Cover Long before they were topping streaming charts, headlining billion-view dramas and selling out fan meetings, these child actors were already building their careers in front of the camera (Photo: IMDB)
Long before they were topping streaming charts, headlining billion-view dramas and selling out fan meetings, these child actors were already building their careers in front of the camera (Photo: IMDB)
1 / 1
From unforgettable supporting roles to household-name child actors, these stars quite literally grew up in front of the camera. Today, they’re among the biggest names in Chinese entertainment.
From Sean Astin to Kim You-jung, every culture and every generation of television has its child stars. The tricky part isn’t landing that first role—it’s surviving long enough to reinvent yourself once the cute cheeks disappear.
Chinese entertainment has seen countless child actors become overnight sensations, only to fade away as audiences outgrow them. But every so often, a rare performer manages to accomplish what many child stars never do: they evolve. They sharpen their craft, navigate the awkward transition into adulthood and emerge not as nostalgic relics but as genuine leading actors capable of carrying billion-view productions.
Some were household names before they entered middle school. Others quietly built impressive résumés by playing younger versions of major characters before eventually taking centre stage themselves. Today, these former child actors are among the most recognisable faces in C-drama. However, their careers actually began years—sometimes decades—before their biggest hits.
If you’ve ever found yourself thinking, “Wait...haven’t I seen this actor somewhere before?” the answer is probably yes. Here are the C-drama stars who quite literally grew up on screen.
In case you missed it: Playground to primetime: 8 Korean stars who grew up on screen
1. Wu Lei (Leo Wu)
Childhood breakthrough: The Legend and the Hero (2007), Naughty Boy Xiaotiao Ma (2009), The Little Fairy (2005)
Adult era: Love Like the Galaxy (2022), Nothing But You (2023), Amidst a Snowstorm of Love (2024)
Few actors embody the phrase “grew up on television” quite like Wu Lei. He began acting at just three years old, appearing in dozens of commercials before steadily becoming one of China’s busiest child actors. Throughout the late 2000s and early 2010s, audiences watched him pop up in historical adventures, family dramas and fantasy series. He later earned a reputation as one of the industry’s most dependable young performers.
What makes Wu Lei’s journey remarkable is how naturally he transitioned into adulthood. Rather than relying on nostalgia, he rebuilt his career from the ground up, taking increasingly mature roles that showcased his athleticism, emotional depth and understated charisma. By the time Love Like the Galaxy turned him into an international sensation opposite Zhao Lusi, he was no longer “that child actor”—he had become one of Chinese television’s most bankable leading men.
2. Zhao Jinmai
Childhood breakthrough: Balala the Fairies (2015) and numerous family dramas
Adult era: Reset (2022), The Princess Royal (2024)
Before becoming one of the brightest stars of her generation, Zhao Jinmai was already a familiar face on family television. Beginning her career as a child actress, she steadily accumulated credits in youth dramas and fantasy productions, displaying a natural screen presence that often stood out despite her young age.
Her transition into adult roles has been one of the smoothest in recent memory. The breakout thriller Reset proved she could anchor a high-concept suspense series alongside seasoned actors, while The Princess Royal cemented her place among the industry’s top young costume-drama heroines. Rather than chasing idol status, Zhao has quietly earned a reputation for choosing scripts that let her acting speak louder than her celebrity.
3. Guan Xiaotong
Childhood breakthrough: debuted at age four, but her breakthrough came in The Promise (2005); since then, she has appeared in well over 100 productions before adulthood
Adult era: Untouchable Lovers (2018), Twenty Your Life On (2020)
Few actresses can claim to have spent virtually their entire lives in front of a camera. Born into a family of performers, Guan Xiaotong entered show business before most children learned to read, appearing in film after film until audiences affectionately nicknamed her China’s “Nation’s Daughter”. For years, she became the industry’s go-to choice whenever a production needed the younger version of a heroine.
Instead of distancing herself from her child-star image, Guan gradually expanded it. She matured into leading roles without abandoning the warmth and familiarity that made audiences embrace her from the beginning. Today, she balances romance, coming-of-age stories and prestige productions while remaining one of the country’s most famous actresses.
4. Zhang Zifeng
Childhood breakthrough: Aftershock (2010)
Adult era: Sister (2021) and The Heart of Genius (2022), numerous critically acclaimed films
Unlike many child actors who first gained popularity through television, Zhang Zifeng announced herself with one unforgettable film performance. At just eight years old, her emotionally devastating role in Feng Xiaogang’s earthquake drama Aftershock stunned critics and earned her major industry recognition, instantly marking her as one of China’s most gifted young actresses.
She has since grown into one of the country’s most respected performers, moving between prestige films and television dramas. Whether portraying vulnerable teenagers, aspiring doctors or emotionally complex young women, Zhang has consistently prioritised acting over celebrity, proving that her early acclaim was no fluke. Her career is often cited as one of the strongest examples of a child prodigy successfully maturing into a serious dramatic actress.
5. Yang Zi
Childhood breakthrough: Home with Kids (2005)
Adult era: Ashes of Love (2018), Go Go Squid! (2019), Lost You Forever (2023)
If there is a blueprint for surviving life after child stardom in China, Yang Zi practically wrote it. She became a household name while still in elementary school thanks to the wildly popular sitcom Home with Kids, where generations of viewers watched her grow up as the spirited Xia Xue. The role made her one of the country’s most beloved child actresses—but it also created the difficult challenge of escaping such an iconic image.
