In China, she was an actress playing a fictional student in a short-form drama. In the Philippines, she became something of a meme, a motivational figure, and an unexpected internet celebrity whose fictional exam score of 719 became one of the country’s most recognizable online jokes.
The 22-year-old behind the viral character is Zhang Yingfei, also known as Fifi. But Filipino audiences discovered her through Linda Walker, the young woman with a high IQ from the Chinese micro-drama The Heiress Who Won with Brains. She shot the series in her final year at the Central Academy of Drama, the prestigious performing arts school with such alumni as Gong Li and Zhang Ziyi.
Her rise did not come from a traditional television campaign or a major streaming launch. It happened the way many modern obsessions do: through clips shared across TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube. Scenes from the drama, often with AI-generated dubbing, found a second life among Filipino viewers who transformed Linda from a fictional character into a familiar online personality.
Even Zhang was surprised.
When people started calling her “Linda,” Fifi initially wondered who they meant. Only after translating the comments did she realize that Filipinos were not confusing her identity. They were celebrating a character she had brought to life.
What made Linda Walker connect with Filipino audiences was not only the comedy of her exaggerated intelligence. Beneath the memes was a character built around perseverance, education, and the hope of creating a better future.
Linda is the kind of figure Filipinos naturally root for. She is the hardworking student who refuses to give up, the underdog who proves herself through discipline and determination. Her story reflects a familiar belief often heard in Filipino families, that education can open doors and change a person’s destiny.
That message is something Zhang herself underscored during her recent Philippine visit. She described Linda as brave and persistent, saying the character could serve as a role model, while also reminding students facing struggles to take care of their health and well-being.
But behind the image of the unstoppable genius student is an actress drawn to stories that explore more complicated emotions.
One of Zhang Yingfei’s favorite dramas is Soul Ferry (灵魂摆渡, Líng Hún Bǎi Dù), a Chinese fantasy mystery series inspired by Chinese mythology and stories about the spirit world.
At first glance, it seems far from Linda Walker’s world of exams, rankings, and academic competition. But Zhang said what attracts her to Soul Ferry is not simply its supernatural elements, but also the human stories such as love, regret, family relationships, and second chances. The series follows encounters between the living and spirits who remain because of unresolved ties. The main plot is about helping souls cross over, which gives the show a reflective, almost philosophical tone. While it explores legends and the afterlife, its shows how people deal with loss, choices, and the relationships that shape them.
That may explain why the drama remains meaningful to her. For Zhang, the most memorable stories are not just about extraordinary situations. They are about ordinary emotions that people everywhere understand.
This thread also connects her favorite drama to the character that made her famous. The Heiress Who Won with Brains and Soul Ferry may exist in completely different worlds, but both are about people facing challenges and finding a way forward.
At a press conference, Zhang Yingfei said she was overwhelmed by the warm welcome she received, including the large crowd of fans who greeted her at the airport. She described Filipinos as friendly and welcoming, calling the trip one of the highlights of her life. Her visit was supported by the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (FFCCCII), a major Filipino-Chinese business and civic organization that has long been involved in education, social welfare, and community development programs.
