Chinese actress Esther Yu collaborated with He Yu this year to star in "Double Track". Originally, there were rumors that the two would pair up again for a new drama, "Changsheng Bone", but Esther Yu’s fans thought He Yu’s status was not high enough, and since "Double Track" failed to become a massive hit, they collectively opposed the casting. In the end, He Yu quit! Additionally, due to Esther Yu’s previous bullying scandal and family corruption incidents, many candidates for the male lead of "Changsheng Bone" dropped out. The latest news reports that it will be Neo Hou from "Into the Azure Clouds", but for two major reasons, public opinion about the pairing is pessimistic.
On the 20th, Esther Yu officially joined the set and had her makeup finalized. She was seen getting out of the nanny car looking slimmer, showing she has been actively losing weight for "Changsheng Bone". However, Neo Hou has yet to make an appearance, as he is currently recording for "Singer 2026". He reportedly lost his voice from over-practicing, but has still managed to advance in the show with no set end date. As a result, filming for "Changsheng Bone", originally scheduled to begin in June, had to be delayed.
Furthermore, according to a new regulation from China’s Radio and Television Administration, arguments over lead billing will no longer be permitted, and the cast will be listed by the stroke order of their surnames. Yu (“虞”) has 13 strokes, while Hou (“侯”) has 9, so Hou Minghao’s name will appear before Esther Yu’s, effectively taking away her top female lead position. These two reasons have made Esther Yu’s fans very dissatisfied, sparking online arguments with Neo Hou’s fans. Many are also worried that the "Changsheng Bone" production team is accommodating Neo Hou so much that Esther Yu may end up as a mere peripheral female lead.
Source: Up Media Pop