Yang accomplished that reinvention through sheer perseverance. After years of taking supporting roles and weathering industry scepticism, she exploded back into the spotlight with fantasy epic Ashes of Love, proving she could lead blockbuster productions with equal measures of emotional vulnerability and star power. Today, she stands among the defining actresses of modern C-dramas, with hit after hit spanning fantasy, romance and historical epics—a remarkable second act for someone many audiences first met as a child.
See more: From ‘Eternal Love’ to ‘You Are My Glory’, here are 9 unmissable romance C-dramas
6. Song Zu’er
Childhood breakthrough: The Prelude of Lotus Lantern (2009)
Adult era: Legally Romance (2022), The Prisoner of Beauty (2025), The Demon Hunter’s Romance (2025)
Long before she became one of C-drama’s most sought-after leading ladies, Song Zu’er was already a familiar face to television audiences as the young Nezha in The Prelude of Lotus Lantern. The performance made her one of the most recognisable child actors of the late 2000s, with viewers remembering her for her expressive eyes and effortless confidence on screen.
After taking time away from the spotlight to focus on her studies, Song made a deliberate return as an adult actress, successfully shedding the “former child star” label. Her resurgence in romantic dramas and costume productions proved she had matured into a versatile leading woman, culminating in acclaimed performances in The Prisoner of Beauty and The Demon Hunter’s Romance. For many viewers, her comeback felt less like discovering a new actress and more like reconnecting with someone they had unknowingly grown up watching.
7. Zhang Yishan
Childhood breakthrough: Home with Kids (2005)
Adult era: Seven Me (2017), The Deer and the Cauldron (2020)
If Yang Zi was the daughter every household adored, Zhang Yishan was the mischievous younger brother who constantly found himself in trouble. As Liu Xing in Home with Kids, he became one half of one of Chinese television’s most beloved sibling duos, growing up alongside Yang Zi in a sitcom that remains a cultural touchstone nearly two decades later.
Transitioning into adulthood wasn’t always easy, but Zhang gradually proved himself through psychologically demanding roles that showcased far greater range than his comedic beginnings suggested. His performances in dramas like Seven Me demonstrated an actor willing to take creative risks, while his continued friendship with Yang Zi has remained a nostalgic favourite among fans who still fondly remember their childhood sitcom days.
8. Jiang Yiyi
Childhood breakthrough: numerous historical dramas beginning at age six, frequently portraying younger versions of major heroines
Adult era: My Eternal Star (2023)
There’s a good chance you’ve seen Jiang Yiyi dozens of times without realising it. Throughout the 2010s, she became one of Chinese television’s most prolific child actors, frequently cast as the younger versions of leading female characters in blockbuster historical dramas. Her uncanny ability to capture an older actress’ mannerisms made her the industry's go-to choice whenever a production needed a believable childhood counterpart.
As she matured, Jiang naturally stepped into leading roles herself rather than simply serving as someone else’s younger self. Watching her headline productions today carries a unique sense of nostalgia—especially for longtime viewers who remember when she introduced virtually every heroine in a costume drama before gracefully handing the story over to the adult cast.
9. Cao Jun
Above Cao Jun was once called the cutest Nezha on screen (Photo: IMDB)
Cao Jun was once called the cutest Nezha on screen (Photo: IMDB)
1 / 1
Childhood breakthrough: Lotus Lantern (2005), The Nine-Year-Old Imperial Magistrate (2002)
Adult era: The Demon Hunter’s Romance (2025), In the Fields of Hope (2021)
For many Millennial viewers, Cao Jun wasn’t just another child actor—he was an action hero. His starring role in Lotus Lantern made him one of the defining faces of fantasy television during the early 2000s, as audiences watched him wield magical weapons and battle gods long before lavish xianxia productions became streaming staples.
Unlike many former child stars, Cao largely stepped away from the spotlight for several years before quietly rebuilding his career through supporting roles and prestige fantasy dramas. His appearance in The Demon Hunter’s Romance delighted longtime fans, who welcomed his return as both a nostalgic callback and proof that some childhood heroes really do find their way back onto the screen.
10. Zhang Xueying
Childhood breakthrough: 281 Letters (2004), Hero During Yongle Period (2004) and numerous historical dramas throughout the late 2000s
Adult era: Princess Silver (2019), Choice Husband (2023)
Zhang Xueying has been acting for so long that many viewers forget she, too, began as a child performer. Entering the industry before she was ten, she steadily built an impressive résumé by appearing in period dramas, family series and literary adaptations, earning a reputation as one of the most reliable young actresses of her generation.
Rather than experiencing one explosive breakthrough, Zhang’s career has unfolded gradually, allowing audiences to witness her growth almost in real time. By the time she took on leading roles in dramas like Princess Silver, she had already spent well over a decade honing her craft. Her journey serves as a reminder that not every successful child star follows the same trajectory—sometimes longevity itself becomes the greatest achievement.
Sasha Lim-Uy Mariposa is a lifestyle journalist who is known for her food writing. Based in Manila, she also covers entertainment and dining, as well as a broad range of topics. She was the former digital editor at Esquire Philippines and was the digital managing editor at Spot.ph, and now writes for the different Tatler Asia markets as a contributing writer for T-Labs.
