Overseasidol.com — On April 21, Chinese actress Zhang Ruonan addressed the origin of her fan club name “Nan Pengyou” during a television program, explaining that it stemmed from a heartfelt connection with her first fan.
Zhang recalled that after her debut in the film Cry Me a Sad River, her company held a press event for the main cast.
At the time, a fan had traveled a long distance from Fujian to attend just for her.
After the event, that fan posted about the experience and used the term “Nan Pengyou” which translates to “Zhang Ruonan’s friend”.
Moved by this gesture, Zhang decided to adopt the phrase as the official name for her fanbase.
However, the term “Nan Pengyou” later sparked controversy online due to associations with the idea of “pleasing men” (媚男).
Following the backlash, Zhang changed the fan name to “Xiao Yin Zhang,” which means “Little Stamp”.
