Other than possessing extremely stunning looks and a beautiful dance, what makes Zhang Yi Xing, EXO’s Lay, so unique and loveable? A singer, dancer, composer, actor and comedian, is there anything this man is incapable of? Since his appearance on the viral Chinese game show, Go Fighting (极限挑战), he has been receiving much love from the people of China but what truly made his fans fall for him is definitely a mystery. Today, I shall offer the top three possible reasons why his fans (Xingfan) fall heads over heels for this man.
- He never missed a bow
Despite being one of Asia’s most influential figures in the entertainment industry, he is always grateful to his fans for their never ending love and can be seen bowing 5 times to express his gratitude. When EXO, the group he debuted with, was done bowing and had returned backstage, he would give a deep bow once again before flashing a killer smile.
“其实鞠躬它是对于大家的一种恭敬和感谢，你（想）像这么多粉丝我没办法一一跟每一个粉丝去共同说话，但我能知道他们每一位粉丝来到这里看我们EXO都是特别地不容易。希望以这个鞠躬代表我对大家的感谢而已。”- 张艺兴，2014年
Translation:
“Bowing represents my respect and gratefulness towards everyone. With so many fans I can’t interact and talk with every fan but I know it is not easy for the fans to come here and watch us so I hope that my bows will express my thanks to everyone.” Zhang Yi Xing, Lay, 2014.
(Start at 12:21 to see video evidence)
- He gives his all to everything he does
During the four years he trained under the famous entertainment company, SM Entertainment, he diligently learnt Korean, singing and continued pursuing his passion in dancing. For a Chinese living in Korea without a single clue about their culture and language, he practised resilience and showed determination and quickly adapted to the Korean’s lifestyle. His strong will in pursuing his dreams definitely makes him a lot more attractive.
In the recent months, he revealed that he has been having a bad back as he used to tie sandbags to his body for two years while learning how to dance so that his dancing could improve more rapidly. In the third year, his waist was badly injured and after hiding the pain for weeks, he eventually collapsed and was sent to the hospital where the doctors advised him never to dance again. Putting his health on the line, he continued to dance, going for treatments even till today, all for his dreams of performing on stage.
(start at 6:57 to see video evidence)
- He is an inspiration
His is a very inspiring person when you really know him. He may have lived for less than three decades but the challenges he overcame and the things he is still fighting for makes him one of the most inspirational idol. Other than encouraging youths to give their all to the things they like and believe in, his smile is contagious and his optimism his hard to fight.
At a young age of 20, he fell into severe depression but after winning the psychological war, his quotes about smiling and self-confidence became never-ending. One of the quotes the fans love is “I don’t date ugly girls because I don’t believe they exist”— talk about a sweet mouth.
“大家不是说我们是青春的代表吗？那我希望能告诉比我们更年轻的人努力努力再努力。你今天的努力决定你未来站立的高度…“- 张艺兴，2016年
“Didn’t everyone say we (EXO) are the representatives of youth? I wish to tell those younger than us to work harder, harder and harder. The hard work you put in today will determine the height of your achievements in the future.” Zhang Yi Xing, Lay, 2016.
Do you understand why his fans love him so much now? Who knows, with his great personality and great looks, you might just fall for him in seconds! With that, the mystery of Zhang Yi Xing’s booming popularity is uncovered!
Ang Yen Chi (1U)
Ink Imprints 