Yang Yang: The King’s Avatar star and Chinese heartthrob modelling for Dior and Valentino – 5 things to know

Yang Yang has stolen hearts with his appearance in popular Chinese-language dramas like The Dream of Red Mansions and Love O2O. His dashing good looks, combined with his impeccable acting, have led to his widespread popularity in Asia’s booming dramaland.

So here’s what you need to know about the 28-year-old Chinese heartthrob.

He has a bunch of enviable credits on screens both big and small

Yang Yang played the main lead in popular dramas including The Whirlwind Girl, Love O2O and The King’s Avatar. He has also starred in blockbuster movies such as The Left Ear, I Belonged to You and Once Upon a Time.

In his latest drama The King's Avatar, a live action series based on the web novel of the same name, Yang played the role of Ye Xiu, the captain of an e-sports team. His calm facade and leadership skills helped the drama earn high ratings.

The drama became so successful that it was commissioned for a second season, which will be airing in December 2020.

He majored in dance

Surprisingly, the veteran’s first passion was dance. When he was 11-years old, he moved from Shanghai to Beijing to attend the Department of Dance at the People's Liberation Army Academy of Art. During his second year, he earned top grades and took part in international tournaments to represent his school.

In an advert, Yang shared that the turning point of his career happened near his graduation performance – his mother called to say he got the acting role of young Jia Baoyu in The Dream of Red Mansions. Believing that he would succeed, she urged him to accept the offer.

He’s been a cover star for more than 25 magazines