WARNING   

 This Discussion was, because of an MDL technical glitch, rerouted to appear linked to the Korean namesake drama, that I have not watched.
The Korean drama this Discussion feature refers to  has absolutely zero connection to the Chinese business and romance drama the below discussion thread should be linked to, the title of which was briefly "Loving You" before it got renamed as MY PRECIOUS and aired in 2023.  
 You may have found it through the link left in the comments section on the My Precious drama page, or on the Z.Tao actor page comments section ; or if you boldly clicked on "create a discussion" and discovered the ones "hidden" by MDL wiring. 
Anyhow, I hope you'll enjoy the following info. 
Last edit of 2024.05.02


In between episodes (and another drama), and in the wake of the announcement that Z.Tao finally made public his relationship with Xu YiYang, I was listening again to their songs. Xu Yiyang has a style that is very different from Tao's very special Cpop. Samples below (the links in blue lead directly to the songs on Youtube ; links last checked on 24.05.02)



Z.TAO  (soft taster)

  •   Expose, one of the best sweet songs from the drama The Brightest Star In The Sky                                [Expose (揭穿) The Brightest Star in the Sky Drama OST]
  •   Beggar, the thrilling MV of Tao's best known song    [ZTAO - Beggar  01/2018]
  •   Reluctantly  lyrics MV                  [ZTAO (黃子韜) - Reluctantly Lyrics]
  •   Reluctantly /  舍不得 She Bude ("movie" clip version 10/2015)
  •   Crown, lyrics MV                            [Z.Tao (CROWN) lyrics]
  •   Crown/皇冠 Huang Guan MV (second dramatic "movie" clip, following the Beggar one)
  •  You are the rest of my life (from the OST of Legally Romance) 2022 stage version
  •  Cross The Line -                               [Z.TAO 黄子韬 - 越界 (Cross The Line) Lyric Video]                                              I already thought he wrote it with Xu YiYang in mind at the time ;)

23-10-10


An alleged eyewitness claimed, "At the #1 nightclub in Gangnam, Korea called 'Race,' where celebrities and idols go to hang out. Huang Zitao came to party at 'Race' with his girlfriend... Huang Zitao confessed his love to Xu Yiyang at the nightclub in Korea. Is this an official announcement? I wish them well."


XU YIYANG

                                                                                         From her Weibo 

  • *  Miss Freak  a song from Chuang 2020 fit for coming Halloween, with Xu Yiyang as center ;                          (Miss Freak Chuang 2020 stage)
  • * Ice Creamperformed by Z.Tao and Xu Yiyang in August 2020 ;     [Ztao ft. Xu Yiyang * ICE CREAM *@AUTOHOME Hunan tv  818 FESTIVAL*]  or the Chuang 2020 version [although it's another trainee, Sun Ruyun, who hugs Z.Tao from behind, and Xu Yiyang is the long haired one back in the group]
  • * Z.Tao guiding XuYiyang bts for the 2020 song Listen) ; Xu Yiyang's Listen MV lyrics ;                                   ( Z.TAO " Produce & Composed on Xu Yiyang solo debut song *LISTEN*) and    ( [ eng.sub.]ZTAO@ LTAO Ent.("VLOG PART2"RECORDING on Xu Yiyang song *LISTEN) ;   ( Xu Yiyang (徐艺洋) -'Listen (聆听)'- Lyrics)
  • *  Xu Yiyang's 2021 Gravity, the song she keeps as introduction to her Weibo page ;                                      (徐艺洋Xu Yi Yang《会不会再见(Gravity)》MV)
  • * Xu Yiyang's 2021 Gravity MV lyrics       (徐艺洋Xu Yiyang-会不会再见(Gravity)【COLOR CODED LYRICS PINYIN)
  • * Playlist of 14  Xu Yiyang songs        (XU YIYANG PLAYLIST | 徐艺洋的歌单)


Z.TAO (his Cpop)

Z.Tao performing YKYB (01:17) with the "CEOs" of Hello Saturday show of 2023.10.21, in which he introduced the drama "My Precious" together with Rain Wang/Wang Herun, who was also taking part in the variety show.   [MV with translation]
 Mask (from his Weibo 2023.10-22   04:02)  [MV with translation]

       

*  Tao's  June 2023 concert in Qingdao - raging rap! so energetic!       ([Eng Sub] 230610 Z.TAO Performing At Douyin 2023 Wonderful Music Party in Qingdao)

*  "T.A.O"., Tao's statement of independence of Cpop, severing ties with SM, back in 2014       (Lyrics Z.Tao 黄子韬 T.A.O [Pinyin/Chinese/English]  "movie clip" MV directed by Colin Tilley 07/2015)

*  His iconic Nanjing 2016 The Road concert, full - ([HD] 160501 ZTAO "The Road" concert in Nanjing full edition) + "movie clip" version of The Road, 04/2016.

one of my personal favorites among many concerts by many cpop and mandopop singers... Tao's "One Heart" song is so sweet! (Lyrics Z.Tao 黄子韬 One Heart [Pinyin/Chinese/English)   I often come back to it, although I listen to many many other singers, in many different styles. I've put in the playlist, because it is also a musical statement, but there are parts recordings with better sound. like this next and last one for this sampler:

* Adore   from the 2016 Nanjing concert     (ZTAO - Adore in Nanjing 2016)

Next project

"The first chapter of Z.Tao's new album "30's Club" was officially released." (Nov1, 2023) Besides, he  was to perform those songs in the Guangzhou concert scheduled for Nov.17-18. The first part features songs :

"I looked forward to the concert stage !?    This was a new style attempt, and many friends of his did participate. "


Some YouTube channels to check for listening and watching Z.Tao music (and more, checked 2023.11.11):

The most recent songs up till April 13, 2024  "Lights" (sung with his friend Luhan) are mentioned in  the 2023-2024 Projects section of the Z.Tao profile with links to listen.

Enjoy!

                                                                                                              this  playlist was last checked July 15, 2023


To view the list of my other drama companion pieces (with links to them), check : HERE.


screenshot from My Precious, ep.9

Table of contents

Following the "brief Profile" introduction below the table, you can find more detailed information through clicking on the links to the "chapters" : 

  1. Milestones (May 2, 1993-2018, and 2018-2024)
  2. Breaking away ; returning to China ; reconstructing
  3.  The chameleon on the beach along the ocean waves
  4. Style, fashion and collections
  5. Old and young friends   -  Dogs
  6. The very special CEO
  7. The actor and entertainer
  8. New Projects (Winter 2023 to Summer 2024)
  9. Provisional conclusion

        Annex:  HZT's proposal and engagement to XYY (April-August 2024)

Note : pictures link to their sources or expanded videos, most GIF are made by me (except when attributed to others)- but some links may have been broken over time.


Brief Profile of Huang Zitao  (黄子韬) :

At 31 on May 2, 2024, between 180.5 (5'11") and "official" 183 cm  (6'0″ tall, according to different sources, he is much more than a musician, songwriter, singer, dancer, actor,  former Exo-M idol and "king of C-pop" with a huge fandom of "hailang" (in 2018, he was credited with 8.6 million fans growing to 11 in 2021 (when he was  #29 in Top 30 Most Handsome Chinese Idols in a  poll); on November 9, 2023 his Weibo social media account indicated 66.443 million fans.)

