Actor Shi Yuanting, aged 35, who gained popularity for “climbing Mount Tai together”, has recently been reported to have switched careers again. He has been spotted at tourist spots in Shanghai and Hangzhou, such as Song City, where he is now working as an NPC.
NPC stands for “Non-Player Character” in English, originally from video games, referring to individuals dressed in specific costumes, portraying fixed roles (such as ancient knights, scholars, princesses, cartoon characters, etc.) to interact, take photos, and perform for visitors.
According to a report from mainland China’s Cover News on October 19th, on the 18th, Shi Yuanting appeared in Shanghai’s tourist area as an NPC. On the 19th, he visited Song City in Hangzhou, transforming into a knight NPC. Previously, he revealed that he had no acting opportunities and no collaborations in variety shows, thus trying various part-time jobs to make a living.
During an interview, Shi Yuanting openly expressed that as a former actor turned NPC in a scenic area, he is now working at Shanhai Shanghai Tourist Area.
“Ask me to dance? I’m an actor, not even a dog would dance,” he joked while taking off his jacket and not just dancing but also singing as he accompanied visitors through a haunted house. He remarked, “This job is tough, my neck is covered in sweat.”
On October 20th, the topic of “35-year-old actor Shi Yuanting switches career to tourist area NPC” once again trended on Weibo.
Shi Yuanting, a 35-year-old actor, transitioned not out of interest but due to the harsh realities of survival pressure. In an interview with “New Yellow River” in June, he mentioned that in the first half of 2025, he only had four days of filming, and at one point, his bank account had less than 20,000 yuan. He admitted, “At 35, no company is willing to sign me.”
However, the Mount Tai climbing business only brought temporary relief. The pricing of 699 yuan during the day and 799 yuan at night led to a five-digit monthly income, but he self-deprecatingly said, “The hype comes and goes quickly.” Currently, the NPC position at Shanghai’s Thousand-Year Love Story Scenic Area guarantees a daily salary of 300-500 yuan, coupled with tips from visitors and revenue from the character “Modern Secret Agent” on Douyin, making his income more stable than traditional extra roles.
Shi Yuanting is not alone in this situation. It is reported that the Thousand-Year Love Story Scenic Area in Shanghai recently launched the theme event “Thousand-Year Love Fantastic Night”, where besides Shi Yuanting, Mandarin male singer Tian Yiming and Hong Kong film star Li Guolin will also take turns to interact with visitors.
Many netizens lamented, “It seems being an actor is not an easy job after all, even such recognizable actors have no projects.” “Rich second-generation stars seem to have taken over the top resources.” “Without connections, pursuing acting is like gambling.”
“This kid is quite versatile, first climbing Mount Tai, then returning home to farm, and now starting to work as an NPC in tourist spots. It’s great, he always manages to find work to support himself.”