Angelababy and Li Chen Rumored to Be Dating

Friends for over 10 years, Angelababy (楊穎) and Li Chen (李晨) were rumored to have started dating. It was said they slowly developed feelings after working together. An unlikely couple, the news immediately became a trending search.

Li Chen allegedly posted online, “Ten years of friendship became a strong romantic relationship. Fans are also supportive.” Although Li Chen did not mention any names, netizens suspect he was referring to Angelababy, who was his costar in Keep Running <奔跑吧> for over 10 years. They often attended the same events and gatherings.

Recovering from heartbreak with their respective partners, Li Chen and Angelababy have remained single. Li Chen and Fan Bing Bing (范冰冰) have been broken up for almost five years, while Angelababy and Huang Xiaoming (黃曉明) announced their divorce two years ago. Li Chen and Angelababy did not deny the news, which added fuel to the fire.

However, some believe the romantic rumors were a publicity stunt to boost the slipping ratings of Keep Running and allow Angelababy and Li Chen’s names to top social media searches. Netizens recalled how Angelababy’s flirtatious interactions with Ryan Zheng Kai (鄭愷) during the first season of Keep Running caused a lot of attention, so the production crew may have decided to rehash the same tactic. Since Angelababy was not in the latest season of Keep Running, netizens felt it was unfair for the producers to take advantage of her name.

Some pointed out Angelababy and Li Chen did not interact with each other privately and the actor has always viewed Angelababy like a younger sister. Netizens also went on Li Chen’s social media and could not find the rumored post. The video that brought the supposed post to light also had a disclaimer in small font, “This content is purely fictitious and is for entertainment purposes only.”

While the authenticity of the dating news remained uncertain, netizens felt the publicity was a win-win situation for Angelababy and Li Chen. Angelababy’s popularity has slipped since being blacklisted by Chinese authorities after being caught watching BLACKPINK Lisa’s controversial Crazy Horse performance. Although Angelababy’s social media accounts were no longer frozen, she encountered difficulty in reviving her career in China to previous popularity levels. Appearing as a guest at the Hong Kong Film Awards ceremony, she was well received by locals and hinted to being open to returning to the Hong Kong market.

Source: [1]