180.5cm as measured in 2016 on a reality show Takes a Real Man  where he had to join the military

Meaning of his name : "Mandarin form of the surname 黄 [Huáng], meaning ‘yellow’ in Chinese: (i) from Huang (黃), the name of an ancient state (present-day Huangchuan in Henan province) annexed by the state of Chu during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC)."  --  子 [zǐ] means "son; child; seed; egg; small thing" ; and has also some esoteric meanings  -- [tāo] means "bow case or scabbard; to hide; military strategy" !  He is an only son, unmarried, and has no children, but he is rumored to be in a long-time elationship.

His "English" "first name" is Edison, which he liked because of its association with the famous American inventor and businessman  Thomas Edison (1847-1931) who brought home the electric light bulb and the movie camera to generations of people.  Th. Edison developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures. He was nicknamed "the "Wizard of Menlo Park".

His personality is said to be , according to the MBTI (Myer Briggs Type Indicator) :

(info above links to the Personality database ; but there is no precision on when or whether Z.Tao was actually tested.)

"The ISFP personality type is Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, and Perceiving. This combination of personality preferences produces people who rarely demand attention, are observant problem-solvers who see possibilities others miss, base their decisions on their instincts and values, and focus on enjoying the present."
"ESFP is an acronym that stands for Extroverted, Sensing, Feeling and Perceiving. Also known as "The Entertainer" or "The Performer," this personality type has the uncanny ability to always be the life of the party and is generally considered to be friendly." (perhaps Z.Tao switches between E and I... It is not uncommon).

(But as has been noted by many, such types are only for pop psychology, not that sure fire valid scientifically : many people have obtained different results over time and even in only different settings...)

...and of his fandom :

Drone show on the 10th anniversary of Nov 5, 2023 in Qingdao with the message : 和海一起  [Hé hǎilàng yīqǐ]  Together with the Hailang. The live streaming of the drone show also displays simultaneous fan messages in "barrage" on the Weibo social media platform.  The short video (click on picture) shows the laidback attitude of the idol and his fans about this "important event".  ;-)
ZTao's fans are called hailang which means ocean waves, and they celebrate the day of November 5 because they officially were called hailangs on that day in 2013, when Z.Tao, who likes to stroll alone on the beach watching the waves, compared his fans to those beloved blue waves. Therefore, the fandom color is blue, reminded in concerts and in birthday cake colors.
 The fandom chant 海不会不蓝,海浪不会不在  [hǎi bú huì bú lán, hǎi làng bú huì bú zài] expresses that the oceans can't be else than blue and that waves will always be there, or more poetically :  “the sea is always the same color as the sky, and HL will always stand by your side” ...

This fandom has even been studied in a 2020 learned thesis for USF Tampa!

Among the comments on how fans viewed themselves and their idol, apart from the usual female cohorts who daydream themselves as concubines (! facepalming!),  a quite larger part than expected are rather well educated, even with graduate degrees, despite most are under 30 years old. They had views like this one : “Z.Tao is cute, honest, optimistic, straightforward, kind-hearted and talented, sometimes a little bit childish. I love him because of these idiosyncrasies. He is never afraid to tell the truth. He never gives up his dream. He knows what he wants and always wants to be himself. I believe that people who love him like me must have similar attitudes and values to him. We are the same kind of people, or we are trying hard to be. That’s what brought us together. Z.Tao is our label.”

Here is a link to a particularly heartfelt testimony posted by a fan in the USA  (Tria Trai from Fresno) in January 2024, titled " My Hero".


back to Table of Contents.

231028 Z.TAO Performing At Asian Youth Music Festival in Nanjing (click on pic for full concert)

1/ Milestones : 

He was born on May 2, 1993, Chinese zodiac Rooster and star sign Taurus. And he is afraid of live chicken!! (*)


Happy family in 1995-1996 with his dad Huang Zhongdong and his mom, who remains a close supporter for him (2020 picture).

Z.Tao and his dad :

He was briefly taunted with a "Peacock" moniker by a Chinese TV host in 2012.06.09 Happy Camp (cut of the show after sports), who was making fun of his flashy outfit [more from that show]. 
Tao acknowledged in the show his "Baby Panda" nickname (because he often had dark circles under the eyes and he often needed more sleep. But his martial arts skills commanded respect like in this other performance.

2011.12.27  Teaser from "Exoplanet Tao" for the "Metal" song

Huang Zitao was also good at other sports such as diving (this GIF shows him diving) :
Hailangs at the 2017 Macau concert (where he changed outfit on stage! and regaled the audience with some "cute poses". (full concert linked to picture) - Blue light sticks were used before one challenge led to the design of this one, sold on Alibaba:

flashmob by hailang for Z.Tao before his July 2018 Is Good concert in Wuhan.

Exo Tao in 2013

Huang Zitao (黄子韬) / Z.Tao was born on May 2, 1993, in Qingdao, Shandong, the only son of Chinese billionaire Huang Zhongdong.  From a news item online : "Mr Huang Zhongdong shared in a 2016 interview that he owns four to five mansions in Qingdao alone, and that his Beijing company has assets of over 20bil yuan (US$4bil). Huang Zhongdong was named the seventh richest man in Qingdao back in 1997.

Despite his loving family, and martial arts training to complement his studies at the Foreign languages school in Qingdao, and the sports competitions where he achieved championship, he had a rebellious streak and a longing to make a name for himself, independently, in music. At the end of 2010, he was spotted by SM's talent scouts and signed to be their trainee at a talent show. On December 27, 2011, he first appeared in public under the stage name TAO. 

 In 2012, he officially debuted as a member of EXO-M.  He joined five other Chinese dancers and singers, and six Koreans. EXO was a leading group in K-pop and also promoting in China, with the cooperation of the Chinese members. Among their most well known works were the two versions of Growl in  2013.
He featured in two songs from Zhou Mi's 2014 album Rewind, which he penned the rap lyrics to. (Zhou Mi, born 周觅 in 1986 in Wuhan, China, also known as Zhoumi  조미, Jo Mi / Ju Myeuk, is a Chinese singer, songwriter, actor, MC and radio DJ under SM Entertainment.) 

In late 2013,  MBC's celebrity diving program Splash! show was cancelled due to injuries to multiple contestants including Huang Zitao. The next year he was a member of the SBS reality television program "Laws of the Jungle" in 2014. He left the show early due to a foot injury on a coral reef during filming in the Solomon islands. He had other scheduled commitments, but did not get enough time to heal and get proper medical attention, so the ligament was damaged, causing great pain and jeopardizing his mobility.  He, and other injured members of EXO were driven to tears by the inability to perform. Next, Kris Wu and Luhan left the group to go to China, and Lay Zhang Yixin also left (although without breaking the contract as the other two did). Despite his condition and despair about his prospects with EXO, Huang Zitao was adamant that he would stay in the group. But his health worsened and his father took action on his behalf, sending him to California to seek treatment and helping him sue the company to break the 10 year contract with SM Entertainment. 

