The rise of Hong Kong icon Grace Wong in mainland China: the former TVB actress and beauty queen, now known as Wang Junxin, is stealing the show on Great Dance Crew and even Weibo

May 30 , 2022

Hong Kong born star Grace Wong is winning hearts in mainland China – read on to find out why. Photo: @gwgurlie86/Instagram

It’s not the first time Wong has wowed China with her dance moves – she once won Dancing Miracle II alongside dance partner Yu Haoming too

Born in Hong Kong and raised in New York, Wong was a Miss Hong Kong first runner up, has dabbled in Canto-pop and is besties with fellow Christian actresses Christine Kuo and Linda Chung

It surprised many when former TVB actress Grace Wong Kwan-hing announced she was parting ways with the broadcaster at the end of 2021, considering her ongoing popularity on screen. But it quickly became clear that Wong was just the latest Hong Kong artist shifting their career focus to the mainland, where she is better known as Wang Junxin.

From Hong Kong to New York to Shanghai – Grace Wong is following her dance dreams around the globe. Photo: @gwgurlie86/Instagram

Wong recently took part in Chinese street dance show Great Dance Crew, which begun in mid-April. While on the show, she said that growing older may mean you’re scared to take risks, but that you only live and life should be without regrets – that’s why she’d decided to chase her dreams and appear on the programme.

Her speech genuinely touched the judges and some of her fellow contestants, who appeared to be moved to tears by the heartfelt statement.

And while she is very much not yet “old” at age 36, Wong is still the only person over 30 on the show. Although she wasn’t part of the first-tier team from the outset (there are 60 contestants in all), she still stole the show by settling in to become the leader of the group, teaching the younger members how to be more coordinated. Her group’s disco style dancing to Priscilla Chan’s song Dancing Street was even chosen as best performance of the night.

Now she finds herself as one of mainland China’s hottest trending starlets. In early May when she celebrated her 36th birthday from a locked down Shanghai, she went live on Weibo – and the live-stream attracted half a million people.

She may only be 36, but Grace Wong is still the oldest among the contestants on China’s Great Dance Crew. Photo: @gwgurlie86/Instagram

For those unfamiliar with Wong’s background, the Hong Kong born actress migrated to New York with her family when she was four and grew up in the Brooklyn and Queens neighbourhoods.

She told Asian media that dancing has been an important part of her life since she was a teenager: “I was chosen as one of the two students in my elementary school to join the National Dance Institute (NDI). Dancing definitely helped me meet more kids and learn more about their cultures.”