https://www.scmp.com/rss/328861/feed Fan Bingbing is a Chinese film star and one of the world's highest-paid actresses. She had roles in Lost in Beijing, X-Men: Days of Future Past and I Am Not Madame Bovary, among others. In 2018, she was caught up in a tax evasion scandal. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Alice Yan Alice Yan A top online influencer in China who was fined 18.91 million yuan (US$2.6 million) for evading nine million yuan in taxes has attracted significant attention on social media. The case of Bai Bing, a food influencer with more than 40 million followers, was revealed by China’s State Tax Administration (STA) in late April, according to the media outlet CCTV. The authorities said that between 2021 and 2024, Bai underpaid a total of 9.11 million yuan (US$1.3 million) of personal income tax,... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3351980/ex-china-waiter-turned-influencer-40-million-fans-fined-us26-million-tax-evasion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3351980/ex-china-waiter-turned-influencer-40-million-fans-fined-us26-million-tax-evasion?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 06:00:06 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak In ancient China, women were expected to be obedient and chaste. But throughout millennia, some dared defy traditions with their intellect and ambition. In this series, we profile some of the most powerful and enigmatic female figures in Chinese history. Governance in ancient China was rooted in Confucianism, a rigid social hierarchy that placed men at the centre of power. One woman challenged that foundation, dismantling a centuries-old glass ceiling to become the first and only female... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3352146/beautiful-intelligent-and-power-hungry-how-wu-zetian-became-chinas-only-female-emperor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3352146/beautiful-intelligent-and-power-hungry-how-wu-zetian-became-chinas-only-female-emperor?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 23:15:08 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok Ciao UFO, a sci‑fi drama inspired by a local urban legend of mysterious lights over a public housing estate, clinched the top honours at the 44th Hong Kong Film Awards on Sunday night, winning best film and best director for Patrick Leung Pak‑kin. The dystopian crime thriller Sons of the Neon Night emerged as the biggest winner, taking home eight prizes out of 12 nominations. Among those sharing the limelight at the ceremony in the Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui was veteran Tony Leung Ka‑fai,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3350651/ciao-ufo-takes-top-prizes-hong-kong-film-awards-sons-neon-night-glows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3350651/ciao-ufo-takes-top-prizes-hong-kong-film-awards-sons-neon-night-glows?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 16:12:07 +0000 Edmund Lee Edmund Lee This year’s Hong Kong Film Awards (HKFA) arrives under an unprecedented cloud of controversy, making Sunday’s 44th edition at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre one of the most heavily scrutinised ceremonies in the event’s history. The industry has been reeling ever since the pre-emptive disqualification of four eligible films in early January: Valley of the Shadow of Death, Vital Signs, Finch & Midland and Mother Bhumi. This opaque and as-yet-unexplained move by the HKFA effectively removed... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3350125/hong-kong-film-awards-2026-predictions-ciao-ufo-back-past-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3350125/hong-kong-film-awards-2026-predictions-ciao-ufo-back-past-and-more?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 11:15:08 +0000 Edmund Lee Edmund Lee On January 13, the Hong Kong Film Awards (HKFA) Association released its provisional list of contenders for the 44th edition of the city’s most prestigious film ceremony. The film list is meant to be a routine administrative update, a roll-call of the artistic output from the 2025 calendar year, and the definitive source of reference for HKFA voters filling out their nomination forms. However, this year’s list quickly threw the industry into turmoil. In an unprecedented development, four... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3340395/why-did-hong-kong-film-awards-drop-4-eligible-films-its-2026-list?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3340395/why-did-hong-kong-film-awards-drop-4-eligible-films-its-2026-list?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 09:14:14 +0000 The Star The Star Award-winning Malaysian director Chong Keat Aun has shared behind-the-scenes footage of his latest film, Mother Bhumi, including a clip showing actress Fan Bingbing learning how to draw a talisman, China Press reported. According to Chong, he persuaded his father to guide the Chinese actress on creating a talisman to ward off curses, a ritual that was crucial to the film’s plot. Fan stars in the film as Feng Yin, a widowed farmer who uses magic to help her community in Malaysia’s Kedah state. He... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3337572/how-fan-bingbing-mastered-ancient-black-magic-malaysian-film-role?