From 2018, Huang Zitao, back in China, launched a new style of singing (C-pop), an entertainment company (LTao), and later, took responsibility after September 2020 for his widowed mother, and for his family's companies and fortune, becoming a multi faceted CEO, businessman involved in games, fashion boutiques and a new brand, producer, while still pursuing his dreams of concerts, recordings, acting in movies, dramas, variety shows; and finding the perfect soulmate for his future marriage after a long open secret relationship, made public in the announcement of the proposal in 2024.  


(*) Z.Tao said he was not afraid of tigers, but this Rooster chickens out faced with a hen ! (He is also afraid of snakes and bugs.)

From a variety show where participants were sent to "boot camp" in 2016-2017:  Takes a Real Man Season 2. (It can be watched complete with English subtitles on Youtube).  Z.Tao participates or initiates many variety shows with all sorts of themes, even "sleeping" !


back to Table of Contents.

2/ -BREAKING AWAY, RETURNING TO CHINA, RECONSTRUCTING

Reluctantly - a love song about parting, at the So Young 2016 concert (lyrics MV)  

This song is according to fans the one he wrote after he had to part with his first love, in California, who went on to marry someone else.  He had lived and recorded in L.A.  where he had a house, and made many rapper friends.
Part of the TV 2016 Yaya concert where he sang Black White / A B [angel/beast],  the savage Underground king, mentioning his C-Pop and rap new styles;  and his tender ballad "19" asking his HL to sing together with him. After host's talk, he sang The Road, the theme song of his concert tours of that year, and the sweet song Yesterday.
The 2015 MV of the game song I'm The sovereign  我是大主宰 [+ lyrics MV] marked the introduction of  Tao's new style of C-Pop and rap, used as example of hi music on his Wikipedia page. 
The 2015 MV of the song T.A.O. It is about Tao leaving EXO and getting his freedom, about the hate he's getting;  the "No new friends" line refers to a DJ Khaled/Drake song: Tao moving into rap, the new freedom he'd found, and onto his pinnacle road, remembering the promise he made to return to his fans.

On April 22, 2015, Huang Zitao's father announced via Weibo that his contract with SM would not continue. On May 2, 2015, Huang Zitao held his first birthday party in Beijing. This was his first public appearance after returning to China." He launched his first independent records with the song T..A.O. sounding like a statement about his past and future. In June 2015, Huang set up a Chinese agency, 黄子韬Z.TAO Studio and broke his contract with SM, suing them for his injuries on August 24. He claimed the 10-year contract had unjust terms depriving him of freedom for a to long period. [The South Korean Supreme Court dismissed Huang's appeal on March 15, 2018. The exclusive contract between SM Entertainment and Huang is still valid...until it will end like Lay Zhang's did.]


back to Table of Contents.

3/ The chameleon on the beach along the ocean wawes

EXO-M Idol
EXO rapper TAO
Brave Man TAO
2021 left arm "Young King Young Boss", Ace tattoo. 
mirror image explanation -->
"NEVER  GETTING OLDER"

His unconventional thinking streak is embodied in his tattoos. Tao got himself a tattoo after the 2016 show Takes A Real Man (in which he experienced life in the army, together with some other celeb friends, including Yang Mi - video excerpt ;   full 13 episodes no subtitles). He once explained it thus: "I got the Chinese Special Forces tattooed [on my right arm] : that type of honor is something I will never forget. I have also a tattoo about my career as Young King Young Boss [on my left arm]; Ace is a trump card and that means everything I do, I have to make the best of. But I won't compete with others.  Such things as I'm better than you, I obtain more than you, or I'm richer than you, never existed in my life. The only enemy I want to surpass is myself.  I want to be the best Ace, the best Huang Zitao.  Moreover the English words tattooed on my back, Never getting older: many people like to bring age into everything, but I think age is not important. If your soul is young, you're never old. Even if my face is full of wrinkles and I get white hair, if my heart is young I'm forever young. Because a body is only a body, it's your soul that matters. If your soul isn't old, no matter how old your body is, you're forever young. Because your heart and soul are connected."  (FB , August 23, 2021 video)  -  

The same year, while official authorities were cracking down on “overzealous” fan culture, he reacted to fans who were going overboard, who commented on his staff while professing to stan him : " Let me be blunt. I pay attention to reality. I listen to myself. I’ve never listened to fans’ suggestions. I don’t know when this trend started, of taking better, faster, pictures. So flashy. -- “Why yell at my employees if you have an opinion about the clothes and hair styles that I decided myself? You think they can sway me? If you like flashy people, then you won’t like me. Go find someone who will take pictures for you every day. Find someone who will listen to your opinion. It’s useless to me, alright? You’re not getting it and you’re making me say it bluntly. [If] you have time to type out critiques and yell at people, why don’t you call your family, go to class, go to work.”  (Radii

Later that year, he had a full coiling dragon and pearls tattoo completing the skin art on his right arm. And he is not through with ink : in 2024, he sports a new one on the neck !

Z.Tao work-out at L.Tao with coach in 2023

加我扮丝团 [Jiā wǒ bàn sī tuán : join me in the silk group]



back to Table of Contents.

4/ Style, fashion and collections


Smoking at pause in a concert in June 2023 + From YKYB-Ace winter collection 2023

He always was a high end fashion fiend, with a love of some accessories such as unique high end watches. He liked streetwear labels such as Off-White, Supreme, Moschino and Fenty x Puma as well as designer brands Balenciaga, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Saint Laurent, Givenchy, Gucci and Loewe, to name a few. He previously collaborated with Spanish fashion house Loewe as well as YSL Beauty.   In the drama My Precious, he wears some pieces from Italian designer Balenciaga, but he is choosy about the brands : he does not accept to work with brands who have disrespected his country or go for boycott of Uighur cotton. On principle, he upholds his country's development, including the Uighur cotton farmers hurt by foreign interests who aim to bring down the economy and reputation of his country with no concern for workers who live there. In March 2021, ZTAO Studio  issued a statement to terminate the collaboration with brand "LACOSTE" regarding to the "Xinjiang Cotton Ban", joining a series of Chinese celebrities who announced on May 25, that they were terminating contracts with several international brands that were pledging to the BCI (Better Cotton Initiative, claiming they were supporting "ethically sourced cotton" while spreading allegations of forced labor imposed on Uighurs in the Xinjiang province).

From 40th episode of My Precious: the Balenciaga suit for the proposal. (He has been brand ambassador for Balenciaga for some time)
Oct.29, 2020, wearing Kappa sportswear, Balenciaga cap, holding Hermes bags  (he is ambassador for those brands), and with his favorite Richard Mille exclusive koi carp wristwatch.


Rolex, Audemars Piguet and Richard Mille he has got it all. He has watches worth over millions.

