From Basement Shadows to Freedom’s Light – Zi Yu’s Survival Sparks Hope Amid Yu Menglong’s Unresolved Tragedy
In the unforgiving underbelly of China’s entertainment industry, where dreams are often crushed under contracts and power plays, one young star has clawed his way back to the surface. Zi Yu, the 23-year-old actor and former idol who burst into the spotlight with his lead role in the 2025 BL web drama Revenged Love, recently shared a tearful moment that moved millions: after five grueling years of debt, isolation, and lingering trauma, he has finally paid off—or is on the verge of fully settling—the crushing 600,000 yuan penalty imposed by his former agency after terminating his contract in early 2023.
The road to this bittersweet freedom was brutal. Zi Yu, real name Zheng Peng, debuted with boy group Guanghe Shaonian in 2021 after surviving shows like We Are Young and Youth With You 3. But the shine faded fast. In late 2022, fans spotted visible bruises on his face and neck at the airport, sparking allegations of physical assault by groupmate Zheng Xingyuan during training sessions. Zi Yu later claimed he was forced to live in a basement for months—half the year in darkness and hunger—amid relentless bullying that the agency, HKBX Entertainment (linked to Huakaibanxia Cultural Media), dismissed as mere “training injuries.” The fallout led to an abrupt group disbandment in 2022 and Zi Yu’s early exit, saddled with a massive breach-of-contract fine equivalent to years of grueling repayments—often described in fan circles as a five-year financial noose that forced him into odd jobs, isolation, and near-starvation just to survive.
Yet Zi Yu endured. Transitioning to acting under Rui He Entertainment, he poured every ounce of resilience into roles that showcased his healing smile and quiet strength. Revenged Love became his redemption: overnight fame, airport crowds, sold-out events. In recent months, reports indicate the debt is nearly cleared, with Zi Yu tearfully announcing in interviews and social posts that he can finally “breathe again.” His story is raw catharsis—a young man reduced to desperation by the very system that promised stardom, yet refusing to let it destroy him.
This survival stands in stark, heartbreaking contrast to Yu Menglong’s fate. The Eternal Love star’s September 11, 2025, fall from a Beijing building was officially ruled an accident after drinking, but persistent rumors of coercion, hidden evidence, and industry pressures have fueled global petitions and outrage. Unlike Zi Yu, Yu Menglong never escaped the shadows; his story ended in silence, with questions about prior captivity, abuse, and cover-ups still echoing unanswered as of January 2026.
Zi Yu’s emergence from his own darkness has ignited fierce hope among fans. “If he could survive five years of hell and rise, maybe the machine can be dismantled,” one viral post read, garnering thousands of shares. His journey highlights the toxic “hidden rules” of idol culture: exploitative contracts, group bullying, mental and physical torment, and debts designed to trap talents forever. As Zi Yu pays the last of his dues, he becomes a symbol—not just of personal triumph, but of potential change.
The question now burns brighter than ever: How many more bright-eyed dreamers must endure starvation, isolation, and relentless bullying before the industry is torn apart? Zi Yu’s freedom is no longer just his victory; it’s a desperate beacon for every star still trapped. In a world where Yu Menglong’s light was extinguished too soon, Zi Yu’s survival whispers that not every story has to end in tragedy. But the darkness remains vast. Will this spark finally set the system ablaze, or will it flicker out before the next life is claimed?
