HONG KONG — Mainland Chinese singer Li Hao wrapped up his two-night stand at the Hong Kong Coliseum on Sunday, drawing a parade of celebrity guests and a surprise appearance by actress Cecilia Cheung, but the milestone concerts were also marred by backlash over his onstage behavior—prompting a tearful apology.
The final show featured a theatrical opening that mimicked a gangster standoff. Actors Jacky Leung and Kwok-wa Chan strode out in black suits, each leading a group of “henchmen” in a mock negotiation that evoked Chan’s infamous “Axe Gang” role in Stephen Chow’s 2004 film Kung Fu Hustle. Li Hao was hauled onstage in a burlap sack, then kicked by the two actors before emerging to comic effect. The skit ended with Leung and Chan embracing and heading into the audience with tickets in hand.
A High-Energy Set and a Surprise Duet
With freshly dyed blond hair, Li Hao powered through a set list that included original hits like “Out of Line,” “Leap Over the Dragon Gate,” and “Winter Moth,” switching between multiple costume changes. After performing “Mono no Aware,” he greeted the crowd with an emotional shout: “Red Hall, I’ve made it! I have only one goal—to let everyone know I am a singer.”
He later confessed the experience felt dreamlike. “I pinched myself—it hurt, so I knew it was real. I really made it to Red Hall,” he said before singing his first Cantonese-language single, “The Dwelling.”
During a performance of “Bad Bunny,” Li Hao lifted his shirt to reveal his abdominal muscles, poured water over his own head, and teased the crowd. Audience members chanted for him to strip, but he declined to go further.
Cecilia Cheung’s First Hong Kong Appearance Since Nicholas Tse’s Father’s Death
The night’s biggest surprise was Cecilia Cheung, who stepped onto the Coliseum stage for the first time since the death of her former father-in-law, actor Patrick Tse, in July. Dressed in an all-black pantsuit with flowing curly hair, she joined Li Hao at a piano for a duet of “Jianghu Goodbye,” complete with wine-sipping, embraces, and hand-holding.
Li Hao called Cheung “everyone’s goddess” and urged the crowd to cheer for her. Cheung, visibly nervous, thanked Li Hao for the opportunity. “When I invited her, she agreed without hesitation,” Li Hao said. “She said she saw fire in me.” Cheung praised his artistic sensibility.
The two, both self-professed fans of Stephen Chow, playfully invoked his film The King of Comedy. Li Hao mimicked Chow and shouted Cheung’s iconic line: “I want to take care of you!” They ended the moment with a lingering hug. Cheung bid the audience farewell with the song’s title: “Jianghu Goodbye.”
Crowd Behavior Sparks Backlash, Apology
The first night of the concert, however, drew sharp criticism online. Li Hao wore a low-cut top that showed off his chest and walked to the edge of the stage, allowing fans to touch his face, chest, and even reportedly his groin area. The chaotic scene led social media users to blast the performance as “cheapening the Red Hall” and turning the venue into a “nightclub.”
Early Monday, Li Hao issued an apology on social media. “It’s my first time on the Red Hall stage… I was too happy, too excited,” he wrote, adding that after reflecting, he fully understood the disappointment and anger.
Later, during a livestream, he appeared teary-eyed and repeated his regret: “I’m truly sorry, truly sorry. If an adult makes a mistake, you admit it. Stand up straight, fix it, and do better.”
Broader Implications
Li Hao’s rapid rise and the controversy highlight a generational shift in Chinese pop culture, where younger artists often blur lines between concert performance and interactive spectacle. The Hong Kong Coliseum, a historic venue, remains a benchmark for mainland singers—but the backlash suggests that audiences and regulators alike are scrutinizing what is acceptable on its stage. For Li Hao, the challenge now is to channel that “fire” into artistry without crossing lines that erode public trust.
