林更新 - Lín Gēngxīn - A Profile
Table of contents :Part 1 (below this table of contents)
Part 2 (click on this title to go there directly)
Part 3 (click on this title to go there directly)
Sources : MDL, Sohu, Baidu, Weibo, Wikipedia and other articles. (highlighted texts lead to soures ; pictures lead to their source or further information. Note: all pictures and links lead to their sources ; Gif are made by me (except noted otherwise), the Gif above was cut by me from an interview. To view the list of my other drama companion pieces (with links to them), check : HERE. |
ORIGINSLín Gēngxīn is very protective of his private data ; there are not many pictures of him with family, the names of his parents are not known. Although one amateur biographer thought she has traced his genealogy to famous theater actor Lin Zhaohua, this must be a mistake, since the name of the son of that prestigious theater director is Lin Xinyue... In fact, Lín Gēngxīn revealed in a 2021 interview that his father was a police officer (he was deputy director of Tiexi police station), often on duty away from home on weekends and for Spring festival. Anecdote : Once, his father had taken a broken watch to a repair shop, to get it fixed for his son ; there, the dad had spotted a pretty girl and on his return, he offered to introduce the girl to his son ! In 2021, his parents were still worrying about their son's marriage. Lín Gēngxīn comes from a military family since his granddad was a soldier who became a senior colonel : Lín Liánzhāng 林连章 fought in many famous battles such as the Huaihai Campaign and the Crossing River Campaign. He received the "Independence Medal of Freedom" and the third-level "Liberation Medal". Born in 1917, he passed away in 2011. (Anecdote: Lín Liánzhāng 1917-2010 was a namesake, former Vice President of East China Institute of Engineering (now Nanjing University of Science and Technology) and granddad of Lín Gēngxīn's famous friend Wáng Sīcōng. Hence the mistaken idea that they were cousins.) | A photo posted on a FB fan site in Aug.2020 shows a very young dad with a baby identified as Lín Gēngxīn, but the name of the dad is missing :  林连章 Lín Liánzhāng (1917-2011), grandfather of Lín Gēngxīn. |
 map enriched by me from wikipedia entry about Shenyang. |  Lín Gēngxīn , 1 year old |  3 years old with mom at beach |
THE NORTHERNERHe is a Dongbei man, raised as an only child in a loving middle class family in Tiexi Qu district of Shenyang, Liaoning province, that used to be the heart of the first prosperous, then in the 1980s depressed industrial steel-making area of the northern city. (That city is the one which bred historical figures such as warlord Zhang Zuolin, in the distant past when Shenyang was called Mukden. Today, it is also home of Xita, world's 2nd largest Koreatown although the city is 91.2% populated by Han Chinese). As such, Lín Gēngxīn was a very good choice for cast of Fang Xiewen (in 2024 drama The Tale of Rose, led by Crystal Liu/ Liu Yifei), the "Northeastern rustic" intent on proving his mettle as entrepreneur and winning the heart and loyalty of the beautiful girl he fell in love with at first sight. Lín Gēngxīn too has the Dongbei men's tenacity and perseverance, behind an aloof appearance that can change in a second to warm and playful. |
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTSLike Fang, LGX went to study in Shanghai, but not in Fudan, instead he attended : The Shanghai Theatre Academy 2007-2011 and majored in Drama, Film, and Television Performance. And, some years later, he enrolled for a : PhD class at Shanghai Theatre Academy, earning the respect of his peers with almost top entry score in June 2024. He is now eligible to be addressed as "Dr. Lin Gengxin" in the West, and he might now be addressed as 林博 (Lín bó) in Chinese, although he'll still be called more often, as he already was, 林老师 (Lín lǎoshī) i.e. "Teacher Lin" in China. "On June 12, the list of planned admissions for doctoral students at the Shanghai Theater Academy in 2024 was announced, and Lin Gengxin was among them, which aroused heated discussion among netizens. The list shows that the research direction Lin Gengxin applied for is drama, film and television performance creation. A total of 4 people were admitted to this major. Lín Gēngxīn ranked second in the major with a total score of 277.05 points. (...) Taking Lin Gengxin as an example, the length of his professional degree is 4 years, the duration of study in school is 3-6 years, and the learning method is full-time. Generally speaking, to graduate with a doctoral degree, you need to be the first author and publish more than 2 papers in core domestic journals or important international journals, complete the credits of all courses within the specified number of years, and always be honest and trustworthy without academic failure during the school period. end record." (Sohu.com)
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 In his birthday pictures, he often holds a rose, as if anticipating Valentine's Day on which he was born one day shy of. 林更新在追新中追更新的国货来京东Lín Gēngxīn zài zhuī xīn zhōng zhuī gēngxīn de guóhuò lái jīngdōng (Lin Gengxin looks for new products made in China ; you can find such on JD.com)  He has a square face, straight, pointed nose (although some viewed it as "slightly crooked" in facing photos, but praised "the bridge of his nose [which] is high and straight"), big eyes with long almost monolids with a close to lashes tapered crease, hooded look, and a soft downward outer corner, straight or slightly rounded not totally symmetrical eyebrows on moderately prominent brow ridge (fit to be shaped in "jiàn méi 剑眉" blade eyebrows form), tall and large forehead, prominent high cheekbones, square jutting chin, big mouth with fuller lower lip, good slightly wavy hair. Well defined ears that flare red when he feels shy. -- Long hands. Note : Although Chinese face reading (面相 miànxiàng) is a significant part of Chinese traditional culture and can be used in TCM, I won't go into it here. | NAMES AND NICKNAMESHis birth name is 林更新 - Lín Gēngxīn ; family name Lín 林, from a word meaning "forest", it is "listed 147th on the Hundred Family Surnames. Within mainland China, it is currently the 18th most common surname." The given name Gēngxīn 更新 carries the meaning "to renew".He is often nicknamed Xiǎo Xīn 小新 and, in the wake of the latest drama has also been mentioned and addressed as Xiǎo Fāng 小方. More nicknames : 小清新 (Xiǎo qīngxīn, Little fresh)、十四 ( shísì, 14)、二新 (èr xīn, 2 new)、萌货 (méng huò, cute goods)、林灭灭 (Lín mièmiè)、萌主 (méng zhǔ, cute lord)、正太 (zhèngtài, just too) [Baidu]. Other forms of familiar address or mention of him : Lín XīnXīn 林新新, Lín Gē 林哥, Dà Xīn 大新 , or more formally : Lín lǎoshī 林老师 . He also sometimes is joked about as Lín gǒu 林狗, sharing that during his university days, his dorm mates referred to each other as “dogs.” (not because they were messy, as some bio features have it, but simply because it is a familiar way for young single men to talk about themselves). His "international name" is Kenny Lin. He posted to his Weibo social media page, on April 29, 2024, a picture ad for a shopping website, together with a humorous question : 我今天喜提了新名字～ 你们猜是林____新？ (I mentioned a new name today~ Do you guess what it is ? Lin____Xin) His gaming ID is as shown on the walls of Papa Kaorou restaurants (see below, Cooking or Games section) PHYSICAL DATAHe is, according to different sources 186 cm (6'1") tall (some even cast him as 188cm (6'2") tall), his weight is irrelevant, since he sometimes lets himself grow comfortably meaty, sometimes slims down from exercise to 72+kg (158.4 lbs). He is or used to be a smoker. He needed a small septoplasty operation to breathe more easily, in Aug.2018, but otherwise has had no major plastic surgery despite he "was injured many times because of filming and recording programs, and some injuries have become an old problem." (min news) . Blood type B.
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 My Bargain Queen ep.5 screenshots My Bargain Queen ep.6 screenshot |
Note: People (especially men in mostly costume c-dramas) with "jiàn méi" eyebrows are presumed to act straightforward and upright, and be prestigious, trustworthy. |
"This 1.86-meter-tall long-legged handsome guy has a body proportion that is so good that ... his body is simply a walking clothes rack."STAR SIGNS AT BIRTH : Fire Rabbit and Aquarius
Born on February 13, 1988 , he is an Aquarius, and Chinese zodiac Fire Rabbit (a few days later he would have been an Earth Dragon...) Associated with yin (darkness, female, the hidden), "Fire Rabbits are known for their intense energy and vibrant nature. They are charismatic, captivating individuals who draw others towards them with their warm and inviting persona." -- Specifically, an astrological prediction stated "People born in 1987 [-1988] year of the Rabbit are intelligent and skillful, and they can easily get success in every field. They have a good reputation among friends because they are broad-minded, tolerant and careful. Most of them have a unique vision and know how to make good use of their talents. However, they often leave others a kind of arrogant impression because of their high aspirations and big desires. " But since we dabble with astrology, this should be combined with the Aquarius sign. Generally, such an individual is predicted to have "Top Characteristics: Idealistic, Fashionable, Charming and Compassionate" and to be "The Intuitive Optimist of the Chinese-Western Zodiac". His ideal love partners should be among Aries-Pig, Gemini-Pig, Aries-Ram, Libra-Dog and Sagittarius-Ram (quoted fromThe Horsocope which also describes such men as "Highly perceptive, intelligent and intuitive, no matter the problems or issues that appears, this guy has ten solutions to it, each more different and more innovative than the other. ... Affectionate, lascivious and quite devious, he is the very epitome of attractiveness, and women flock to him constantly, wanting to find out what makes him tick."). A special ability to calm situations with their charm and common sense blesses the [elegant and refined] Aquarian Rabbit. These are good personalities to include in any work or personal relationships requiring a calming, good organizational influence. These people will not want to lead or follow, but are very efficient at being a valuable part of any team effort. These stabilizing and peace-keeping skills they possess can be initiated in any circumstances that demand it, and work especially well in family life. Despite typically taking their time to start long-term relationships, the Aquarian Rabbit will take it very seriously when he or she does commit." This ties in with the observation in a web-article that " people think that Lín Gēngxīn is probably a big man with a difficult personality. But in fact, Lín Gēngxīn has a very high emotional intelligence [EQ], and has a very cute and comfortable personality." |
A myth associated to the Rabbit tells about its sacrificing by jumping into fire to offer itself as food for an old man who was begging for charity. "Touched by the rabbit's kindness, the Jade Emperor decided the rabbit was the bravest creature and carried the rabbit to the moon. The rabbit got the name Jade Rabbit [Yù Tù 玉兔 from Yù 玉 meaning jade and 兔子 Tùzi meaning rabbit] because of its precious, jade-like fur, and lived on the moon, working hard making the potions of immortality." Also known since as the Moon Rabbit, he became the companion of Chang'e, the Moon goddess. More about Rabbit in Chinese popular culture in "Three faces of the rabbit that you may not know." (I've tasted the second many times, lol) |
MBTI 
Now where could I find an MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) test results to add, adding to the portrait of our "beast" ? A web-article reviewed the 16 types to categorize a series of c-ent celebrities, inferred from the analysis of performances in shows, variety shows, and interviews since very few of them have taken the test. And bingo, LGX was pigeonholed among those (alongside Bái Jìngtíng 白敬亭, Edison Chen 陳冠希, Máo Bùyì 毛不易, Ní Nī 倪妮, Wáng Yībó 王一博, Wang Leehom / Wáng Llìhóng 王力宏 , and Wàn Qiàn 萬茜, who played Susu in The Tale of Rose) ; he was categorized as :
“ ISTP - Connoisseur - Bold and practical experimenter who is good at using any form of tool. - When they explore and experience the world, they can not only have calm rationalism, but also have a full of curiosity. ISTPs are natural makers, they can make the best use of the knowledge and tools they have learned and have, deconstructing, analyzing, and assembling them in their brains, so as to create new and wonderful works, and get the most out of them. Great fun. They are never afraid of failure, insist on doing it themselves, and will acquire more new ideas through courageous attempts.” So: Introverted, Sensing, Thinking and Perceiving. “An ISTP is energized by spending time alone and having quality time with people they care about.”