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3337572/how-fan-bingbing-mastered-ancient-black-magic-malaysian-film-role?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Dec 2025 04:50:08 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan A woman in China, who spent eight million yuan (US$1 million) on cosmetic surgery to make her look like the actress Fan Bingbing, has been forced to change her life after the star’s reputation collapsed. The woman even married a man who had surgery so he could resemble Fan’s then boyfriend, Li Chen. He Chengxi, 31, is from a wealthy family in Shenzhen, southern China, and underwent 37 cosmetic procedures, mainly on her face, between 2008 and 2016, the news outlet Sina.com reported. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3335176/china-woman-spends-us1-million-cosmetic-surgery-resemble-famous-actress-fan-bingbing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3335176/china-woman-spends-us1-million-cosmetic-surgery-resemble-famous-actress-fan-bingbing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2025 01:00:12 +0000 The Star The Star Glamorous yet grounded, international actress Fan Bingbing has graced film sets around the world, but her recent experience working on Mother Bhumi, a Malaysian-produced film, seems to have left a lasting impression. The Chinese actress and global fashion icon, best known for her roles in X-Men: Days of Future Past and I Am Not Madame Bovary, said the warmth and professionalism of the Malaysian crew during the shoot in Kedah last year made her feel at home. “I was really inspired by their... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3331204/malaysian-film-crew-wins-over-fan-bingbing-genuine-teamwork?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3331204/malaysian-film-crew-wins-over-fan-bingbing-genuine-teamwork?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Nov 2025 01:39:45 +0000 Edmund Lee Edmund Lee Taiwanese director Chen Yu-hsun’s period drama A Foggy Tale, set against Taiwan’s White Terror era, has emerged as the front runner at the 62nd Golden Horse Awards with 11 nominations, including best picture, best director and acting nods for its leads. Close behind is Left-Handed Girl, a coming-of-age drama from first-time director Tsou Shih-ching, who is known for producing several films by Oscar-winning director Sean Baker (The Florida Project). Left-Handed Girl’s nine nods include two for... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3327599/golden-horse-awards-2025-nominations-full-foggy-tale-left-handed-girl-lead-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3327599/golden-horse-awards-2025-nominations-full-foggy-tale-left-handed-girl-lead-race?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Oct 2025 06:04:51 +0000 Wee Kek Koon Wee Kek Koon For her contributions to Malacca’s tourism sector, Chinese celebrity Fan Bingbing was conferred the Darjah Pangkuan Seri Melaka – or the Companion Class II of the Exalted Order of Malacca – by the governor of the non-royal Malaysian state last month. That order carries the title “Datuk”. She can be referred to as Datuk Fan Bingbing, but only when she is in Malaysia. Malaysia has an intricate system of federal and state honours. While honorary, they confer immense social prestige, signalling... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3323985/after-fan-bingbings-malaysia-award-chinas-history-honorary-titles-and-medals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3323985/after-fan-bingbings-malaysia-award-chinas-history-honorary-titles-and-medals?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Sep 2025 00:45:08 +0000 The Star The Star When Chinese actress Fan Bingbing was conferred the title of datuk in Melaka state last week, her attire for the occasion carried a distinctly Malaysian touch. The actress stepped out in a bespoke creation by renowned local designer Melinda Looi, who reimagined the traditional baju kurung with a contemporary flair. Crafted in a delicate mint-green hue, the outfit was paired with a matching selendang. French lace, hand embroidery, Japanese glass beads, Swarovski elements, sequins and tulle... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3323159/malaysian-designer-says-fan-bingbings-datukship-attire-reflects-her-elegance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3323159/malaysian-designer-says-fan-bingbings-datukship-attire-reflects-her-elegance?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Aug 2025 06:03:05 +0000 The Star The Star Popular Chinese actress Fan Bingbing, who has been conferred the Darjah Pangkuan Seri Melaka (DPSM), has pledged to continue promoting the historic Malaysian city to global tourists. “I will be here in Melaka next month to promote tourism and will travel here frequently,” she said after receiving the honorary award, which carries the title “datuk”, similar to a knighthood, during the investiture ceremony in conjunction with the birthday of Melaka Governor Mohd Ali Rustam on Sunday. Fan said she... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3322969/malaysias-melaka-bestows-honorary-title-fan-bingbing-wooing-tourists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3322969/malaysias-melaka-bestows-honorary-title-fan-bingbing-wooing-tourists?