#thank you to squad that gave me anti-art block suggestions

[tei-to-tei]

he deserves the world, i love him so much

[myprincecandy]

[ENG] Men’s health - Huang Zitao: Nothing can weaken me

scans credit to lunchbox

On 27th May, the movie “Edge of Innocence” will be released in China. His very first movie was praised widely by experienced actors. In the 2nd season of “Takes A Real Man”, he’s the rebellious soldier who in the end, became the top soldier. And now he’s the endorser of the 2017 Super Boy show, with the words “Follow Me” displayed proudly on the posters. Is this still the “Huang Zitao” you knew from before?

The interview took place after the photoshoot. Exhausted, Huang Zitao was sprawled out on the chair, letting the make-up artist remove his make-up first, taking a break before indicating that the interview can begin. Because the chat was done with him facing the make-up mirror, it resulted in a rather symbolic scene. He would stare very hard at himself in the mirror as he answered the questions; at times he would answer back, staring at us in the mirror. Or he would be answering, seeming spaced out, staring into himself in the mirror.

There seemed to be no predictable pattern to him, as he suddenly swings from being high to angry, talkative and then refusing to explain things. But actually, according to psychology, people usually understand themselves through what they see in the mirror. As such, when Huang Zitao’s staring at himself at the mirror while answering the questions, those are things that he’s actually saying to himself. When he’s staring at us (or rather, the people who care about him in the room) and answering, what’s being expressed is the understanding he hopes to gain from others, and the emotional connection. When he’s staring at the interviewer through the mirror (i.e. unfamiliar bystanders) and answering the questions, the cautious attitude is a display of the defensive measures he has put in the place to protect against the hurt he had suffered from before. And as for spacing out and staring at himself or into the distance as he answers, those are things that he’s saying to the future.

This time round, let’s might as well make things a tad more special, and show, in its original form, how the interview took place, and categorize it according to the above categories, throw it a bit of background information, and ultimately, help you get to personally know Huang Zitao.

“Super confident in himself”

Q: We’re having a military theme for this photoshoot, do you like it?

T: Yes! Actually I look good in just about everything.

Q:  Which part of you do you think is good looking? Tell us so that we can take note of it more.

T: All of me looks good. When taking photos please photo the right side.

With regards to his looks, Huang Zitao’s forever super satisfied with himself. We’ve heard that he’ll even examine his photos carefully, and tell himself, “Actually I didn’t really put on that much weight, I’m still very handsome.” He’s also very disciplined when it comes to eating. He worries that if he thinks only about eating every day, he’ll look so bad on camera that no one will look at him again. However, afterwards we found out that he’s been taking traditional Chinese medication as he wasn’t feeling well. That’s why he has to eat 3 meals daily, which is quite a challenge as he used to eat only 1 meal a day.

Q: You think you do have a gift for acting, right?

T: I’m a genius. Really. I feel that I have come to this earth with a great mission and responsibility given to me by the heavens. Once I’ve completed with the mission I can go back.

With regards to his acting, a few veteran actors, such as Wang Xueqi from “The Game Changer”, has given high praise for Huang Zitao’s acting, saying that he has a bright future ahead of him. In the filming of “Railroad Tigers”, Huang Zitao’s refusal to use stunt doubles and the ferocity at which he did the stunts himself, made Jackie Chan felt as if he was looking at his younger self. Since then, he has called Huang Zitao as his “beloved student”. Actually what Huang Zitao’s really calling out for is the following, “When everyone’s doubting you, on a very quiet set, when everyone’s looking to see if you can deliver that scene. Be it crying or getting angry, in any case, it’s those sort of important scene. When you are done with the scene, and everyone’s clapping for you. When the silence is broken by the thunderous applause, that kind of recognition is really a great comfort to me. Hence I feel that I do have the talent for this, and have shown my abilities. When everyone feels that I don’t have what it takes, I’ll show them with my abilities. Everyone then slowly start to jokingly call me the best actor. Well of course, it’s because I acted well. So since everyone’s praising me, I’ll accept it.”

Q: In the 2nd season of “Takes A Real Man”, why did you manage to take the spot of the top soldier, i.e. “soldier king”?

T: What do you think is the reason? It’s because I’m a true soldier. I retired from the Leishen commando squad at the age of 23.

Actually that is just a national education program. But Huang Zitao still transformed from a wild, untamed horse, into a real soldier. From him not really knowing where’s home or who’s his family, to slowly growing up step by step, that growth has brought about a whole new understanding of him for everyone. Before leaving the squad, the squad leader gave him a medal from the special operations team. He has tattooed the medal on himself, forever defining himself as a soldier.

Q: What’s your definition of the C-POP that you wish to develop? What’s the style like?”

T: I’m C-POP. C-POP is me. Time can and will prove everything. When you all interview me again 10 years later, I would be the representative of C-POP.

Actually when Huang Zitao first made his debut, what he saw was Korea’s music, K-POP, that had become wildly popular. It’s a mix of Korea’s popular music, electronic music, hip hop, dance etc. He wants to make China’s very own China-POP. Currently for all his songs, it’s arranged and produced by Daryl.K (of his age), while he himself is in charge of most of the composing and lyrics.

“Laying bare his heart”

Q: You’ve previously practiced martial arts, so you must have excellent control over your body. Did you have problem performing the lines when you made your first movie?

T: Initially it was tough remembering the lines. When making EOI, I remembered that there was a rainy scene. Perhaps it was the noise in the surrounding area, but that scene was taking me forever and it just wasn’t good. I got very angry and so I asked the director to give me a minute to rest. I went to vent my frustrations against the wall, hitting it. Once I was done, I went back to the scene again and it was finally done. Now I only need to read it once to remember it.

