On the evening of July 30, mainland Chinese actor Chen Kun shared a selfie of himself with a bald head on Weibo, captioning it with “What to do if the head is not round!” This topic quickly trended on hot searches, with netizens jokingly commenting on his unique head shape.
According to reports from mainland media, Chen Kun’s new look is closely related to his upcoming film “1840.” The film focuses on the Opium War, with the main storyline revolving around Lin Zexu’s anti-opium efforts, in which Chen Kun portrays Lin Zexu. Data shows that “1840” is directed by Yin Li, with Yin Li and Dong Zhe as co-writers. Apart from Chen Kun, the film also stars Xiao Yang, Wang Zhifei, Ni Dahong, and others.
In April of this year, Chen Kun also shared two selfies. In the photos, there were some gray hairs on his head, and he captioned them as “Gray hair.” Some netizens commented: “You have fewer gray hairs than me, but your looks are killer.” “My gray hair is increasing this year, face it calmly like you teach us.”
Chen Kun, with a unique melancholic temperament, gained huge attention with TV dramas such as “The Golden Hairpin,” “Pink Lady,” and “Like Mist, Like Rain, Like Wind.” He later won the Huabiao Award and the Hundred Flowers Award for films such as “The Message” and “Painted Skin.” His notable film works also include “Let the Bullets Fly” and “The Sorcerer and the White Snake,” earning him the title of one of the “Four Heavenly Kings” along with Deng Chao, Liu Ye, and Huang Xiaoming.
Growing up in poverty, Chen Kun once described himself as someone who always had the best luck after becoming famous. From accompanying a friend to Beijing in 1995 to unexpectedly ranking first in the male category of the film academy exam, to being chosen unexpectedly after auditioning for a role, his career took unexpected turns, especially when he rose to fame rapidly with “The Golden Hairpin.”
In interviews, Chen Kun has expressed that he felt chosen. It seemed like fate favored him with sudden wealth and fame, disrupting his life plan completely. He struggled to cope with these unforeseen outcomes and even experienced depression. It took him 10 years to adapt to acting and break free from the label of being reliant on his looks for success imposed by others.
At 49 years old, public information shows that Chen Kun has never been married but has a 23-year-old son named Chen Zunyou (Yuyu), whose biological mother is unknown. There are rumors that Chen Kun adopted him, but he remains protective of his son and has never disclosed details, enjoying his role as a single father for 23 years.
Last month, Chen Kun rare shared a university graduation photo with his son Chen Zunyou on Weibo. In the picture, both were dressed casually, radiating bright smiles. Chen Zunyou graduated with a degree in architecture and has received international design awards. He expressed gratitude to his father, calling Chen Kun the “hero in his heart.” Chen Kun, in response, wrote, “I am proud of you, keep moving forward,” showing deep affection for his son.
Chen Kun keeps his personal life very private and never reveals the identity of his son’s mother. When probed about this delicate topic, he once said on a show, “My IQ drops to zero when my son asks me who his mother is. I tell him there is only you and me.”
Years ago, rumors circulated online about the identity of Chen Kun’s son’s biological mother. Some zealous fans couldn’t bear it and urged Chen Kun to take legal action and clarify the situation. In response, Chen Kun dismissed the rumors, saying, “Clarify what? Argue with rumor mongers about right and wrong?” He chose to ignore the online gossip.