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Aug 2025 07:02:08 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan She is one of the biggest names in China’s entertainment industry, and spotting talent is her business. But Yang Tianzhen is now putting her own skills to the test by studying for a master’s degree in the United States. The famous mainland talent agent and entrepreneur is studying global communication and public policy at the University of Southern California (USC). Her switch from the bright lights of the entertainment industry to the hallowed halls of academia has captivated mainland social... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3315084/china-talent-agent-yang-tianzhen-who-works-stars-fan-bingbing-pursues-us-studies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3315084/china-talent-agent-yang-tianzhen-who-works-stars-fan-bingbing-pursues-us-studies?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Jul 2025 10:00:09 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu Chinese actress Zhong Chuxi has once again captivated social media with her stunning style at this year’s Cannes Film Festival red carpet. The 32-year-old dazzled in two exquisite Elie Saab gowns – one at the L’Oreal Paris dinner honouring women filmmakers, and the other at the world premiere of the film Dossier 137. This marks Zhong’s third appearance at the prestigious film festival as L’Oreal’s brand ambassador. On Chinese social media, she received an outpouring of praise for her exceptional... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3311411/actress-zhong-chuxi-chinas-new-red-carpet-queen-cannes-fashion-sense-confidence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3311411/actress-zhong-chuxi-chinas-new-red-carpet-queen-cannes-fashion-sense-confidence?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 May 2025 06:00:09 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A stunningly good looking Chinese bride has gone viral online after internet users refused to believe she was real, thinking she was generated by artificial intelligence (AI). Videos from an April wedding in Gansu province, northwestern China, went viral after the wedding photographer posted them online. The bride wore a white headscarf that covers her hair, ears, neck and shoulders, traditional clothing that suggests she is from the Chinese Hui ethnic group, which adheres to Islam. Some were... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3310510/china-bride-goes-viral-angelic-beauty-hails-family-renowned-stunning-looks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3310510/china-bride-goes-viral-angelic-beauty-hails-family-renowned-stunning-looks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 May 2025 06:00:08 +0000 The Star The Star The appointment of popular actress Fan Bingbing as a state tourism ambassador has boosted Melaka’s digital image among tourists from China, according to the region’s Chief Minister Ab Rauf Yusoh. Ab Rauf said that the Chinese actress had helped catapult the historic Malaysian city into the global tourism spotlight. “It’s a groundbreaking achievement when Melaka recorded 1.5 billion digital impressions on China’s popular WeChat platform,” he said. “This milestone follows the appointment of Fan... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3310560/malaysias-melaka-hails-fan-bingbing-chinese-tourists-flock-state?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3310560/malaysias-melaka-hails-fan-bingbing-chinese-tourists-flock-state?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 May 2025 02:38:58 +0000 Matt Glasby Matt Glasby This is the latest instalment in a feature series reflecting on instances of East meets West in world cinema, including China-US co-productions. Sometimes troubled productions can create powerful cinema. Other times they create disasters like Xiao Feng’s 2018 film Air Strike. Rumoured at the time to be the most expensive Chinese film ever made, it was conceived to mark the 70th anniversary of the Allied victory in the second world war, and features a prestige international cast, from Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3310253/how-disaster-struck-air-strike-chinese-movie-starring-bruce-willis-and-adrien-brody?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3310253/how-disaster-struck-air-strike-chinese-movie-starring-bruce-willis-and-adrien-brody?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 May 2025 23:15:07 +0000 Perched on land reclaimed from the sea, a grand 2,000-seat theatre in Malaysia’s historic city of Melaka promises a dazzling showcase of the country’s rich cultural heritage. But the glitzy Encore Melaka, with its white fish scalelike facade and vast LED screens, is increasingly seen as being at odds with the local population it was meant to attract. Decades of land reclamation have transformed Melaka’s coast, pushing the original shoreline more than 2km inland. A new mega-project promises to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3274795/malaysia-courts-chinese-tourists-lavish-encore-melaka-mega-theatre-unsettling-locals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3274795/malaysia-courts-chinese-tourists-lavish-encore-melaka-mega-theatre-unsettling-locals?