Hi, RBS! 🫶 I wasn't around when DD filmed Intercross/Mermaid, and I wanted to ask you, dear seasoned turtle: I've seen rumors that filming was extremely harsh on DD (freezing water, vocal cord injury, etc.), and during ETU1 he explicitly says it was a miserable experience. Ppl also say Cheng Er's directing style is abusive toward actors (even during Hidden Blade). Is there any basis for these claims, or is it turtles being a bit overprotective, like we sometimes tend to do? Thank you!!! 💛💛💛
Hi ilovealonelystar! Hope you're well! 😊
Ah, the "Cheng Er is a monster" thing again... *sigh*
I've seen these rumors too. Claims that Cheng Er's methods are abusive and exploitative, that he 'damaged' DD when working on Hidden Blade, and again when working on Mermaid. That he put DD through so much agony that DD basically quit the industry and walked away from filming entirely for years on end, because he was so traumatized.
BS. Utter BS.
In my opinion.
DD's 'hiatus'
First of all, we cannot attribute DD's break from acting to Cheng Er or to Mermaid.
He's been wanting a break for years. He said so himself that he was burning out on acting and on being a star. He wanted to live a free, casual life, to be an ordinary person, to pursue other interests that he's never had time to pursue.
He loves climbing, he loves racing. He loves nature and camping and hiking and exploring the world. He loves challenging himself and pushing his limits.
He hates being the subject of attention all the time. He hates being followed, stalked, photographed, yelled at in public, creeped on and stalked. This is something we've known about him for years - long before Cheng Er even entered his life.
And I feel the need to say, with all due respect to those who believe this slander about Cheng Er, that attributing a major life decision like 'taking a long break from the industry' to the actions of someone else rather than to DD's own personal autonomy and initiative is not only defamatory to Cheng Er, it's insulting to DD.
DD is the one behind the wheel of his life. No one else.
And I prefer not to frame DD's choices in the way some fans have. I don't view DD's life over the past couple years as 'a break from his acting career', I view it as, 'DD's life, where he is focusing on what is currently a priority for him'.
Acting is only one part of his life. He has many other facets, interests and pursuits. The fact that he's being authentically himself and just doing what he wants to do - that's very much part of who he is. I think it's to be celebrated.
"But I've 'heard things' about Cheng Er..."
Of course! People always believe they've 'heard things' about anyone they have chosen to attack. That's the entire purpose of rumors - to sow negativity, to tarnish reputations, and to direct hatred toward a target. Dark PR, antis, etc. are exceptionally good at weaponizing fans against whatever it is they want to take down.
But even the most casual examination shows some serious flaws in the logic of these claims about Cheng Er.
There's never any source for these rumors. They seem to bubble up lazily from the bloated underbelly of the internet, expelled like so much hot air from a posterior region. Nothing trackable or verifiable, just a 'vibe'.
Cheng Er's sets are some of the most locked down, private, impervious sets in the entire industry. It can rarely be verified where or even if filming took place, let alone what might have happened on set. The idea that somehow magically these stories emerged... it's just not credible at all.
These rumors directly contradict everything we know about Cheng Er's reputation as a director, and everything that the actors he's worked with - including DD - have said about him.
Tony Leung is a highly celebrated legendary actor who has worked with some of the greatest directors in the industry, and he could take his pick of almost anyone on the planet to work with. He will only work with directors based on how he feels around them. He needs to feel safe, he needs to feel a sense of trust.
He chose to work with Cheng Er.
He's also one of the most introverted, reticent celebrities out there, yet when asked about what it was like to work with Cheng Er he had a lot of positive things to say about the experience. He said he enjoyed the professionalism of the cast and crew, he appreciated the quality of Cheng Er's work and his calm, quiet manner, and he found the collaboration, "very enjoyable and pleasant" and the filming process, "a very happy experience."
Most telling, he said, "I think this is just the beginning, and I hope to have the opportunity to work with the director again in the future."
Let me just say, if a talent like Tony Leung wants to work with you, if he appreciates the quality of your work, and especially if he wants to work with you a second time - you're absolutely doing something right.
