In this article, Channel-Korea will provide you with a detailed rundown of everything about Zhang Yixing. So, stay tuned!
Zhang Yixing’s Full Profile
Stage Name: Lay (레이) Birth Name: Zhang Jiashuai (张加帅), his birth named was changed to Zhang Yixing (张艺兴) Korean Name: Jang Ye-heung (장예흥) Date of Birth: October 7th, 1991 Birthplace: Changsha, Hunan, China Star Sign: Libra Height: 177 cm Weight: 60 kg Blood Type: A Nationality: Chinese Specialties: Guitar, dancing, piano Languages: Chinese, Korean and English Twitter: @layzhang https://twitter.com/layzhang?lang=en
Facts About Zhang Yixing
His first known acting role was at six years old, starring as Huan Huan in the 1998 Chinese television drama We the People; At nine years old, he participated in a Chinese television show as a fan club member of the Taiwanese singer and actor Jimmy Lin; He began his career as a local child star after winning the third place in a competition organized by the Hunan-based television show Star Academy in 2005; He was featured as an outstanding student for his achievements in his high school; In 2008, he auditioned for SM Entertainment through the global casting auditions in Changsha; After passing the audition, he moved to South Korea for his idol training; He arrived at SM the same day as Luhan. That’s how they became close; In 2011, prior to his debut with EXO, he briefly worked with SHINee during their SHINee World concert tour as Jonghyun’s dance replacement; He was officially introduced as an EXO member on January 17th, 2012; He was supposed to be EXO-M’s leader, but it was changed to Kris; He is humble, easy-going, funny, hard-working, mischievous at times, forgetful; On stage, he is strong and charismatic, but off the stage, he is humorous and playful; His friends used to call him Da Tou which means Big Head; He is a bit slow to react. An example would be if someone says a joke and everyone else is laughing, Lay would laugh about a minute later (after he understands the joke); His hobbies are cooking, dancing, playing piano and guitar, playing on the computer, mastering the Korean language, composing songs; He learned to play the piano by himself; He loves eating fruit; His favorite foods are tidbits, junk food, anything he cooks; His favorite colors are purple and black; He takes the longest time to learn the choreography; He is afraid of pigeons (basically he is afraid of anything that has a beak); His neck is sensitive to the wind; When he’s angry, he will keep it to himself and bottle it up until he explodes; He established his own charity foundation titled Zhang Yixing Arts Scholarship; He is the first ambassador of Perrier company in China, first ambassador to the Valentino brand, first ambassador of Milka company, first ambassador of Converse in Asia and the Pacific Ocean; He was appointed by the Communist Youth League of China (CYLC) of Changsha as a publicity ambassador; Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in Beijing made a wax figure of him in modern clothes and Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in Shanghai also made a wax figure of him, but styled him after the character Er Yue Hong that he played in the drama The Mystic Nine (his first leading role). He is ranked 23rd on Kantar and CBN Weekly The CelebrityZ Top 100 Most Valuable Celebrities; He is ranked 20th on the 2017 Forbes China Celebrity 100 with estimated earnings of 120 million yuan; He is ranked 18th on TC Candler The 100 Most Handsome Faces of 2018; He is ranked 11th on the 2019 Forbes China Celebrity 100.
Yixing’s Solo Activities in China and Taking a Break from EXO
In 2015, Zhang Yixing began his solo activities in China. He became a regular cast member of the Chinese reality television show Go Fighting! from the first season until the fifth season. He published his autobiography Standing Firm At 24 and the book sold 400,000 copies within six months. He also made a debut as an actor in the Chinese romantic comedy movie EX-Files 2: The Backup Strikes Back. In October 2016, he debuted as a solo singer with “What U Need?” as a surprise gift for his fans on his birthday. Zhang Yixing is active in his solo activities in China and recently he even debuted in the US. However, he hasn’t been active in any of the EXO promotions. The reason is due to the ongoing tensions between China and South Korea. Yixing was appointed to be the Ambassador for the Youth in China. Being an Ambassador makes him a key figure in any sort of political movement. If he was seen to be promoting in Korea with EXO, there is a probability that his career in China will be ruined. Moreover, there is Hallyu Ban in China prohibiting all Korean artists from performing in the country. Yixing can not actively promote with EXO because the ban is not over yet. Another reason is due to his schedule. Zhang Yixing’s schedule in China is not managed by SM Entertainment, but rather his own Chinese management company. The company seems to have him booked for numerous events and opportunities in China leaving him very little time to return to Korea and to EXO. In the past years, he has done numerous dramas, movies, CFs, interviews, and variety shows in China. He has even spent time promoting two Chinese albums. He was too busy with his solo activities that it’s no wonder that he hasn’t been with EXO.
Yixing’s Solo Discography
Studio Albums
Extended Plays
Singles
Promotional Singles
Collaborations
Other Appearances
Soundtrack Appearances
