Zhang Zhehan Wants To Find Time To View The Island-Wide Welcome Fans Prepped For Him Around Singapore
The 32-year-old star, who is here for the Yes 933 Hits Fest, also tells 8days.sg that he doesn’t mind taking on a romance drama though something similar to Word of Honor would probably be off the cards.
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How big is Chinese singer-actor, Zhang Zhehan?
Major.
The 32-year-old is in Singapore to perform at the Yes 933 Hits Fest on Saturday (Nov 25) and even if you are not familiar with his illustrious body of work, you probably caught a glimpse of his mug all over Singapore recently.
Mere days before this writer sat down for a chat with Zhehan, we received news that his loyal fanbase had taken the extravagant initiative to buy out digital billboard space outside shopping malls that include Suntec City and Bugis Junction, welcoming him to Singapore.
If that is not all, the Singaporean welcome also included ad space at train stations and carriage interiors where his face also greeted us multiple times, speaking of his incredible reach.
Seeing as how he holds such sway among his followers, we were surprised to find Zhehan to be surprisingly polite even as he enters the room with an entourage of assistants, managers, and security.
When first introduced to the affable star, he asked if we needed to wait a long time for him to arrive from his rehearsal that had concluded minutes ago.
Consider us charmed.
Of course, we had to ask about what he thought about the welcome his fans had prepped before his arrival to Singapore, to which he shyly nods and says he has seen a few pictures and is grateful for their support.
“I think it is a very nice gesture and I see it as their [his fans] unique way of communicating with me while creating a festive vibe while I’m here,” he says.
And you know he means it when he pauses to ask one of his minders if they had some time to go see them in person.
The minder acknowledges his request with a quick nod before looking back down at her phone.
When we tell Zhehan that many are anticipating to hear news of a possible drama next year, he shares that he is currently in no rush to act in a show though he is all ears for a script that has a good love story.
“As someone who has been in many romantic roles, I can’t wait to dig my teeth into another one and make it a big hit. As I grow older, these opportunities might become less frequent as well,” he says.
However, fans who are looking for him to repeat his performance as Zhou Zishu in the widely successful Word of Honor might be disappointed as Zhehan firmly says that he has put that chapter behind him.
“Personally, I feel that show was such a success that it has accomplished everything it possibly can, and I rather challenge myself in other roles. Even if play something similar, I will present a very different interpretation to audiences,” he says.
8days.sg: How do you feel about your performance at the Yes 933 Hits Fest, and do you have any pre-show rituals?
Zhang Zhehan: I am definitely ready to give one of my best shows to the audience here in Singapore. Before I go on stage, I always need to have a plain bowl of noodles. It doesn’t need to be anything exciting, but I always feel that I perform best when I have such a routine.
How does it feel to have so many number-one hits on iTunes these two years?
All credit goes towards my fans who not only made my music go to the top of the charts, they stayed there for so long. Because of them, my voice and music managed to reach a global audience.
Do you have a favourite song from your last two albums?
Wow! That is really difficult for me to do. Can I choose two instead? Come to think of it, even just two would make me feel sorry for the rest (laughs).
Why are these two songs so special to you?
From my album Deep Blue, my favourite would have to be ‘Primordial Theatre’ as it is about a person going through life’s many ups and downs.
It was quite intriguing to see how differently my fans responded when I first released it as I guessed they weren’t expecting something like that of me.
I also can’t leave out ‘Lost Glacier’ as the lyrics speak about beauty that lies within regrets – I always need to portray a strong image when I perform this song.
We know you just landed in Singapore, but do you have any places you would like to visit while you are here?
Honestly, I will need to do a little homework though I am very keen to visit the Singapore Botanic Gardens as I have heard how peaceful it is. I also fondly remember my visit a decade back, when I visited one of the beaches here and had some memorable chili crab.
You mentioned your fans are a constant source of encouragement. Can you remember an incident where they touched you?
I came to know of a group of fans who donate books to the less fortunate.
That is nice of them!
Yes, I have learned quite a few things from them, and they make me realise that no matter how successful we become, we must contribute back to society.
In my own way, I tried to help a kid from a rural area before by also sending extra books to him. Though I am happy to help others, I later found out he dropped out of school so now I am more conscious to consider if someone wants to be helped.
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