Top Chinese influencer Li Ziqi has ignited a new controversy after an interview resurfaced where she advises against pursuing careers as an online influencer.
In an interview with China’s national broadcaster in 2021, Li had expressed her worries about the growing number of teens who want to be online influencers. Following her return from a three-year break from the internet, the aforementioned has resurfaced.
“Young people who are exposed to fragmented information too early,” she stated. “I don’t want them to adopt misguided values. I hope they focus on their studies so they can seize future opportunities.”
Her remarks have received criticism online. While there are some who have applauded her for her insights being an influencer herself, there are also people who called her “hypocritical” because of her comment.
Li Ziqi has not yet issued a statement regarding the resurfaced video of her interview.
On November 12, Li made her comeback after a three-year hiatus caused by a legal battle with her former agent Weinian.
She uploaded two videos to celebrate her return, one of which showcased her meticulous restoration of her grandmother’s clothing using traditional Chinese lacquer methods. Li gained 12 million new followers on Douyin, the Chinese equivalent of TikTok, in just one week after the video went viral.
During her absence, she traveled all around China, working with more than 100 traditional craftsmen to become proficient in their skills. In recent interviews, she stated her intention is to bridge the gap between these craftspeople and other influencers in order to promote traditional Chinese crafts and make them more well-known.
In 2015, Li started posting her videos on the Chinese video community Meipai. That same year, a CEO of a video platform noticed her video “Peach Wine” and featured it on his website, greatly increasing the number of followers on her channel.
She made her debut on YouTube in 2017. The influencer set the Guinness World Record in February 2021 for having the most YouTube subscribers to a Chinese-language channel.
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