Who is Xiao Zhan ?

In this Chinese name, the family name is Xiao.

Xiao Zhan (Chinese: 肖战; born October 5, 1991), also known as Shawn Xiao, is a Chinese actor and singer. Xiao Zhan began his career in the entertainment industry when he participated in the idol survival show X-Fire and debuted as a member of the Chinese boy band X Nine. He began his acting career in 2016 and has since gained widespread attention for his work in dramas such as The Untamed (2019), Joy of Life (2019), The Wolf (2020), Douluo Continent (2021), The Oath of Love (2022), Memories of Youth (2023), The Longest Promise (2023), and Sunshine by My Side (2023). He has won and been nominated for numerous awards for his roles.

As a singer, Xiao Zhan released the digital single “Spotlight” (åç¹) in late April 2020, which sold over 25.48 million copies within 24 hours of its release, setting a Guinness World Record as the fastest-selling digital title in China. On 22 April 2021, he made his stage debut in the Yanghua version of the critically acclaimed eight-hour drama “如夢之夢” (A Dream Like a Dream) in Wuhan.

Early life and education

Xiao Zhan was born in Chongqing on October 5, 1991. He learned to draw and play the violin from a young age. He studied at the School of Contemporary International Art and Design, Chongqing Institute of Technology, where he was a member of his class literature committee and an active member of the university choir.

In 2012, he founded a photography studio with his friends and worked as the main photographer. After graduating in 2014, before his debut, Xiao Zhan worked as a photographer and graphic designer.

2023–present

In May 2023, it was confirmed that Xiao Zhan will play the central role of protagonist Guo Jing in Hong Kong director Tsui’s long-awaited big-budget film adaptation of Jing Yung Hark’s 1957 groundbreaking martial arts novel, The Legend of the Condor Heroes. The story revolves around the journey of the brave but humble hero, Guo Jing, through the reign of Genghis Khan. Along the way, he learns more martial arts techniques to prepare for a showdown with his long-lost brother, who was raised by the Khan faction.

On June 1, 2023, Memories of Youth aired on state-run channel CCTV-8, Dragon TV, and online platforms. The show consistently achieved over 2% in real-time viewership ratings and was also the most aired show in its time slot. The first show in 2023 to surpass a heat index of 30,000 on Tencent Video.

On July 2, 2023, The Longest Promise premiered on WeTV (Tencent Video’s overseas streaming platform). After its release, the drama exploded to the top of Weibo Hot Search. After its premiere, Tencent’s popularity points reached 21,000 points, and three and a half hours later, it rose to 26,000 points. The drama debuted on Netflix on July 7, five days after its release on WeTV. It has become one of the top 5 most popular series in Thailand. Since its premiere, it has achieved the highest one-day viewership rating in several countries, including the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. After the exclusive VIP broadcast ended, the number of comments on the series exceeded 10 million, setting a record of more than 50 million character popularity. Tencent Video achieved more than 100 million interactive bullet screen comments.

Sunshine by My Side was broadcast on September 1, 2023. Due to Xiao Zhan’s excellent acting skills and high popularity, the series was a huge success in terms of viewership ratings. It set a record for CCTV’s highest viewership rating in the past five years. The drama also reached the top of the Maoyan platform, surpassing established titles such as Lost You Forever and Glory of Our Fathers to become the most popular drama of its time.

On December 30th, the Chinese drama “The Legend of Zhang Hai,” directed by Zheng Xiaolong and starring Xiao Zhan, was officially launched and a concept poster was released. The plot of “Zang Hai Zhuan” revolves around Wang Canghai, the ancestor of the Wang family. The work tells the story of Wang Zhanhai, the son of an imperial censor who witnessed the downfall of his family in his childhood. Carrying his hatred for the blood sea, he suppressed his sharpness and mastered the techniques of construction and up-down and left-right movement. Ten years later, he returns to the capital in a new disguise and is hired as a military strategist by his enemy, Marquis Heijin. From the Marquis’ villa to the imperial court, from a plainclothes strategist to the head of the imperial cabinet, Wang Zaohai has fought his way through the dark and confusing powers. In the end, he seizes the opportunity to attack his enemies, but realizes that it was only a glimpse of the tip of the conspiracy… At night, facing the clueless road that lies before him, Wang Zaohai overcomes the obstacles and finally uncovers the conspiracy. He decides to change himself and join forces with his beloved friends to defend the country. This novel was written by Zhao Liyi.