Wang Chuanjun appeared in Cheng Er's film The Wasted Times in 2016, and chose to work with him a second time in Hidden Blade. In a Sina Finance interview he described working with Cheng Er warmly, and described the director's process as one that helped actors grow and improve.
"Ever since 'The Wasted Times,' I've felt that this kind of creative process is really helpful for me, and after so many years, getting another chance to refine things makes me feel really, really lucky."
"During the process, everyone keeps going through pain, then trying again, and then seeing themselves improve bit by bit, and going back to sleep feeling really happy and satisfied. The next day, you go through the same thing all over again.
"Every day you grow a little bit, just a little bit. When I talked to Yibo about this, he said the same thing. He said filming 'Hidden Blade' was very typical. The process was really painful, but every day after it was over, thinking back made him feel so happy."
Despite the fact that Cheng Er has only released a handful of films, he's been able to attract top talent. That reflects the reputation of a well-respected director who artists want to work with.
Cheng Er's approach
Cheng Er isn't just a filmmaker, he's an artist. He writes, directs and even edits his own work, and is very meticulous about every aspect of his films, including casting.
And before people accuse him of being a control freak or of micro-managing, let me add that this is the approach of a creator who is expressing an artistic vision through a particular voice. Much like other 'auteur' (as much as I hate that word) directors such as the Coen Brothers or Wong Kar Wai, he has a specific vision that he is trying to bring to life.
It's for this reason that he will film the same scene over and over again - to capture the perfect moments, and to give himself options during editing. It's why he is so 'method' in some of his approach, wanting actors to be fully immersed and in the right headspace. It's why he maintains such a quiet and protective set.
Even when marking a scene or calling cut, he does it quietly and calmly after waiting a few beats, to ensure that he's not pressuring or startling the actors, or breaking the mood.
Cheng Er's entire philosophy as a director is about immersing the performers in the era, mood and scene, and about protecting that immersion and giving them the space and freedom to embody a performance. As he said in an interview,
"I try to let actors perform in a relaxed state. I never directly tell them how to act or move. I like to first see how the actors think and feel, and how they deliver their lines and interpret the role, and then make adjustments. I try my best to create a calm environment that's easy for everyone to focus in."
He also deliberately creates a quiet set with minimal crew present during filming to ensure the atmosphere is safe for the performers. As he said in a Sohu interview:
"Because actors are different from other crew members, the profession requires them to directly contribute their bodies and facial features. On set, their emotions are the most vulnerable and most in need of attention and protection."
"I feel that throughout the entire filming period, eighty percent of all my work was about maintaining and protecting the emotions of every actor."
Does this sound like a monstrous taskmaster to you?
The role of personality
As an autistic person with a flat affect (I don't tend to have a lot of facial expressions), I often feel a certain protectiveness toward people like Cheng Er (and DD), who have a similar affect and tend to be misunderstood as a result.
One thing that's always said about Cheng Er is that he's quiet, thoughtful, meticulous, and careful with his words. Tony Leung described him as being 'very polite, with the manners of a scholar'.
People who are like this - who are very task/ideas-focused and calm and who don't engage in a lot of performative social pleasantness - frequently get penalized for it, and cast as 'unfriendly', 'angry', 'intimidating' or even 'harsh' no matter how genuinely happy, open-hearted or well-wishing they may be*.
*Ask me how I know! 😑
People who are more relationship-focused and extroverted, and who present themselves as aggressively friendly, charming, and comedic tend to undergo much less social scrutiny and criticism.
Don't take my word for it
You've heard a fair bit about Cheng Er here, and about why I don't think he's a cruel man or an abusive director, but don't take my word for it - take a look at what DD himself has said:
About Cheng Er's direction:
He told me what needed to be done, how to complete it, what kind of acting to draw from, and which direction was more accurate. The director always explained everything very clearly. The director truly respects every staff member, respects his own work, and respects the film. Then there's care. I think the director's protection and concern for actors is something I've never seen before. He cares deeply about the actors' feelings, helping them calm down and prepare their emotions without any distractions. There's no need to worry about whether everyone is still waiting for me to prepare. That's the kind of environment the set is.
(source)
About Cheng Er's influence:
I think Director Cheng Er gave me a good start. He asked me not to "act" but to subtract. In fact, I am very grateful to the director for cultivating such a good habit in me.
