where are these from? :)

I don't know, you might be right on the first picture. The 2nd one is probably kabal, looking at the haircut (shaven at the sides). Unless hairstyles is part of a skin change, the 1st picture does indeed look like Shang Tsung (from the movies).
Maybe stupid comparison, but the bun of Kabal's hair is higher up than the one in the first picture. It really does seem like Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (fingers crossed)

You might be onto something...

First picture is scorpion. This was taken from MK reveal event. It’s not BTS

Oh yeah... masks "disappear" during critical/fatal blows. And forgot his skin with the hairbun.

Oh well, that was short lived

He's in though, that fireball Liu Kang fired is exactly from the Shaolin Monks intro:

https://youtu.be/Qvng4ORty9o?t=81

No.

yes, just watch me say I told you so

Liu Kang lost trust in Raiden in MK(2011) and Raiden accidentally killed Kang because of it.
That arc continued in MKX where the two fought again and conversed about past events.
MK11 seems to feature an all out war between Raiden/Earthrealm and Liu Kang/Netherrealm. As well as throwing a younger (alive) Kang in the mix.

To then turn around and be like "Surprise!! Kang is actually Shang Tsung in disguise!" would be a huge spit in the face of all 3 characters and a story arc spanning 3 games.

Shang Tsung has a chance of being in MK11 but it would be stupid if they made it so he was hiding as Liu Kang.