Dubbed as “Tree Brother of Heze,” Guo Youcai became an internet sensation for his cover of the song “Promise,” gaining millions of followers in a short period of time. However, this sudden fame brought along controversies surrounding song copyright disputes and doubts about the quality of his content. With Guo Youcai’s explosion of popularity, the once bustling Heze South Station quickly turned quiet in just 12 days.
On the morning of May 23rd, Guo Youcai started his broadcast at Heze National Flower Expo Park in Shandong on time. In the afternoon of the same day, he released his first original song on his personal social media platform. According to reports from China News Service, Guo Youcai’s live stream removed the tipping function.
Previously, Guo Youcai gained fame for his cover of “Promise,” quickly amassing millions of fans. However, along with the surge in popularity came chaos and questioning. The controversy arose from his cover songs in the live stream and the significant amount of tips received, raising concerns about possible copyright infringement.
On May 25th, the Beijing News reported that the lyricist of the song “Promise,” Ding Xiaowen, stated that Guo Youcai’s cover was a commercial activity and that profits should be fairly distributed to the song’s creators.
Guo Youcai livestreams almost every day, often taking song requests from fans, singing live, and receiving continuous tips during broadcasts. His cover videos and live streams generally do not credit the original singers and songwriters, sparking debates about potential copyright infringement.
Some believe that Guo Youcai’s covers are profit-driven and may be infringing on copyrights. There is also confusion among some individuals as to whether singing songs or using music as background content during live streams constitutes copyright infringement for other broadcasters.
In fact, it is not uncommon for internet celebrities to cover songs or use them as background music during live streams. Several broadcasters have been sued for this behavior in the past, and live streaming platforms have also faced legal actions.
According to reports from Interface News, the head of the Shandong Heze service provider with whom Guo Youcai collaborated mentioned that the sudden rise in popularity in May did not involve any investment. The best live streams in terms of commercial income generated tip revenues (including platform commissions) exceeding one million RMB.
Additionally, according to reports from China News Service on May 24th, a check revealed that Guo Youcai’s TikTok account had 1,895 exclusive members. Opening a monthly membership requires 980 diamonds, equivalent to 140 RMB, while an annual membership requires 11,760 diamonds, equivalent to 1,680 RMB. According to TikTok customer service, the basic revenue sharing rate for exclusive members in live streams is 50%. Calculated based on the lowest priced monthly membership, Guo Youcai currently earns at least 132,000 RMB from member revenue alone.
Reports citing sources mentioned that Guo Youcai signed a contract worth up to 50 million RMB with a local MCN organization. However, this information has not been confirmed.
Originally named Guo Zhuang, Guo Youcai was born in 1999. Before gaining fame, singing live during the day and running a barbecue stall at night was his daily routine. He started livestreaming on December 26, 2023, and quickly gained popularity with a cover of “Promise” in May 2024.
Wearing clothing from the 90s, styling his hair in a big pompadour, Guo Youcai’s appearance while singing live evokes memories of actor Wang Baoqiang’s character in the movie “Mr. Tree,” leading to his self-proclaimed nickname, “Tree Brother of Heze.”
On May 25th, a friend accompanying Guo Youcai stated to Shangyou News that Guo Youcai is unlikely to return to Heze South Station, mentioning, “The South Station is no longer usable, he won’t return.” From May 9th, when Guo Youcai’s popularity surged, to May 20th when he voluntarily gave up the “sudden popularity,” he spent only 12 days at Heze South Station.
Following Guo Youcai’s rise to fame and his “transition” to the Flower Expo Park, Heze South Station once again became quiet, with only a few tourists visiting to take pictures and nearby vendors packing up their merchandise to leave, instead of the numerous broadcasters who followed Guo Youcai to capitalize on his popularity.
Built in 1978, Heze South Station had ceased operations over a decade ago. Before Guo Youcai’s fame, the square in front of the station was deserted and dark at night. In May, Guo Youcai’s rendition of “Promise” turned this location into a “internet celebrity check-in spot.”
According to “Uncle at the South Station,” who leased the venue to Guo Youcai for live broadcasts, on April 17, Guo Youcai hosted his first live stream at the square. Initially, there were no viewers for the first three days, but then gradually, both local and out-of-town visitors started to pour in, with an increasing number each day.
Data shows that before May 9th, Guo Youcai’s live streams did not garner much attention, with daily earnings below 300 RMB. Starting from May 10th, the account “Guo Youcai (Tree Brother of Heze)” began rapidly gaining followers, with over 1 million new followers daily on May 14th, 15th, and 16th. By May 18th, Guo Youcai’s TikTok account had 7.91 million followers, a surge of 7 million followers in just 9 days.
With Guo Youcai’s explosion of fame, Heze South Station became a huge traffic hub, attracting broadcasters from all over the country, as well as various internet celebrities who appeared dressed as characters like Nezha, Sun Wukong, and Ji Gong, conducting fashion shows, dance performances, and more. The “chaotic dance” videos quickly stirred controversy.
On May 17th, Heze Culture and Tourism released a video stating that “Guo Youcai has been appointed as the ambassador of Heze culture and tourism.” On the same day, Guo Youcai announced in a video that the live stream location was moved from Heze South Station to Heze National Flower Expo Park to provide a quiet study environment for students preparing for the Spring College Entrance Exam.
By May 20th, Heze South Station announced that due to upcoming exams from May to July and to maintain a conducive environment, all entertainment activities at the station were discontinued.
A local merchant near Heze South Station noted that with Guo Youcai “transitioning” to the Flower Expo Park and the ban on live broadcasts at the station, the area’s popularity quickly declined. Not only did all the broadcasters leave, but even the snack vendors operating nearby vacated the premises.
On May 22nd, after Guo Youcai’s live stream at Shandong Heze National Flower Expo Park, he declared a three-day break, stating that he needed to “go and study.”
To ensure the impact of Guo Youcai as an internet celebrity, it was reported by Cover News that a dedicated work team comprising departments such as the network supervision office, propaganda department, youth league, culture and tourism, urban management, public security, and judiciary had been formed by the Mudan District of Heze City.
A staff member at the Heze City Propaganda Department mentioned that during the entire Guo Youcai incident, they had minimal communication with the platform and have taken measures against non-positive influencers broadcasting at the South Station.
On May 21st, many out-of-town broadcasters found their accounts restricted and some were even permanently banned, with the platform citing reasons such as “using social hotspots or personalities as gimmicks to attract attention.”
A Weibo blogger commented that Guo Youcai is merely a tool leveraged by internet platforms, with platforms being the main investors in Guo Youcai. Just like how the platforms promoted “Bao Jun,” “Dudu Sister,” and “Shangdi Second Brother,” they generate traffic for the platforms, sending a message that regular people should abandon everything and join the internet—potentially becoming an overnight internet sensation.
Additionally, on May 25th, videos shared by netizens visiting Guo Youcai’s live stream site showed the presence of police, security guards, and emergency communication support vehicles from the telecommunication operator to maintain order and signal stability. Netizens marveled and commented, “Before the fame, one was driven away, and after the fame, someone stands guard for you. How magical!”