Some of the high end exclusive watches from his collection :
One of the most precious is the US$1.250 million Richard Mille RMS10 Tourbillon Koi carp Fish : made in 18k rose gold with diamond bezel,  and another with a white ceramic case, still worth $ 1.35 million! Both are one of one piece... and a good investment, since their value appreciates. 

Btw for those who know Tao's song   "Promise" (2017) and still wondered what the "Mille looking glossy" line, and the "ballin" (showing off wealth, in US rapper speak), referred to, maybe now, you got the answer ?  - The watch collection, with the number of their models (6002, 3002) is also the subject of the "Richard" (2023) song.
March 2024 new watch.

Despite the $2.6 million estimated yearly maintenance fee, he is among the 100 or so Chinese billionaires who own a private jet (both for convenience and for status symbol, as examined in this market research presentation of June 2020 by Daxue Consulting group who noted that the most common makes of these are Bombardier or Gulfstream - I think it is the latter that he uses). He has traveled the world in it or such, taking part or spearheading programs and features about wildlife protection from Svalbard to the equatorial jungles, and has engaged on shows featuring him skydiving over a volcano on an island off Africa (despite he claimed he was afraid of heights).

There are not many entertainers who own private jets in the entertainment industry. Only industry leaders like Jackie Chan and Zhao Benshan have private jets, and the latter's daughter once complained that "a private jet worth 200 million" was "not affordable  because the annual maintenance cost is 5 million yuan."

Z.Tao  also has a collection of sports cars. He owns a Lamborghini Aventador and an Aston Martin Rapide S, and bought a McLaren worth millions in 2021.

He and his mom have several mansions in Qingdao and a high end property in Beijing, where his L.Tao company is headquartered.

But his showing some of his treasures on social media, and dining aboard his private plane with friends, in  Oct.2020 caused him some backlash, as he had flaunted his wealth casually in the period of traditional mourning after his dad's passing (which should be 25/27 weeks in line with Confucian prescriptions, since it takes three years for a human child to be fully weaned.)  He had many ups and downs, and even depressed periods, after that loss, vented emotionally on a few live streams, and collapsed in a heap of tears at his birthday fan event of 2021. He immersed himself in a manic work load and writing songs that refer to his grief and missing his dad : Don't Leave Me (2020), and to all the losses that can hurt :  Sleepless (2020). He also expressed his thoughts to his friends, who couldn't help be touched by what he told them.

As for work, he also launched the Ace-YKYB  fashion brand, which he markets both online and through new stores, such as the one that opened in Hangzhou on December 23, 2023.

Z.Tao being comforted by his fans attending the 28th birthday live stream of May 2, 2021, and by the barrage of messages streaming in. (video)
Z.Tao at the inauguration of his Ace-YKYB store in Hangzhou, signing autographs, on Dec.23, 2023

back to Table of Contents.

5/ OLD AND YOUNG FRIENDS


Being the heir to a huge fortune, perhaps the wealthiest c-ent celeb, he has also been generous with disaster relief funds, in particular but not exclusively for his birth city of Qingdao.  He is also a producer in c-ent, as well as a host, mentor, judge, and participant in variety shows, where he is appreciated by many of his peers, some of whom have been friends for many years ; among those are LuHan (for whom he rushed over-land to show support for his friend's concert in July 2023), Jackie Chan who considers him as a sort of godson (Tao has been practicing martial arts since the age of 5, and weaved some of those skills into his musical stage performances too), and some hiphop and rap artists who he regularly has as guests and performers together with him in his concerts.  Z.Tao speaks rather fluent Korean and English and can talk in sign language which he learned because he has a deaf friend called ‘ChenChen’, who was friends with him since childhood.

Z.Tao and ChenChen in 2021

+ The collection of 2021 recorded birthday wishes from his friends in c-ent (Wang Yibo, Mao Buyi, Liu Yuning etc)   ...  SALUTE!

Jackie Chan and Z.Tao reminiscing about Railroad Tigers, June 25, 2022

On Z.Tao's team of "We are the Champions" S2 TV e-sports competition in 2023 :   Lǐ Jùnháo 李俊濠  Xú Yìyáng 徐艺洋  Doggie (Yáo Hàoyuè  姚皓月) ; Z.Tao met old and new gamer friends:  Huáng Mínghào 黄明昊 , Zuǒ Lì  左立 etc
YungK2 is a rapper signed by LTao early on (wearing the company LTao-YKYB Tshirt)Making a splash with Jacky Heung, post to Douyin on 24.04.27.
Tao and Luhan reunited in Beijing. Luhan's concert, which took place on July 30 2023 (snippet here)
July 9 2023 - With E-pop unity host, Victor Ma (Mǎ Bóqiān 马伯骞) LTao artists and others. (variety show)   

Z.Tao appreciates fellow rap artists such as KnowKnow (丁震, Zhen Ding), also known as DZ, who originated from the hip-hop group Higher Brothers, itself part of the much larger rap collective Chengdu Rap House (成都说唱会馆) aka CDC (Chengdu City).  27 years old in February 2024 when he had his first solo stage, KnowKnow has written songs for and sung together with Z.Tao :  Mask , RichardParadise ... His birthday is on May 3, just one day later than the one of Z.Tao, but he is 3 years younger.

Jacky Heung 
(Hong Kong actor and producer, 39 years old, lives in Beijing with wife Hayden Kuo and children).
Huang Minghao (Justin)  famous singer ; and artists on the LTao label from 2020 onward:
 Xu Yiyang,  Shi XitongMing LiangLin YuxiuZhong Junyi.


Above: other friends invited to the April 29, 2024 engagement ceremony (Madina and Jiang Chao are married); Huang Yi did not come with her husband, Xie Rudong is both a friend of Z.Tao and a producer, company chairman, professor, with a collection of impressive titles.  AK is a close friend and member of LTao "gang". 

All this makes for a complex personality, a person who is unapologetic about his choices and affirms his belief in himself, urging his followers to do the same (in his songs and actions, despite the heartaches he has met and not concealed) . So, his attitude has also triggered jealousies and even haters who harshly criticize and scold him for his haircut and makeup, or look down on the dreams he still wishes to fulfill...  Some of his songs embody his thoughts about the use of social media (Moments/WeChat) and 2021 Haters.

PETS

Kandy the Maltese toy dog

Ace the border collie

and another video from when Ace was still a puppy

He is a serious and responsible dog owner, starting with his beloved 9 years old white fluff-ball Maltese, named Kandy, and his 2+ years old energetic border collie Ace. 

So, the theme of the My Precious drama was bound to appeal to him, also at a time when he still needed healing from personal grief (his father died suddenly, still in his prime, on September 11, 2020).  Conception of this veterinarian hospital drama  started in 2020-2021, and the drama was completed in May 2022, before airing in October 2023.


back to Table of Contents.