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Aug 2024 04:30:17 +0000 Popular actress Fan Bingbing has driven a wave of enthusiasm among Chinese tourists to savour the luscious taste of durians in Malaysia’s Melaka state, according to local lawmaker Low Chee Leong. Low said he was invited to interview the Chinese tourists enjoying the flavour and texture of the fruit at a stall along Jalan Tun Perak in Bachang, Melaka. “The stall owner wanted me to see the number of Chinese tourists patronising his roadside stall following the spike in durian frenzy after the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3273841/chinese-tourists-gobble-durians-malaysias-melaka-fan-bingbing-ignites-frenzy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3273841/chinese-tourists-gobble-durians-malaysias-melaka-fan-bingbing-ignites-frenzy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Aug 2024 06:37:35 +0000 In its bid to lure one million Chinese tourists this year, Malaysia’s Melaka state has turned to the tried and trusted combination of star power and local durian, deploying actress Fan Bingbing in the hope of leveraging her 63 million Weibo followers into a surge in visitor numbers. Fan, who mysteriously disappeared for four months as allegations of tax evasion swirled around her in 2018, spent last weekend in Melaka hosted by the government to sample the spiky fruit and local desserts as it... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3267185/malaysias-melaka-turns-actress-fan-bingbing-reel-1-million-chinese-tourists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3267185/malaysias-melaka-turns-actress-fan-bingbing-reel-1-million-chinese-tourists?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Jun 2024 08:00:14 +0000 After disappearing from the limelight in 2018 due to a highly publicised tax scandal, Fan Bingbing made a triumphant return to the Cannes Film Festival this month, creating several jaw-dropping fashion moments as she got up close and personal with A-list friends from Naomi Campbell to Freida Pinto. Let’s look at her best fashion looks and moments. 1) Cannes Film Festival red carpet Fan made her Cannes red carpet debut on May 16 ahead of the opening ceremony and the screening of the film Jeanne... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3222231/9-fan-bingbings-best-cannes-film-festival-comeback-looks-actress-stunned-asteroid-city-premiere?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3222231/9-fan-bingbings-best-cannes-film-festival-comeback-looks-actress-stunned-asteroid-city-premiere?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 May 2023 00:00:17 +0000 Hot on the heels of the 2023 Met Gala is the 76th Cannes Film Festival, which takes place from May 16 to 27 at the iconic and world-renowned Palais des Festivals on the French Riviera. With the first few days already proving to be a spectacle for both film and fashion, from Johnny Depp’s red-carpet comeback to Carys Zeta Douglas, the daughter of Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, arriving on the scene, fans are already anticipating to see what the event will bring next. We take a look at... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3221266/asian-glitterati-take-over-cannes-film-festival-8-best-red-carpet-looks-blackpinks-rose-saint?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3221266/asian-glitterati-take-over-cannes-film-festival-8-best-red-carpet-looks-blackpinks-rose-saint?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 May 2023 14:35:44 +0000 The history of Sino-American co-productions is littered with Hollywood blockbusters that include ill-thought-out Asian elements designed to appeal to Chinese audiences. So it’s no wonder the makers of Skiptrace, a buddy cop film pairing Jackie Chan and Johnny Knoxville from Jackass, were keen to try something new. Their plan? To match a Hollywood director and star with a Chinese cast and crew for a co-production that would play well in Asia and America. The results? Mixed to say the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3219230/how-jackie-chan-vehicle-skiptrace-2016-us-china-co-production-hollywood-director-renny-harlin-put?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3219230/how-jackie-chan-vehicle-skiptrace-2016-us-china-co-production-hollywood-director-renny-harlin-put?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 May 2023 10:15:15 +0000 In 2018 Hollywood actress and producer Jessica Chastain had a great idea. Why not make an all-female spy film in the tradition of James Bond or Mission: Impossible? With a star-studded cast that included Penélope Cruz, Diane Kruger, Lupita Nyong’o and Fan Bingbing, and director Simon Kinberg (X-Men: Dark Phoenix) on board, the project sparked a bidding war at the Cannes Film Festival. The main victors were Universal Pictures and Huayi Brothers, who would look after American and Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3215904/how-us-china-co-production-355-starring-penelope-cruz-jessica-chastain-and-fan-bingbing-failed-all?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3215904/how-us-china-co-production-355-starring-penelope-cruz-jessica-chastain-and-fan-bingbing-failed-all?