"Is She Faking Her Disability?" Success of a Woman with Cerebral Palsy in Beauty Industry Sparks Controversy

According to The Financial News, a Chinese beauty influencer with CP became popular and managed to pay off her family's debts, but soon faced accusations of pretending to have a disability. She refuted the claims by publicly sharing her disability certificate.
On the 6th, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported the story of Linling (25), known online as Chapssaltteok Lin. Born into a rural family in Zhijin County, Guizhou Province, Linling was diagnosed with jaundice at birth. Due to her parents’ lack of medical knowledge, her treatment was delayed, and she was diagnosed with CP at around one year old.
Growing up, Linling avoided the gaze of others due to her deformed limbs and communication difficulties. Her family life was also turbulent, with her father incurring significant debt by mortgaging their home and her mother leaving the family.

In 2022, inspired by internet culture, Linling began her journey as a beauty influencer, teaching herself makeup. Physical limitations caused her hands to tremble, making the process take hours and sometimes resulting in accidental injuries, such as poking her eye with mascara.
With the help of her friend Yangyang, Linling started producing videos and developed her own unique style. She gained over 800,000 followers on Social Networking Service (SNS). Through live-streamed beauty product sales and advertising contracts, she managed to pay off 400,000 yuan (about 8.3 million KRW) in family debt within three years. It was reported that a 20-second video advertisement could fetch up to 27,000 yuan (about 560,000 KRW).
However, as her popularity grew, she also became the target of malicious comments. Some users claimed, "Stories of disabled people overcoming adversity easily attract attention," and argued that "someone with CP cannot apply flawless makeup," accusing her of faking her illness for profit.

In response, Linling revealed her disability certificate and clarified that she works without a management team. She stated, "I just want to ease my family's burden through hard work," adding, "Although I have mobility challenges, my intelligence is not impaired. If it’s something ordinary people can do, I can achieve it through effort."
After her explanation, messages of support poured in. In October last year, Linling opened her own beauty salon and plans to expand her business to further support her family.

hsg@fnnews.com Han Seung-gon Reporter