{
  "id": 7226691,
  "title": "C-drama star Cheng Lei gets the full Malaysian welcome — from ‘sayang, dah makan belum?’ to cat drawings",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/c-drama-star-cheng-lei-gets-the-full-malaysian-welcome-from-sayang-7226691",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-14T02:06:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/09/14/c-drama-star-cheng-lei-gets-the-full-malaysian-welcome-from-sayang-dah-makan-belum-to-cat-drawings/235106"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 14 — Fans gathered outside Kuala Lumpur International Airport and Sunway Velocity Mall, arriving as early as 6.30am, to catch a glimpse of Chinese actor Cheng Lei during his first visit to Malaysia. At approximately 1:57pm on Sunday, Cheng made his entrance to the enthusiastic cheers of fans who had journeyed from cities across the country, including the Klang Valley, Penang, and East Malaysia. Cheng greeted the crowd in Bahasa Malaysia, saying, \"Hi semua, nama saya Cheng Lei.\" The crowd responded warmly with, \"Selamat datang ke Malaysia.\" Cheng, known for his performances in dramas like My Journey to You and How Dare You!?, expressed his appreciation for the Malaysian fans' warm and friendly reception. He noted that their ability to speak both Bahasa Malaysia and Mandarin made him feel a strong sense of connection. Cheng also praised Malaysia's multicultural society, emphasizing the presence of Malay, Chinese, and Indian communities, as well as the country's diverse culinary scene. The event transitioned into interactive activities, with fans invited on stage to participate. One such activity, the \"Cup Battle,\" saw Cheng and a fan race to build pyramids using paper cups. Other games included a \"6-Grid Drawing Challenge,\" where Cheng and a fan collaboratively drew Cheng's favorite hobby, animal, food, beverage, thoughts on Malaysia, and preferred mode of transport. Cheng's sketches featured a photograph, his cat Natasha, ramen, coffee, fans, and a car. The \"Malaysian Gentleman Tone Challenge\" tested Cheng's Malay language skills, as he learned to deliver popular Malay phrases with varying tones. The final activity, \"Through Cheng Lei’s Lens,\" allowed the actor to showcase his photography passion, capturing fans posing as characters from his dramas. The event concluded with Cheng reading fan letters and thanking them for their unwavering support. A video featuring fans from across Malaysia was screened, expressing gratitude for Cheng's visit and wishing him a memorable stay. Cheng reflected on his international fan base, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to connect with people from diverse cultures through his work. He hoped that their continued support would lead to a better and brighter future.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 14 — Fans camped outside Kuala Lumpur International Airport from 11pm the night before, and som...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "C-drama star Cheng Lei gets the full Malaysian welcome — from ‘sayang, dah makan belum?’ to cat drawings",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/c-drama-star-cheng-lei-gets-the-full-malaysian-welcome-from-sayang",
        "published": "2026-09-14T02:06:11.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "#SHOWBIZ: Chinese star Cheng Lei charms Malaysian fans in memorable KL debut",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/showbiz-chinese-star-cheng-lei-charms-malaysian-fans-in-memorable-kl",
        "published": "2026-09-14T03:42:08.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}