Can’t Afford the Sky-high Penalty Fee? Zhao Lusi Returns to Work in Less Than a Month after Insufficient Rest

【Epoch Times, January 19, 2025】At the age of 26, Chinese popular actress Zhao Lusi was photographed in a wheelchair being taken to the hospital in December last year. It was later revealed that she had been overworked, subjected to humiliation and physical abuse by her management company, developed aphasia, depression, and had to completely halt her career at the peak of her success. Surprisingly, less than a month into her break, she is scheduled to attend a brand event on the 25th of this month. Industry insiders speculate that the exorbitant penalty for breach of contract, starting at millions of yuan, may have forced her to return to work.

Zhao Lusi gained immense popularity through her roles in dramas such as “The Rumored Chen Qianqian,” “Bright Star, Shining Moon, Rising Tides,” and “Can’t Hide Secretly.” However, the rigorous work demands and immense pressure took a toll on her health. On December 27th last year, the sight of her being wheeled into the hospital caused shock and concern among the public. In the video footage, she appeared weak, slumped over her own shoulders, curled up, pale-faced, with a tube in her nose. It was later confirmed that she was suffering from aphasia, temporarily unable to speak or walk.

On December 31, 2024, images of Zhao Lusi’s recovery were revealed, showing her body stiff and struggling to walk, even simple tasks like holding a spoon seemed arduous. On New Year’s Eve, a netizen claiming to be a friend of Zhao Lusi disclosed that she had been verbally abused and physically assaulted by the former boss of her management company in April 2019. Despite fans urging her to terminate the contract with the management company, “Galaxy Cool Entertainment,” stepped forward to deny the allegations and expressed sincere hopes for her return after a period of rest.

Some Chinese media outlets interpreted the management company’s statement as a firm stance of “no possibility of termination.” After several days of silence, Zhao Lusi finally unlocked her Weibo account on January 1 and shared a lengthy post detailing her ordeal. She admitted to having depressive tendencies dating back more than 5 years due to violent behavior from her boss and accused him of taking a large sum of money before allowing her to leave.

Now, less than a month into her break, a soy milk brand she endorses announced that she will be attending an event in Chengdu, China, on the 25th. This appearance marks her first public engagement after her illness, sparking immediate discussions and speculations.

Entertainment blogger “Ju Zi Qiu Yu,” who has 160,000 followers, remarked, “In less than a month, Zhao Lusi is already returning to work. Some netizens mockingly call it a ‘medical miracle,’ but I believe she may have been left with no choice.” “Ju Zi Qiu Yu” pointed out that from the onset of her illness to the present, just a month has passed, and a brand has already officially announced her participation in an offline event. “Those who were initially skeptical about her illness are now even more unsettled,” the blogger added.

According to reports, Zhao Lusi signed a 10-year contract with “Galaxy Cool Entertainment” in September 2016, with nearly 2 years remaining before it expires. Even if Zhao Lusi intends to unilaterally terminate the contract, under unwritten rules in the Chinese entertainment industry, the penalty for breach of contract is typically ten times the contract amount, which would mean facing a penalty of hundreds of millions of yuan.

Media analyses suggest that if Zhao Lusi chooses not to terminate the contract but adopts a strategy of “striking,” she may have to endure a freezing period of up to 2 years before the expiration of the contract, followed by a “cooling-off period.” Returning to the industry after this long absence could mean reaching the age of 30, considered “old” in the fiercely competitive Chinese entertainment industry. For Zhao Lusi, who is already a top-tier actress, this hiatus could deal a severe blow to her career. Therefore, it is believed by outsiders that Zhao Lusi has “no way out” and has been compelled to resume work hastily.