Like astrology, MBTI charts should also be taken with a pinch of salt anyway since they are more often pop culture than perfectly scientific, and results may vary according to age and circumstance when the test is taken.
Lín Gēngxīn's personality is described as "sunny, natural, frank, and friendly" (Baidu questions). He is not really secretive, but one reason he is not totally easy to get data for is, is that back in 2014, as he stated, "My Weibo, BBS, and personal email have all been hacked. Not only my reputation is damaged, confidential documents such as movie scripts, contracts, as well as business plans in the email box were also exposed." He has grown to be more careful in protecting his personal and professional life since then.
PETS
| Staying with "beast" idea , Lín Gēngxīn said his favorite animal is the monkey, and that he dislikes birds. He is better known to be fond of dogs, but there are not that many pix of his dogs or data about them (Wikipedia and another source talk about Corgis and mention one of the dogs is called Xiǎo Bā (minibus?), but the most frequent pix are clearly of a Shiba Inu...) There also was in a review of a show LGX took part in, a list of dogs linked to actor names, which a commenter claimed were the names of LGX dogs! Quite a zoo with 7 different breeds including also a Samoyed and a brown poodle, but that one may be in the past, since there were pictures of LGX an ZLY with such same colored poodles dating from 2016 or so.
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Does he also have a pug ? Pictured walking one in 2022 :
DAILY LIFE
A reporter commented on his down-to-earth manners, doing his shopping in supermarkets by himself, eating street food, not looking down on people: "He has no airs in private at all, just like ordinary people, he lives a real life, and it can be seen that he enjoys this feeling very much. The important thing is that compared to some people complaining, Lín Gēngxīn has always maintained an optimistic and positive attitude, and has great empathy to experience the difficulties of ordinary workers. " Yet, he is rumored to have a luxury apartment high up floors in a Shanghai condominium, and several cars (a BMW, a Maserati, a Wuling EV) and to like to drive. " His estimated net worth is about 2 million USD".
Lín Gēngxīn is reputedly down-to-earth and approachable ; he moves freely in his personal daily life, shopping, etc. He said he was convinced he was an ugly child, and shy in youth ; he still can be sometimes, with his ears flaring red around girls. He's even been known to flee in confusion from a kissing scene in Princess Agents! But he has come to terms with his appearance, and now doesn't mind quipping back to questions like : “Which one is your best angles?” to reply “All of them”.... (from a Princess Agents BTS reported in a soompi thread).
Netizens commented that "Lin Gengxin's face is very magnetic, although it is not a standard 'actor' face, but every expression can deeply attract the audience." (LaiTimes, July 3, 2024) He is ranked as 2nd or 3rd most "stunningly beautiful man," top god of C-ent according to a ranking reported by LaiTimes, where Xiào Zhàn 肖战 is 1st, and next spots are disputed by Lǐ Xiàn 李现, Lín Gēngxīn , Péng Guānyīng 彭冠英, Wáng Xīngyuè 王星越 among many other favorite actors.
SPORTSLín Gēngxīn can play tennis. (pictures from Facebook, linked) ; he also enjoys volley ball. Running in Hong Kong, June 2024 (Jayne Stars news) He views running as the best sports to keep healthy and fit and not be stressed.But he said his favorite sports is swimming. |  Sports were part of his method to lose 12 pounds of weight in order to film The Legend of Shen Li in 2022. "Aside from his diet, Gengxin exercised diligently to achieve results. He would run, lift weights, do push ups and pull ups to train his body. Occasionally, he would play a game of basketball or badminton with friends. Exercise also helped increase the body’s basal metabolic rate which allowed him to return to his peak physique." (Jayne Stars, July 2022) |
PROFILE CONTINUED BELOW IN PART 2
林更新 - Lín Gēngxīn - Profile (PART 2)
Gif above from a 2017 biographical article about LGX by "fireflymaoh", linked |
FREEDOM and businessThen again, Lín Gēngxīn has both playful and decisive traits of character. Jayne Stars reported in 2014 :" Rumors began surfacing in 2012 that he was on bad terms with his management company, Chinese Entertainment Shanghai [also known as Tangren Media]. [In 2013], he officially terminated his contract with the company, and though he had to pay 1.95 million RMB as compensation for breaking his contract, he seems to have made the right choice. “I didn’t break my contract,” he said when asked about the issue. “It’s just that the company’s demands and my expectations were not really the same. I think this is very common – it’s like when you’re working for a company and then you switch jobs.” Next, he created his own Lin Gengxin Studio to manage his own career. Perhaps it is because he is no longer under a specific management company that Lín Gēngxīn can be so free with his thoughts and actions. He often posts silly photographs to his Sina Weibo account, and admitted straight out that he is a male chauvinist, though he is working hard to change. “I don’t want a fixed public image,” he explained. “If they seem me as healthy, or sunny, or a good man, those are all okay with me.”He became "Chief Update Officer of online video platform iQIYI to make sure the platform uploads anime episodes on time" in September 2017, and same year, ambassador for IQyi together with Zhào Lìyǐng. Lín Gēngxīn has also invested in SIDE BUSINESSES :