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Apr 2023 20:15:10 +0000 The queen of the red carpet is back! After five years spent away from the limelight, Chinese film star Fan Bingbing rocked up to the 2023 Academy Awards in a mesmerising silver-sequinned couture gown with dramatic green bow-like sleeves by Tony Ward. She completed the look with Lorraine Schwartz emerald jewels and a silver clutch. Ever the fashionista, the X-Men: Days of Future Past and Iron Man 3 star turns heads practically everywhere she goes. Let’s take a look at her best looks from her... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3214304/7-fan-bingbings-favourite-fashion-designers-striking-red-carpet-looks-louis-vuitton-dolce-gabbana?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3214304/7-fan-bingbings-favourite-fashion-designers-striking-red-carpet-looks-louis-vuitton-dolce-gabbana?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Mar 2023 22:00:13 +0000 Disgraced Chinese actress Fan Bingbing, who appeared in X-Men films before disappearing amid a tax case in China, is at the Oscars. Fan was becoming a crossover star with roles lined up in a Bruce Willis film and appeared in a pair of films based on Marvel Comics characters before she was ordered to pay US$130 million in taxes and penalties by the Chinese government in 2018. Before the fine was levied, Fan went dark on social media, her management offices closed and she largely disappeared from... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3213291/chinese-film-star-fan-bingbing-makes-rare-appearance-oscars-los-angeles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3213291/chinese-film-star-fan-bingbing-makes-rare-appearance-oscars-los-angeles?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Mar 2023 22:40:51 +0000 In a first-floor corridor of the Grand Hyatt Berlin hotel, Fan Bingbing is applying her own make-up, holding up a small compact mirror and tilting her head backwards as she touches up her mascara. Only one room has been assigned for publicity purposes for her new movie Green Night, which has just been unveiled in the Panorama strand of this year’s Berlin International Film Festival. And for the moment, the director of the film, Han Shuai, is doing a TV interview in there. Fan, however, doesn’t... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3211810/its-restart-me-chinese-actress-fan-bingbing-relaunching-her-career-green-night-after-tax-scandal-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3211810/its-restart-me-chinese-actress-fan-bingbing-relaunching-her-career-green-night-after-tax-scandal-and?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Feb 2023 23:15:09 +0000 2.5/5 stars Banished to the wilderness by the authorities in China for nearly five years for tax evasion, A-list Chinese actress Fan Bingbing is back in the limelight with her appearance in Green Night. Premiering at the Berlin International Film Festival, the film features Fan as a down-and-out migrant worker who is exploited, throttled and raped before turning into a hard-as-hell avenger who beats up one of her assailants and sets fire to another. Packed with all this and much more – including... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-movies/article/3211053/berlin-2023-green-night-movie-review-chinese-actress-fan-bingbing-makes-audacious-return-after-tax?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-movies/article/3211053/berlin-2023-green-night-movie-review-chinese-actress-fan-bingbing-makes-audacious-return-after-tax?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Feb 2023 21:00:10 +0000 Fasting – and in particular intermittent fasting – has become popular in recent years with celebrities like Elsa Pataky, Chris Pratt and Kourtney Kardashian integrating it into their lifestyles to enjoy the suggested health benefits – scientists say it helps with everything from chronic disease to anti ageing. But experts and responsible celebs are always keen to stress the importance of doing longer fasts under supervision, and to check with your doctor before embarking on any. So when Fan... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3185785/fan-bingbing-lost-6kg-7-days-bigu-fasting-fans-are-upset?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3185785/fan-bingbing-lost-6kg-7-days-bigu-fasting-fans-are-upset?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Jul 2022 06:56:51 +0000 Just in time for the warmer weather, the Korean drama release calendar is heating up in June, with several heavy hitters on deck. A sequel to a popular show, a Korean remake of another global hit, a fantasy period drama and several legal shows will debut in June, and a major Chinese star is also set to appear on Korean screens. Here’s what Korean drama fans have to look forward to this month. 1. Eve Originally scheduled for late May, Seo Yea-ji’s first show since It’s OK to Not Be OK will now... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3179715/8-new-k-dramas-watch-june-2022-netflixs-money-heist-korea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3179715/8-new-k-dramas-watch-june-2022-netflixs-money-heist-korea?