Hong Kong star Chen Zhan Peng revealed for the first time on the Feng Shui astrology program “Xuan Zhan” aired at the end of August that he was once deeply embroiled in a dispute over a celebrity endorsement contract involving a “seven-figure sum” (over ten million Hong Kong dollars). He disclosed that he has decided to return two-thirds of the huge fee he had received to the client over a period of five years, leaving all the guests and contestants on the show astonished and admiring his loyalty, referring to him as a “true gentleman”.
In the program, Chen Zhan Peng revealed that between 2019 and 2020, he took on a sky-high endorsement contract worth a seven-figure sum (over ten million Hong Kong dollars). However, the severe global outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) subsequently greatly impacted all offline commercial activities and promotional arrangements, ultimately preventing him from fulfilling all the tasks laid out in the contract.
While there were no clauses in the contract specifying that Chen Zhan Peng needed to compensate for this, he had already used the received sum to make a down payment and buy his first house to honor his filial duty to his mother. Faced with the unforeseen circumstances, he wanted to be accountable to his partners while not being able to immediately come up with the large sum of money.
Acting in good faith and morality, Chen Zhan Peng did not want his partners to incur losses unjustly. He took the initiative to negotiate with the client, offering to return 2/3 of the received fee and requesting a 5-year installment plan to repay the amount.
For five years, Chen Zhan Peng silently bore the immense pressure of repayment while steadfastly continuing to work. It wasn’t until this recent revelation on the program that the multi-million dollar debt was fully repaid, bringing the matter to a satisfactory resolution.
Despite not being legally obligated to compensate in this situation, Chen Zhan Peng’s commitment to self-funding the repayment of two-thirds of the astronomical fee over five years has garnered overwhelming praise online. Many netizens have hailed him as a rare “true gentleman” in the entertainment industry.
At the age of 49, Chen Zhan Peng made his debut in 1994 and endured nearly 20 years of playing supporting roles, shattered dreams of becoming a singer, network shifts, and other setbacks. However, with solid acting skills and relentless efforts, he eventually became a leading actor and a TV King at TVB.
Chen Zhan Peng is a versatile actor with a wide range of roles, excelling in action dramas like “City Hero” and “Iron Fist Hero”, as well as portraying professionals like the prominent lawyer in “The Truth”, and even interpreting ordinary people and comedy characters in “Superhero”, showcasing his versatility and making him one of the pillars of the young generation in the Hong Kong drama industry and a guarantee of viewership.