During the Mid-Autumn Festival vacation, netizens spotted 62-year-old Hong Kong actor Kong Wah working at a scenic spot in Guangdong, portraying his classic role from TVB drama “Jiu Wu Zhi Zun” and interacting closely with visitors.
Several online videos show Kong Wah once again playing the role of “Emperor Yongzheng” at the scenic spot, interacting closely with visitors, singing and dancing, and maintaining his agile figure just like in the past.
Kong Wah was a top actor during TVB’s golden era, starring in classic film and television works such as “Journey to the West,” “Seeking Qin,” and “Swordsman.” After leaving TVB in 2004, he struggled with lumbar disc herniation and depression, briefly retreating from the spotlight to sell insurance to support his family.
Moreover, netizens recently also spotted Chinese renowned young writer, screenwriter, and director Zhang Yi Yi setting up a chess and Go stall at the entrance of Luyexianzong scenic spot in Yichun, Jiangxi. He accepts challenges from visitors daily on a regular basis. Anyone who can defeat him will receive multiple surprises such as entrance tickets to the scenic spot, self-service dinner, guesthouse accommodation, agricultural products, free-range chickens and ducks, cash red packets, attracting many chess enthusiasts from all over the country to come challenge him.
According to the new media platform “Zui Ren Wu,” several artists have found reemployment at scenic spots this year. Including: 79-year-old Luo Jia Ying working at the scenic spot dressed as Tang Seng; 70-year-old Kou Zhenhai holding a horse whip, dancing passionately at the entrance of the Grand Shanghai Dance Hall; 56-year-old Weng Hong appearing again in a red dress portraying a cat demon at the scenic spot; 63-year-old Ma Jingtao touring three scenic spots within a month; 79-year-old Luo Jia Ying reprising the classic role from “A Chinese Odyssey” at the scenic spot; and the most active “scenic spot artist” Zheng Guolin has been indulging his “emperor addiction” in Shanghai’s Thousand-Year Love, Hangzhou Song City, and Tangshan Hetou Old Street in recent months.
He once responded, “I am just a small actor, from an ordinary family, truly in need of money to support my family.”
In 2018, the “salary limit order” was implemented, followed by a retreat of capital, with nearly ten thousand film and television institutions shutting down, leading to a significant decrease in production and filing rates. After 2020, resources have been heavily concentrated on top actors and popular intellectual properties. According to Yunhe Data statistics, in the first half of 2025, streaming platforms collectively released 271 new dramas, a decrease of 33 compared to the previous year.
Unemployed artists have had to switch careers to make a living, some working part-time as delivery drivers, some starting businesses on the street, some climbing Mount Tai, with many flocking to live streaming platforms and more seeking survival opportunities at scenic spots.
Netizens expressed their sentiments, “Childhood heartthrobs reduced to working at scenic spots.” “In the cold winter of the film and television industry, if they don’t have the opportunity to film, they still need employment opportunities.” “It’s not embarrassing to earn a living through one’s own skills.” “Actors earn performance fees, while visitors get to see their idols up close, it’s a win-win situation for this wave of emotional marketing!” “It’s great, boosting offline popularity and earning money for themselves.”