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 May 2022 12:15:08 +0000 L’Oréal heiress Françoise Bettencourt Meyers is currently the richest woman in the world, her estimated net worth of US$73.8 billion making her the 12th richest person overall. It’s a colossal fortune, but it pales in comparison to the wealth available to China’s Empress Wu Zetian (AD624-705), who ruled the country when the economy of China accounted for around 23 per cent of global GDP. Such an individual today would control an estimated more than US$16 trillion of assets. Of course,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3169941/was-chinas-empress-wu-richest-woman-ever-played-fan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3169941/was-chinas-empress-wu-richest-woman-ever-played-fan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Mar 2022 07:25:29 +0000 A Chinese star wades into the busy Korean drama market, a hit show returns with a new leading lady and the K-drama landscape welcomes a new face from K-pop in our latest round-up of K-drama casting news. Insider Fan Bingbing is set to appear in a Korean drama for the first time. The Chinese star recently completed filming a role in the upcoming drama Insider. Korean broadcaster JTBC is keeping the nature of Fan’s role and the extent of her participation in the 16-part drama under wraps at... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3168386/fan-bingbing-make-korean-tv-drama-debut-insider-penthouse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/k-pop/k-drama/article/3168386/fan-bingbing-make-korean-tv-drama-debut-insider-penthouse?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Feb 2022 09:15:10 +0000 With going to the cinema seeming impossible in Hong Kong in the near future, film fans can still treat themselves thanks to online streaming platforms. While Netflix is more well known for its original content – ranging from drama series to dating shows – the streaming platform’s offering of Chinese films is actually richer than expected, even featuring internationally acclaimed, award-winning contemporary releases. Arriving on Netflix in February are three movies that each have their unique... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3166496/8-must-watch-chinese-films-netflix-fan-bingbings-i-am-not?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/leisure/article/3166496/8-must-watch-chinese-films-netflix-fan-bingbings-i-am-not?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Feb 2022 06:13:11 +0000 2/5 stars A female-driven spy thriller, The 355 is a globetrotting adventure with an A-list cast and a Z-list script. Hollywood has got a kick out of ass-kicking action heroines of late, whether it was Charlize Theron in Atomic Blonde or the thrilling Ana de Armas in recent James Bond movie No Time to Die. But this jargon-filled tale from Simon Kinberg, a regular writer-director-producer in the X-Men franchise, is as formulaic as it is unconvincing. The action revolves around a new hi-tech... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3162364/355-movie-review-jessica-chastain-diane-kruger-lead-list?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3162364/355-movie-review-jessica-chastain-diane-kruger-lead-list?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Jan 2022 17:00:32 +0000 Fittingly for a film about an arrogant all-American hero forged in the fire of war, Iron Man 3’s foreign policy leaves a lot to be desired. Released in 2013 and directed by Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang), the third outing for the Avengers’ MVP as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe pits inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) against a terrorist called The Mandarin. It’s an ironic choice of villain given that Marvel Studios originally intended the film to be a Sino-US co-production, before... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3158041/how-marvels-iron-man-3-tried-failed-please-chinese-viewers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3158041/how-marvels-iron-man-3-tried-failed-please-chinese-viewers?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Dec 2021 21:15:18 +0000 Being a celebrity lookalike can come with certain perks, not least that you can profit from it. But for Chen Xinling, who bears an uncanny resemblance to international Chinese superstar Fan Bingbing, it became a legal liability. In September 2020, the 32-year-old was sued by Fan for infringing her portrait rights. At the time, Chen was a popular online influencer whose live-streaming sales channel on Chinese e-commerce site Taobao had a million-strong fan base. (Taobao is owned by Alibaba, the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3135719/fan-bingbing-lookalike-among-chinese-celebrity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3135719/fan-bingbing-lookalike-among-chinese-celebrity?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Jun 2021 04:34:13 +0000 Li Dongtian’s phone book reads like a who’s who of the Chinese entertainment world. Fan Bingbing is a frequent visitor to his Vietnamese restaurants, for example, and pictures of the reclusive Faye Wong attending his promotional events always make the entertainment news. It is not hard to figure out why Li holds such sway over China’s biggest stars – the looks they wear to various functions have often been created by Li and his team. Li, who opened the country’s first image consultancy – Tony... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3049343/chinese-image-maker-talks-about-creating-fan-bingbings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3049343/chinese-image-maker-talks-about-creating-fan-bingbings?