronghao was one of the four mentors that season. In her initial performance, she sang Eric Chou's song "Unbreakable Love" and became an instant standout. But because she appeared later in the show, some mentor teams were already full. To choose her, all existing team members would need to compete against her in PK battles, which was tough on those members. Among the mentors, Li Jian and Nicholas Tse praised her singing and chose her for their teams, while Li Ronghao did not turn his chair for her, and she ultimately joined Li Jian's team.