On July 1, Chinese actor Hu Yitian trended over a tally that the 31-year-old actor has gone 673 days without joining a new filming project. His last drama that wrapped was the historical romance series Blossoms in Adversity, which completed shooting in August 2023. Since then, Hu Yitian has maintained a presence through fashion events and variety shows like Chinese Restaurant Season 8. His studio continues to post monthly schedules that mostly include brand endorsements and appearances, but no new dramas.
Many attribute this prolonged “dry spell” to his departure from longtime agency Huace in 2023. After signing with a new company, Haoxing Entertainment, the actor’s resources appeared to plummet. Whether due to critiques of his acting range or rumors that he refuses to take second-lead roles, it’s clear that competition in China’s entertainment industry is fiercer than ever.
A recent fan encounter at the airport went viral. One fan quipped, “You should work more!” Hu Yitian replied, “I changed jobs.” When asked when he would start shooting again, he laughed and said, “I’ve retired, I’ve retired!” The phrase “Hu Yitian Retired” quickly shot up the trending list. Though he said it jokingly, fans are certainly craving his return to the small screen.
Hu Yitian gained popularity through his campus youth and Republican-era detective dramas. There’s talk he might star alongside Zhang Xueying in a new workplace drama, though nothing’s confirmed.
Photo: Hu Yi Tian
Xoxo
Poor dude. Hope that his departure from his old agency wasn’t acrimonious. He isn’t the best actor there is, but he has been stuck with really poor scripts. I think with the right project, he would shine. It’s too bad he isn’t acting right now, but it might end up being good for him, the break may make him re-evaluate his acting and give him the impetus to change for the better. At least he isn’t completely out of the spotlight.
A good idea for him, is to cameo in other people’s dramas to give him added exposure. He doesn’t always need to be the lead in the drama. This would enable him act in a wider variety of roles and gain more experience doing so.
HL
Strangely enough, I was just thinking about him recently. Timely article. Not that I miss his acting…