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Feb 2020 02:30:08 +0000 Tougher regulations and a lackluster performance by imported films saw China’s box office revenues grow last year at the slowest rate in over a decade, according to official data. The world’s fastest-growing film market generated box office revenues of $9.2 billion in 2019, up 5.4% from a year earlier. But it was the second consecutive year that China’s box office growth slowed. Revenue from Chinese films expanded by 8.7% in 2019. Revenue from overseas produced films, however, rose only by... https://www.scmp.com/politics/chinas-box-office-revenue-growth-rises-slowest-pace-over-decade/article/3044984?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/politics/chinas-box-office-revenue-growth-rises-slowest-pace-over-decade/article/3044984?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Jan 2020 10:34:37 +0000 Amid the retail apocalypse that has befallen the world’s high streets and department stores in recent years – Forever 21 and Barneys in the US are the latest casualties – opening a bricks-and-mortar shop in a trendy neighbourhood is not the savvy investment it used to be. For a store to make an impact and have longevity, you need to create a destination, a special place that caters to locals and visitors alike. Think of the now-gone Colette in Paris or even bigger stores such as Selfridges in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3041365/fan-bingbing-spent-four-hours-shanghai-boutique-citys-most?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3041365/fan-bingbing-spent-four-hours-shanghai-boutique-citys-most?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Dec 2019 07:00:18 +0000 Disgraced Chinese actress Fan Bingbing could be on the way back from exile after her tax evasion scandal, with state media reporting on her recent charity work. After disappearing from official media for more than a year, Fan was finally given a mention, albeit not in a prominent position, for her appearance at the launch of a girls’ safety charity event hosted by Ifeng.com and Henan Traffic Radio on Friday. She attended as a “public interest ambassador” and the news was carried by China Daily,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3039612/has-china-forgiven-tax-cheat-fan-bingbing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3039612/has-china-forgiven-tax-cheat-fan-bingbing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Nov 2019 13:15:15 +0000 For those of us who get immersed in the lives of celebrities, there is often no greater shock than when our favourite power couple calls it quits. We’re talking about Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, Chris Pratt and Anna Faris, Amber Heard and Johnny Depp or Guy Ritchie and Madonna, to name just a few of the heartbreaking announcements of yesteryear. This year, we have a new list to add to the collection of couples that have made us lose faith in love. It seems fame, fans and a perfect Instagram... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3027585/k-dramas-song-song-couple-divorce-and-4-other-celebrity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/news-trends/article/3027585/k-dramas-song-song-couple-divorce-and-4-other-celebrity?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Sep 2019 08:00:08 +0000 Fan Chengcheng, the younger brother of Chinese megastar Fan Bingbing, has described himself as “very happy” to have been named the face of Fenty Beauty in Greater China. His affiliation with the company was only announced last week, but the 19-year-old singer and model – a member of pop groups Nex7 and Nine Percent (in which he is known as “Adam”) – has already featured in a video campaign for the brand, founded by pop star Rihanna in 2017. A clip released by Fenty Beauty shows Fan waking up,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3027056/who-fan-chengcheng-new-face-fenty-beauty-china-and-fan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-beauty/article/3027056/who-fan-chengcheng-new-face-fenty-beauty-china-and-fan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Sep 2019 09:00:08 +0000 Fan Bingbing, who turns 38 on Monday, is one of the highest-paid actresses in the world, but has hit the headlines for the wrong reasons since her massive tax evasion became public news a year ago. The Chinese actress is best known in the West for her appearance in the Hollywood movie X-Men: Days of Future Past, and for being a leading fashion icon – associated with brands such as Adidas, Louis Vuitton, and Moët Chandon. However, her acting achievements have lately been overshadowed. She... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3026921/fan-bingbing-38-five-films-made-chinese-actress-household?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3026921/fan-bingbing-38-five-films-made-chinese-actress-household?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Sep 2019 04:30:05 +0000 Chinese actress Fan Bingbing has been awarded 161,500 yuan (US$22,500) in compensation after winning a lawsuit against a man who accused her on social media of sexual impropriety. The 37-year-old, who was last year ordered to pay almost 884 million yuan in outstanding taxes and fines after an investigation into tax evasion, filed the suit against Chen Yongpeng after he repeatedly accused her on Weibo – China’s Twitter-like platform – of engaging in “improper sexual relationships”, according to a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3025663/chinese-film-star-fan-bingbing-awarded-us22500-over-online-slurs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3025663/chinese-film-star-fan-bingbing-awarded-us22500-over-online-slurs?