(source)
I said at the (Golden Rooster Award) nomination and commendation ceremony that I was very grateful to the director for helping me with the film, but I might have been a little nervous on stage at that time. In fact, what I wanted to say was that it was not just in "Hidden Blade", but it also helps me a lot outside the theater, whether it's the aesthetics of movies, music, or art. He told me that if you see too many good things, you will know what is bad.
(source)
👨: My understanding is that in addition to the cooperative relationship between director and actor, Director Cheng Er also has a kind of appreciation and support for you.
WYB: Well, yes, it can be understood that the director is teaching me like a teacher, he is my mentor and helpful friend.
(source)
"I think the director's protection and concern for actors is something I've never seen before" and "he is my mentor and helpful friend."
I believe DD over a bunch of fans who weren't in the room and have no direct knowledge of what DD's experience has been with Cheng Er.
Being a fan isn't always easy
One thing I can say about celebrity fandom is, take everything extreme that you hear with a huge grain of salt. I'm not saying that bad things don't ever happen (c-ent can be scary!😥), but I urge people to evaluate things rationally and not get carried away by wild tales. It's worthwhile to instead carefully examine and evaluate the evidence, think critically, and engage in intellectual self-defense.
Fans can be... (I typed and deleted so many times here lol)... they can be unreasonable, excessive, overly emotional, irrational, and quick to jump to conclusions. It's just the truth. I'm not saying that to be a dick, nor am I claiming to be free from these faults myself, it's just...
Too much in fandom seems to be the product of:
exaggerated or heavily biased story (often manipulatively framed by external forces in order to instigate fans)
+ vague yet tantalizing rumors
+ rabid overprotectiveness
+ obsessive devotion
+ highly emotional overinterpretation
+ in-group social contagion/solidarity stoking things higher
= extreme behavior, slanderous narratives, and single-minded reactions that are vastly disproportionate to what might have actually happened, or to any possible 'harm' that might have been done.
It's something I've often found frustrating about fandom. Fans often show little restraint, and it can be very difficult to have a rational, measured discussion about a topic once it's caught fire.
Thankfully the Cheng Er claims haven't reached that point (at least, not yet - let's hope it never does), but it frustrates me to see so many people show such an eagerness to attack and malign the close colleagues of their favorite celebrity.
I've seen similar with the hate fans have always had for YH and Du Hua.
DD (rightfully) inspires a lot of love and devotion in people. He's truly special, and he has so many qualities that endear him to people who love him. He's clever, he's goofy, he's forthright, he's just so damn good 🥲. And he is inspiring. He never gives up. He's easy to cheer for.
It's true that at times he's been badly mistreated and underestimated by the industry and by haters. I won't even repeat most of what's said about him. It should die on the lips of those who speak it.
His history is often held against him, as someone who didn't take the 'acceptable' path of getting a degree from a reputable university, or of kissing the right rings, etc., and there are people who frankly can't stand to see him earn status and respect, exhibit real talent and skill, or be as successful as he is, because it challenges their (ironically incredibly small-minded, unintelligent) bigotry.
People capitalize on this bigotry to try to take him down, and he deals with a tremendous amount of abuse/cyberbullying - and always has.
But most of that abuse comes from shrimps fans of other artists who have devoted their lives to attacking DD and to being heinous creeps rather than dedicating themselves to being good people with morally and intellectually consistent perspectives, who live the values they claim to hold.
In the industry DD has actually got a lot of backing and support, and YH - despite all the hate it gets - has been a powerful ally to him. He has won over many influential people in the industry as well - just through his own personality, sweetness and good works.
In other words, he's not as much of an underdog as a lot of fans seem to think. There's no need to constantly paint him as a victim who needs protection. We should all know DD enough by now to know he'd absolutely hate that kind of thing.
The real evidence
DD is at the level in his career/life where he has a hell of a lot of control over his choices and over the direction he takes.
Fans should take a close look at those choices and learn from them.
DD renewed with YH not once, but twice. DD worked a second time with Cheng Er, travelled extensively with him scouting locations for Mermaid, included him very prominently in his Exploring the Unknown series, did Hidden Blade road shows and promotional events for Hidden Blade with Cheng Er where it was blatantly obvious they have a very close, powerful relationship of mutual trust and respect.
