Celebrity couple Chen Zihan and Dai Xiangyu have been married since 2016. While Chen Zihan is known for her many works in Chinese dramas, Dai Xiangyu is a Chinese actor formerly based in Singapore under Mediacorp. With a nine-year age gap—Chen now 50, Dai 41—the couple was long assumed to be a classic DINK (dual income, no kids) household.
However, Chen Zihan recently revealed that this was never the plan. In a rare and emotional disclosure, she shared that the couple spent three years trying to conceive through in vitro fertilization (IVF)—undergoing 12 grueling rounds of treatment. “I had to take injections every day. It was really pitiful,” she said. Her decision wasn’t influenced by family pressure. In fact, her in-laws supported her either way. “I just really love children. Having a baby felt like such an important part of life.”
The journey, however, took a toll. Chen Zihan and her husband would have days where they’re crying and hugging on the street after repeated disappointments. Her husband had suggested stopping after their second failed attempt, but they continued to try ten more times, which was a physically and emotionally taxing process, particularly given that Chen Zihan was undergoing IVF at an advanced maternal age.
Eventually, the couple made the decision to stop treatments. Instead of children, they’ve chosen to focus their love towards pets and the actress has also fully returned to work, appearing in a recent reality show to share her story.
Suanne
50 years old now.. means she started IVF at 47? errrr. even if she manahed to get pregnant it’d be extremely risky. also I find husbands who let their wives go through so many rounds of ivf which is very painful and taxing for a womans body to be so incredibly selfish. a kid is not the be all and end all. this guy used to act in quite a few shows in my country, super mediocre acting. I guess he decided to go back to china for some reason and isn’t doing well there. heard he was cut from some variety acting show that had an acting segment as a competition.. not surprising.
Kai
Hello, which part of your brain cannot comprehend the sentence that he tried to call a stop after the 2nd failed attempt but she refused? She was the one desperately wanting a child of her own. Not him.
Seriously, I just don’t understand the mindset of this so-called feminism. “Respect her choice and decision”- the man is selfish. “Make her stop” – the man is selfish. He supported her all through the treatments. Then you go and bash his career. Is that even relevant?
If he is really selfish and so desperate for a child, he could have divorced her and marry a younger woman.
Sueann
my brain is working fine. maybe yours isn’t which explains the low class way you speak. yeah sure he stopped her the second time and still allowed her to carry on for 10 more times. theres nothing feminist about what I said, strange that you’d project your own anger against feminists onto my post. and even if it’s feminist so what? u think its a very healthy thing for a 50 year old woman to put herself and her body through 12x of ivf?
bash his career? wow the last time I read this word bash it was on a kpop site filled with mentally ill teens, u must be one of them! I will “bash” his career however I want. this post is about him too right?
you seem wayyyy too invested in this d list chinese celeb couple.. u either must be dai himself or his family. pls go get a life and touch some grass. it will do wonders for ur mental health. <3
Coralie
woah she’s 50 yo! she looks dang fine at 50, wish I look like that when I get to her age lol.
also, I think it’s just dumb for people to make these inaccurate statements about children. they love THEIR children, but forget adoption is an option. she should’ve frozen her eggs by the time she was 40 if she really wanted children – at 47, the boat has long left the port.
that being said, I think China has some laws against women having kids as single parents and if she wasn’t married by that point, there was nothing she can do to circumvent her situation, just my guess.
all in all, they won’t be alone – China’s population decline is real as many more couples decide to be DINK. it’s not bad at all doing whatever they like forever
Tristin
They can always adopt. They will be great parents