Zhang Zhehan

His upcoming films and television shows also ended their associations with him; Tencent Video, Youku, iQIYI and Mango TV took down his works from their streaming platforms in China voluntarily and Zhang's scenes in the movie 1921 were replaced by another actor.

Sina Weibo shut down his Super Topic, and his personal and studio accounts were removed from Douyin, Douban and other Chinese sites.

Zhang Zhehan (born 11 May 1991) is a Chinese actor and singer.

Zhang Zhehan was born in Xinyu, Jiangxi province, China on May 11, 1991.

He graduated from the Shanghai Theatre Academy.

In 2010, Zhang made his acting debut in the romantic drama Why Love You.

Thereafter, he signed a contract with Yu Zheng's studio, and played the leading role in the comedy web series Crazy for Palace and its sequel.

The series gained a small following online.

Zhang then went on to act in various supporting roles in dramas produced by Yu Zheng; such as Palace 3: The Lost Daughter, The Romance of the Condor Heroes and Love Yunge from the Desert.

He first gained recognition playing the role of the antagonist in the mystery costume drama Cosmetology High, and went on to portray young Mei Changsu in the acclaimed historical drama Nirvana in Fire.

His first major role was as Wei Ying in the Chinese historical drama Legend of Ban Shu (2015).

In 2015, Zhang played the male lead in historical drama Legend of Ban Shu with Jing Tian.

He went on to play lead roles in the spy drama Decoded, and headlined both seasons of the fantasy web series Demon Girl.

He is best known for his roles in Legend of Yunxi (2018), The Blooms at Ruyi Pavilion (2020) and Word of Honor (2021).

In 2018, Zhang played in the historical romance drama Legend of Yunxi alongside Ju Jingyi.

The series received much praise for its storyline.

In 2019, Zhang performed in the disaster film The Bravest as a firefighter.

He starred as Wang Yue in the short film Brother, which was directed by Vicky Zhao.

He has also appeared as a regular member in the variety show Everybody Standby.

In 2020, he received the Weibo Award for Rising Artist of the Year.

He won the Weibo Movie Night award for Most Watched/Followed Actor of the Year in June 2021.

In 2021, Zhang faced severe criticism in China after being involved in a controversy over photos taken years earlier in Japan at a spot near the Yasukuni Shrine and Nogi Shrine due to the shrines' honoring of imperial Japanese military officers who invaded China.

This criticism resulted in the removal of his online social media accounts, movies, television shows and music.

In December 2022, Zhang returned from a year of domestic boycott with the release of new music on international platforms outside of mainland China.

In 2020, Zhang starred in the romantic drama Everyone Wants to Meet You produced by Zhao Wei.

Zhang also appeared in the historical romance drama The Blooms at Ruyi Pavilion alongside Ju Jingyi.

In 2021, Zhang starred alongside Gong Jun in the Wuxia drama series Word of Honor, which is an adaptation of the BL novel Tian Ya Ke by Priest.

He played the role of Zhou Zishu, an elite royal service leader who leaves his past and starts anew.

He then met Wen Kexing, a mysterious martial arts master.

Both embark on a journey together and find soulmates in each other.

Word of Honor gained popularity in and outside of China, especially after the show aired on Netflix.

The show's first episode has accumulated over 8.7 million views on YouTube, and its popularity put the two male leads Gong Jun and Zhang under the spotlight, becoming overnight sensations.

On August 13, 2021, photos surfaced online of Zhang posing in front of cherry blossom trees near Japan's Yasukuni Shrine in 2018 and of him attending a wedding ceremony at Nogi Shrine in 2019.

The shrines are controversial in China due to their honoring of imperial Japanese military officers who invaded China.

At the wedding, Zhang also took a photo with Dewi Sukarrno, who was incorrectly labeled by Weibo users as "a right-wing anti-Chinese politician".

The photos sparked outrage among Chinese netizens.

Zhang issued an apology, stating: "Today, I deeply apologize for my past ignorance, my shame and especially my previous improper behaviour. I attended a friend’s wedding in Japan. It is my mistake for the oversight of [not knowing] the historical background behind the wedding venue and the political background of the other wedding guests. When I used to travel everywhere, I liked to casually take pictures. Due to the lack of understanding for the local architecture and the history and being careless about the content when taking pictures, when I took the pictures, it resulted in content that seriously harmed the feelings of compatriots. I also solemnly apologize here, I am sorry."

In response, the People's Daily stated: "As a public figure, a lack of historical knowledge and unknowingness of the suffering of the nation is unacceptable."

The China Association of Performing Arts (CAPA), a voluntary association made up of management companies and members of the entertainment industry, called for a boycott on Zhang due to the controversial photos.

Numerous brand endorsements terminated their association with Zhang.