Four Things You Didn’t Know About Shang-Chi Star Simu Liu
Too busy to check in on the RADII website every day? We got you every Monday with a summary of all the freshest takes on China’s youth culture in the last week:
- Was getting fired as an accountant his biggest blessing in disguise? Fast forward nine years and Simu Liu is the first Asian lead for Marvel.
- Yes, there are baby dinosaurs at Universal Studios Beijing. The new theme park cost more than $50 million and took 10 years to build. It officially opens to the public on September 20.
- Want a Chinese slang word for “I didn’t want to do this job, but I’m doing it because my boss made me”? We've got the word for you.
Intrigued? Keep scrolling, my friend.
Simu Liu’s Journey from Failed Accountant to Marvel’s Shang-Chi
Simu Liu is making history. A few days ago, he became the first Asian lead in a film for Marvel Studios, as he plays the titular role in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
The Chinese-Canadian actor may already be familiar to Netflix users, having starred in the highly successful sitcom Kim’s Convenience, about a Korean immigrant family that runs a corner store in Canada.
Liu has been using his platform as an outspoken advocate for Asian-American issues, calling for better Asian representation in the entertainment industry and highlighting immigrant issues in the wake of anti-Asian hate crimes across America.
With Liu at the helm of Marvel’s new film, he puts a spotlight on the Asian community. He also provides representation in a time of tension amid the recent spike in hate crimes and discrimination against Asian people.
But did you know he first gave acting a shot after getting laid off as an accountant?
Pat yourself on the back: you’ve successfully located the most extraordinary thing on the internet out of China this week:
With the pre-opening of Universal Studios Beijing this week, crowds of invited (presumably VIP) guests have descended on the new theme park. As you’d expect in the 21st year of the 21st century, pictures and videos of their experiences have begun to find their way online, and the baby dinosaur footage, in particular, has wowed us.
Check out a RADII-curated medley of baby dino footage below:
Universal Studios Beijing is an amusement park within Universal Beijing Resort, which began its trial operations period on September 1 and officially opens to the public on September 20.
He started DJing in 2017. Now he has his own nightclub in Sichuan.
Meet Postunk, who has made a name for himself as an integral part of Chengdu’s club scene.
Plus, check out the new china.wav mix of spacy techno he recorded during a night out in Hangzhou.
Make sure you never miss a beat (or track) from China by following our SoundCloud!
- When the gov’t steps in to Tiger Mom you. Minors under 18 are now only allowed to play video games for three hours a day during the week.
- Panda Boys, possibly China’s shortest-lived boy band, has disbanded four days after its debut amidst controversy over the age of its members. The Panda Boys were between 7 to 11 years old, with an average age of 8.
- Ever heard of Anta? This sportswear titan is almost unknown outside of China, but it just beat powerhouse brand Adidas in revenue.
- Nobody likes overtime, but it looks like they want pay cuts even less. Tech workers at Tik Tok creator Bytedance are bemoaning the average 20% less pay they’re getting under an adjusted "anti-996" work schedule.
- Simu’s charm aside, what do you know about the story behind Shang-Chi? From taking inspiration from Bruce Lee to outgrowing the infamous ‘Yellow-Peril’ stereotype, here’s why the new Marvel epic carries so much weight.
When you start to work or share your life with the world, the Chinese term to use is 营业.
The term originally means ‘doing business,’ but Chinese youth have started to use it in self-deprecating ways. More often than not, exhausted ‘company livestock’ say 被迫营业 when they’re forced to do something they don’t have a say on.
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