A lot of times, Huang Zitao has expressed his admiration for those who “really has the skills and abilities.” Because he had benefited a lot from his senior’s experiences. For example, Jackie Chan, whom he met on his second film. Jackie Chan taught him to take note of the position of the cameras. No matter who he’s in the scene with, he has to remember not to block the others from the camera. He has to coordinate his position according to how the cameras moved, and Jackie Chan went into specifics as to what to do at each point, such that he was able to act naturally and at the same time, take note of the cameras.

Q: Are you thankful to the reality TV shows for being such a turning point for your career?

T: I didn’t go on all the reality TV shows for fun.   To me, even if those shows are not popular, they are valuable life experiences for me. For example, I went on Korea’s Law of the Jungle when I was 18 years old. I went on it again in China when I was 23. It’s because it gives me memories. You can’t experience that kind of life in reality. Despite not having anything, every day we’re laughing so happily. Nowadays people have basically everything, but yet every day they are so unhappy.

Q: Are you different from the other popular young male idols because you have trained in martial arts since young and hence is not afraid of hardship?

T: Everyone’s afraid of hardship. It all depends on whether you are willing to endure it.  I said this during the concert tour press launch earlier on. Artists are actually no different from your cleaners, or normal office workers. It’s just a job. So do it well since a job is given to you. Making a fuss and wanting to go home over a small cut is just so pretentious. I feel that those really are very trivial matters. I’ve never felt that the things I’ve done are hard/tough. Those are my choices. I only have one thought and that is to complete it and do it well.”

It’s precisely this declaration of wanting to do things to the best of his ability once he’s made up his mind, that Super Boy decide to pick him as the spokesperson. He represents that special characteristic of this era; of the freedom and abandon at which the 90-ers expresses themselves, unafraid of controversy and of being “anti-ed”. Having long been “anti-ed” and “vilified”, Huang Zitao has this suggestion for this year’s Super Boy participants, and that is to be always confident in themselves. In this internet age, many people may come under immense stress, getting attacked scolded & vilified online. When that happens, you should always be confident in yourself, never give in and never follow the masses blindly.  It’s just like what his lyrics has always conveyed: “to always work hard, and rule this world.”

Q: How’s preparations for the concert?

T: About to start dance practice soon. I’m not good at dancing, so gotta practice.

In the world of music, Huang Zitao’s like a very persistent, hot blooded youth. His staff witnesses how he stays from noon till late into midnight at the recording studio every day.  Present in all of his original works, are his persistence towards pursuing C-POP, and his attitude towards life. It’s also as he had said, ‘if you want to really understand me, go listen to my songs.’ There was once when he, after finishing a song, played it for his staff. And it moved one of his female staff, who had recently been through some setbacks in her relationship, to tears. She was sitting at the back, and cried as she listened to it. Huang Zitao quietly passed her some tissue after seeing that, and only said, “I cried too when I was writing the lyrics for this.”

I will not go die easily

Q: Do you still care about how others think about you?

T: 10 years ago when I was in school, I told everyone that I wanted to be a star. No one believed me, and they all felt that there’s something wrong with me, scolding and mocking me. 10 years later, I’m sitting here. I have become a star. I don’t care about whatever it is you say now, it’s really not worth caring about. I only care about whether my future will be better. Right now, I’m just waiting for the right time for all my things (to happen), because I’m ahead of time. As for my talk on my dreams of the future, it really doesn’t matter if you believe in it or not. Because 10 years later I can definitely do it. I can achieve all the things I want to achieve.

Q: We have toy bombs as props today in our photoshoot, and it’s kind of similar to those nasty rumors. Are you still afraid of those things? Previously you have said that though you may not appear to care, deep inside your heart has been pierced through a million times already.

T: I’ve not been afraid (of those) for a very long time.

Q: Do you want to argue/show that you are very hardworking?

T: There’s no need to. What’s the use? Everyone knows how to talk about it.

Q: So does that make the way you live even more unadulterated and individualistic?

T: The way I live my life is very simple. I like the people whom I like, and just do my things. Don’t give a damn about what others say. Isn’t this how life is like? Everyone will die someday, so all the more you must make the most out of the way you live. Those who are wasting time every day, I really don’t know what he’s after. So why should I bother with them? There are better people for me to meet in the future. There are things that I need to slowly think through, and I need to make sure each step I take is a solid/grounded, so I won’t fall down. That’s my life. I have said that I will definitely fulfill my dreams and achieve all that I wish to do. Why? It’s because I have the self-confidence. Because I can. Because I’ll persevere. You can choose not to believe in it. But just wait and see 10 years later. I just want to be the best I can be. I’m working hard to achieve the value of life, and that’s ok. Whether you like me or not it’s up to you.

Q: What if others are unkind to you?

T: Stay far away from him. Even if others harm me, I won’t harm others. That’s my principle.

Q: Who are the people whom you respect?

T: I respect people who are capable, talented and kind. I respect everyone around me, those who are good to me, I respect my family, teacher, friends and fans. As for those whom I don’t know, and who are prejudiced against me despite not knowing the truth, they really don’t matter to me.

Postscript

Lastly, you really don’t need to try to decide whether you like Huang Zitao or not based on your preferences or emotions. We just happened to have one image in our minds.  Once there was a young boy who practiced martial arts. Much wrong was done to him and as he gritted his teeth and carried on, he thought, “Why don’t you like me? I don’t care even if you don’t like me! I’m not afraid of hardship; one day I’ll make my name known throughout this world…..” and all the while, he’s  practicing his moves tirelessly.