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Zoey Zhang

A slew of traditional celebrities have fallen foul of laws and regulations in China in recent years.
Among those banned by the authorities are famous actress Fan Bingbing, who was caught up in a tax evasion scandal in 2018, and Canadian-Chinese actor Kris Wu, imprisoned on rape charges in 2022.
But the crackdown did not stop there.
Since May, internet celebrities have increasingly found themselves in the cross hairs.
On May 21, dozens of key opinion leaders (KOLs) had their accounts banned, including three prominent influencers with millions of followers, Wang Hongquanxing, Bo Gongzi, and Baoyu Jiajie.
They share a common trait, frequently showcasing their luxurious lifestyles.
State media has described their wealth-flaunting style as a “toxic influence”.
“This type of behaviour creates a highly distorted fantasy, spreading unhealthy values through the pursuit of wealth,” The Paper wrote.
The crackdown on ostentatious influencers has sparked a heated discussion on mainland social media.
“They haven’t broken any laws they are just showing their lives. Why should they be banned?” said one online observer on Weibo.
“I think the sense of disparity brought about by flaunting wealth could exacerbate anxiety and division between different income groups,” argued another.
Here, the Post looks at three high-profile KOLs on the mainland whose social media accounts have been banned.
Wang Hongquanxing

Wang Hongquanxing, 30, whose real name is Wang Hongquan, hails from Hebei province in northern China.
Jewellery dealer Wang told the mainland media outlet Phoenix News that he owns seven properties in a high-end Beijing residential compound, with a total value of 800 million yuan (US$110 million).
Wang’s neighbour and friend is Fan Bingbing.
He also said that he never goes out unless he is wearing an expensive outfit and jewels worth at least 10 million yuan (US$1.4 million).
His videos earned him the tag “China’s Kim Kardashian”.
Wang’s style differs from other showy influencers. He is sincere, approachable and loves interacting with his fans.
He gained 4.4 million followers on Douyin, where fans call him “Little Nagger”.
Wang admits to being vain, adding that his wealth compensates for his insecurity about his appearance.
He has been committed to charity for 11 years, donating money to children in impoverished mountainous areas of China, according to Tencent News.
At present, all his mainland social media accounts have been banned.
Bo Gongzi (Young Master Bo)

Wang Luinan, known as Bo Gongzi, which means “Young Master Bo”, is a Shanghai-based “Hermes collector” with 3 million followers on Douyin.
The 20-something often talks about his wealthy and influential boyfriend, whom he calls “The Master”.
In a video series My Love Stories with The Master, he said that on his birthday, The Master gave him a Porsche worth a million yuan (US$140,000).
In return, Wang gave his boyfriend a Vacheron Constantin watch worth 325,000 yuan (US$45,000).
“Each time he swipes his credit card, the expense equals my annual salary,” said one online observer on Douyin.
All of Wang’s videos on Douyin have been deleted, and his Weibo account has been banned.
Baoyu Jiajie (Sister Abalone)

This online celebrity is a 50-something woman from Guangdong province in southern China who now lives in Macau, according to NetEase News.
She reportedly often snacks on dried abalone costing 25,000 yuan (US$3,500) each, earning her the nickname “Sister Abalone”.
In her Douyin videos, she shows off her residence, a mansion of over 3,300 square metres with gardens, courtyards and a golf course.
Every time she goes out, she wears jade jewellery worth millions.
Her Douyin account had 2.3 million followers, but has been banned.


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Wealth-flaunting top China KOLs have social media accounts shut down in ongoing official crackdown on inequality

In the wake of a crackdown on errant traditional celebrities, the authorities in China have turned their attention to wealth-flaunting online celebrities. The Post looks at three high-profile KOLs caught in the cross hairs. Photo: SCMP composite/Weibo



Wang Hongquanxing, dubbed “China’s Kim Kardashian”, regularly boasted about the value of his properties. Photo: Sina

Luxury label-mad Bo Gongzi was pretentious online and often spoke about his wealthy boyfriend. Photo: Sina

Baoyu Jiajie’s love of expensive seafood earned her the nickname “Sister Abalone”, and a ban. Photo: www.163.com

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The controversial DJ, whose moves have upset Buddhists, struts his stuff in front of revellers. Photo: Weibo

The entertainer insists that he is doing no harm and is spreading the word of Buddha. Photo: Weibo

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Lisa invited DAN on a romantic seaside cliff date with a breathtaking view of the ocean, where they enjoyed watching the sunset together. Photo: Xiaohongshu

Due to the intricate nature of their “relationship”, Lisa was approached by OpenAI’s ChatGPT team for an interview to gather insights regarding her romantic journey with DAN. Photo: Xiaohongshu

‘Star in the sky’: moving China university tribute for student who perished with family in highway collapse

Teachers and schoolmates of a university student who perished in a road collapse tragedy in southern China have paid tribute to their friend in a moving obituary. Photo: SCMP composite/QQ.com/Weibo

Tragic Xu Zinuo has been described as a dedicated student and a compassionate friend. Photo: Weibo

The tragedy has prompted calls for a investigation in landslide early warning systems. Photo: Xinhua

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In an animal-friendly move, drought-hit farmers in Thailand have begun using cartoon cats like Doraemon and Hello Kitty to summon rain. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/QQ.com/Weibo

Thai farmers use plush toys like Doraemon or Hello Kitty to summon rain in rituals to replace real cats to avoid distress. Photo: Weibo

Rain-summoning rituals are relatively common in several Asian countries. Photo: Getty Images

Grateful China road collapse survivor makes 800km journey to thank elderly man who stopped cars from falling into abyss

A young man in China has made an 800-km trip to thank an elderly man who stopped his car from plunging into a deep hole that appeared in a highway in the south of the country. Photo: SCMP composite/Weibo/Baidu

Survivor Cai, second from left, and his family offer deep thanks to Huang Jiandu, middle, for his heroic actions. Photo: Baidu

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News

People & Culture

China Personalities

Ostentatious online celebrities branded ‘toxic influence’ for flaunting riches
Crackdown on key opinion leaders follows social media bans for traditional celebrities


In the wake of a crackdown on traditional celebrities, the Chinese government has turned its attention to online celebrities. The Post examines three of the best-known who have fallen foul of regulators.


Icons and Influencers

China’s crackdowns

Wealth-flaunting top China KOLs have social media accounts shut down in ongoing official crackdown on inequality

Ostentatious online celebrities branded ‘toxic influence’ for flaunting riches Crackdown on key opinion leaders follows social media bans for traditional celebrities

Ostentatious online celebrities branded ‘toxic influence’ for flaunting riches

Crackdown on key opinion leaders follows social media bans for traditional celebrities