People who think there's any credibility at all to claims of abuse from Du Hua, or from Cheng Er, or from Rocco Lui, or from Da Peng - or from anyone else in his career or life (is there ANY project he's been a part of where fans haven't cooked up this kind of anti narrative toward everyone involved?) - do not need to investigate scandalous rumors, do not need to dig into the person's history or background, do not need to follow melons.
GQ MOTY 2022 - DD with Rocco Lui and Cheng Er (he really surrounds himself with 'monsters').
All they need to do is look at DD, see his behavior toward those people, see who he chooses to work with, who he ties his projects and life to, who he clearly trusts, and the truth will become abundantly clear.
DD is a no-bullshit guy. He calls the shots in his life - he's worked really hard to get to a place where he can do that. He knows what he wants, he knows who he likes, and he does what is best for him.
I trust him to manage his life, his career, his projects and his associations. If he's working extremely closely with someone, there is - in my mind - absolutely zero chance that the person is abusive or exploitative toward him.
End of story.
A final note
I said this back when the whole Golden Rooster nomination controversy was swirling in the fandom and I'm going to say it again now:
"A rising tide lifts all boats."
It's in DD's best interests that the people and projects he is connected to are respected, championed and supported by fans! This should be self-evident.
Fans should be exceptionally cautious about rumors, especially ones that would tend to turn them against someone or something that DD is connected to. Often that's precisely what these scandals are crafted to do. Fan behavior can harm or even kill the future of a project.
Mermaid is a highly anticipated project, one that is going to get a lot of attention, and which is likely to bring DD to even higher levels of respect in the industry.
I do not think it's an accident at all that it has been surrounded by negative stories from the very start.
C-ent can be a very cutthroat industry, and top talent is constantly under attack, their projects are under attack, their associates are under attack. And there is no cheaper, easier, more readily accessible weapon than overprotective fans with something to prove.
I've seen this time and time and time again.
Refuse to be instigated! Refuse to believe unsubstantiated rumors! Refuse to turn against DD's projects and colleagues!!
Or everyone can do what they want, but this is my perspective on things.
Related posts:
Check out my 'hidden blade' tag for all my posts about the film, including interviews and discussions about the process and about working with Cheng Er. My 'mermaid' tag covers all my posts about that production.
while our priority is always going to be WYB, we have to accept that discomfort is part of his work — whether that’s an actor, dancer, racecar driver etc. but moreso as an actor, he won’t grow and improve if he stays in his comfort zone. CE pushed him & challenged him, and we all saw the result. he is a better actor for it.
i’ll link their conversation on ETU1, he said it was painful but he felt fulfilled after. i think we will have more insights about this film when it’s out and WYB does the promotions. 🙏🏻
"There's no thought crimes and no thought heroisms" is honestly such a good piece of life advice.
You could be having the most fucked up problematic thoughts 24/7 but if you treat people with kindness, the good you do is the only thing that matters. But if you have only the purest thoughts and all the correct beliefs, it doesn't matter one bit if you spend most of your time being an asshole to people.
🍬 CPN ❗ someone discovered 🐰 and 🦁's teams, responsible for two different endorsements were in the same group chat !!! 👀
op wrote - "because of my work, I've had contact with both of their business teams. Let's say there are Party A (🦁), Party B (🐰) and we're Party C. The Party B handling their different endorsement are also in the same group chat. I didn't even realise it until a few days after i joined the group chat and I got so excited that i immediately told my friend about it.
we have so many group chats, usually one group per brand or sometimes one group handles multiple celebrities (*im guessing this is for multiple celebrities under one brand). But this is the first time I've seen two contacts handling different endorsements in the same group chat."
🍬 someone asked in the comment section
🔸🐢 - is this true? im genuinely asking 😭😭
🔸op replied - "yes it's true, this happened around CNY, the business teams for XX brand and XX brand, we were the ones responsible for promoting/creating/managing their hot search campaigns."
