Chinese netizens are ripping a new generation of young celebrities to shreds for their less-than-stellar performances in various interviews
A bunch of newly released films and crowded during the Chinese Lunar New Year brought about intense box office races, as well as heated discussion online around movies and the people starring in them. The World War II spy thriller Hidden Blade, directed by Cheng Er and starring Tony Leung, Wang Yibo, and Zhou Xun, came only third in terms of ticket sales, but managed to go viral in a unique way.
Among its stellar cast, the aura of returning Hong Kong icon Tong Leung was partly overshadowed by Wang Yibo, a rising star with a huge fan base (顶流明星 dǐngliú míngxīng). But rather than anything to do with his performance, the 25-year-old Chinese singer, actor, rapper, and dancer, has been fiercely criticized for his ignorance in various interviews.
When asked about the most challenging part of playing his character, Wang went silent, then said he ”frankly didn’t know how to answer (这个确实我不知道该怎么回答 zhège quèshí wǒ bù zhīdào gāi zěnme huídá).” When asked what he gained from acting, he replied: “I learned what a film is…oh, I suddenly forgot what I was going to say (学到了什么是电影......哎，还想说什么突然忘了 Xuédàole shénme shì diànyǐng......āi, hái xiǎng shuō shénme tūrán wàng le).”
Zhang Wenjie is a contributing writer at The World of Chinese. She loves to share the lifestyles, voices, and concerns of China’s Gen Z. She is also fond of collecting and displaying the flourishing slang expressions in the Chinese language.
