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Han Geng (Chinese: 韩庚;
Pinyin Hanyu Pinyin (), often shortened to just pinyin, is the official romanization system for Standard Chinese, Standard Mandarin Chinese in China, and to some extent, in Singapore and Malaysia. It is often used to teach Mandarin, normally writte ...
: Hán Gēng; ) (born February 9, 1984) is a Chinese
Mandopop Mandopop or Mandapop refers to Mandarin popular music. The genre has its origin in the jazz-influenced popular music of 1930s Shanghai known as Shidaiqu; with later influences coming from Japanese enka, Hong Kong's Cantopop, Taiwan's Hokkie ...
singer and actor. He started his career in 2001, when he was chosen by
S.M. Entertainment SM Entertainment Co., Ltd. () is a South Korean multinational entertainment agency. It is one of South Korea's largest entertainment companies where it was established in 1995 by record executive and record producer Lee Soo-man. The company ha ...
to become a member of South Korean boy band Super Junior, which debuted in 2005. He later became the leader of its sub-group
Super Junior-M Super Junior-M (stylized as SJ-M), an initialism for Super Junior-Mandarin, is a Chinese sub-unit of the South Korean boy band Super Junior. The sub-unit is the first international music group in the Chinese music industry to have members of bot ...
in 2008. On December 21, 2009, Han filed a lawsuit against SME to terminate his contract. He has since returned to China to pursue a solo career. On September 27, 2011, Han's departure from SM Entertainment was made official as both parties came to a mutual agreement. For his various contributions to the spread of
Chinese culture Chinese culture () is one of the world's oldest cultures, originating thousands of years ago. The culture prevails across a large geographical region in East Asia and is extremely diverse and varying, with customs and traditions varying grea ...
, Han was chosen as a torch bearer for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He later also became an ambassador for the
2010 Shanghai Expo Expo 2010, officially the Expo 2010 Shanghai China, was held on both banks of the Huangpu River in Shanghai, China, from 1 May to 31 October 2010. It was a major World Expo registered by the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE), in the ...
and the 2010 Asian Games. In late 2012, Han started to gain international attention and won the
2012 MTV Europe Music Awards The 2012 MTV EMAs (also known as the MTV Europe Music Awards) were held in Frankfurt, Germany, on 11 November 2012. This was the fifth time the awards had been held in Germany, and the second time Frankfurt had been the host city. On 17 August ...
' " Best Worldwide Act" and Nickelodeon's 2013 Kids' Choice Awards' "Favorite Asian Act".


Early life

Han is of ethnic Nanai descent from Northeast China, and was born in
Mudanjiang Mudanjiang (; Manchu: ''Mudan bira''), alternately romanized as Mutankiang, is a prefecture-level city in the southeast part of Heilongjiang province, People's Republic of China. It was called ''Botankou'' under Japanese occupation. It serves as ...
, Heilongjiang, China. He attended Guang Hua Elementary School from 1990 to 1996. At age 12, Han was accepted into the dance department at the Central University for Nationalities in Beijing, and left his family and his hometown in the Northeastern part of China to pursue studies in dance. During his years at the university, he mastered all 56 types of traditional dances from China's 56 ethnic groups, received training in ballet and martial arts, and performed in many countries including the United States and Russia. In 1999, as a representative of the Nanai ethnic group, Han participated in China's anniversary parade.


Career


Pre-debut

In December 2001, Han signed up for the H.O.T. CHINA Audition Casting, a casting audition that was hosted by
S.M. Entertainment SM Entertainment Co., Ltd. () is a South Korean multinational entertainment agency. It is one of South Korea's largest entertainment companies where it was established in 1995 by record executive and record producer Lee Soo-man. The company ha ...
. After the audition, Han began to work briefly as a cameo actor in short low-budget Chinese films to earn a salary before entering college. In late August 2002, Han was notified that he had been accepted into S.M. Entertainment. After Han's graduation at the Central University for Nationalities, he was sent to Korea and received private lessons in singing, dancing, and acting, as well as learning the Korean language.


2005–09: Super Junior, Super Junior-M and activities in China

On February 6, 2005, Han was officially announced to be part of the all-boy rotational musical group Super Junior as a member of its first generation, Super Junior 05. On March 20, 2008, Han was announced to be one of the torch bearers for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He also sung the Beijing Olympic theme song "
Beijing Welcomes You ''Beijing Welcomes You'' () is a feature song for the 100-day countdown of the 2008 Summer Olympics held in Beijing, China. The song comprises one hundred famous artists and entertainers from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan ...
". On April 8, 2008, Super Junior's third subgroup
Super Junior-M Super Junior-M (stylized as SJ-M), an initialism for Super Junior-Mandarin, is a Chinese sub-unit of the South Korean boy band Super Junior. The sub-unit is the first international music group in the Chinese music industry to have members of bot ...
made its debut in China, with Han as the leader of the group. The subgroup released their first Chinese-language studio album, '' Me'', on May 2, 2008. In 2009, Han starred in CCTV's 12-episode drama '' Stage of Youth''. This marks his acting debut. On December 21, 2009, Han filed for contract termination from SM Entertainment and ceased activities with both Super Junior and Super Junior-M.


