Recently, on the Chinese mainland, “Kuaishou” platform anchor Simba (real name Sim Yozhi) announced during a live broadcast that he would be leaving the live streaming industry due to health reasons. Doctors say that his lung function is equivalent to that of a 95-year-old, with issues such as emphysema and lung sacs. His company, Sim Choice Group, will be taken over by his wife, Chu Ruixue.
In the live broadcast on August 18th, Simba said, “I bid farewell to everyone. Starting today, Simba no longer has the ability to continue working in live streaming and officially announces his exit from the industry.” He mentioned that doctors had warned him that the high intensity of live streaming could have serious health effects, and he needed to take care of his body. Simba will now hand over the company’s management to his wife, Chu Ruixue.
During the broadcast, Simba mentioned that doctors diagnosed his lung function as that of a 95-year-old, and if not treated promptly, his condition would worsen. He also revealed that at the age of 24, he was diagnosed with bronchitis, and over the years, the high-intensity live streaming had caused his health to deteriorate, even resorting to adrenaline injections to continue working.
Public information shows that this is Simba’s fifth time announcing his withdrawal from the Internet. In April 2020, due to a conflict with another anchor, Sanda Brother, both announced an “indefinite withdrawal”; in April 2021, Simba claimed to have been “defeated by capital and traffic, and thus withdrew”; in November 2023, he stated his intention to “gradually step back from the spotlight”; and in April 2024, due to multiple account bans, he publicly announced his “retirement”. Netizens are joking that this is his “Nth withdrawal”, questioning if this time he will truly exit.
Simba began his live streaming career on August 18, 2019, during the “818 Star Concert”, and every year since, August 18 has become a day of celebration for Simba and his fans. In last year’s live broadcast, Simba coughed incessantly and needed oxygen on-site, revealing that his lungs were not normal.
Regarding company operations, Simba stated that he would no longer be involved in any management work after his exit to avoid “worrying, thinking, and being anxious”. The account with 100 million followers will be handed over to the company, managed solely by his wife, Chu Ruixue.
According to the Enterprise Research App, Chu Ruixue is associated with 18 companies, but 16 have been deregistered, leaving only 2 companies currently in operation, namely, Guangxi New Xunda Technology Group Co., Ltd., and Guangzhou Bajia Entertainment Media Co., Ltd.
Moreover, Simba and his wife, Chu Ruixue, jointly own shares in a listed company, Guangxi New Xunda Technology Group Co., Ltd., established in December 2006, with Wu Chenghua as its legal representative and a registered capital of approximately 199 million yuan. The couple holds 0.9425% of the company’s shares each.
Simba’s exit coincides with health issues surrounding the “Cotton Code” sanitary napkins. On July 24th, it was reported that carcinogenic substances were found in “Cotton Code” sanitary napkins, leading to over thirty people developing thyroid cancer after use. “Cotton Code” sanitary napkins are a brand created by Simba himself, claiming to have tens of millions of users with total sales exceeding 3.33 billion yuan.
However, “Cotton Code” was found to contain excessive levels of “thiourea”, a Category 3 carcinogen, resulting in most customers experiencing symptoms such as skin swelling, gynecological inflammation, and thyroid abnormalities after product use. Some consumers who used the product long-term before pregnancy faced abnormalities during pregnancy, such as fetal stops, molar pregnancies, and newborns with hyperthyroidism.
Public records show that Simba (Sim Yozhi), born in 1990 in Tonghe County, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province, is a post-90s internet celebrity, singer, Chairman of Guangzhou Hexiang Trading Co., Ltd., co-founder of Sim Choice brand, founder of Cotton Code brand, and a self-media platform influencer.