(ps. op has blurred one character from the brand name but you can easily tell which brands these are. Both of these 🐰's and 🦁's endorsements were announced in september last year. So op was probably involved in the campaign promotion around feb this year 😭)
Something amusing and unrelated: for some reason, my eyes immediately zeroed in on WYB's pierced ear in that first photo, and it reminded me of how I giggle when I think that CQL's stylists and MUAs chose not to conceal his pierced ears. So now we'll forever have the stoic, serious, and unsmiling Hanguang-jun with his cute torn pierced ears. 😆 (And also blue hair!) (the blue hair bts) (and also blond hgj!)
Also, as a fun(?) fact, in case you didn't know, WYB tore his right earlobe during a blindfolded performance when his earring got caught on the blindfold and ripped (almost?) through his earlobe as he removed it. This is the performance.
@peanutbutter-nutella: #woah i didn't know his ear was still pierced!!
Oh yeah! He still has the marks, at least. Once, I didn't wear earrings for years (because of allergies), and mine never closed, while I know other people whose piercings close up quickly after not wearing earrings for like, just a couple of months -- but anyway, I don't think the little visible mark usually disappears.
Iirc, the last time we saw DD (publicly) wearing earrings was that Chanel Coco Crush ad campaign from August 2025, so less than a year ago:
(If I'm mistaken and anyone has been keeping track of WYB's earring usage, please correct me. 😂)
Somehow I never clocked that *that* was when he got that ripped earring? Sounds fucking painful, and yet he still danced beautifully. (It's such a fun performance!)
so there’s this bxg — 你好山崩崩我係3bb who likes to share fakes from other people and i mostly saw their name through the turtle eating contest tag. they sometimes do livestreams to connect with the community. and i think this is pretty normal for bxgs. we have our own set of known fandom people, whether that’s because of art ( mugui ), fanfiction, photos (global fever) or maybe how they share cpn etc. 3bb falls on the last one, fakes/cpn.
they did a community livestream last night, and i’m seeing posts from that around cpfs on weibo. the information that people found the most “tasty” are allegedly from wf (solos) who were able to join in.
treat all of this as fan fiction. i think anyone can say “im this person…” and give a piece of alleged “candy” to all. that’s just how the internet goes. i’m doing a compilation of all the pieces mentioned to archive, and well, if we see it anytime in the future, we will know. i have no opinion on these, so please don’t ask “when this happened” or what. in the grand scheme of bjyx cpn history, i don’t think this is important lol or is it? who knows.
just read along. enjoy. don’t take it too seriously. 🍨
• They've been photographed together before. When XZ reached out, WYB immediately put his head up to him, tilting his head to look at him. They were both laughing happily. Before WYB pulled his head away, XZ gently touched WYB's chin with his hand.
• The two of them had a snowball fight when they were on set of Small Town Remedy. ( WYB went there )
• There is a photo of the two of them feeding stray cats together; one was standing, and the other was squatting. This prompted many members of the "Old Flying Heroes" group to express their admiration for Xiao Zhan's kindness and to question the purpose of Wang Yibo standing there.
• Back in the “Spy” era, there was a time when Xiao Zhan was filmed jumping off a scene and leaping into Wang Yibo's arms. What left fans speechless was that it was clearly summer, and Xiao Zhan is usually so afraid of the heat, but he wasn't afraid of it at all when he was with Wang Yibo (there's video, and the old fans threatened everyone in the group to delete it).
• Wang Yibo visited Xiao Zhan on set and was seen raising him. Another photo shows Wang Yibo holding Xiao Zhan's hand; Wang Yibo was walking briskly ahead, while Xiao Zhan followed behind. (These two photos weren't captured. They were likely taken in Qingdao.)
• I remember seeing a picture of W carrying a very large thermos, going back to the room with X; W was carrying the bag.
• Xiao Zhan acts cute (Qingdao) when WYB is there
XZ will draw out the sound when saying "I don't want to eat" or "I'm so tired." a friend in the group said this, I thought she made it up, but she was actually being serious.
• X and W were photographed several times during their trip to Qingdao. When X and W were together, they were talking about something, and X suddenly slapped W a few times.
• Extras in a Small Town Remedy would mention that these 2 are close and WYB would watch XZ on screen during shooting.
• The bone necklace was something W asked X for, because X had been feeling insecure for a while, and W wanted to comfort him. I don't know the meaning behind it, but W just wanted X to give him something.
