C-drama star Cheng Lei gets the full Malaysian welcome — from ‘sayang, dah makan belum?’ to cat drawings

Cheng Lei, star of Chinese drama ‘How Dare You!?’, made his Malaysian debut on September 13, 2026 at the Sunway Velocity Mall in Kuala Lumpur. — Picture courtesy of iQIYI Malaysia

By Ian Jeremiah Patrick

First Published: Monday, 14 Sep 2026 10:06 AM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 14 — Fans camped outside Kuala Lumpur International Airport from 11pm the night before, and some at Sunway Velocity Mall from as early as 6.30am — all for a glimpse of Chinese actor Cheng Lei during his first visit to Malaysia.

At about 1.57pm on Sunday, Cheng finally made his entrance to deafening cheers from fans who had travelled from across the country, including the Klang Valley, Penang and East Malaysia.

He greeted the crowd in Bahasa Malaysia, saying, “Hi semua, nama saya Cheng Lei.”

The fans responded enthusiastically with, “Selamat datang ke Malaysia.”

This is the face that has won over audiences with performances ranging from Gong Shangjue in the costume mystery drama My Journey to You to Xiahou Dan in the recent How Dare You!?

During the question-and-answer session, Cheng said he was touched by the warm, lively and friendly reception from Malaysian fans, particularly when he heard them speaking both Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin.

“I feel a strong sense of closeness with Malaysian fans,” he said.

The actor also praised Malaysia’s multicultural society, noting the presence of Malay, Chinese and Indian communities, as well as the country’s diverse food culture.

Cheng said he hoped to try as many local dishes as possible during his visit.

“But nasi lemak would be my first choice because I have heard about it,” he said.

“I would like to have more time to explore Malaysia, see more of the country and experience what it has to offer,” he added.

Games, drawings and plenty of laughter

The event turned even more interactive when selected fans were invited on stage to take part in a series of activities with Cheng.

The first activity, the “Cup Battle”, pitted Cheng against a fan in a race to build pyramids using paper cups.

‘Sayang dah makan belum?’ C-drama actor Cheng Lei gets schooled in Malaysian charm at at the Sunway Velocity Mall in Kuala Lumpur on September 13, 2026. — Picture courtesy of iQIYI Malaysia

The fun continued with the “6-Grid Drawing Challenge”, where together with a fan the Legend of the Female General star had to draw his favourite hobby, animal, food, beverage, what comes to mind when he thinks of Malaysia and his preferred mode of transport.

His sketches included taking photographs, his cat Natasha, ramen, coffee, his fans and a car.

Fans then put Cheng’s Malay skills to the test during the “Malaysian Gentleman Tone Challenge”, teaching him how to deliver popular Malay phrases using different tones.

His attempts at lines such as “Sayang, dah makan belum?” and “Mintak nombor boleh?” were greeted with enthusiastic cheers and laughter from the crowd.

The final activity, “Through Cheng Lei’s Lens”, gave the actor a chance to showcase another of his passions — photography.

Cheng photographed fans posing as characters from his dramas, giving them one final opportunity to interact with the star while putting his photography skills to work.

The event ended on an emotional note as Cheng took the time to read letters from fans on stage and thank them for their unwavering support.

A video featuring fans from across Malaysia was also screened, with messages thanking Cheng for visiting the country and wishing him a memorable stay.

Reflecting on his international fan base, Cheng said he was grateful that the characters he portrayed and the dramas he starred in had given him an opportunity to connect with people from different cultures and backgrounds.

“I feel very proud and grateful to have this opportunity to come to Malaysia and meet all of you.

“I hope you guys take care and that we can meet again in a better and brighter future,” he said.

As Cheng bid farewell, it was clear that his first visit to Malaysia had left a lasting impression on both the actor and his fans.

Cheng’s appearance was part of iQIYI Starship 2026, a fan engagement event organised by streaming platform iQIYI.