6/ The very special CEO

One of his mottos ?  From his Instagram account on April 30, 2024 : Freedom.   -- 经得起涅槃之痛、才配得上重生之美  "Only those who can withstand the pain of nirvana are worthy of the beauty of rebirth"
He has his own private plane: "this is the CEO life"...  (link to song)
It is equipped with a queen size bed, a dining room with a table seating 6 people, LCD screen, all comfort.
He does travel for business: on March 2, 2024, he was "Welcomed Ace" in Dubai for the UAE China Enterprise Accelerator :

231028 Z.TAO Performing At Asian Youth Music Festival in Nanjing 

(click on picture above for lyrics MV of 2021 song CEO Life)

He did not start from scratch but he knows how to manage and earn money. By 2024, Tao’s net worth is expected to be close to $4 billion USD. This comprises both his personal profits from his acting, music, and business endeavors as well as his father’s inheritance.

He is a genuine CEO with interests in 10+ companies, including his own L.Tao/Longtao  Entertainment which focuses on entertainment since 2015, but also has a sister company L.Tao design and architecture since Jun 28 2019. He also has/had a restaurant (Hao Shi Restaurant). He launched a specific fashion brand called YKYB-Ace, that designs clothes in style with Tao's preferred comfortable, trendy, and young style preferences. He usually wears them for his concerts.  

But he is by no means the conventional well groomed CEO: he is a smoker, whimsical, fond of ripped jeans in combination with  more fancy jackets, which he can let slide from shoulders to reveal a plain wifebeater and the tattoos. 

Xu Yiyang dancing in YKYB sweatshirt, 2022   -->

Opening of LTao with his dad, 2018

In 2018 , his father founded L.TAO Entertainment (the company in which several artists are now signed by contract: Xu Yiyang, Ma Zehan, and Cao Xiyue).  After his dad's passing, Huang Zitao inherited 20 billion Chinese yuan in assets, and  opened his company Stellar System Group in 2021. He planned to heavily invest in movies, television shows, and reality programs under this new company, shouldering the burden of helming  10 companies as shareholder or direct CEO of his own L.TAO Entertainment and Studio, and L.TAO Architecture and Design.

Hao Shi stewed crab restaurant, opened 2019
Photos of Zitao’s office show a modern, minimalist style with ample natural lighting.

Video tour, commented by Z.Tao himself, after hours in his company in December 2021:  Modern, comfortable, clean, airy and green with a lot of plants, studios for dance or recording in several sizes, large open plan office floor, but also small rooms for meetings; recording studio where sound engineer worked after hours.  Collections of pictures and photographs. Lots of lights. A large glass walled lobby.  Staircases to reach upper CEO floor with corridors leading to more rooms for business planning, directors offices, guests entertaining, toys collections, fitness...

L.Tao Architecture and Design offices, Beijing (opened 2019)


Click above for full 9'23 video with Z.Tao comments. 
House and collections
Ace-YKYB Winter 2023 collection - #ztao #hailangs #aceykyb #StellarSystemGroup #mypreciousdrama

Despite netizens ridicule, and shopping malls are like battlefields, he's made good and also contributed handsomely to relief efforts in covid times for his birth city. He has also invested in games: in March 2021, he became the funder and Co-CEO of the top E-sport Club DRG.GK. (Dragon Ranger Gaming/Glory of Kings).  He also composed and wrote a promotional song for League of Legends WILD RIFT Qualification National Tournament : "Open This Sky" (Jan.2022)

On October-November 2023, he launched a new Winter collection for his own fashion brand Ace-YKYB.  In November he released a new album (30s Club) in which he hopes to introduce a new style for his music...

https://video.weibo.com/show?fid=1034:4966319679012930

His views about human resources are very cool (GIF from an excerpt posted to bilibili in 2021 & Tumblr; click on picture for full excerpt with Tao's voice stating his philosophy) :

but some think his company is one of the hardest to get into because auditions have demanding requirements.


back to Table of Contents.

7/ The actor

You can watch the dramas by clicking on platform name.

Huang Zitao (as Da Hai) in Railroad Tigers (2016 movie) * , starring Jackie Chan (as Ma Yuan), Fang Zu Ming (as Rui), Wang Kai (as Fan Chuan) ; available on VIKI.
Forward Forever (2020) drama * ; Prince Chong Liming (Z.Tao), friend of Ah Yi (Jackson Yee 易烊千玺), with Yu Chu (Hu Bing Qing 胡冰卿) and Ma Li (Miranda Ma Zehan 马泽涵). 58 episodes on Youtube

(* GIF from ztaoh on Tumblr)

 Hot Blooded Youth (2019) when Huang Zitao (as Wu Qian)  meets "Huang Zitao"  * - The drama also featured Zhang Xueying (as He Hongyi) and Liu Yuning (as Wei ChengFeng) - 58 eps. on VIKI.

Yang Mi's Goodnight kiss from Tong Wei to Xie Xiaofei in Negotiator (2018)  43 episodes oVIKI.
My Precious (2023 drama ; Z.Tao as Shen Mi, Rain Wang Herun 王鹤润 (as TianTian) ; 40 episodes on VIKI.
My GIF from the nice fan-made MV (linked) using the song Expose from the drama The Brightest Star In the Sky (2019), in which Z.Tao plays as Zheng Boxu, and Janice Wu Qian 吴倩 as Yang ZhengZheng. 44 episodes on VIKI
Legally Romance (2022 drama) ; Z.Tao as Lu Xun, Song Zu'er (as Qian Wei) ; 33 episodes on VIKI.
Four iconic roles (GIF compiled by z.tao_arNew Vanity Fair (2023 drama) ; Z.Tao as Song Yan, Wu Gang 吴刚 (as Ding Ke Mang), Sun Yi (as Ding MoMo), Liu Bei (as Jiang Ye) ; 40 episodes on Youtube.
A Chinese Odyssey - Dream of Eternity (2017) : Z.Tao as Monkey King, Zhao Yi 赵艺 (as Zi Xia), Yin Zheng 尹正 (as Tang San Zang), Liu Tianzuo 刘天佐  (as Zhu Ba), Swan Wen Xin 温心 (as Qing Xia) ; 54 episodes x 45'  /22 episodes (cut) on Youtube.

Z.Tao stars in a handful of interesting movies and dramas since 2015. Among the 6 movies and 9 dramas he appears in, he  received recognition for his leading roles in the dramas :

  •  Negotiator (2018,  33 x45' episodes available on VIKI)  
    • as "Xie Xiaofei", heir to a large multinational business, helped in his tribulations by negotiator "Tong Wei" (Yang Mi) ;
  • The Brightest Star in the Sky (2019, 夜空中最闪亮的星, 44 x45' episodes available on VIKI
    • as "Zheng Boxu", pop star, alongside Janice Wu (Wu Qian) as "Yang ZhenZhen" his resourceful P.A. 

