It’s not surprising that Jeanie Y. Chang, a Korean American therapist, asked her followers about their current K-drama bias in A Place of Belonging (ness), her Instagram (IG) broadcast channel. Known by her IG handle Noonas Noonchi, Chang uses the K-drama series as one of her tools for therapy; thus, talking about one’s bias is par for the course.
“Bias” is a K-pop colloquialism referring to a favorite singer or group band member, and has since become a synonym for “favorite.”
Chang’s followers’ bias? Most of them named Park Seo Jun, Lee Jun Ho, Lee Dong Wook, and Rowoon, all of whom, except for Lee Dong Wook, were in the Philippines last year to meet their fans.
Admittedly, Chinese drama (C-drama) actors have yet to reach the level of stature in the Philippines of their Korean counterparts. But this hasn’t stopped fans from having their C-drama bias. Pretty boys Yang Yang and Dylan Wang are the de facto C-drama biases occupying opposite ends of the spectrum. Yang is the quintessential walking green flag in various permutations (cool e-gamer Ye Xiu in The King’s Avatar or noble martial artist Feng Lanxi in Who Rules the World). Wang is his gorgeous bad boy twin (Daoming Si with his devilish smirk in Meteor Garden, or Dongfang Qingcang with his magnetic scowl in Love between Fairy and Devil).
Yang and Wang are not without competition. Fellow actors Xiao Zhan, Gong Jun, and Deng Wei are also laying claim to the title of main bias. They’re armed with beautiful faces, acting chops, and popularity bolstered by support from fans and Netflix streaming their drama series.
Xiao Zhan’s Shi Ying is a knockout with his regal bearing and immaculate dressing in ‘The Longest Promise.’ (Image from Netflix)
Xiao Zhan’s Wei Wuxian unleashes his power through the Chenqing flute in ‘The Untamed.’ (Image from Netflix)
The relationship of rebellious Wei Wuxian (left) and straight arrow Lan Wangji started on shaky grounds. (Image from Netflix)
It isn’t difficult to see the charm of sweet and innocent Shi Ying in ‘The Longest Promise.’ (Image from Netflix)
Xiao Zhan, or Sean Xiao, is the Chinese idol of unmatched pulchritude. Xiao was voted no. 1—with 80,466 votes—in the “Top 30 Most handsome Chinese Idols” poll by international voting site King Choice last year, said www.8days.sg. Digital creator Mia Yilin used screenshots of him as visuals for her reel on Chinese writer-politician Pan-An in her IG @chinesewithmia. Pan-An lived the Western Jin dynasty, and his name became a byword for “handsome.”
Xiao Zhan’s new IG chronicled his attendance at Milan’s Fashion Week in 2023. (Image from xz_1991x)
Entering the business in 2016, Xiao skyrocketed to stardom three years later in The Untamed, a series based on the danmei novel The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu. Danmei is a literary genre in Chinese literature revolving around the romantic story between male characters. It’s synonymous to the Japanese manga yaoi or boys’ love (BL).
Xiao Zhan was voted no. 1—with 80,466 votes—in the ‘Top 30 Most handsome Chinese Idols’ poll by international voting site King Choice last year
Xiao and co-star Wang Yibo brought to life soulmates Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji respectively, who are cultivators, or practitioners of mystical or martial arts, with the former choosing demonic, not spiritual, cultivation. Sidestepping the Chinese government’s censorship on scenes depicting BL, Xiao neither exaggerated nor was stiff with the gestures and facial expressions of queer love and longing. He handled, for example, Wei’s love language of touch with sensitivity, stroking with controlled passion Lan’s headband (which, Michelle Kirichanskaya of collider.com explained, was an act reserved only for the wearer’s beloved).
The King of Beauty and Luxury went on tourist mode in Milan. (Image from xz_1991x)
Just as he was enjoying his fame, the 32-year-old actor-singer was shockingly mired in cyberbullying issues in 2020 that had his fans clashing with the fans of Archive of Our Own (A03), a site for contributed fan fiction and other fan works, according to www.straitstimes.com. The online fight, aka 227 incident, began with uploaded fan fiction that riled Xiao’s fans because a character had the same name as Xiao Zhan, who was described as suffering from gender dysphoria, and in love with a male character with the same name as Wang Yibo, reported timeoutshanghai.com.
For NARS Cosmetics, Xiao Zhan is the picture of pure beauty. (Image from @narsissist)
Xiao’s loyal fans reported AO3 for illicit content, and it was shut down by the Chinese government. In retaliation, AO3 fans launched a smear campaign against Xiao—for instance, that he lost his Estée Lauder endorsement, said www.scmp.com.
