Chaos Erupts as Fans Overwhelm Mall for Netflix Star Appearance

A Netflix star was compelled to withdraw from a fan gathering on Sunday after an overwhelming crowd of enthusiastic supporters transformed a shopping mall into a scene of chaos, breaching the glass doors in their excitement.

Chinese actor Zhang Linghe, celebrated for his performances in Netflix hits like “The Princess Royal” and “Pursuit of Jade,” was scheduled to attend an event for an eyewear brand at MixC Mall located in Nanning, the capital city of Guangxi province.

The situation quickly escalated as soon as the doors opened. Fans rushed forward, breaking glass and causing shards to scatter across the entrance. This chaotic scene, captured in videos now circulating online, shows the extent of the disorder.

Amidst the chaos, screams echoed as the crowd pushed further into the mall, resulting in injuries to five individuals who required medical attention at a local hospital, as reported by The Paper.

According to the outlet, fans had begun gathering outside the venue several hours before the event was set to start. Social media footage depicted a throng of people crammed at the entrance, eagerly awaiting the actor’s appearance.

The mayhem ultimately forced organizers to pull the plug, with eyewear company Molsion announcing on social media that Zhang’s scheduled appearance had been canceled.

Netflix star Zhang Linghe had to pull out of a fan event on Sunday after an army of excited admirers turned a shopping mall into pure pandemonium, smashing through the glass doors in the process 

Screams rang out as the crowd pushed deeper into the mall, ignoring the hazards underfoot, leaving five people injured and requiring treatment at a local hospital

The eyewear company told fans that the event schedule had been ‘temporarily adjusted’ in line with ‘the safety requirements of relevant departments’ and in order ‘to protect everyone’s personal safety and avoid overcrowding and uncontrollable risks’.

Instead of appearing at the shopping center as planned, Zhang later joined a livestream organized by the brand, per the outlet. 

The actor’s studio also addressed the incident on Weibo, issuing an apology to disappointed fans who had traveled to see him.

‘We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause due to the last-minute rescheduling of the brand event scheduled for today,’ the statement said. ‘Your safety is always our top priority and the premise for all our activities.’

In a move that drew praise online, the studio also pledged to reimburse fans who had traveled to Nanning for the event.

‘For fans who came to Nanning, all travel and accommodation expenses incurred due to this event, including airfare, high-speed rail tickets, hotel stays, and train fares, will be fully compensated by the artist and their studio.’

The extraordinary scenes are a testament to Zhang’s soaring popularity, with the 28-year-old emerging as one of the biggest stars in China’s booming television industry.

He first gained widespread attention with his role in the fantasy drama Love Between Fairy And Devil in 2022 before cementing his status as a leading man in a string of hit period dramas.

The mayhem ultimately forced organizers to pull the plug, with Molsion announcing on social media that Linghe’s scheduled appearance had been canceled; Above, Linghe in May

The Princess Royal helped introduce Linghe to an international audience through Netflix

Zhang’s latest series, Pursuit Of Jade, became another hit, topping iQIYI charts in six days and cracking Netflix’s Global Top 10 for non-English shows

Since then, he has starred in My Journey To You, Story Of Kunning Palace and The Princess Royal, the latter helping introduce him to a growing international audience through Netflix.

His latest series Pursuit Of Jade has proven to be another major success. 

In the historical romance, Zhang plays Xie Zheng, a nobleman driven by revenge after the massacre of his family.

The drama surpassed a popularity index of 10,000 on Chinese streaming giant iQIYI within six days of its release. 

It later debuted in Netflix’s Global Top 10 rankings for non-English-language shows, marking another major success for Zhang.