The dispute was eventually settled with the help of the Chinese government, and Li now holds a 99 percent stake in the company that controls her trademarks. Despite this, Hangzhou Willing still owns a popular food product line that bears Li's name. After the settlement, Li remained offline for several years, appearing mainly in offline events organized by local government agencies. Now, she plans to focus on promoting China's "Intangible Cultural Heritage" arts, which will limit her ability to be a full-time influencer.
Key takeaways:
- Li Ziqi, a popular internet influencer from China, has returned to posting videos on YouTube after a silence of over 1,200 days. She is known for her soothing videos of traditional Chinese lifestyle, cooking, and art.
- Li disappeared from the internet in 2021 due to a legal dispute with her marketing agency, Hangzhou Willing, over the rights to her personal brand and profits from selling merchandise. The dispute was eventually settled with the intervention of the Chinese government.
- Despite her online silence, Li remained active in offline events, often organized by local government agencies. She was given the title of “ambassador of Sichuan’s farming culture” and is featured on the homepage of the China Association of Young Rural Entrepreneurial Leaders.
- Upon her return, Li stated that she plans to focus on promoting China's “Intangible Cultural Heritage” arts, which would interfere with her being a full-time influencer. Her return has been embraced by both her fans and Chinese state media.