Overseasidol.com — Chinese actress Esther Yu Shuxin has recently come under fire for her past behavior toward Zhang Haoyue.
On September 6, Zhang Haoyue posted a sharp statement questioning, “Can a bully really play the role of a bullied character in a public work?,”.
She stressed that the issue should not be reduced to fan wars, but rather seen as a serious social matter.
The controversy traces back to 2016, when Yu Shuxin and Zhang Haoyue appeared together in the variety show “Freshman Graduation Season”.
Zhang Haoyue revealed that Yu Shuxin verbally attacked her at the time, calling her names such as “Spider Demon from the Cave of Spiders,” and even rallied a small group to isolate her.
These experiences caused Zhang to develop depression and anxiety, eventually leading her to step away from the industry.
In August 2024, Zhang Haoyue posted an autograph from Zhao Lusi she had obtained for her younger sister.
The comments section was soon flooded by Esther’s fans, demanding that she clarify the “Spider Demon” incident as a mere joke.
Zhang, however, liked comments supporting her claim of being hurt and published posts reaffirming her stance.
She rejected fans’ apologies that brushed the matter off as a “small incident,” saying it took her years to heal and no one had the right to redefine her pain.
She even urged the show producers to release unedited footage as evidence.
The issue quickly divided public opinion. Some netizens supported Zhang Haoyue, praising her for exposing bullying in the entertainment industry and speaking up for victims of injustice.
Others accused her of seeking attention and playing the victim. Fans of Yu Shuxin insisted the remarks were not intentional and argued that reality shows are heavily scripted and edited.
As of now, Esther Yu has not issued an official response, and the program’s producers have not commented on the call to release uncut recordings.
