On November 16, New Oriental Education & Technology (EDU) Chairman Yu Minhong published an internal letter during his Antarctic trip to celebrate the company's 32nd anniversary. However, the move drew criticism from some employees, with the topic "Yu Minhong's Antarctic Letter Backfires" trending online.

On November 18, Crazy English founder Li Yang publicly addressed Yu Minhong via social media, bluntly stating: "Get real—stop feeding employees motivational fluff!" In a video, Li suggested Yu abandon his "arrogant image" and replace empty encouragement with tangible rewards: "Instead of a pep talk, give employees 100 yuan per inspirational quote."

Li also questioned New Oriental's contributions to society, arguing that education should transform lives by enabling fluent English—a goal he claims his methods can achieve in just one month. He further criticized the company’s business model for allegedly prioritizing student retention fees over genuine learning outcomes.

Additionally, Li accused Yu of driving away talent due to insecurity, citing the departure of Dong Yuhui—a former star teacher—as a major loss. Online reactions were mixed, with some praising Li’s bluntness while others accused him of seeking attention.

This isn’t Li’s first clash with New Oriental. Previously, he criticized Dong’s English grammar in public speeches and released multiple videos attacking the company’s teaching methods as "superficial" and exam-focused. Critics, however, dismissed his remarks as a publicity stunt.

As of November 19, Li’s assistant declined interview requests, citing prior commitments.