Photo: Courtesy of Youku

Chinese actress Zhao Lusi on Wednesday revealed that she has been suffering from depression. On the same day, the agency representing Zhao expressed its support for Zhao in facing challenges but stressed it will not tolerate slander.

 “We fully accept feedback and suggestions, and we sincerely reflect on our shortcomings and apologize for them,” the company, YinheKuyu Media, wrote on its Sina Weibo account. The company said that they sincerely hope that everyone will provide Zhao time and space, and await her return.

The company said that they are aligned with Zhao in planning her work schedule, and are striving to arrange and coordinate related work based on a full agreement.

But “we will not tolerate any baseless and malicious slander, and we sincerely apologize to those friends who have been unjustly harmed,” the company noted.

Some netizens commented under the agency’s Weibo account that the company should bear some responsibility for Zhao’s condition, triggering more discussions over the issue. 

The 26-year-old young star’s physical conditions has triggered public concerns over the past few days with videos clips circulating online showing her walking unsteadily and failing to hold a spoon. Social media speculations have been circulating about her being hospitalized for aphasia, a disorder that affects a person’s ability to understand and use a language.

In response, Zhao apologized for her appropriation of the public resources and revealed that she began experiencing feelings of depression in 2019 but she neglected them.

In the post on Wednesday, she reviewed the development of her illness.

In 2021, her psychological condition further developed into physical conditions including skin allergy. Despite of treatment, the symptoms didn’t go away, and she started to consult a psychologist to relieve the emotional stress.

In 2023, pneumonia, emphysema, pityriasis rosea, urticaria, night sweats, being startled awake, and sensorineural hearing loss occurred one after another, she revealed in the post. In addition, she was stricken by a slew of unfortunate events of her relatives, which resulted in her continuing neglecting her health conditions.

In 2024, she suffered noticeable physical symptoms such as frequent retching, dizziness, joint pains, neck pains, and worsening allergies. However, she still thought it was due to normal side effects caused by taking targeted allergy medication.

She said she did not want her illness to become a “publicity stunt.”

Depression is a disease and “it’s no longer something that can be resolved simply by ‘cheering up’ or ‘speaking out,’” she wrote on Sina Weibo, China’s X-like platform.

She reminded the public to understand mental illness and value psychological treatment.

In her post, she also disclosed her sufferings of slanders and the experience of being beaten by a teacher and later a company staffer.

Zhao is known for her roles in The Romance of Tiger and Rose, Dating in the Kitchen, The Long Ballad, and The Story of Pearl Girl.

Global Times

Photo: Sina Weibo