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Sep 2019 08:00:38 +0000 Fan Bingbing, the popular Chinese actress who mysteriously went missing for four months last year, has given a rare interview in which she appears to thank China’s Communist Party for helping her to disappear. The 37-year-old actress – who has starred in dozens of Chinese films, as well the Hollywood blockbusters such as 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past and Iron Man 3 – was not seen in public from July to October last year as provincial authorities investigated her for tax evasion. It may be a... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/article/3021640/chinese-actress-fan-bingbing-disappearance-last-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people-events/article/3021640/chinese-actress-fan-bingbing-disappearance-last-year?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Aug 2019 09:26:29 +0000 The break-up between Fan Bingbing, China’s highest-paid actress, and her actor fiance Li Chen has made headlines around the world. Fan, 37, and Chen, 40, got engaged in 2017. News of the breakup, which was announced on Fan’s official social media page, soon became one of the most searched terms on China's Twitter-like microblogging platform Weibo. But considering Fan’s fame, the reaction was fairly muted, with a relatively paltry 40 million views. Most of the messages expressed support for her... https://www.scmp.com/society/why-china-isnt-crying-about-actress-fan-bingbings-break/article/3016487?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/society/why-china-isnt-crying-about-actress-fan-bingbings-break/article/3016487?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Jun 2019 10:21:44 +0000 Fan Bingbing, China’s highest-paid actress, announced on Thursday that she had broken up with her Chinese actor fiancé, just hours after two South Korean stars said they were divorcing. Fan issued a statement about the break-up with 40-year-old Li Chen on her official page on Weibo, China’s popular Twitter-like platform. “In one’s lifetime, there are always a lot of parting and goodbyes,” she said. “Thank you for everything you have given [me] – the support and love – along the way. We will not... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3016409/first-south-koreas-songs-now-chinese-actress-fan-bingbing-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3016409/first-south-koreas-songs-now-chinese-actress-fan-bingbing-and?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Jun 2019 14:26:56 +0000 Disgraced Chinese film star Fan Bingbing’s reappearance in public after an almost year-long absence following a tax evasion scandal has set the Chinese social media and entertainment circles abuzz with rumours that she is staging an all-out comeback. Fan attended a Beijing gala on Monday night in celebration of the ninth anniversary of iQiyi, a popular Chinese video streaming platform. She wore a pink Alexander McQueen blazer matched with a Louis Vuitton cat face shoulder bag. It was the first... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3007627/fan-bingbing-sets-social-media-alight-comeback-rumours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3007627/fan-bingbing-sets-social-media-alight-comeback-rumours?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Apr 2019 07:45:48 +0000 After the fall from grace of the biggest star of China’s entertainment industry, Fan Bingbing, Chinese actresses have fallen over themselves trying to replace her as the Chinese femme fatale of choice in Hollywood – and as the worldwide Chinese spokeswoman for famous fashion, jewellery and cosmetics brands. While none measure up to Fan at the peak of her career in terms of international recognition, a long list of Chinese actresses exert a huge influence in their home market, including... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/2186920/five-actresses-who-could-become-next-fan-bingbing-and-coming?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/2186920/five-actresses-who-could-become-next-fan-bingbing-and-coming?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Feb 2019 10:17:28 +0000 Despite his background in journalism, Cui Yongyuan is on any measure the most unlikely celebrated whistle-blower to take on the rich and famous and powerful in China. After all, he used to be one of them. He was one of China’s most renowned television chat show hosts back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, during which time he interviewed senior Chinese officials, once hosted and twice appeared in comedy skits in the annual Lunar New Year galas broadcast on national television and watched by... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/2183678/meet-cui-yongyuan-chat-show-host-chinas-unlikeliest-whistle-blower?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/2183678/meet-cui-yongyuan-chat-show-host-chinas-unlikeliest-whistle-blower?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Jan 2019 01:20:21 +0000