32 Year Old Influencer Found Dead in Hotel

Zheng Lei Lei was found dead in a hotel room in Yiyang, China, after a sudden heart attack at age 32.

She had built a following of nearly 100,000 fans on Douyin, and her death last Friday (15 May) was confirmed by her mother on her Douyin page two days later. Hotel staff reportedly found her unresponsive after she failed to check out on time.

Emergency services arrived quickly, but paramedics could not revive her and she was pronounced dead at the scene. Her body was cremated on the morning of 19 May at a local funeral home, and fans gathered the previous day to pay their respects.

Fellow content creator Hunan Bian Da Shi, who worked with Lei Lei on multiple videos, described her as “enthusiastic”, “full of positive energy” and “a strong woman who single-handedly supported her entire family”. He also said he was shocked by the “sudden accident” and noted that police were investigating.

The police said they had shared the results of their investigation with the family and stressed that the case was “not criminal”. Unconfirmed accounts from people close to her pointed to long-term overwork, irregular hours common in the influencer industry, and social drinking as possible contributing factors to her heart attack, but those details have not been officially confirmed yet.

Lei Lei’s final livestream was on the afternoon of 13 May, when she appeared in good spirits while promoting local products. Her account contains 384 videos on beauty tips, local food, and light-hearted skits, according to Need To Know. Lei Lei leaves behind a young son.