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 |  | WORK AS A MODEL"Lín Gēngxīn mainly earns from acting and brand endorsement deals."His iPhones ? He seems to be very fond of them, flaunting 2 or 3 latest iPhone 15 Pro with different covers.But I don't think he's a brand ambassador of that brand. |
 2019 Lín Gēngxīn in front of I ♥ 云A (I love Yunnan Kunming Sofitel) : the 400 room property was the tallest hotel in Kunming to join the Sofitel network in China in 2016. It occupies 27th to 52nd floor of the building in the new business district. Cover and photos for Madame Figaro Hommes, October 2023Producer & Stylist | Chen Liming @力铭chan Photography｜He Kaituyi@He Kaituyi Photography Coordinator | French fries @Shutiaooo Makeup & Hairstyling｜Xu Lixiao@Xu Lixiao Costume Coordinator｜Allen@AllenAllenLin Fine Arts｜ZHU Interview & Writing｜Gu Xiang@Gu Xiang Costume Assistant｜ningning & An Qi Design｜@ Zhaoyouji
He said that his favorite colors are: black, white, blue. |  Fashion magazine Trends Health (2017), excerpt from a YT video 2019 HLA ad.-- Heilan Home (海澜之家) is a Chinese concept store company established in 2002. The core fast fashion brand under Heilan Group (founded 1997) based in Jiangyin, Jiangsu Province in China. HLA was named as one of “Chinese National Well-known Trademarks” in 2009. LGX has done many ads for them. Madame Figaro July 2024 issue ; cover: Lin Gengxin (for a hot summer.) - just issued. Official pre-sale: Madame Figaro Hommes July issue/Lin Gengxin Collector’s Edition photo card set Brand ambassador for Ester Lauder Night Repair Cream (collagen anti aging), April 29, 2024 eventAnd in August 2017, he became an ambassador for iQiyi together with Zhào Lìyǐng. |
Lin ranked 77th on Forbes China Celebrity 100 list in 2015, 43rd in 2017, and 84th in 2019
COOKING AND FOOD LGX ad for Vatti kitchen equipment & cooking (July 30, 2020) ; in 2021 he also advertised for Boloni kitchen equipment, and was brand ambassador for them. |  In an Interview, Lín Gēngxīn said he cooked every day and sometimes for the cast! |
 Well-mannered : despite the taste of durian did not agree with his Northern taste buds, he politely said it was worth the experience!His favorite fruit is watermelon. | Hairy crabs, a unique species in China (picture from a min.news feature) |
| Lín Gēngxīn is known to like to cook, including ribs and shrimp. is said to like things such as spicy dry tofu and barbecue, and he opened barbecue restaurants about the same time as his venture into... hair salons business ! (OK, how does that relate to food? There is a thing called "hairy crab" which is a specialty of the Jiangnan and Shanghai, city that he says he likes best, and where he has an apartment in the upper floors of a tall high-rise. A collection of pictures on a n FB fan page shows that he indeed cooks and likes 螃蟹 pángxiè, crabs, so he must enjoy at times the well known 大闸蟹 dàzháxiè delicacy... ) He occasionally shares videos of himself in the kitchen on Xiaohongshu. But he regrets that his parents don't like his cooking ! Does he regret jijia (鸡架, literally “chicken frame”) the signature street food of Shengyang ? He did not say. He did say he liked Singapore cuisine, such as bak kut teh, chicken rice and skewers, but also that he's better at cooking northern Chinese dishes, such as stew and braised dishes, adding he learned how to cook because he wants to eat home-cooked meals instead of takeouts. Below, ad for his opening of one of his "Papa BBq" restaurant in Beijing, on Dec.31, 2019 :  On June 18, 2023, he opened a new restaurant from that chain, in West Beijing. The chain has its own Weibo page Below : pictures of the interior of 2 of those restaurants (initially posted to that Weibo page and re-posted on an FB fan page) : |
MUSIC and other skillsDoes he sing? I didn't find many recordings although his voice is not bad, a little less powerful as expected in comparison to his spoken diction. There is the 2017 song “A Life-long Love” from the movie Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons sung by Yáo Chén 姚晨 and Lín Gēngxīn (English translation subtitles). Perhaps he sings more freely under the shower ; he does sing karaoke and in his trailer like this snippet of the song “Girl” 《女孩》, a 2015 song by Taiwanese singer WeiBird (MV with pinyin and English subtitles here), recorded while he was promoting Legend of Shen Li. [Anecdote : In My Bargain Girl, audience was cheated out of hearing him sing the love song request in the elevator, ep. 10 : a female voice was bizarrely substituted for it!] He is said to like Taiwan "king of mandopop" Jay Chou /Zhōu Jiélún 周杰倫 (everybody does : here's a playlist + a sample of one of his oldest songs : "Common Jasmine Orange" Qī Lǐ Xiāng 七里香 title song of Jay Chou's 5th album of 2004, a song from a poem by poet and painter Xí Mùróng 席慕容 ). Lín Gēngxīn also said he liked the songs of Taiwan band Mayday (五月天 Wǔ Yuè Tiān) which are still well received (collection of songs here); Jay Chou even played with the group "Promised not to cry" (说好不哭 Shuō hǎobù kū ). Lín Gēngxīn also said he likes the songs of singer-actors Chén Kūn 陈坤 (sample : 蝴蝶 Húdié, Butterfly, who rose to international prominence with the films 2002 Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, 2006 The Knot and 2008 Painted Skin) and Eason Chan /Chén Yìxùn 陳奕迅 many of whose songs are modern classics : 好久不见(hǎo jiǔ bú jiàn, Long Time No See), 苦瓜 (Kǔguā, Bitter Gourd) etc (20 Eason Chan songs playlist) |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XIe-vpuxlg 五月天 Mayday's online Fly to 2023 concert incl. the famous 2008 song《突然好想你》(Suddenly missing you)Lín Gēngxīn with Jay Chou at his 2019 concert, where he was spotted as the "handsome man" and asked if he had a request. LGX answered : "End of the World" - 世界末日 shìjiè mòrì. ---> Notes: The song was reused and sung by Luhan for the OST of the otherwise criticized 2019 sci-fi action movie "Shanghai Fortress". In 2011, Jay Chou released a song with a similar title : "Doomsday (Not the end of the world)" 世界未末日 Shìjiè mòmò rì. And LGX is able to play the piano. |  "End of the World" is a sad love song that Jay Chou initially composed on his guitar and released on the last day of 2001, although it was not included on his second "Fantasy" album. The song holds special nostalgy for the hard core Jay Chou fans, and evokes bygone times. |
DRAWING |  Can he draw? Lín Gēngxīn can sketch, and joke about the whiskerless "baby dragon" he came up with, when challenged to draw for the new year celebrations of the 2024 Year of the Dragon ! |
BEST FRIENDSLín Gēngxīn and Mark Chao  |  “He is very good friends with Mark Chao /Zhào Yòutíng 赵又廷, and the two would often show off their bromance”.Mark Chao) is a Taiwanese actor, singer, and model. born in c-ent (his father was actor Allen Chao). Mark Chao is best remember for his role as Mo Yuan | Ye Hua in 2017 xianxia c-drama Eternal Love /Ten Miles Of Peach Blossom. On June 5, 2014, Mark Chao and Gāo Yuányuán 高圆圆 registered their marriage in Beijing. Lín Gēngxīn and Mark Chao often went on trips together with his wife until the couple welcomed a daughter on 21st May 2019. S |
Lín Gēngxīn and Wáng Sīcōng They had often been playing e-games through the night. WSC actively promoted some of his movies and dramas. But after 2017 they seem to have become lees close.Anecdote : Lín Gēngxīn was thought to perhaps be the nephew of Wáng Sīcōng's mother (whose name is Lín), but that's not true; it was a confusion because the granddads of the two friends happened to be namesakes. | Another good friend of his is Wáng Sīcōng 王思聪, a Chinese businessman, son of Chinese tycoon Wang Jian Lin 王健林 and chairman of Dalian Wanda Group (China's largest real estate developer, as well as the world's largest movie theater operator.) Wáng Sīcōng is one of China’s most famous fu’erdai (富二代, the ‘second generation rich’)" Wang is the chairman of Prometheus Capital. He also founded in 2011 the professional esports organization Invictus Gaming (iG), and in 2015, the music management company Banana Culture. [In 2019, Wáng Sīcōng ran afoul of the newly launched social credit system, and was ordered to curb his lavish lifestyle; he still went all out flaunting it and his womanizing in 2021. Five years later, he's caught in a scandal about a Hanghzhou former idol trainee, whom he pursued for a long time at least since 2020, although relationship appeared rocky, giving birth out of wedlock in 2023 to a daughter she claimed was WSC's. ...Gossips, gossips...] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Among his other known friends in the c-entertainment circle, pictured left : actors : 1. Jiǎng Jìnfū 蒋劲夫、 2. Hú Gē 胡歌、 3. Yuán Hóng 袁弘、 4. Ray Mǎ Tiānyǔ 马天宇、 5. Nicky Wu /Wú Qílóng 吴奇隆、 6. Yè Zǔxīn 叶祖新、 7. Hán Dòng 韩栋、 8 Shawn Zhāng Lúnshuò 张伦硕、 9. Kenji Wu/Wú Kèqún 吴克群、 10. Lǐ Wēi 李威、 11. Chén Kūn 陈坤、 2. Jiro Wang/ Wāng Dōngchéng汪东城、 13. Hé Jiǒng 何炅、 14 Lǐ Wéijiā 李维嘉、 15. Dù Hǎitāo 杜海涛、 16. Zhū Zǐxiāo 朱梓骁、 17. Dà Zuǒ 大左、 18. Lǐ Jiāháng 李佳航、... actresses: 19. Cecilia Liú Shīshī 刘诗诗、 20. Christy Guō Xiǎotíng 郭晓婷、 21. Ruby Lin 林心如、 22. Gǔlì Nàzhā 古力娜扎、 23. Maggie Wú Yàxīn 吴亚馨、 24. Nana Xiè Nà 谢娜、 25. Sonia Suí Táng 隋棠、 26. Angelababy ; TV host : 27. Orfila Wú Xīn 吴昕" (Baidu) |
LOVE and relationships (rumored)
He had a sweetheart in N°36 middle school in Shenyang, in the beginning of the 2000s, called Xǔ Sháochún 许韶纯 when kids were shy (but Lín Gēngxīn kept good relations with and remembers many of his classmates long after leaving). As for love life, Lín Gēngxīn said he first fell in love when he was 18. He dated a fellow student at the Shanghai Theater Academy for 4 years ; that girlfriend was from a wealthy background, and he allegedly stayed at his girlfriend’s family manor when he was studying in Shanghai. Whether or not parents from both parties approved the relationship has been reported with differences, but in the end the short girl nicknamed Noisy Mushroom/Nàogū 闹菇 moved away from entertainment, and took over family business. Anyway that relationship didn't pan out. They drifted apart after graduation.
Since then, starting in the last year of the Mushroom story, he allegedly embarked on serial relationships which if true, make him look quite the Casanova ! so that adds fuel to those who view him less positively (yes, as most actors, he does have haters... ) Here's the (not totally complete!) catalogue of beauties whom he did not always keep at arms length (well : hugs between friends are not to be frowned upon, are they ?)