2010–12: Solo debut

On July 27, 2010, Han launched his first album ''The Heart of Geng''. The album contained ten tracks, including the title song "My Logo", which was produced by American producer Craig Williams and Dutch producer
Rene Van Verseveld Rene Van Verseveld (born 29 June 1959) is a Dutch musician, songwriter, recording engineer, composer and record producer. He lives in Santa Clarita and works in his own studio, Future Sound Studios, in Hollywood, California. Early years Rene ...
.
Travis Payne Travis Payne (born July 5, 1971) is an American choreographer, director and producer. He was the choreographer for Michael Jackson's This Is It until Jackson's death. Payne also served as the associate producer for '' This Is It'' and along ...
and Stacey Walker, along with
Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
's " This Is It" dancers participated in creating the choreography for the song. ''The Heart of Geng'' topped various major music charts throughout Asia, and sold more than 350,000 copies within only 2 months after its release. A special celebratory version of the album was released on October 1 with a limited number of 20,000 copies. Han also held his first two solo concerts in Beijing on July 17 and 18. Han made his debut on the big screen in the US-Chinese collaboration action film ''My Kingdom''. The film is directed by
Gao Xiaosong Gao Xiaosong (; born 14 November 1969) is a Chinese American composer, songwriter, music producer, and director. He was the Chairman of Alibaba Entertainment Strategic Committee and AliMusic. In 2009, Gao was appointed Honorary President of ...
, produced by
Andre Morgan Andre Morgan is an American film producer and financial consultant. Early life and education Morgan was born in a French military hospital in Rabat, Morocco while his father served as a Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy. As the family moved yea ...
and features action directing by
Sammo Hung Sammo Hung Kam-bo ( zh, t=洪金寶, j=Hung4 Gam1-bou2; born 7 January 1952) is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and director, known for his work in martial arts films, Hong Kong action cinema, and as a fight choreographer for ...
. Han also played
Deng Xiaoping Deng Xiaoping (22 August 1904 – 19 February 1997) was a Chinese revolutionary leader, military commander and statesman who served as the paramount leader of the People's Republic of China (PRC) from December 1978 to November 1989. After CCP ...
in the government-funded film''
The Founding of a Party ''The Founding of a Party'', alternatively titled in English ''Beginning of the Great Revival'' for its international release,Patrick Frater, 21 May 2011Party becomes Revival for int'l release, Film Business Asia is a Chinese propaganda film relea ...
'' and starred in the film ''
The First President ''The First President'' () is a 2011 Chinese biographical film directed by Wang Caitao, produced by Han Sanping, and starring Qiu Xinzhi, Nie Mei, Liu Jing, Han Geng, Tian Liang, Johnny Zhang, Xiong Naijin and He Jie. The film is about the lif ...
'' as Hu Han Min, the secretary of Sun Yat-Sen. On July 19, 2012, Han released his second album ''Hope in the Darkness'' which contained singles "Wild Cursive", "Clown Mask" and "Betrayal of the Soul". Han also kicked off his "Hope in the Darkness World Tour" on July 28, 2012 at Beijing MasterCard Center.