Z.Tao also starred in the following dramas:  

  • My Precious    (2023, 甜蜜的你, 40 x45' episodes available on VIKI), 
    • as "Shen Mi", heir to a pharmaceutical company, with Rain Wang/ Wang Herun as "TianTian", trying to save a small vet clinic.
  • New Vanity Fair (2023,  春日暖阳, 40 episodes on Youtube), 
    • as "Wu Qian" aspiring stage actor under the stern rule of veteran "Ding Ke Mang" (Wu Gang) ;
  • Legally Romance, (2021,  才不要和老板谈恋爱, 33 episodes available on VIKI), 
    • as "Lu Xun", lawyer and boss of "Qian Wei" (Song Zu'er), his former classmate, in a sort of time travel romance and thriller ;
  • Forward Forever (2020,  热血同行, 58 episodes available on Youtube), 
    • as "Prince Chong Liming" in a Republican era drama ;
  • Hot Blooded Youth (2019, 热血少年 58 episodes available on VIKI), 
    • as "Wu Qian"in a drama about youths fighting tyrants in 1930s Shanghai gangland;
  • A Chinese Odyssey: Love of Eternity (2017,  大话西游之爱你一万年, 22 episodes available on Youtube in shortened version), 
    • as "Zhi Zun Bao" the Monkey King in a comedic spinoff from the classic tale. 

But he hardly appeared in :

  • Moon Man (2022 ; 120' only available on dramacool)  独行月球 dúxíng yuèqiú, starring Shen Teng 沈腾, Ma Li  马丽, Z.Tao had a cameo in this thrilling and sometimes comedic 122' science fiction movie.
  • Exo Next Door (2015, 16 short episodes on Youtube)  Korean short youth series, almost extended ad for the EXO group filmed shortly before Z.Tao left it.  It's focused on the Korean members of EXO so the Chinese ones hardly appear.
  • You Are My Sunshine (2015, 何以笙箫默,  120' on Youtube) movie where he debuted as the almost unnoticeable "William" alongside Wu Qian, who would become his co-star in TBSITS and Yang Mi, his co-star later, in Negotiator. (Yang Mi and Huang Xiaoming were starring in that adaptation of a romance novel by Gu Man, who was also screenwriter).
  • The Miracle (2013, Korean short series, 3 x 5'40 on Youtube)  : "This short film is a part of the "2013 SBS Friendship Project" and it parodies the drama The Master's Sun and The Heirs."  It is much too short, difficult to understand for the non Korean speakers, and will only appeal to fans of those long ago Korean idols.  Z.Tao briefly appears at the back of the group walking in and out in ep.3 and does not have even a line to speak or sing or some moves to make. 
  • That Love Comes (2010, 欢迎爱光临, 12 x30', the c-drama is only available on dramacool )
Legally Romance
2021
New Vanity Fair
2023
My Precious
2023

DRAMAS


(The posters link directly to the dramas or movies)
Forward Forever
2020
The Brightest Star...
2019
Hot Blooded Youth
2019
Negotiator 
2018
2010

SK, 2013
SK, 2015
A Chinese Odyssey...
2017

MOVIES

Moon Man
2022
Don't  Forget Your...
2018
Edge of Innocence
2017
(Concert documentary)
2012-2015
You Are My Sunshine
2015
Railroad Tigers
2016
The Game Changer
2017

The most interesting movies he played in are :

  • Railroad Tigers (2016, 铁道飞虎, starring Jackie Chan, who became somewhat a mentor for him; 130' on VIKI), 
    • as "Da Hai" Dongbei village freedom fighter in a comedic action thriller about the sabotage of a railroad to hinder supplies of Japanese occupiers ; 
  • Edge of Innocence (2017 ; 夏天十九岁的肖像 /Portrait of a 19 year old, 102' on Youtube), 
    • as "Kang Qiao" young biker, with Yang Cai Yu as "YingYing", Calvin Tu as "Zhao Ying", Vivien Li as "Julie";
  • The Game Changer (2017 游戏规则; 126' on Youtube), 
    • as "Fang Jie", gang member, with Gulinazha ("Qianqian"), and buff Peter Ho ("Li Zihao"), in a bloodbath action movie, under the beady eye of Wang Xueqi as "Tang Hexuan".

He also appeared in the very short fashion and idols clip ad movie Don't Forget Your Original Heart (2018; 10'36 on bilibili), and in the feature length documentary and BTS, SM TOWN The Stage (2015), 107' about global concert SM TOWN LIVE (But only a 36' part is available on Youtube).

7.2  The entertainer

Z.Tao as senior detective MVP agent in The Detective's Adventures 2024

 Since 2012 (120609 at Happy Camp, picture and link above), he has taken part in multiple reality or variety shows, either as guest, regular member, host, mentor or producer.

TALK SHOWS

(Dates are for the show total run) ; [in square brackets, approx dates when Z.Tao took part, when known]
Happy Camp
(1997-2021) [2012, 2014, 
2016, 2018]
Day Day Up
(2008-2021 before changing focus)  [2015]

(SK, Oct 2009-May 2016)
The Ultimate Group
(2014)
[2014]
Beep Plan 
(2018)
[2018]
Hey! What are. You Doing (2020)
[2020]
Hello Saturday(2023)
[2023]


He has engaged in talk shows or variety shows mixing interviews and entertainment such as Happy Camp (in 2012,  2014, 2016.08.13, and 2016.08.26,  2018 ; some recorded cuts relevant to Z.Tao are linked to dates) ;  Day Day Up (in 2015) ; The Ultimate Group (in 2014, ep 5 /7) ; Beep Plan (2018).  The participants are typically interviewed, show their productions, perform, and play party games. - In 2020, he was in ep2 of the self-recorded show Hey! What Are You Doing! (in confinement) ; in 2023 he was a guest of episode 40 of Hello Saturday (a show that crosses borders with music and other games shows ; the poster links to that episode where he made a royal entry with his fellow musicians!)

MUSIC 
SHOWS
(SK - 1998 on) 

Weekly Idol (SK 2011, on)
[2012]
Show Time (SK 2012, on)
[2012]
 Immortal songs (SK 2011, on)[2013]
(SK 2013, on)
[2013]
Let's Sing Kids (SK 2013)
[2013]
Exo's Showtime (SK 2013-14)
[2013-14]
Exo Oven Radio  (SK 2013)
[2013]
Exo's First Box
(SK 2014)
[2014]
XoXo Exo
(SK 2014)
[2014]
Exo 90: 2014
(SK 2014)
[2014]
SurpLines Exo
(SK 2015)
[2015]
Let's Sing Kids
(2015)
[2015]
Rap for Youth (2020)
[2020]
We are Waving (2023)
[2023)
e-Pop Unity
(2023)
[2023]



As a trainee and idol, he has been part of many shows revolving around music, such as guest of South Korea programs Music Bank, Weekly Idol (ep 103, 108 in 2012), Immortal Songs: Singing the Legend   (in 2013), Let's Sing, Kids! Season 1 and 3 (in 2013 and 2015).  He was main host in 2013 for EXO's Showtime ; EXO Oven Radio ; 2014 EXO's First Box and XOXO EXO ; 2015 SurpLines EXO...   In 2020, he was mentoring in the Chinese showcase of rap music in Rap For Youth, together with well-known musicians Victor Ma, Ma Siwei, MC Hotdog (see the playlist of BTS and more on the link to the poster).  In 2023, he was a guest of We Are Waving and promoting e-pop again with Victor Ma and friends in e-Pop Unity 2023 (full  playlist of the 11x2 parts episodes linked to the poster, on YouTube)