 Zhōu Dōngyǔ 周冬雨, b.1992.01.31 (Aquarius Water Monkey zodiac signs) |  Bonnie Chen, 陳碧舸 b. 1990.11.30 (Sagittarius Metal Horse zodiac signs) |  Claudia Wang /Wáng Lìkūn 王丽坤b.1985.03.05 (Pisces Wood Ox zodiac signs) |  Cass Gai / Gài Yuèxī 盖玥希 b. 1992.11.18 (Scorpio Water Monkey zodiac signs) |
 Wáng Liǔwén 王柳雯b.1996.10.? (Libra or Scorpio Fire Rat zodiac signs)  Jiǎng Mèngjié 蔣夢婕b.1989.12.07 (Sagittarius Earth Snake zodiac signs)  Sūn Yí 孙怡b.1993.06.13 (Gemini Water Rooster zodiac signs) | Lín Gēngxīn has been portrayed as something of a playboy, also linked romantically at times to celebrities such as actresses Zhōu Dōngyǔ 周冬雨, Claudia Wang /Wáng Lìkūn 王丽坤, Cass Gai / Gài Yuèxī 盖玥希, Jiǎng Mèngjié 蔣夢婕, Sūn Yí 孙怡 (who married actor Dong Zijian in 2017, but divorced in 2022, after having had a child), or supermodel Bonnie Chen. or internet emerging model Wáng Liǔwén 王柳雯 (born in 1996 in Chengdu) whom LGX dated around 2015-2016 in Shanghai but shook off for several reasons as he moved on to date Wáng Lìkūn [later, in 2019 Wáng Liǔwén was arrested over drugs use] ... These relationships rumors came by over paparazzi sightings but most of them were not confirmed and often refuted. They were just colleagues, "reel but not real" relationships. He is still officially single, despite a rumor in 2018, marking him as married (a form had been incorrectly filled out by staff in hospital, according to LGX studio, and despite he acknowledged the document as genuine, the actor blasted against the disclosure of his personal data, true or erroneous, to public.) One assessment about his former rumored crush on Zhào Lìyǐng 赵丽颖 is that "their relationship is more of a partnership than a couple. Lín Gēngxīn has always been sober in his relationship choices. He prefers to find a partner in the Internet celebrity circle or among 18-tier actors." He has a lots of female friends with whom he openly goes out, walks around freely : he doesn't care about being caught by media or about giving anybody an explanation. Zhào Lìyǐng briefly married actor Féng Shàofēng 冯绍峰 (aka William Feng, real name Feng Wei, only son of a billionaire textile business owners family) in 2018 and the couple had a son in March 2019 ; just over two years later, in April 2021, the couple divorced, due to Feng's mother interfering and demanding that the actress stop her career to have more children. They agreed to co-parent their son who stays in the Feng family. |
 Shǐ Ruìyī - new crush?史芮伊 b. 1999.10.29 (Scorpio Earth Rabbit zodiac signs) |  Zhào Lìyǐng 赵丽颖 - among best friends of LGX赵丽颖 Zanilia b. 1987.10.16 (Libra Fire Rabbit zodiac signs) |
The more recent romantic suspicions are over sightings of his being attentive to a very tall young actress and ex-trainee, Shǐ Ruìyī 史芮伊, who played a small part in 2024 billiards drama Amidst A Snowstorm of Love.
| The starlet Shǐ Ruìyī is 11 years younger than the 36 year old actor. Lín Gēngxīn took her to the wedding of a friend in Sanya. "Jayne Stars" news noted that she is "exactly Lín Gēngxīn's type" and that they were spotted holding hands... She also seems to like cats and dogs, from the pictures of her that can be found. They were sighted at least twice together in October 2023 and April 2024. "Heartbreaking news for the shippers who linked him with Zhào Lìyǐng" and who still on and off go back to the "XingYue CP" (names of the two lead characters in the 2017 drama Princess Agents : Xing'er played by ZLY and Yuwen Yue played by LGX). But it's clear that, despite they are very close friends, LGX and ZLY don't intend to let it go further. |
Has the single dog 单身狗 (dān shēn gǒu) [Warning : careful when using this phrase, this can be construed as a joke or as an insult! the safest is for a man to use it for himself] perhaps found his perfect girlfriend? But we are in July now, and there are no more recent sightings of the pair, and the Weibo pages, personal or official, don't show them as an item.
Shǐ Ruìyī, like the other ladies he may have dated, is not perfectly conforming to the ideal " Aries-Pig, Gemini-Pig, Aries-Ram, Libra-Dog and Sagittarius-Ram" combinations suggested by the Horoscope. People seldom take that into account when they chose romantic partners ; it's mostly the parents who will ask to check the bazi compatibility chart, and perhaps agree to a choice even if the odds predicted by the stars are less favorable than hoped. Besides, nowadays, marriages are very often only short term contracts, and divorces are a frequent experience ; friendships are more durable... He does not lack friends.
Anyway, from the interviews and live streams I perused of him (for Master of My Own, Legend of Shenli, and now The Tale of Rose) I got the impressions that this is a person who manages to scoff and joke away prying questions, with a dry humor, and who keeps his private life very much to himself. But it still seems possible that Shǐ Ruìyī is now his girlfriend.
PROFILE CONTINUED BELOW IN PART 3 Back to Table of contents.
