China’s Hottest Male Idols for the First Half of 2016

Chinese social media company Tencent has compiled a list of some of the hottest and most handsome male idols in China of the year. Kris Wu and Lu Han, former members of the K-pop group EXO, have respectively topped the list as number one and number three, respectively. Second on the list is Li Yifeng, who has consistently stayed afloat in popularity lists in the past two years. Older idols like Wallace Chung and William Feng are also included in the ranking, affirming their stable and long-lasting fanbase.

#1 Kris Wu (吴亦凡)

25-year-old Kris Wu made his debut as a member of the popular K-pop group EXO in 2012, but left the group two years later after entering a lawsuit with his agency, S.M. Entertainment. Since then, Kris has starred in two number one films in China, including his debut movie Somewhere Only We Know <有一个地方只有我们知道> and the crime blockbuster, Mr. Six <老炮儿>. With his starring roles in Never Gone <致青春·原来你还在这里> (with Crystal Liu), the upcoming blockbuster L.O.R.D: Legend of Ravaging Dynasties <爵迹> (starring opposite Fan Bingbing), and Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons 2 <西遊·伏妖篇> (sequel to the Stephen Chow film), the Chinese-born Canadian actor is on his way to become one of the most bankable lead actors in the Chinese film industry.

#2 Li Yifeng (李易峰)

The 29-year-old Chengdu native debuted in 2007 and spent a few years playing supporting roles and releasing idol pop songs before cementing himself as one of China’s current top leading television actors. His popularity sparked to an all-time high after starring in 2014’s Swords of Legends <古剑奇谭>, a fantasy television series based on Gujian Qitan video game, and a string of successful television series followed. In 2015, Li Yifeng was ranked ninth on the 2015 Forbes Chinese Celebrity list.

#3 Lu Han (鹿晗)

Like Kris, Lu Han also debuted in the K-pop group EXO, but left their agency after entering a similar lawsuit. The 26-year-old Beijing native has always been one of EXO’s most popular members and is known for his good looks. His popularity continued after debuting as a solo act. In 2015, Lu Han starred in crime film The Witness <我是证人>, starring opposite Yang Mi (杨幂). He will be making his film comeback in the upcoming fantasy-adventure film Time Raiders <盗墓笔记> and the American-Chinese coproduction The Great Wall <长城>, which stars Matt Damon and Andy Lau (劉德華).

#4 Chen Xuedong (陈学冬)

26-year-old Chen Xuedong had a lucky start. His debut film Tiny Times <小时代> was a huge hit, and the film series spawned three blockbuster sequels. The model-turned-actor will continue his focus in blockbuster films in the coming years; and will feature supporting performances in this year’s L.O.R.D and next year’s The Great Wall.

#5 Hans Zhang (张翰)

31-year-old Hans Zhang and has been working his way up from the bottom since 2007. He broke through in 2009 after snagging a starring role in Meteor Shower <一起来看流星雨>, an idol drama based on the manga Hana Yori Dango and its related media (such as 2001’s Meteor Garden). Hans established his own studio in 2014 and has starred in quite a few high-profile television dramas since then, such as Boss & Me <杉杉来了> and The Four <少年四大名捕>. Hans starred alongside Korean actress Ku Hye-sun (具惠善) and Taiwanese actress Joe Chen (陳喬恩) in the upcoming period drama Legendary Tycoon <传奇大亨>, directed by former TVB producer Jonathan Chik (戚其義).

#6 Wallace Chung (鍾漢良)

Hong Kong actor Wallace Chung, who made his debut as a TVB actor in the early 90’s, successfully transitioned to a pop star after pursuing a singing career in Taiwan. In the early 2000’s, he moved his career to Mainland China, and has since found success as an A-list television actor. After signing with Johnnie To’s (杜琪峯) agency in 2012, Wallace has changed his focus to the movie industry. In 2016, he headlined the Hong Kong blockbuster Three <三人行> with Louis Koo (古天樂) and Vicki Zhao (赵薇), and also starred in the action comedy Bounty Hunters <赏金猎人> with Korean actor Lee Min-ho (李敏鎬) and Chinese actress Tiffany Tang (唐嫣).

#7 Chen Xiao (陈晓)

Chen Xiao may be taken, but that didn’t stop the 29-year-old from topping in popularity and hotness polls. With his three upcoming weddings with Michelle Chen (陳妍希), Chen Xiao’s presence in media is at an all-time high. In 2016, he starred in the primetime drama The Three Heroes And Five Gallants <五鼠闹东京> and has just completed the Qing Dynast drama, Twilight of the Emperor <帝国黄昏>.

#8 William Feng (冯绍峰)

2011’s Palace <宫> shot William Feng to idol fame, and the 37-year-old Shanghai native has found his place in the Chinese film industry as well. After starring alongside Leon Lai (黎明) in the historical film White Vengeance <鸿门宴>, Willam continued the momentum with a few more supporting roles in major Chinese blockbusters, before finally snagging a lead role in the upcoming science fiction film, The Three-Body Problem <三体>. In 2016, he starred and produced the epic Ice Fantasy <幻城>, one of China’s most expensive television productions in recent years.

#9 Li Chen (李晨)

Li Chen is not know for his looks, but his likable “good guy” image has consistently put him on top of popularity rankings. Li Chen is also known for winning the heart of A-lister, Fan Bingbing (范冰冰). In 2016, he starred alongside Aaron Kwok (郭富城) and Yao Chen (姚晨) in the ensemble film MBA Partners <梦想合伙人> and have made special appearances in various television dramas.

#10 Hua Chenyu (华晨宇)

26-year-old rookie pop singer Hua Chenyu came to prominence through his debut in the singing competition Super Boy <快乐男声> back in 2013. His first album Quasiomodo’s Gift <卡西莫多的礼物> in 2014 was a number-one seller, his following two albums also topped album lists. Chenyu is also a popular figure in reality television.

Source: QQ

This article is written by Addy for JayneStars.com.