Hong Kong film mogul Yuan Huaqiang’s son, Xiang Zuo, recently made headlines for allegedly failing to repay gambling debts, prompting the MGM Macau casino to file a lawsuit to recover a sum as high as 1.4 million Hong Kong dollars. The case is currently being heard by the Hong Kong Regional Court.
According to a report by the “Hong Kong Commercial Daily” on July 15th, MGM China Holdings Limited filed a lawsuit with the Hong Kong Regional Court to recover the outstanding amount of 1.4 million Hong Kong dollars owed by Xiang Zuo, a Hong Kong artist who has been frequently working in mainland China in recent years, along with related interest (Case No.: DCCJ 3704/2025).
Court documents reveal that the plaintiff, MGM China Holdings Limited, accused Xiang Zuo of being a customer of their Macau casino and borrowing 2 million Hong Kong dollars on December 1st, 2024, which was converted into casino chips. It was agreed between the two parties that Xiang Zuo was required to repay the loan on the same day, but despite deducting the amount in Xiang Zuo’s account and partial repayments made by him, he still owes 1.4 million Hong Kong dollars to date. The plaintiff has therefore petitioned the court to demand the repayment of the debt along with interest.
As per the loan agreement, the plaintiff claims the creditor can charge interest calculated at an annual rate of 18%, starting from the day of the loan until the repayment is made.
Xiang Zuo and his agency have yet to respond to this case.
Media analysis suggests that gambling scandals involving celebrities in the entertainment industry are not uncommon, but Xiang Zuo, being a second-generation celebrity who married a Taiwanese actress, coupled with the cross-border borrowing and high interest rates involved, is bound to attract significant public attention.
Known as the “Prince of Hong Kong’s Entertainment Circle,” Xiang Zuo is the son of Hong Kong film and television tycoon Yuan Huaqiang. In 2019, he married Taiwanese actress Guo Biteng, and the couple has two children. In recent years, he has focused on the mainland Chinese market, starring in three major films funded by his parents’ company, “China Star Film Limited”: “The Legend of the Gods,” “My Boxing Champion Boyfriend,” and “Treasure Land at the Door.” After a combined loss of 800 million RMB, he recently started transitioning to making web films, gaining attention.
Xiang Zuo has primarily starred in action films since the beginning of his career, often with the support of A-list actors and directors, with production costs reaching hundreds of millions. For example, in 2016, the film “The Legend of the Gods,” produced by “China Star” for 500 million RMB, featured top stars like Jet Li and Huang Xiaoming, with Xiang Zuo technically playing the role of the third male lead but having the most screen time. In order to highlight Xiang Zuo’s portrayal of “Lei Zhenzi,” the scriptwriters even changed the Chinese mythological story into a Western fantasy.
The movie featured Roman-style castles, Japanese ninja-like warriors, mythical undead warriors, and spaceship battles reminiscent of “Star Wars,” blending various visual effects elements from Western blockbusters into a chaotic mix, leaving the audience stunned. Movie fans questioned whether this was still the mythological story from the Chinese Shang Dynasty, leading mainland Chinese viewers to label the film as an “epic flop,” with a final box office gross of only 283 million RMB and a loss of 400 million RMB for Xiang Zuo’s family.
In 2019, Xiang Zuo enlisted Hong Kong director Doquei Feng to shoot the 200 million RMB film “My Boxing Champion Boyfriend.” The film received a rating of 4.6 on Douban, breaking Doquei Feng’s previous streak of no flop films. However, the film’s final box office revenue was less than 25 million RMB, failing to recoup the 200 million RMB investment.
Furthermore, in 2024, Xiang Zuo and his wife Guo Biteng co-starred in the 200 million RMB action film “Treasure Land at the Door.” The film premiered on the first weekend after the Mid-Autumn Festival last year, making only 680,000 RMB on its first day and grossing a total of only 2.5 million RMB.
A search on “Tianyancha” reveals that Xiang Zuo is associated with two companies, namely Shanghai Zuoming Film & Television Cultural Co., Ltd. and Guangzhou Mama Dad International Trade Co., Ltd. Among these, Shanghai Zuoming Film & Television Cultural Co., Ltd. was established in August 2016 with a registered capital of 10 million RMB, where Xiang Zuo serves as the chairman and legal representative, holding a 70% stake. Currently, the company is operational but in a state of suspension.