SURVIVAL GAME SHOWS
Street Dance of China (2018)
[2018]
Produce 101
(2018)
[2018]
Dance Smash
(2019)
[2019]
Produce Camp
(2020)
[2020]
Sisters Making Waves (2021)
[2021]
Youth π Plan 
 (2023)
[2023]



Back in China, he was the initiator and national producer of Produce 101 (aka Chuang 2018 - available on Youtube, with English subtitles), a survival show modeled on the South Korean eponymous show, rewarding the winners, weeded out from a big class of 100+, by funding a temporary group (such as Bon Bon Girls, in Produce Camp 2020, where Z.Tao was one of the mentors -available on Viki with English subtitles).  The more modest format of Sisters Who Make Waves S2 (2021) was a competition for 30 female artists over 30, in which Z.Tao was a guest of ep.12 (appearing in the end of part 1 to hand out awards on the recording on Youtube with English subtitles) ; whereas Youth π Plan (2023) had participant under 30 compete through 7 co-creation stages with different themes : Z.Tao was a guest for ep.8.   He was also the host of Street Dance of China (2018) and Dance Smash (2019).  

COMEDY or SLEUTHING GAME SHOWS
(SK  2005-2018)  {2015]
(SK 2010, on)
[2014]
Real Hero
(2015)
[2015]
Ace vs Ace
(2016)
[2016]
Ace vs Ace
(2017)
[2017]
The Detectives'
(2021)
[2021]
The Detectives'
(2023)
[2023]
Ace vs Ace
(2023)
[2023]
The Detectives'
(2024)
[2024]

He also took part in comedy variety shows or problem-solving game shows such as Running Man (ep 171), Real Hero (2015), Ace vs Ace (2016 ;  2017 ep1,  and 2023, ep7 phonecall)...  He has been a member of The Detective's Adventures Season 1 (2021), 3 (2023), and (2024). (A recording of a BTS of April 29 is linked to the poster above)

SPORTS THEMED SHOWS
(SK 2013)
[2013]
(SK 2014)
[2014]
(SK 2015)
[2015]
(2024)
[2024]

He was a competitor in sports themed television shows  such as 2013 Idol Star Athletics Championships New Year Special ; 2014 Idol Star Athletics Championships ; and 2015 Idol Star Athletics Championships New Year Special.  He is announced to be a guest of the upcoming badminton and other raquet sports show 挥拍正青春.

REALITY SHOWS AT HOME OR ABROAD
(SK 2014)
[2014]
Law of the Jungle  (2016)
[2016]
Takes a Real Man  (2016-2017)
[2016-17]
The Protectors
(2019)
[2019]
The New Journey  (2022)
[2022]




He traveled the world and got injured in some of the more challenging reality shows sending participants to foreign islands ( Chinese Law of the Jungle, in Vanuatu and Madagascar, 2016 ; or boot camp (Takes a Real Man Season 2  in 2016 ; a full subtitled recording is linked to the poster in the above gallery) ; discovering oneself on travel around the country was also the focus of The New Journey (2022; complete on YouTube linked to poster).   The Protectors (2019) took members around the world to experience animal and environmental protection - it was very interesting!(click on poster to view the 13 x 40'+ episodes, subtitled) on dailymotion)

)

MISC. OTHER
REALITY SHOWS
With You Along the way (2015)
[2015]
Ding Ge Long Qiang (2015)
[2015]
Charming Daddy 
(2015)
[2015)
Bravo Youngsters
(2020)
[2020]
Go to Bed at 11pm  (2022)
[2022]
We Are the Champions  (2023)
[2023]
Dare or Not (2024)

He has also initiated more unusual shows such as Go To Bed At 11pm (2022), which aimed at the promotion of a healthier lifestyle (a recording is linked to the poster above).  He was a guest in ep3 of celeb couple themed With You Along The Way (2015), or experiencing what it is to be a father in Charming Daddy (2015),  took part in the cultural heritage show around Chinese opera, traveling through China  with DingGeLong Dong Qiang  (2015, fully linked to the poster above, but it is not translated; there is a subtitled cut of Z.Tao's parts on YouTube though). ZTao also acted as online officer for ep 5-6 of a learning culture and music program called Bravo Youngsters (2020).  He was among his gamer friends for the e-games and variety show We Are The Champions Season 2 (2023) featuring many celebs in that field  (the poster picture in  the above gallery links to the show with English subtitles on Youtube; it is also available on WeTV).

Above: Z.Tao in The Detective's Adventures.

Below : in Dare or Not, the special 10 episodes reality show of a road trip to Yunnan (designed to showcase a real life fairy tale proposal to Xu Yiyang on April 29, 2024!) in the company of friends. The other noticeable couple was the one of Jiang Chao (姜潮) and Medina/Madina Memet (麦迪娜), happily married and parents since 2019 ; other members featured were Zhang Dada (张大大), real name Zhang Wei (张韡) TV host from Hunan TV;  AK (傅晓东, Fu Xiaodong, artist with LTao);  Zhang Baiqiao (张百乔)、Ao Ziyi (敖子逸)、Xiang Zuo (向佐, aka Jacky Heung)、Huang Yi  (黄奕, singer and actress)、Huang Yubo (黄誉博, singer signed with LTao since 2023)、Na Ying (那英, singer and musical judge).

(this section will be expanded, later; meanwhile : info about the dramas, movies, and shows are available on the actor page for Huang Zitao)


back to Table of Contents.

8/ 2023-2024  PROJECTS

Dance practice :

Nov.11, 2013 : focus on TAO in the famous dance Growl that was shot in one take together with EXO for the Korean version (click on picture for full performance) . There was also an EXO-M take for the Chinese version.
At LTao  ACE-YKYB dance studio, Z.Tao practicing the song "Nobody"  from his new album, for the Guangzhou concerts of 17-18 Nov.2023 (click on picture for full video)


New Concerts and Albums :

From 11-05 Weibo : "In the past 10 years, I have seen many fans get married, have children, and have happy families, and many of them have grown up a lot. I used to live for my own study and work, but now I live for my family and career. I am very happy because my original intention is slowly coming true. The world is a big place and there are many capable people. We cannot have all the best in the world every day, but we must have the best version of ourselves every day. A good life is not about how much gold and silver we have, but about working and living happily every day. I hope We can all do it. I am still here when you are ten years old, and I will still be here in the future. We will always be blue and never change our color. See you on the 17-18th. ??" (in Guangzhou.)

The 17 November, 2023, performance in GZ had to be canceled because Z.Tao was down with the flu since before the 13th, but he still did the show  on Nov.18 with impressive staging, singing many songs from his 10 year C-pop and rap repertoire, like T.A.O. (left : GIF from TikTok ;  see also YT short )
 above: GIF from screenshots of poster, ticket, lightstick, on Tiktok

The end of the year 2023 was busy for Z.Tao with another concert in Zhengzhou and,  later on Dec.22-23, the Qiancheng music weekend +  inauguration of his Hangzhou Ace-YKYB store, X-27  Park Mall Party on Dec.25 coinciding with 12 years of Z.Tao since the first videos of his martial arts on stage were released.