Xiao “vanished” after apologizing on behalf of his fans’ actions and deleting all his social media accounts. But, like a Phoenix rising from the ashes, he resurfaced with several luxury-brand endorsements, an IG account in February 2023, and playing Shi Ying, a lead character in the global hit drama The Longest Promise. The drama was one of the Top 5 most popular series in Thailand, and had top spot for single-day viewership in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States, according to www.chinadaily.com.cn.
Learn how to get great hair from L’Oreal ambassador Xiao Zhan. (Image from @lorealpro)
His depiction of Shi Ying was an expert play on character portrayal. He was the wise priest who commanded his students’ respect and admiration. Yet he was also a powder keg of roiling emotions whenever he recalled his past of being framed for a crime by the imperial consort. And he was also a confused teenager, as his feelings for his disciple, the princess of the Chi Yi clan, intensified.
Xiao is starring in another period C-drama this year. Per koalasplayground.com, he’s filming Zang Hai Zhuan (Hidden Sea Chronicles), a tale of adventure and romance.
There’s no resisting that smile of Wen Ke Xing, played by Gong Ju, in ‘Word of Honor.’ (Image from Netflix)
Intrigued by Zhou Zishu, Wen Ke Xing (left), played by Gong Ju, pursues him with the tenacity of a lover-friend in “Word of Honor.”(Image from Netflix)
Gong Jun, aka Simon Gong, has been turning heads on the runway and the screen, but has remained level-headed. In a video clip posted by @gongjunglobal, the official overseas fanbase of the actor, Gong was seen receiving the “Most Charismatic Artist in the Year” award in the 2023 Tencent Video All Star Night.
The 31-year-old model-actor was cited for his positive and optimistic influence on his fans in donating to charity kitchens, wrote @gongjunglobal, quoting the event’s host in English. The host also mentioned Gong’s rapport with his fans, whom he actively encourages to live their own lives and to be good to themselves and their families. He also asked for support for his commercial endorsements, but cautioned against doing away with financial common sense.
Unknown to many, Wen Ke Xing is on the warpath to avenge his parents’ death in “Word of Honor.” (Image from @gongjunhahaha)
On screen, Gong convincingly portrayed Wen Ke Xing, wandering chief of Ghost Valley, in 2021’s Word of Honor, a series adapted from the danmei novel Faraway Wanderers by Priest. Circumventing the government’s restriction on BL themes, his subtlety projected the original danmei queer romantic tension between Wen and Zhou Zishu through revealing glances and touches that did not deteriorate into cringe moments. An example cited by Kirichanskaya is Wen cutting Zhou’s bloodied sleeve—an ingenious allusion to the Chinese idiom denoting queer men and the story of an emperor who, not wanting to disturb his lover sleeping on his robe, cut off the sleeve.
Circumventing the government’s restriction on BL themes, Gong Jun’s subtlety projected the original ‘danmei’ queer romantic tension through revealing glances and touches
Wen was beautiful with his feminine features. Adding to his allure was his poetic way of speaking to Zhou that’s evocative of Song Yu, a handsome poet from the late warring-states period who worked for the emperor. He was forbidden by the emperor to speak to his concubines, fearing they might fall for his beauty, said Yilin.
As Tissot ambassador, Gong Jun epitomizes steadfastness in pursuing one’s dreams. (Image From @gongjunhahaha)
Comparatively, Gong’s role as Crown Prince Han Ye in the 2023 series The Legend of Anle was received with less alacrity than Word of Honor. Nonetheless, his performance differentiated the prince from the common Wen and his coarse ways. Han was every inch a prince: a beautiful face, genteel manners, and majestic robes flowing from his slender physique.
As if in testament to his acting range, Gong is filming Hold a Court Now and The Truth, where he’s playing contemporary roles of judge and police detective respectively, said @gongjunglobal.
Deng Wei’s Tushan Jing is a paragon of resilience and equanimity in “Lost You Forever.” (Image from Netflix)
Deng Wei as Tushan Jing: Who’d dare torment this gentle soul in “Lost You Forever?” (Image from Weibo)
Deng Wei entered show business in 2021 and debuted in Miss the Dragon, a series headlined by Dylan Wang. Deng went on to play second male lead roles in series like The Journey of Chong Zi and Till the End of the Moon, said www.dramapanda.com. But it was in 2023 when he broke into stardom, landing the role of one of the three female leads’ love interests in the historical fantasy series Lost You Forever.
