Hou Minghao is facing backlash for his upcoming drama Que Ge due to a huge age gap with his female co-star.
The 27-year-old actor stars opposite Ai Mi, who is only 17 and still a minor. The two play leads in a forced marriage storyline.
Photos from the drama’s booting ceremony sparked outrage online. Fans slammed the casting choice, calling it "weird," "disgusting," and inappropriate for such a young actress to be paired romantically with a grown man.
Social media blew up with reactions like:
“ai mi looks like either minghao’s child or his age gap sister omg” — @miaoqiology
“why are they pairing 28 years old grown man #HouMinghao to 17 years old minor #AiMi?” — @Lou_Anne0404
“She’s still a minor. Just because they want young new actors to break into the industry doesn’t mean they have to pair them with someone who has such a big age gap.” — @denizvynn
“oh god why did they let underage play adult romantic roles… i love them both but this ain’t it” — @zkdltwt_
“the drama has FORCED MARRIAGE involved? the casting team is sick how can you look at a minor and think she’s perfect for a romance role” — @caruhm3l
The drama is set to air sometime in 2026. The controversy over the age gap has already gained major traction, with viewers monitoring the situation closely. No official comment has been made by the production team yet.
