Chinese Idol Slammed For Saying She Had To Take Train To Disneyland 'Cos She’s Had No Income For Six Months

Recently, former Chinese idol group SNH48 member  Li Yitong, 26, shared on Weibo how she accidentally took the wrong train while trying to get to Shanghai Disneyland. 

"Had 0 income in the past six months, and I took the train to Disneyland, but because I wasn’t familiar with the metro, I took it in the opposite direction," she quipped. 

What seemed like a harmless post somehow managed to enrage Chinese netizens for what came across as tone-deaf whining. 

Instead of reacting favourably to what she might have hoped was a cute post about how blur she was for taking the train going in the opposite direction (haven’t we all done that at some point?), netizens pointed out that due to the pandemic, many people couldn't even afford to pay for food. How was ‘having’ to take the metro to Disneyland something worth ‘whining’ about?   

Netizens felt that Yitong's post is a reflection of how celebrities are “detached from the ordinary folk's life.” 

"Must be so hard for you to lower yourself to take the train,” scoffed one netizen, while another derided: "You must be doing just fine since you can still go to Disneyland." 

Guess these are the pitfalls of being a celeb who wants to “be real” on social media?  

In response to the backlash, Yitong explained herself through a new Weibo post. 

"I've been in Shanghai the past six months and had no income  because I didn't go out for work. But I did save up a little so I am still getting by," she wrote. 

She also clarified that she rarely takes the train as she lives very near to many shopping malls, all within walking distance.  

"Disneyland is very far, so I'll usually take the car. That's why I wasn't very familiar with the train and took it in the opposite direction. If it's for work I'd take the company's car," explained Yitong. 

Photos: Li Yitong/Weibo, chinapress