Liu Yuqi (劉羽琦)

Liu Yuqi is a name that once dominated China's early internet era, known as "China's First Internet Beauty" and the "Network Boy Killer" of her generation. Born in Xuzhou, Jiangsu, she began as a table tennis player before being discovered as a model, quickly rising to prominence after winning the 2006 Football Baby national championship and the Miss International China pageant's Best Photogenic award. Her fame was cemented in 2012 when she starred in the Hong Kong film Lan Kwai Fong 2, which became a massive box office hit and earned her the title of "Milk Goddess" among Hong Kong audiences. However, her career has also been marked by a high-profile legal dispute in 2009, when she was ordered to pay 4 million yuan for breaching an exclusive management contract—a case that saw her detained at Beijing airport for refusing to comply with the court's ruling. Breakthrough Role Liu's breakthrough came in 2012 with the Hong Kong film Lan Kwai Fong 2 (《喜爱夜蒲2》), in which she played the character Siri. The film, directed by钱国伟, was a sequel to the successful Lan Kwai Fong series and became a surprise box office sensation, grossing over 10 million HKD within two weeks of release. Liu's performance—which included a highly publicized "outdoor love scene" with co-star沈震轩—was praised by audiences and critics alike, with her co-star publicly expressing admiration for her professionalism and emotional range. The role transformed her from a mainland model into a recognizable face in Hong Kong cinema and earned her the nickname "Milk Goddess" (乳神) for her striking 34D figure. Public Perception Liu Yuqi occupies a complex and somewhat marginal position in the Chinese entertainment industry today. She is remembered primarily as a symbol of the early internet celebrity era—a model-turned-actress who never quite achieved mainstream stardom but maintained a steady career in web dramas and films. Her public image has been shaped by a mix of nostalgia for her "Network First Beauty" days, lingering controversy over her 2009 contract dispute, and persistent tabloid coverage of her personal life, including a rumored relationship with Hong Kong actor林峯. In recent years, she has continued to work steadily, appearing in dramas such as 重启之极海听雷 (2020), 约定期间爱上你 (2020), and the 2025 costume drama 成凰录, as well as the 2026 series 百花杀 and 春日之地. While she remains a recognizable name to those who followed Chinese entertainment in the late 2000s and early 2010s, her current standing is more that of a working actress than a top-tier star—an enduring figure from an earlier chapter of China's entertainment history.