林更新 - Lín Gēngxīn - Profile (part 3)
Gif above from a 2017 biographical article about LGX by "fireflymaoh", linked ; excerpted from an LGX fans collection on Youtube. |
 Yuewen Global IP Awards, January 2024. Lín Gēngxīn was awarded "Yuewen has all the copyrights of original scripts of dramas: To Love, Master Of My Own, The Legend Of ShenLi, The Tale Of Rose, etc. We are anticipating more and more good adapted novels/ scripts to be acted by professional actor Lín Gēngxīn." It was the 1st time these awards were hosted abroad, in Singapore's Marina Bay Sands.In right column : LGX at the airport, meeting fans and giving autographs. He is wearing a Bunny Rabbit T shirt that comes in several colors from : " 1 TROP FORT Clothing (Brand) STAY IN THE CUTE CORNER www.1tropfort.com " [the bunny rabbit is the brand's specific emblem, and it is also Lín Gēngxīn's Chinese zodiac sign ☺️ ] | FANDOMWhen, why, and where did his Kids fandom appear ? Still not clear to me. A source states that “it is supposed to mean Little Monkeys because his nickname is Monkey” ("Hóuzi" 猴子). It seems to have started around the time he was acting in a movie as Monkey King Sun Wukong 孫悟空 in a drama in 2017 (the same year, Z.Tao also revisited the classic tale in another drama, but the movie with LGX grossed $239.5 million, becoming the highest-grossing film among the Journey to the West novel adaptations).Support color: Green Support slogan: Love at first sight Lin Gengxin, Lin Xin always in my heart (一见倾心林更新，心有林新永相随 Yī jiàn qīngxīn Lín Gēngxīn, xīn yǒu Lín Xīn yǒng xiāng suí) He likes his fans to call him “Xīn Gē” 新哥 (Brother Xin). From the beginning of his acting career, he already had about 5.8 million followers in 2012 on Weibo, winning masses of female fans with his good looks. Over the next 12 years, his following on his official Weibo social media has grown to almost 10 times that number (53.92 million fans as of June 30, 2024) ; his Studio Weibo has 459K followers as of June 30, 2024. |
OVERVIEW OF SCREEN WORKS
 2009 The Blue Cornflower (藍色矢車菊) - Movie |  2011 Scarlet Heart (步步惊心) - TV series |  2013 Young Detective Dee : Rise of the Sea Dragon (狄仁傑之神都龍王) - Movie |  2014 My Old Classmate (同桌的妳)- Movie A romance between two desk-mates spanning 20 years. |
| Support role : [Hotel sales manager] | Support role : Aisin Gioro Yinti /14th Prince | Support Role : ShaTuo Zhong | ML : Lin Yi |
 2014 The Taking of Tiger Mountain (智取威虎山)- Movie |  2017 : Journey to the West 2 : the Demons Strike Back (西遊伏妖篇)- Movie |  2017 Princess Agents (特工皇妃楚乔传 aka The Legend of Chu Xiao)- TV series |  2020 The Croods: A new age - Animation Movie |
ML: Shao Jian Bo / Captain 203 | ML: Monkey King Sūn Wùkōng  | ML : Yu Wen Yue | Dubbing: "Guy" played by Ryan Reynolds in the US version |
Lín Gēngxīn has won wide attention with his agility and changeability. His acting style is full of unique tension and often challenges the audience's stereotypes of the character. Netizens are full of appreciation and expectation for his acting skills, believing that he is a clear stream among the new generation of actors. Some netizens joked: "Lín Gēngxīn is like a trick every time he performs, and he can interpret each role as if he has changed people." (LaiTimes, July 3, 2024) Lín Gēngxīn expressed in the past his admiration for Daniel Wu/ Wú Yànzǔ 吴彦祖 (the 1974 born American actor and filmmaker based in Hong Kong, is known as a "flexible and distinctive" leading actor in the Chinese language film industry. Since his film debut in 1998, he has been featured in over 60 films. He is considered as a "godson of Jackie Chan"), and for Zhāng Jìngchū 张静初 (the 1980 born Chinese film actress won a Best Actress award for the 2005 film Peacock, which was shown at the Berlin International Film Festival). In 2017, Lín Gēngxīn said that among the characters he played, his top 3 favorite movie characters were Sūn Wùkōng (Journey to the West 2), Shao Jianbo (The Taking of Tiger Mountain), and Hsieh Shaofeng (from 2016 Sword Master 三少爺的劍). Lín Gēngxīn can dub himself or other characters, but when he is dubbed, he prefers it to be by Biān Jiāng 边江 who has a voice very similar to LGX and dubbed LGX/Yuwen Yue (Princess Agents), and other famous actors/roles such as Ren Jialun/Zhousheng Chen, Yang Yang/Hei Fengxi-Feng Lanxi, Wang Yibo/Lan Zhan, Mark Chao/Ye Hua, etc . |
Since he broke into the limelight in the 2009 film The Blue Cornflower, Lín Gēngxīn "has starred in several #1 box office hits such as :
- 2011 Scarlet Heart (TV series that made him to a star throughout Asia, role as Yinti )
- It can be watched on Viki with several language options for subtitles.
- 2013 Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon (movie, role as Shatuo Zhong)
- 2014 My Old Classmate (movie, ML role as Lin Yi)
- 2014 The Taking of Tiger Mountain (movie, ML role as Shao Jianbo)
- 2017 Journey to the West: The Demons Strike Back (movie, ML role as Sun Wukong)
- Directed by Tsui Hark, written and produced by Stephen Chow, it was the most successful movie among those based on the classic novel “Journey to the West” by Wu Cheng'en that year.
- Directed by Tsui Hark, written and produced by Stephen Chow, it was the most successful movie among those based on the classic novel “Journey to the West” by Wu Cheng'en that year.
- 2017 Princess Agents (television series ; ML role as Yuwen Yue)
- Directed by Ng Gam Yuen, Chen Wen Yong, written by Yang Tao, starring also Zhao Liying, the roles made the two fanous internationally. Can be watched on Viki.
- Directed by Ng Gam Yuen, Chen Wen Yong, written by Yang Tao, starring also Zhao Liying, the roles made the two fanous internationally. Can be watched on Viki.