Three new songs, including a collaboration with Lu Han, and another, with YungK2, from part 2 of "30s club" ; it comes with a short thrilling MV on Weibo :

Pretend 《假 装》(A sad and explicit lyrics MV about broken love and stupid exes that sounds strangely like a playground carousel tune).


... and the reality show proposal of 2024


back to Table of Contents.

9/ PROVISIONAL CONCLUSION

Lot of comments have been written and shown about the phenomenal artist, and I'd like to conclude for the time being, with this excellent kaleidoscope of Tao footage.... except the VVHL who coined it either got taken in by a hoax that went around for a while, or put it in on purpose to check who would react to the fake info.

Hint:  Tao is very sensitive, but a pessimist about love matters, since his first experiences were stinging: he got dumped - two of his songs refer to it directly, Alone, Reluctantly (2015)... (used in his 2019 drama The Brightest Star In The Sky). Up till recently, he was very opposed to rumors that he be in any kind of relationship, although he expressed love and gratefulness ritually to his fans for the rush of high-spirit that he gets from their support, and he has ambiguously flaunted male camaraderie and a public admiration of some female stars like Korean singer IU (whom he perhaps even confessed that he liked more than just admired) and actress Yang Mi.   

Z.Tao has a relaxed view about relationships between employees of his company. He does not forbid them and even said that that he had no objection to  girls dating girls, but that he was skeptical about true love, thinking it was just about people "getting together because they want certain things". He may have been reinforced in this attitude, after fanfics long ago threw him together as romantic partner of Kris Wu, who also did not take such things kindly. It damaged their image as once close friends in Exo.  Later, the scandal that sent Wu to jail in 2022 finished blowing to smithereens the golden quartet of boys that once were best friends forever (yet, Z.Tao is still close friends with LuHan, so he's not so fickle that he turns his back on all and forgets everything).

Xu Yiyang dissing Z.Tao in 2020Z.Tao and Xu Yiyang in YunnanApril 2024

He was also frequently seen together with Xu Yiyang 徐艺洋, so the rumor about their being together was suspected as true, despite he often denied it, and allegedly did not want to go public because he feared a backlash against her or himself from some fans who might oppose their dating. But there has been footage of their dining together with his mom... Xu Yiyang is one with whom he loved to have mock-dissing, who could act "cold" or disapproving without risk to her employment, and in 2023 there was that "banner" professing his love for her, seen in a Korean club where they were going together. Z.Tao looked very close to Yiyang on an April trip together in Yunnan and a report published then speculated that he might have proposed to her at that place. The report further presented the singer actress as : "Born in 1997 [in Sichuan], Xu Yiyang began her journey in the entertainment industry by joining SM Entertainment. From 2016 to 2018, she gained prominence as a trainee in the SMRookies project. Following her stint with SM entertainment, she decided to return to her home country to further pursue her career. In 2020, Xu Yiyang took part in the Produce Camp competition, although she did not secure a debut opportunity. Apart from her singing career, Xu Yiyang has also explored acting." She issued a debut album under L.Tao and has been much promoted by Z.Tao's company, although she is not their only singer and employee.

But another report revealed that the flowered set where the proposal was rumored to have taken place was in fact a set for a variety show that Z.Tao is producing. Z.Tao's company was cautiously not confirming (nor denying) the proposal story at the time,  but....   Fast forward to mid-July :

Rushing towards love or only daring bungee diving with Xu Yiyang recording his anguished shouts ?  (Follow Me, Dare or Not, July 2024 variety show) and 240714 AK Douyin update with #ZTAO and #XuYiyang

On July 14, rumors were flying that Z.Tao and Xu YiYang at last had acknowledged that they are in a relationship, supported by an interesting interview and clips from the show... [subtitles by Baidu ZTAOBar ] Bashful Z.Tao states that to him, love may not be straightforward and romantic...    In another moment from that episode, Tao exposed the 3 year history of their relationship since 2021 and after bringing many bouquets of flowers, said "in future, I don't want to hide with you. I want to talk with you, hold hands when you want. do whatever you want, don't care about anyone. this is the life I wanna give you instead of us hiding."


Z.Tao : 这是隐忍的爱 (This is forbearing love) ... Xu Yiyang : 你很牛, 你很棒 (You are awesome)  - [Follow Me Dare or Not]
Z.Tao is known for having exposed his deepest wounds and fears to public in moments of shows and events, so this+ other pics and declarations shared by the couple on their social media look like when the hailang can send at last their heartfelt   
 Congratulations.

Z.Tao admitted he was not the ideal romantic lover or dad. He was probably more of a cautious, sometimes blunt and sarcastic "iceberg" in that respect although not an "ace" as some might wonder. The rumor that had him courting XYY was not confirmed by both parties after the "declaration" documented on Oct.10, 2023.   

So, was the new "announcement" in the very romantic recording (embedded in Follow Me Dare or not  broadcast July 2024) only hype for the show?    

Then....
[Z.Tao Weibo, July 14, 2024]  "May we always be us❤️@Xu Yiyang-Yiyang"  to which [Yiyang Weibo] replied : "Make a wish at sunset by the sea✨@ACE-YOUNGKINGYOUNGBOSS"
As the Dare or Not show aired its last episode, it was obvious that this was the lavish and original way Z.Tao specially designed his proposal for his love, and associating in his joy his friends and fans everywhere.

Z.Tao did say he'd get "married next year" and that he'd "invite the hailang to his wedding": the fans are still waiting for him to make good on those promises, although no-one wants to scold him for postponing, or rush him into choices that have to be his own... (remembering his T.A.O. lines " 我相信我的执着,我相信我的选自   ... 懂得了所谓自由...": I believe in my persistence, I believe in my choices, and the so-called freedom)Besides, virtual will do: a video of the private party should be enough! No need for hordes of fans to invade the ceremony.

To get back to the hoax (anecdote daughter story) click on picture for the video, admire the stunts, watch and smile : Z.Tao is not that bad an actor since many thought this bit was true !

More about Z.Tao (even if it is somewhat old, from August 2017) in this VVHL blog piece.

and to follow his news: Weibo;  facebook ; huang ztao FB ; twitter BaiduZTAOBar (among other social media.) + the L.Tao company Weibo 



back to Table of Contents.                                                                     Last revision  July 16, 2024-Sept.9, 2024

Happy Birthday to Huang Zitao on his Thirty-First birthday, May 2, 2024 !



Never getting older and may wishes come true for everyone!

Latest news about the proposal : it took place during the reality/variety show recorded several months back, on April 29 in Yunnan, so it is only for confirmation to the world,  :-)   : 

Relayed by Marcus on his Tuesday episode of August 27, 2024 (linked, watch from time stamp 5:36), my captions added to my GIF excerpt.


This picture from Xu Yiyang's Weibo 

The "Dare or Not /Follow Me" reality show is available on Youtube with English subtitles (cast detailed in Variety shows section, above)

And now?  Waiting for the wedding, which will presumably be televised. No date revealed yet.