In the ongoing dispute between 26-year-old mainland Chinese actress Zhao Lusi and the talent agency “Galaxy Entertainment,” Zhao has been vocal about feeling exploited by the company in her daily live streams, causing a heated discussion. When talking about her initial entry into the industry, Zhao revealed that it was against her parents’ wishes for her to become famous, hence she casually signed with a company not expecting the situation she finds herself in today. Renowned Hong Kong director Wong Jing, who once praised Zhao as the best leading actress, exposed the truth behind the rift between Zhao and her talent agency during a live stream, criticizing the chaotic practices of one-star companies in the Chinese entertainment industry.
Wong Jing bluntly stated that the root cause of conflicts between actors and talent agencies lies in the unfair distribution of profits. He singled out Zhao Lusi’s talent agency as a typical one-star company that signs numerous artists but only promotes one person, leaving everyone else behind. This sharply critical analysis came at a time when Zhao’s contract dispute with “Galaxy Entertainment” reached its peak, sparking industry-wide debates on the abnormal talent management model.
Zhao Lusi’s ordeal has lent credibility to Wong Jing’s perspective. Her ongoing battle with “Galaxy Entertainment” began when she fell ill midway through a film shoot at the end of last year, and it has now been ongoing for eight months. While the company claims that everything is done legally, Zhao publicly lashed out during her live stream, accusing the company of long-term lack of communication, even disbanding her personal team, treating her as a cash cow without providing basic occupational guarantees. The contract details, including a 15-year commitment, a 70% high commission rate, a staggering breach penalty of 400 million yuan, which would be deducted by 2.05 million yuan even if she stops working due to illness, have drawn severe criticism from netizens.
Wong Jing pointed out that one-star companies like “Galaxy Entertainment,” which only promote one person, represent a common phenomenon in the industry. He cited the example of Jiaxing Media, which had Yang Mi initially and later brought Dilraba Dilmurat to fame. He mentioned that most companies are quite the same, relying heavily on a single star. Wang Yibo of “Lehua Entertainment” contributed to more than 60% of the company’s total revenue in recent years; while 80% of “Galaxy Entertainment” revenue depends solely on Zhao Lusi.
Regarding why companies struggle to promote other artists, Wong Jing attributed it to a combination of talent, timing, and capital. He emphasized that Zhao Lusi’s rise to fame was due to her acting skills, audience appeal, and tapping into the popularity of historical dramas, rather than solely the result of the company’s efforts. Wong Jing believes that talent agencies may struggle to cultivate another Zhao Lusi-like success story and will require significant resources to replicate such achievements.
In one of her live streams, Zhao Lusi mentioned that when she entered the industry, many big companies were looking for fresh talents, but her parents were against her joining the entertainment industry. She chose “Galaxy Entertainment,” a company that did not nurture any artists, based on the premise that if no project was available, the contract would automatically be terminated. She saw joining the company as an experience, thinking it would not make her a star, but ended up starring in a few projects that didn’t take off, leading to her current predicament.
Wong Jing criticized some talent agencies for viewing artists merely as “cash cows,” neglecting the importance of an equal partnership which, if unaddressed, could lead to trust issues and contract disputes. He urged talent agencies to return to their core values, protect artists’ rights, ensure transparent contracts, and distribute resources fairly, rather than treating artists as disposable commodities. After all, when cooperation becomes a game of squeezing every last drop, failure is inevitable.
In recent years, Zhao Lusi rose to fame through her roles in dramas such as “Brilliant Starry Night,” “Can’t Hide Secret Love,” and “Jade Curtain and Silk Screen,” establishing herself as a top-tier actress. Towards the end of last year, while filming a new drama “Lover,” her health issues forced her to seek medical attention. Recently, she took to social media to accuse “Galaxy Entertainment” of demanding compensation for losses when she had to cancel work due to health problems. Feeling both sidelined by the talent agency and trapped due to the exorbitant penalty for breaking the contract, she declared on social media, “I don’t need your blacklist. I quit!” publicly denouncing the so-called “selling contract” with “Galaxy Entertainment”.