2013–present: International recognition and acting

On November 11, 2012, Han was announced as the winner of the MTV European Music Awards' Best Worldwide Act, earning him his first major international award. On March 24, 2013, Han attended Nickelodeon's 2013 Kids' Choice Awards at the
Galen Center The Galen Center is a multipurpose indoor arena and athletic facility owned and operated by the University of Southern California. Located at the southeast corner of Jefferson Boulevard and Figueroa Street in the Exposition Park area of Los An ...
in Los Angeles, where he won the Favorite Asian Act award. Han was then cast in
Zhao Wei Zhao Wei (; born 12 March 1976), also known as Vicky Zhao or Vicki Zhao, is a Chinese actress, businesswoman, film director, producer and pop singer. She is considered one of the most popular actresses in China and Chinese-speaking regions, a ...
’s directorial debut '' So Young''. The film was released on April 26, 2013 and became a major success at the Chinese box office, grossing over 700 million yuan (US$115 million). The same year, he was cast in Chinese-French film ''Seek McCartney'', about a romance that centers on a relationship between two gay men. The film is China's first gay film and premiered in
Cannes Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. T ...
in 2014. In 2014, Han starred in romantic comedy film '' Ex-Files'', which went on to become one of the most successful romantic comedy series. Han was praised for his comedic timing and acting performance. The same year, he made a
cameo appearance A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly ei ...
in the Hollywood blockbuster '' Transformers: Age of Extinction''. On May 27, 2014, Han won the World's Best Male Artist award at the
World Music Awards The World Music Awards is an international award show founded in 1989 under the patronage of Albert II, Prince of Monaco and co-founder/executive producer John Martinotti. The event is based in Monte Carlo. Awards are presented to the world' ...
' World's Best Male Artist. He was also the first Chinese singer to be invited to perform for the
World Music Awards The World Music Awards is an international award show founded in 1989 under the patronage of Albert II, Prince of Monaco and co-founder/executive producer John Martinotti. The event is based in Monte Carlo. Awards are presented to the world' ...
. In 2015, Han starred alongside
Fan Bingbing Fan Bingbing (, born 16 September 1981) is a Chinese actress. From 2013 to 2017, she was included as the highest-paid celebrity in the ''Forbes'' China Celebrity 100 list after ranking in the top 10 every year since 2006. She appeared on ''Time ...
in the erotic romance film '' Ever Since We Love'', adapted from the novel ''Everything Grows'' by Feng Tang. In 2016, Han starred in the South Korean-Chinese co-production film '' Sweet Sixteen'', a bitter coming-of-age romance. The same year, he starred in fantasy comedy film '' A Chinese Odyssey Part Three'' directed by Jeffery Lau, playing the titular role of Sun Wukong. Han also competed on and won the 2nd season of ''The Amazing Race'' with teammate
Wu Xin Wu Xin (; born 29 January 1983), also named Orfila (), is a Chinese host and actress who is famous for co-hosting the TV game show '' Happy Camp'' which airs on Hunan Satellite TV with fellow hosts He Jiong, Xie Na, Du Haitao, and Li Weijia. B ...
. On November 30, 2015, Han released his third album ''San Geng''. He announced that this would be his final album release, and he will focus on acting in the future. In 2016, Han announced that he will be starring in the science fiction drama ''Hard Memory''. He also acts as the executive producer of the series. In 2017, Han was cast in the fantasy suspense film ''
The Great Detective (film) ''The Great Detective'' is a Chinese fantasy suspense detective film directed by Roy Chow, starring Han Geng, Yin Zheng and Zhang Huiwen, it is based on ''Huo Sang Detective Stories'' by Cheng Xiaoqing. It was release in China on January 25, 20 ...
''. In July, he featured in the documentary film ''
The Founding of an Army ''The Founding of an Army'' is a 2017 Chinese historical drama produced by the China Film Group Corporation to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army. Produced by Han Sanping and directed by Andrew Lau, i ...
'', playing the role of Zhang Xueliang. The same month, he was cast in the film adaptation of popular video game ''
Dynasty Warriors is a series of Japanese hack and slash action video games created by Omega Force and Koei (now is Koei Tecmo). The series is a spin-off of Koei's turn-based strategy '' Romance of the Three Kingdoms'' series, based upon the Chinese novel of ...
'', playing the role of
Guan Yu Guan Yu (; ), courtesy name Yunchang, was a Chinese military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. Along with Zhang Fei, he shared a brotherly relationship with Liu Bei and accompanied him on ...
. In December, Han reprised his role as Meng Yun in the third installment of the Ex-file franchise. In 2018, Han starred in hacker-themed thriller ''Reborn''. He also participated as a captain on the first season of the hip hop show,
Street Dance of China ''Street Dance of China'' (''SDC''; simplified Chinese: 这!就是街舞; traditional Chinese: 這!就是街舞; pinyin: Zhè! Jiùshì jiēwǔ) is a Chinese dance competition show produced by Youku, Tmall, and Master, and co-produced with ...
. In 2019, he returned as a captain for Street Dance of China 2. In 2020, Han starred in modern romance drama ''Still Not Enough''. Han participated in the period drama series “Legacy” which will premiere exclusively on WarnerMedia’s regional streaming service HBO Go at an unspecified date later in 2021. “Legacy” is a 1920s-set drama that chronicles the lives of the wealthy Yi family and three sisters who vie to inherit their father’s shopping mall business. In a time of upheaval and uncertainty, the three sisters set aside their differences to keep the business afloat and save their family. That same year he was a captain for Street Dance of China 4. In 2022, he returned for his 4th season of Street Dance of China as a captain once again in Street Dance of China 5.