Deng Wei is every inch a C-drama bias whether in ancient Chinese robes or contemporary duds. (Image from dengwei.d)
The greenhorn breathed depth and poignancy into Tushan Jing, a nine-tailed fox and second prince of the Tushan clan. He steered the viewers’ sympathy towards Jing, a gentle soul betrayed by his jealous older brother who saw him as standing between him and the throne and was thus kidnapped, tortured, and left for dead. He portrayed Jing as a man of genteel upbringing and equanimity despite being tormented. He had him exude intelligence, speaking with eloquence and dignity in spite of his emotional turmoil.
With those looks, it’s not surprising Deng Wei’s number of followers reached three million in Weibo in August 2023. (Image from @chinese_stars)
Deng’s pulchritude effortlessly reflected the feminized beauty standards of men in ancient China during the Wei, Jin, Southern, and Northern dynasties, explained Yilin. To be beautiful, men had to mirror the beauty ideals of pale skin, slender build, and with more than average height. Jing was visually stunning: snow-white, flawless complexion, gracefully slim, and towering over the residents of the fictional Qing Shui Town.
Such beautiful men were called “White Jade” because of their skin. Men of higher social standing wore foundation makeup to achieve the desired light complexion and took wushi san (five-stone/rock powder) to have a svelte physique, added Yilin.
Wushi san was a popular stimulant in ancient China that suppressed the appetite. Emperor Daowu of the Northern Wei dynasty was said to have stopped eating for days when he took it, said uw.manifoldapp.org.
Evidently, Deng had reached a level of fame where he became a favorite of nitpicking netizens last year. The 28-year-old caught their ire after a video of him tossing his cigarette butt on the ground in Beijing was posted by a blogger, insinuating his “big shot” attitude and lack of ethics and manners, reported www.dramapanda.com.
He posted an apology for his behavior the next day, saying, “I’m sorry. I apologize to everyone for the bad influence my actions have had on the public. I will reflect deeply and regulate my behavior in the future.”
Deng Wei reached a level of fame where he became a favorite of nitpicking netizens last year, when he was seen tossing his cigarette butt on the ground
Dang survived the online bashing and is quietly sealing his status as a bonafide Chinese idol. He gained three million followers on Weibo, China’s equivalent of X, last August, said @chinese_stars. He’s also currently filming Xian Tai You Shu, a xianxia (immortal heroes) series, said www.dramapanda.com.
Xiao and Gong are blue-chip brand ambassadors, and luxury beauty brands know it for a fact. Per www.scmp.com, the two—out of the eight Chinese male idols—are labeled “Kings of Beauty,” with Xiao occupying the top slot and Gong the sixth. They’re the handsome and extremely lucrative stars boosting the sales of luxury brands because their female fans are willing to spend money on the products they promote.
Xiao became YSL Beauty’s ambassador for Asia in 2022. In 2023, he was made the face of L’Oreal and global brand spokesperson of NARS Cosmetics. Significantly, his partnership with NARS had an immediate effect dubbed the “Xiao Zhan effect.” The brand raked in more than 80 million yuan (US$11 million) on the first day of their collaboration.
Gong, on the other hand, became global ambassador of British beauty house Charlotte Tilbury and its signature Pillow Talk Party collection of eyeshadow palettes, lipstick, highlighters, and blushers in 2022. Last year he was global brand ambassador of Tissot PRC, a watch featuring his signature and 88888888, the number of luck, said www.daman.co.id.
Beauty brand or not, Xiao is the King of Luxury, continued www.scmp.com. His Gucci global ambassadorship in 2021 alongside Chinese superstars Chris Lee, NiNi, and Lu Han was the deal that brought him back into the limelight. In the same year, he was also named spokesperson for Ralph Lauren Fragrances, Swiss watchmaker Zenith, Italian fashion house Tod’s, and SAIC Audi.
Towards the latter part of 2023, Xiao and actor Paul Mescal spearheaded a new Gucci campaign to mark the 70th anniversary of its Horsebit 1953 loafer. The two wore the original loafer with the horsebit—a double ring connected by a bar—with various tops and trousers to illustrate its versatility, said hypebeast.com.
Show business is a tough industry anywhere in the world. Undoubtably, pulchritude gives an actor extra mileage, but banking solely on it to stay longer in the business is the ticket out of the business. Obviously, there’s always someone better-looking and younger ready to fill in at a moment’s notice. It’s worth noting that a pretty, talentless face is just like an empty Tiffany box.
Success these days is measured by pulchritude, talent, and a good heart in equal parts. And C-drama bias Xiao Zhan, Gong Jun, and Deng Wei have that showbiz trifecta down pat.