He was more a movie actor with 17 movies from 2010 to 2021, and also voice acting for the Chinese version of a Dreamworks animation movie (2020 The Croods : A new age) [that film had crossed $46 million (RMB 300 million) in China, becoming the second-biggest Hollywood title of the year in the country behind Tenet ($66.6 million)].
Besides, he was a well-known celebrity taking part in 35 TV shows since the first season of Keep Running, in 2014. The movie data base TMDB (in English) or Maoyan (in Chinese) are also places to find pretty exhaustive listings of his screen works.
Among his 13 dramas to date in June 2024 :
 2020 To Love (最初的相遇，最后的别离) a thriller mystery around a drug trafficking case |  2021 My Bargain Queen (我的砍价女王) a reunion years after a misunderstanding |  2022 Master of My Own (请叫我总监)a business romance starting on wrong footing |  2024 The Legend of Shen Li (与凤行 Yu Feng Xing)a comedic and thrilling xianxia romance |
ML : Yan Jin | ML : Sheng Zhening | ML: Lu Jiming What a coincidence! | ML: Xing Yun / Xing Zhi (ancient god) |
- *2022 Master of my Own can be watched on Viki as well as the original channels, it has a 9.3 Viki rating from 29.6K ratings (vs 6.5/10 Douban from 53K ratings). Likewise,
- 2021 My Bargain Queen was less well received in China than by international audience with a 9.1 Viki rating from 13K ratings (vs 3.0/10 Douban from 15K ratings).
- 2020 To Love can be watched on Viki, and got 5.7 Douban from 48.1K ratings.
This year 2024 marked a pivot for Lín Gēngxīn with two successive S+ dramas that made it big : - 2024 The Legend of Shen Li can be watched on Viki. Opening Douban rating 7.2/10 from 154.3K ratings on April 11, 2024 and 15 weeks standing in the top 10 TV dramas watched in China by end June 2024;
- 2024 The Tale of Rose can be watched on Viki. Douban initial rating of June 23 was 7.1 for 84.6K votes, and 3 weeks as #1 in the top ten most watched TV dramas with between 607, 613, and 594 points by end of June 2024.
[Note : to find the Douban rating of a drama, type in the name of the drama in Chinese and add “豆瓣”]
The Tale of Rose is his 13th drama ; among those, he played twice as support role in the beginning of his career, and since then as Male Lead or, twice as Guest (including The Tale of Rose).
The latter has seemed rather inappropriate a denomination to many commenters, considering that Baidu lists him as "supporting" and he got 12 million Rmb remuneration for several times more screen time than colleagues Péng Guānyīng 彭冠英 (who got paid 15 million Rmb), Wallace Huo /Huò Jiànhuá 霍建华 (who hauled off 20 million Rmb for his appearance in 8 episodes [was LGX too slack to negotiate his remuneration fairly?]
LGX appeared in 18+ episodes and could well have been termed ML since his status as father and husband or ex husband from episode 13 to 38 was far more impactful on the story than the shorter or relatively shorter appearances of his colleagues). As Crystal Liu / Liú Yìfēi 刘亦菲 acknowledged, Lín Gēngxīn played admirably the difficult role. Lín Gēngxīn had already expressed himself in interview, so he did not add more than a few sentences in his farewell message to the character on his social media. It was also difficult personnally, since this set him as a target for "black fans" (anti-fans) who criticized him harshly, mostly from the character he portrayed. Lín Gēngxīn chose to "respond positively through various ways, hoping to change the audience's views with practical actions, so that everyone can better understand and recognize themselves." (LaiTimes, July 2, 2024)
The Tale of Rose (Meigui's story) - size comparison of members of the cast ; name of characters, number of episodes appearing ; remuneration (in mil./millions Rmb)
|
At the moment, future work in dramas or movies seems to be kept under wraps from the part of Lin Gengxin Studio, his agency. There was a rumor in April that he might collaborate with Zhào Lùsī 赵露思 in a business drama called Perfect Lobbyist, directed by Dèng Kē 邓科 , but this seems to be, as often when hearing about projects, just another "melon" (to be confirmed as ripe someday or stay in the realm of virtual fantasies). Rosy's keluli fans would prefer to see her pair in a drama with Luō Yúnxī 罗云熙, even though LYX is roughly same age as LGX.
MISCELLANEOUS, emoticons etc
Above: an emoticons collection posted by Lín Gēngxīn on his Weibo in June 2024
Key to meaning:
| 阿 ? A ? (eh ?) 好吧 hǎo ba (okay) 嘻嘻嘻嘻 xī xī xī xī... (hihihihi...) | 尶尬 Gāngà (awkward) 怪不好意思的 Guài bù hǎoyìsi de (I'm so embarrassed) | 傲娇 ào jiāo (proud) 强行闭麦 qiángxíng bì mài (cut the microphone!) 真无语了 zhēn wúyǔle (I'm speechless) |
PILLOWS AND CUSHIONS | He likes to travel but prefers to take his own pillow with him on trips! Since it is a bit bulky, it may not fit in the luggage, so he sometimes has to negotiate with hotels to get one that does not cause his neck to crick ! He does like his comfort and revealed other things he looks for in accomodation : he does not think first about fengshui. But he said he likes to travel and discover new places, so as "not to leave too many regrets behind". (asiaOne, Feb.05, 2024) About pillows, he gave one special cushion to Zhao Liying at the Prrincess Agents press conference of May 26, 2017, telling her she could "use is for sleeping or put it in the car because he had the exact same one in his car too." |
As Lín Gēngxīn moved on to other projects big and small, such as the July fashion magazine issue and the brand ambassadorship for Crossfire (穿越火 chuānyuè huǒ) National e-game, he changed his Studio Weibo banner to a new one, which ties in with both.
From LGX Weibo page, this appropriate end picture :
July 4, 2024 (moved from The Tale of Rose companion piece) ; last revision July 12, 2024
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