Philanthropy

In 2013, Han participated in
MTV EXIT The MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking) campaign is a multimedia initiative produced by MTV EXIT Foundation (formerly known as the MTV Europe Foundation) to raise awareness and increase prevention of human trafficking and modern slavery. ...
's anti-human trafficking campaign as a special host for ''Human Traffic: China, ''a 36-minute documentary aimed at raising awareness to help prevent human trafficking in China''.' ''The documentary was produced with the support of China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS) and the United Nations Inter Agency Project on Human Trafficking (UNIAP), in partnership with the
United States Agency for International Development The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government that is primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid and development assistance. With a budget of over $27 b ...
(USAID), the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), Walk Free, and the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations ASEAN ( , ), officially the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, is a political and economic union of 10 member states in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, militar ...
(ASEAN).


Personal life and other activities

In 2013, Han launched his own customized phone brand, known as the "Geng Phone." On May 16, 2014, Han appeared at the
New York Stock Exchange The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE, nicknamed "The Big Board") is an American stock exchange in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed ...
to ring the opening bell as a shareholder of Jumei International Holding Limited. Han is the first Chinese artist to ring the opening or closing bell at the NYSE as a shareholder. On September 24, 2014, Han launched his eyewear brand "Burqa Angel". Han Geng and actress Celina Jade married on December 31st, 2019 in New Zealand. In September 2022, they welcomed their first child, a daughter.


Controversies


Performance restrictions

Before his debut, Han entered Korea with a vacation visa and had to return to China every three months to renew it. After debuting in 2005, his company obtained an E-6 (Entertainment Industry) passport, allowing him to stay for longer periods. However, a Chinese passport strictly limited his promotional activities and appearances in various broadcasting corporations in Korea. By law, a Chinese passport holder is only allowed to perform on three television stations. Han was allowed to perform on KBS and SBS, as stated by
Lee Soo Man Lee may refer to: Name Given name * Lee (given name), a given name in English Surname * Chinese surnames romanized as Li or Lee: ** Li (surname 李) or Lee (Hanzi ), a common Chinese surname ** Li (surname 利) or Lee (Hanzi ), a Chinese s ...
during a Harvard Korean Wave conference in early 2007. Initially, the company did not know of the procedures and was fined because of it. Before Han signed contracts with KBS and SBS, he performed on stage with a mask and a hat to hide his face on screen. Many thought Han was a backup dancer until three months later when his bandmate
Kim Heechul Kim Hee-chul (; born July 10, 1983), better known mononymously as Heechul, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, presenter and actor. He is a member of the South Korean boy band Super Junior and has further participated in its subgroup Su ...
finally revealed him to the media by publicly taking off his mask. Despite visa restrictions, Han performed with the rest of Super Junior at the 2007 M.NET/KM Music Festival and the 2007 Golden Disk Awards. Both award ceremonies aired on channels that Han was restricted to perform on.


Lawsuit and leaving SM Entertainment

On December 21, 2009, Han filed for contract termination from his former company
S.M. Entertainment SM Entertainment Co., Ltd. () is a South Korean multinational entertainment agency. It is one of South Korea's largest entertainment companies where it was established in 1995 by record executive and record producer Lee Soo-man. The company ha ...
, arguing that the 13-year length and structure of their exclusive contracts as well as the terms of profit distribution were unilaterally disadvantageous towards the artists and should be invalidated. Along with this, it was disclosed that because of S.M. Entertainment's refusal to give him a day off in over two years, he had developed
gastritis Gastritis is inflammation of the lining of the stomach. It may occur as a short episode or may be of a long duration. There may be no symptoms but, when symptoms are present, the most common is upper abdominal pain (see dyspepsia). Other possi ...
and kidney disease. On December 21, 2010, the Seoul Central District Court ruled in favor of Han. However, a representative of S.M. Entertainment stated that they will file an immediate appeal to reverse the decision. As of September 27, 2011, Han and S.M. Entertainment have officially come to a mutual agreement regarding Han's contract, thus closing the case. Han will not continue his exclusive contract with SME and no longer has any legally binding connection with SME, as stated by Yue Hua Entertainment, Han's current management company.


Discography


Albums


Singles


Filmography


Film


Television series


Music video


Awards and nominations


Music awards


Film awards


Notes


References


External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Han, Geng 1984 births Chinese dance musicians Chinese expatriates in South Korea Chinese K-pop singers Chinese male dancers Chinese male rappers Chinese Mandopop singers Japanese-language singers Korean-language singers of China Living people Male actors from Heilongjiang Minzu University of China alumni People from Mudanjiang Singers from Heilongjiang Super Junior members Super Junior-M members Chinese male film actors Chinese male television actors 21st-century Chinese male singers 21st-century Chinese male actors Nanai people MTV Europe Music Award winners The Amazing Race contestants Reality show winners