The Chinese entertainment industry was shocked by tragic news: 33-year-old actor Jin Ze, who starred in "Forget You, Remember Love," "Begin Again," "Don't Fall in Love with the Boss," and "101st Wedding Grab," unexpectedly passed away at his residence on June 4. The news stunned netizens across mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, with many flooding his social media platforms to leave messages of condolence.
According to insiders, Jin Ze felt unwell after returning to his apartment in Hengdian following the wrap-up of filming on June 4, and was later found to have passed away. His real name is Zhang Jiawei, which coincidentally is the same as that of the currently popular Zhang Linghe.
Jin Ze's agency, "Shengshi Guangnian Culture," issued a statement on the 6th confirming the sad news: "With immense sorrow, we announce that our artist Jin Ze unfortunately passed away at home in Hangzhou on June 4, 2026." The company stated that he was a talented and diligent young actor and fashion model, had appeared in many film and television works, was always dedicated and humble, and repaid audiences with quality projects. In recent years, he focused on the short drama sector and still had several quality works awaiting broadcast.
The company also said that at present, his family is fully handling the aftermath. To avoid occupying public resources, they asked netizens and media to respect the deceased, empathize with the family, reject the fabrication of rumors, and refrain from making up or speculating about the cause of death.
Actress Li Kaixin, who co-starred with Jin Ze in "Fake Princess" and "Mr. Mu, Please Act According to the Novel," posted several photos of the two them together on social media and wrote a tribute to her friend: "To be honest, I don't know what to say. The news came so suddenly. I can only say you were a very good friend and a very good person. We had so many happy moments on set and you always looked out for me. We always said that as long as we were in the same city, we must meet again. But over these years, work kept us apart. You are still a friend I kept in touch with. I will miss you, my friend, rest in peace."
Actress Li Kaixin, who co-starred with Jin Ze in "Fake Princess" and "Mr. Mu, Please Act According to the Novel," posted several photos of the two them together on social media and wrote a tribute to her friend: "To be honest, I don't know what to say. The news came so suddenly. I can only say you were a very good friend and a very good person. We had so many happy moments on set and you always looked out for me. We always said that as long as we were in the same city, we must meet again. But over these years, work kept us apart. You are still a friend I kept in touch with. I will miss you, my friend, rest in peace."
Jin Ze, born in 1993, was 188cm tall and graduated from Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology. He debuted initially as a model, once walking the runway at Milan Fashion Week, and was nominated for Best Professional Fashion Model of the Year. In 2017, he officially transitioned to acting and quickly made a name for himself in the field of sweet romance dramas with his tall and handsome appearance.
He mainly starred in web dramas, most of which were romances, such as "Forget You, Remember Love," "Begin Again," "Don't Fall in Love with the Boss," "101st Wedding Grab," "Daydream With Her," "Dreamer of the Sea," and "Redeem Love," as well as light comedies with romantic elements, including "Beauty's Reverse Scale," "Dreamer's Alliance," and "Cang Yue Drawing," among others.
With the rise of micro-short dramas, Jin Ze shifted his career focus to short dramas, starring in several popular series such as "Duo Qinghuan" and "Nirvana Heiress." With his sudden passing, many netizens and industry insiders expressed concern about the high-intensity work environment of the entertainment industry. It is understood that short drama filming is often tightly scheduled, requiring actors to work under long-term, high-pressure conditions, resulting in increased physical and mental stress.