What happens if a very famous celebrity suddenly has no trace of him on the internet? Of course there is a surprise that arises from the fans. That's what happened to Zhaoe Wei or often called by the name Vicky Zhao.
Unmitigated, the entire existence of Vicki Zhao in cyberspace was eliminated by the Chinese government. His fans can no longer access the films or series that he starred in and his whereabouts have become speculation.
Vicky Zhao, now 45, rose to fame in the 1990s by starring in the hit series My Fair Princess. Since then, he's been shining on the small screen and pursuing a business. Viewers from abroad also know him a lot from films such as Shaolin Soccer.
There is no official explanation as to why Vicky Zhao is the target of the Chinese government. It will still be later that the Bamboo Curtain Country is actively raiding the entertainment industry and the culture of excessive worship of celebrities.
State media, Global Times, only mentioned that Zhao had many scandals. For example, he was sued in investment business matters, including ownership of shares in Alibaba Pictures Group owned by Alibaba, Jack Ma's company.
"Besides his celebrity status, Zhao is also known as an investor who has been sued by many laws. In 2001, Zhao was also criticized for wearing clothes that showed the Japanese flag," said the Global Times.
In addition, Vicky Zhao has an agency that accommodates Chinese actors. Not long ago, actor Zheng Zhehan, who is under the agency, sparked controversy because of a selfie at a Japanese soldier's funeral. He has also been censored from the internet. As is known, many Chinese citizens are still hurt by the traces of Japanese colonialism.
There are also those who think that Vicky Zhao is being punished because President Xi Jinping is not happy with the excessive worship of celebrities and their fame on social media because they are considered incompatible with the Chinese character.
Since 2018, Chinese authorities have apparently banned several celebrities who are considered immoral, vulgar and 'classless'.
The same thing has happened in the world of technology. Tech giants such as Alibaba and Tencent are subject to strict regulations and even large fines on charges such as monopolistic practices. Tech frontman Jack Ma has never appeared in public again.
Jack Ma disappeared after criticizing the Chinese government's financial system and also his popularity was deemed excessive. It is possible that Vicky Zhao's fate will be the same as Jack Ma's, at least his activities in public will no longer be like before.