Huanzi's first public performance has been criticized as lackluster, and on August 22 he trended on hot search for reportedly withdrawing from the show. A Xiaohongshu account named "Huanzi Studio" posted a message that day saying, "We apologize to all fans who care about Huanzi. He may not be able to continue his journey on 'Call Me by Fire.' During the preparation for the first public performance, Huanzi was hospitalized with a high fever due to his nonstop work schedule, but to ensure the completeness of the stage, he insisted on completing the performance. However, right after the performance ended, he fell ill again and is currently receiving treatment, and may not be able to return to tomorrow's recording on time. We sincerely thank everyone for their attention to Huanzi's journey on the show and apologize to all those who support him."

A reporter searching Xiaohongshu noticed that there is more than one account named "Huanzi Studio," with two both claiming to be official. However, Huanzi's personal account does not follow any of these accounts, nor has he ever mentioned withdrawing. The production team has not yet responded to the actual situation regarding Huanzi's alleged withdrawal. Huanzi's official Weibo account for his studio has been inactive since 2020.

Huanzi, originally named Su Shuqiang, is a well-known male singer and music producer in mainland China. As a representative figure of the ringtone era, he released the album "Foolish Love" in 2009, whose lead single "Heartache 2009" became a hit mobile ringtone, with daily downloads surpassing 2 million times, cementing his status as the "Prince of Ringtone Love Songs" in the Chinese music industry. He has received awards including the Outstanding Original Singer Award at the Chinese Golden Melody Awards and the National Most Popular Singer-Songwriter Award, with album sales ranking among the top in the mainland record market.

In a previous interview, Huanzi told a reporter, "More than ten years ago, the Huanzi from back then is in the past. The Huanzi coming to 'Call Me by Fire' wants to transform, to improve, and become a brand-new Huanzi." The reporter noted that Huanzi's schedule has indeed been tight recently, with the first public performance live broadcast followed by the first reality show segment, and then the second public performance stage live broadcast. But amid his participation in the show, Huanzi is also set to hold a concert in Nanjing on August 29.