• If xx only eats a few bites and then stops, w coaxes him to eat more. After xx eats a few more bites...W took the leftover rice and ate it.
• they bought rings abroad and it was incredibly sparkly 💍💍💍
• XZ reads and looks at fanworks ( fanfiction and fanart )
• Yibo messages Xiao Zhan every day: "Send me a picture of your lunchbox after you finish eating."
• What I've heard is that X doesn't want to send WeChat messages while he's rock climbing, afraid of disturbing him, but W says he has to send them anytime, anywhere, whether there's something to say or not.
• The most frustrating thing was the bracelet, because W later gave them a really ugly one, and X wore it a few times before stopping. Furthermore, XZ also boasted to his best friend about the gifts Yibo gave him, and then immediately went to talk to Yibo... people said it wasn't good-looking.
• WYB asked XZ if he can see the bday letter in advance ( this is the one YBO posts ) but XZ told him to wait so he can see it himself. For his bdays, XZ will send him a bday song and voice message.
• After filming wrapped on "Zang Hai," he picked me up at the airport. Before the roadshow in Beijing...
• I don't know the specifics either, but XZ has been to Shanghai and Zhuhai ( to see WYB racing )
• XZ will tell gzry: I've been too busy today and haven't sent Yibo a message to check in yet. I'll send it first so he'll be very touched when he opens the message.
I totally believe the one about DD getting a song for his birthday. The lucky little 😈! It's always been the one thing I can't handle about him. I love everything else about DD, but I can't get over his ready access to songs from GG whenever he wants. 😅😭😭
We're at the "JK Rowling is personally funding litigation to try and destroy AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL" stage of rabid UK terf brain.
Screenshot via Alejandra Caraballo @esqueer.net on bluesky
Tldr Amnesty International, global human rights organisation, published a report called 'A growing threat: the anti-rights movement in the UK'. In it is detailed, amongst others, a whole bunch of transphobic groups and organisations, including Beira's Place, JK Rowling's trans exclusionary sexual violence support service. JK Rowling threw a shit fit and got Amnesty to take the report down by threatening libel. This was obviously not enough, because you can't appease a fascist, so now she's going to bankroll a bunch of lawsuits anyway through the JK Rowling Women's Fund.*
You can read an archived version of the report here, please save it and share it.
*Not so friendly reminder there is no way to engage in the wizard books without enabling this shit.
it is funny to hear that wikipedia is apparently losing site visits to AI because let me tell you wikipedia is not losing site visits from me I am all up in that bitch 24/7 I am reading her down like an enemy I am on wikipedia like white on rice
Link here for 🦁 calling 🐰 SpongeBob. It comes with a YouTube vid link with English sub of their day at Sina. Its a definite must-watch for any 🐢 Here’s @accio-victuuri post about their Weibo posts and yes look at all those exclamation marks! QR code below can be scanned to go directly to these two posts
And.. and.. and.. speaking of exclamation marks and the comments they made for each other.. here’s more posts from them praising each other, and another moment where 🦁 tells 🐰 he loves him
WYB's comment above uses 战狼 Zhàn láng "Zhan-wolf," instead of 战郎 Zhàn Láng "Zhan-husband/boyfriend," though it's the same pronunciation/tone. And of course 狼殿下 Láng diànxià "The Wolf" came out that year so there's plausible deniability.
But I mean. We all know which Láng DD meant every time he called GG "Zhàn Láng"...
I have a question : what is 622 for BXG or for DD and GG ? What happened on this date ?
Thanks in advance for your reply.
Hi lyndariell! I'm doing well, thanks! Hope you're well too. ☺️
I actually have a long post about 622 in my drafts from an anonymous ask in 2023. It's shocking how many old, long posts I have unfinished in my drafts. 😥
Rather than try to finish that old post (that was frankly getting into the weeds and trying to be too comprehensive - an ongoing curse of mine!) I'm just going to give you my thoughts on what I think 622 is, and I'll wrap it up by giving a bit more about why BXG feel 622 is significant.
My thoughts on 622
My CPN is that 622 is the day they first met.
