Chen Zheyuan Shows His Inner Foodie in Malaysia, Jokes About His Singing Skills

Chinese actor Chen Zheyuan visited Malaysia for the first time, attending both a press conference and a fan meeting that drew huge crowds wherever he went. During interactive sessions with fans, he displayed zero 'idol baggage' as he boldly grabbed a pair of chopsticks to enjoy Char Kuay Teow on stage, and even used his hands to eat roti canai, fully immersing himself in the local culture. When asked at the press conference if he would sing again, he firmly said 'NO', and joked about his singing being terrible, saying it only sounds good after auto-tuning. With such honesty, it's no wonder this new-generation entertainer’s fanbase is growing rapidly!

Visiting Malaysia for the first time as the global ambassador for iQIYI International, Chen Zheyuan entered showbiz as a member of the boy group 'Mr.BIO' through a talent show. At the 2025 iQIYI Starship Project press conference (Malaysia stop), when asked if he wanted to revive his singer identity, he immediately answered 'NO'! He also laughed, saying his singing is actually bad and it only sounds good due to post-processing.

With works such as "A Song With A Smile", "White Olive Tree", and "Hidden Love", Chen Zheyuan’s career has soared in recent years. His natural and unpretentious acting style, paired with a fresh and approachable image, have made him one of Southeast Asia’s most notable young actors—especially in Malaysia, where his fanbase is growing rapidly. The crowd at the event proved his international influence.

Chen Zheyuan's hit drama "A Song With A Smile" finished airing in October and was even voted 2025's Most Popular Chinese Drama by iQIYI Malaysia. For him, this was one of the year's most pleasant surprises. "I've been very lucky this year, with two projects: besides 'A Song With A Smile,' there’s also 'White Olive Tree,' both of which received positive feedback. One carried emotional resonance, the other was extremely exciting. I hope to keep challenging myself with different emotional arcs and character types, and bring more diverse stories to audiences."

In recent years, participating in variety shows has let fans see more of the unfiltered Chen Zheyuan—such as his timidity and fear of heights. Chen admitted that he was very resistant at first: "I'm not someone who creates a public persona for myself. I’m usually very protective of myself, but variety shows tend to reveal my truer self completely. The production teams seem to enjoy 'setting me up.'"

He laughed, saying that when he first appeared on "Great Escape," his reactions were so over-the-top that he wanted to ask for them to be cut out, afraid friends or family would see and he'd be embarrassed. But when the show aired and he secretly watched it, he felt like it wasn’t really him and couldn’t understand why he was scared like that. Eventually, Chen Zheyuan came to terms with it, and now thinks these little flaws, if they bring others joy, are another kind of achievement.

Mentioning his first trip to Malaysia, he said that once he cleared customs and saw so many fans there to greet him, he was a bit dazed for a moment. Once he collected himself, he was extremely moved by their enthusiasm and support, hoping to work even harder in return."Every effort and every breakthrough is to give strength to everyone. Especially seeing fans being so supportive, I hope I can bring back more good scripts and roles to reward everyone."

Although his time in Malaysia was short, Chen Zheyuan made the most of it. Once he arrived at the hotel, the first thing he did was head into the city and night market to explore, sampling various Malaysian foods. He highly praised the delicious local cuisine, but said he hadn’t yet tried the nasi lemak he's been craving—hoping for a chance to try it in future.

Gifted By Selangor Princess
"Fan-Confessions" Straight To The Heart

The iQIYI Starship Project Malaysia event was held Tuesday night at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur. The event featured up-and-coming Malaysian singer Leila and Chinese singer-cum-iQIYI microdrama actress Village Yanning as opening performers. Their clear voices lit up the venue, creating a powerful atmosphere for the night.

The venue was packed with Chen Zheyuan's 'Yuanbao' (his fans’ nickname), with every floor filled with people waiting—many queued up even before the mall opened. When Chen Zheyuan took to the stage around 8:10pm, a deafening wave of screams filled the entire venue, so overwhelming that Chen kept looking around as if to try and see each and every fan. He greeted the crowd with "Aku cinta padamu,” touching everyone’s heart. When fans shouted "I love you" in Cantonese, he replied back in Cantonese: “Me too!” The fans nearly lost control.

He said that during this visit he tried durian, which he found a bit too bitter for his taste, but he did enjoy the durian ice cream shaped like the Petronas Twin Towers. The organizers also prepared a selection of Malaysian foods for him to sample on site, delighting his foodie spirit. On stage he unabashedly used chopsticks to eat Char Kuay Teow, and ate roti canai with his hands, embracing local customs. After tasting the dishes, Chen said his favorite was roti canai for its texture, especially with curry which is appetizing, and as for drinks, he loved Cham—the coffee-tea blend—because it matches his English name.

At the event, Chen Zheyuan also read letters from his fans. Embarrassed by all the compliments and confessions of love, he still tried to fulfill every wish, such as catching a flying kiss from a fan. He shared that he truly treasures every fan letter, and when work tires him out, revisiting their words instantly gives him strength. His awkwardness during the three-cute-poses photo session had the entire audience laughing.

Princess Tengku Zatashah of Selangor specially gifted him traditional Malay clothing during an interactive session, where Chen shared: "This year I’ve experienced many new things—like fracturing a bone on the first day of the New Year. I’d never had surgery before, and during recovery, I realized how precious health is. Health always comes first; make sure to take care of yourself even when busy." He reminded everyone to look after their own and their families’ health—something he learned after his injury.