Three Chinese actors have been making waves in 2024 by bringing unforgettable male characters to life in costume dramas. Recently, Sina Entertainment honored these rising stars for their standout performances.
The first is 22-year-old Wang Xingyue, who impressed viewers with his portrayal of Xiao Heng in The Double. With an engaging storyline and strong chemistry alongside Wu Jinyan, the drama drew glowing reviews. Wang Xingyue’s popularity soared even higher when he topped the Vlinkage index character chart with a score of 9.04—an extraordinary feat for someone so early in his career. According to Powerstar data, Wang Xingyue also saw a rapid rise in Weibo followers this month, gaining more than 580,000 new fans in just one week.
Ding Yuxi is another rising name, earning widespread acclaim for his role as Mu Sheng in Love Game in Eastern Fantasy. Alongside popular co-star Esther Yu, Ding Yuxi’s detailed acting won over both loyal drama fans and casual viewers. Many praised his ability to convey Mu Sheng’s transformation from cold and distant to caring and supportive. Fans also noted how well Ding Yuxi fit the costume-drama look, especially after some initially doubted his suitability for historical roles.
Finally, Li Yunrui shone in Blossom, even though it was his first costume drama as a male lead. Teaming up with Meng Ziyi, Blossom reached a remarkable Tencent heat index of 30,000 this year. Thanks to the popularity of his character Song Mo, Li Yunrui’s career options have expanded, and he has even been linked to a potential pairing with Bai Lu in the drama Mo Li.
So, which of these three talented newcomers—Wang Xingyue, Ding Yuxi, or Li Yunrui—has impressed you the most?