If you look at the Devil's Timeline, one of the earliest and most controversial data points on that timeline is the rumor that when GG was preparing for X-FIRE and he wanted to learn more about the idol lifestyle, he went to a Uniq promotional event in Guangzhou on 22 June 2015 (and there met DD).
Promo clip for the event.
The timing certainly fits.
The open auditions for X-FIRE happened in June of 2015. One of GG's college profs recommended GG to the production team, and production called him and invited him to participate. He was accepted after auditioning in Chongqing.
It makes sense that during casting for a show like this, a graphic designer/photographer who has never participated in the entertainment industry would want to learn a bit about what he'd be getting himself into. We know GG puts that kind of research into his roles, and this is somewhat similar.
GG in 2015.
It makes a lot of sense for him to attend a fan event. This is the kind of event he would be expected to participate in were he to pursue that path, and it would give him an opportunity to immerse himself in that atmosphere and maybe even talk with members of the band and rub elbows with fans to see what the experience is like.
Photos of DD from the 6/22 event.
And when you think about GG and DD meeting on a day like that, it makes perfect sense why they'd hold it as such a significant anniversary to celebrate. What a unique (no pun intended), interesting, fateful way for two people to meet; both of them embarking - in different ways, at different stages and on different levels - on careers in the entertainment industry.
We will likely never know for sure when they met, or what 622 means, but this is my favorite theory for so many reasons.
The timing fits
It would explain some of the gaps in other timeline theories
It seems so fateful, which lends powerful significance to that number and explains why it would mean a lot to them
Other theories haven't fit for me
It makes for a compelling story
They've both been on this interesting path through entertainment industry, it's cool to think of it all starting like this. The fandom loves the idea that GG and DD met on set of CQL and fell in love while playing characters who were falling in love. I get it - it's a sweet story.
I think this story is far sweeter, especially when taken alongside all the rest of it. These two meet in 2015 at the beginning of their careers, they stay connected, fall in love, cross paths on a variety show, find an opportunity to work together - and (largely due to their amazing chemistry) that project launches them both into massive popularity and top tier success.
And if they really met at a fan event, how crazy is that when you consider the complicated role fans - especially BXG - play in their lives and careers? It's almost portentious when you look at it from that angle.
The Devil's Timeline has always made the most sense to me, so it's only natural that I'd find this 622 theory compelling. This 'the day they met in 2015' theory has always been a bit of a footnote in the fandom - something that people consider as a possibility, but never seem to take all that seriously.
I've always found the theory intriguing, and hopefully from what I've said you'll have a better understanding of why it holds such appeal for me.
Why some fans hate this theory
This rumor/theory is controversial because on 6/22/2015 DD would have been 17 years old and GG would have been 23. A lot of fans feel that age gap is too wide at that time in their lives, and they get very offended by the idea that anything could have happened between them when DD was underage.
Photo from the event.
However, the idea that they met on that date does not imply that they 'got together' then, even if they had an attraction. I doubt DD would have slipped away from his bandmates and management to hook up with GG at a hotel or something, let's be realistic. Relationships take time to form. So the 'the day they met' theory doesn't imply anything people should feel uncomfortable about.
Whether fans like it or not, GG and DD are 6 years apart in age. That's just the reality, regardless of when they met or when they got together. I find the idea that there's anything inappropriate about their age gap foolish and extreme. These are not unusual ages for people to meet and build connections, or even relationships.
Why do BXG feel 622 is so significant?
BXG have long known there's something up with 622. GG and DD's behavior has highlighted that number many times in the past.
GGDD birthday posts 2019
The biggest example of this was during their birthdays in 2019. Each of them shared a birthday greeting for the other that year (and sadly that was the last public birthday wish they ever shared).
Nothing more to say! Happy birthday, Lao Wang! Keep charging forward!!
On 5 August 2019 GG shared a birthday message for DD on his Weibo account. It was the 622nd post on his account.
DD replied in typical DD fashion 😅:
My god, thank you so much, Zhan-ge!!! (The motorcycle photo needs to be updated.)
On 5 October of that same year, DD shared a birthday message for GG. Fans noticed that it was also DD's 622nd post, and that he'd gone to some effort to make it the 622nd post (by deleting posts until this one would be his 622nd post).
