'When the Phone Rings' scores new personal-best ratings
Zhao Lusi's company's former boss, who was believed to have allegedly abused her in the past, has issued a statement refuting the allegations of abuse.
Previously, Zhao Lusi's friend Zhu Rui, who also worked with her in The Story of Pearl Girl, in response to the post that said Zhao Lusi was physically and verbally abused by her person in charge, clarified that the bullying came from the person who was in charge of her previously and emphasized that she has a good relationship with her current company co-worker. Following this, Chinese netizens started digging up info about the former CEO of Galaxy Cool Entertainment, Li Wei, demanding an explanation.
On the evening of January 1, Zhao Lusi's management company, Galaxy Cool Entertainment Media, issued a statement: "Galaxy Cool Entertainment has always been steadfast in standing with Ms. Zhao Lusi to address the difficulties she faces and actively resolve the issues that have arisen. We fully accept rational feedback and suggestions from all parties, deeply reflect on the shortcomings in our work, and sincerely apologize."
Subsequently, the former CEO of Galaxy Cool Entertainment, Li Wei, is reported to have posted a lengthy message on his WeChat moments in response to the allegations that he physically assaulted Zhao Lusi. His post is as follows:
Li Wei here.
I have known Lusi for over eight years. I still remember her smile, brighter than the sun the first time I met her. It has been more than 3,000 days since she signed with us in September 2016. Watching Lusi grow and make progress has brought me joy. Signing Lusi was one of the best decisions I've made in my career in the entertainment industry.
Over these 3,000+ days, I've seen a resilient young woman who bore all the pressure on her own and put in far more effort than most people and worked step by step to reach where she is today. When people ask her about her success, she humbly says it's all because she's been 'lucky.' It is here where the saying 'the harder you work, the luckier you get' comes to life.
On May 25, 2020, she [Zhao Lusi] reached Weibo's trending list with The Romance of Tiger and Rose. We celebrated together, [and I was] proud that she had stepped onto a bigger stage. She deserves to be seen and loved by more people.
During the days I worked with her, I witnessed her achieving one success after another, relying on herself. Although I left Galaxy Cool Entertainment in early 2023 and no longer have any cooperative or equity relationship with the company, Lusi remains a little sister to me, someone I can never stop worrying about.
I have always been behind her [had her back], defending her and watching over her. We also often chat and share good news, just like we used to when we used to work together. I like all of her TikTok posts and keep an eye on online discussions about her.
In September 2023, I accidentally liked a negative Weibo post about Lusi due to a 'slip of the hand,' which led to criticism from netizens and fans. Lusi was the first to comfort me, telling me that accidental likes happen often, She told me not to look at the comments. She didn’t want me to explain myself because she feared it might bring more public scrutiny to her. Because of this, I decided to delete my Weibo account.
Seeing her reach greater heights but also face more controversy makes me distressed, and want to do whatever little I can to help her.
When I learned about Zhao Lusi's health condition, I immediately expressed my concern to her. I received her reply and finding that she was recovering, I felt very relieved. Words sometimes feel inadequate, and I blame myself for not being able to do more [to help]. I understand why her fans, out of concern for her, are attacking me because of some misunderstandings. Strong emotions can [sometimes] cloud judgment. I understand everyone's urgency. I take on these [kinds of] burdens for her, but I did not assault her in the women's restroom — it wasn't me!
The burden on this young woman's shoulders is already very heavy. I hope everyone can calm down and give her enough space to relieve her stress, rest well, and recover quickly so she can bring us more surprises in the future. [It still comes down to] those three words: She deserves it.
At the end of the lengthy post, Li Wei also shared several screenshots of his social media moments to "prove" that his relationship with Zhao Lusi had always been good.
In addition, some netizens speculated that the person who "assaulted" Zhao Lusi was her former manager, Xu Yi Ruo. In response, Xu Yi Ruo's side issued a statement to refute the rumors.
On January 2, lawyer Yang Shu Guang released a legal statement, saying he has been entrusted by Xu Yi Ruo to "address matters related to the violation of her reputation rights" and other legal rights.
The lawyer's statement clarified that claims of Ms. Xu Jun Yan (stage name: Xu Yi Ruo) "assaulting" Ms. Zhao Lusi or demanding an "exorbitant termination fee" are false information.
Sources: Yangcheng Evening News, Jiupai News
Read about Zhao Lusi's agency addressing fans' concerns about her health here, Zhao Lusi allegedly being abused by her person in charge here, and Zhao Lusi breaking silence on suffering from depression and physical abuse here.
