China’s leading influencer Li Ziqi ignites controversy with advice against becoming KOLs

The South China Morning Post reported that the interview was conducted in 2021 with China’s national broadcaster CCTV. It came back into the spotlight as Li returned to the internet after a three-year hiatus.

In the interview, Li voiced her concerns about the increasing number of teenagers aspiring to be online influencers.

“Young people are exposed to fragmented information too early,” she cautioned. “I don’t want them to adopt misguided values. I hope they focus on their studies so they can seize future opportunities.”

Her remarks have drawn sharp criticism from users on Chinese social media. Some applauded Li for her candor and insights, drawing from her own successful influencer experience.

“Being a KOL may seem glamorous, but it also entails significant risks,” a Weibo user commented. “It’s crucial to expand one’s horizons and explore various career options rather than making KOL their sole ambition.”

Conversely, some have labeled Li as “hypocritical” due to her significant social media following.

“Isn’t Li Ziqi herself an influencer? It seems she is trying to block the path for others to protect her own profits.,” a netizen wrote.

Li has yet to publicly address the criticism.

Following a three-year break stemming from a legal dispute with her former agent Weinian, Li marked her return on Nov. 12. She celebrated her comeback by posting two videos, including one highlighting her detailed work in restoring her grandmother’s wardrobe using traditional Chinese lacquer techniques. The video quickly went viral, amassing 12 million new followers for Li on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, in a single week.

During her absence, Li traveled throughout China, collaborating with over 100 traditional craftsmen to master their skills. In recent interviews, she expressed her intent to bridge the gap between these artisans and more influencers to elevate traditional Chinese crafts and expose them to a broader audience.

Li, aged 34, began sharing her videos on the Chinese video community Meipai in 2015. In 2015, her video “Peach Wine” drew the attention of a video platform CEO, who then featured it on his site, boosting her channel’s follower count significantly.

She debuted on YouTube in 2017. In February 2021, she earned the Guinness World Record for having the most subscribers to a Chinese language channel on YouTube.

As of November 2024, she boasts over 20 million subscribers on YouTube, 27.9 million followers on Weibo, and 3.9 million followers on Douyin.