Zhan-ge, Happy birthday!!! hahahahahaha
GG replied:
Thank you, Lao Wang! Going to bed early feels like I missed out on the whole world! (I salute you, much respect!)
Fans later realized that 22 June 2019 translated to the 20th day of the 5th month of the lunar calendar for that year (5/20 - I love you).
Dragon Boat Festival dinner date
Another big connection BXG tend to draw to 622 is GG and DD's Dragon Boat Festival dinner date in 2018, which I talked about in more detail in this post. This was believed to be an early celebration of 6/22 (because DD was going to be away).
GG had been going on and on about foods he wanted to eat, with special emphasis on Japanese food.
Later DD's assistant was seen queuing up for a table at a Japanese restaurant near where they were filming. Paparazzi showed up hoping they could capture photos of DD with his rumored girfriend and instead caught photos of he and GG going for dinner with the director and producer for CQL.
Everyone lost track of DD for the rest of the night until he showed up at the airport in mostly the same clothes from the night before (almost like he spent the night somewhere else). He was especially cheerful and cute in the variety show appearance he was filming that day.
That was also the first sighting of the famous Nike bag, which fans believe was a gift from GG.
GG's Secret Garden, 2018
Early on in his career, in 2017, GG shared a vlog where he confessed that he had a difficult time keeping up with communications with fans. In the video he said he was going to designate one of his Weibo posts the 'secret garden' where fans could share stories or ask questions, and he could reply or give little updates.
The original post:
Let some words be kept in your heart.
His reply in 2017, the beginning of the Secret Garden.
Then let it stay here, our little secret. 🤫
He kept that up for quite a while, until Nov 2019 when he closed it down because it had become a target for anti activity.
Anyway, at 11:28 on 22 June 2018, GG shared a message in the Secret Garden. It's unclear whether that was in the morning or night. If it was morning, the kadian would be 'want want love Bo', if it was at night the time would have been 23:18, and the kadian would ai zhan ai bo (love Zhan love Bo).
There is a song like this,
a song that captures the highs and lows of life, yet speaks of them softly. People are never just black or white. Time changes, circumstances shift, and people inevitably change with them.
Move forward gracefully, still young in spirit, carrying a heart full of passion.
If I were a song…
Good night 🌙
Fans believe that he was referencing the song "If I Were A Song" by Yoyo Sham.
Pie shared a full translation of the song lyrics here.
The final refrain of the song is, "If I were a song, I'm the song that loves you very much."
The CPN here, of course, is that GG was sharing a message about his love for DD, on 622, during a year when they had to be apart on that day.
Midsummer Moon
Another connection with 622 is the name GG's management company Xiao Zhan Studio was originally registered under, "仲夏之月" meaning, "Midsummer Moon" which is the summer solstice - usually occurring on 21 or 22 June.
2026
Fans of course haven't failed to notice that the fated year 2026, is basically 622 backwards.
622 in Paris, 2025
I believe that no story of 622 would be complete without mentioning the theory that GG and DD spent 622 together in Paris in 2025!!
GG had been on vacation in Europe for a couple of weeks, spending time with his family and visiting multiple countries. People lost sight of him at some point, and didn't know where he was.
DD flew to Paris on the 20th for Paris Fashion Week, and spent a couple days there.
Of course turtles were hoping and praying that GG and DD got to spend some time together in Paris for 622, but there was no confirmation that they had any opportunity.
Until they were on HS because they both flew (separately) back to Beijing from Paris on the 23rd.
Final Thoughts
As astute turtles will have noticed, there are many beloved CPN about 622 through the years - instances where we saw signs that GG and DD valued that number, instances where it seemed like they might be celebrating or marking the date in some way - however, none of it actually explains what 622 is, or what it means to GG and DD.
We may never know, but I like the idea that this might have been the day they first saw each other's faces, first looked into each other's eyes, and began the path together that they're now on.
Maybe one day we'll get a final answer, but for now it's just another one of those fascinating fandom mysteries!
Some posts connected to this that you might enjoy:
Pie's detailed 622 post, 22 June 2022
jcisthebestfightme's post about "If I Were A Song"
This is an experiment to see if there really are as few of us as people think.You can also use this to freak out your followers who think you’re 25 or something. Yay!
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