In a recent development that has caught the attention of the entertainment industry, 26-year-old Chinese actress Zhao Lusi, entangled in a dispute with her talent agency, Galaxy Entertainment, has taken to live-streaming daily to voice her grievances against what she perceives as exploitation by her management. This ongoing saga has captured the public interest unabated.

Zhao candidly spoke about her initial reasons for entering the entertainment industry during a broadcast. Contrary to parental wishes for her not to gain widespread fame, she signed up with a company on a whim, never anticipating her current level of success. Versatile Hong Kong director Wong Jing, who previously praised Zhao as one of the best actresses of her generation, revealed the true nature of her dispute with the agency during a livestream, concurrently critiquing the chaotic practices prevalent in the mainland entertainment sphere, highlighting it as a phenomenon of “single-star” companies.

Wong Jing pointed out that the root cause of such disputes often lies in the uneven distribution of profits. He labeled Galaxy Entertainment as a quintessential “single-star” company that, despite having signed numerous talents, only managed to promote Zhao Lusi to stardom, leaving the others languishing in obscurity. His sharp commentary coincided with the intensification of Zhao’s contract termination battle with Galaxy Entertainment, sparking a broader critique of the distorted agent management model within the industry.

Zhao’s ordeal has illustrated Wong Jing’s criticisms vividly. Her tug-of-war with Galaxy Entertainment began last year when she fell ill mid-shoot, a standoff that has persisted for eight months. The company maintains that their actions are lawful, yet Zhao counterattacks in her broadcasts, questioning the lack of communication from the shareholders and accusing the agency of dismantling her personal team and viewing her merely as a “cash cow” while denying her basic professional safeguards. The startling details of her contract include a 15-year binding term, an exorbitant 70% commission fee, and a staggeringly high penalty fee of 400 million RMB for breaching the contract; even a health-related work stoppage results in a hefty fine.

Wong Jing asserted that the scenario where an agency focuses on promoting only one individual is not unique but a widespread industry practice. He referred to stars like Yang Mi, initially propelled by her former agency Jiaxing Media, which later also managed to promote another top actress, Dilraba Dilmurat. He noted that most companies function in this “single-star” system, such as Yuehua Entertainment, which relies heavily on Wang Yibo, with contributions from this single star accounting for a significant portion of the company’s revenue.

Regarding why companies struggle to promote more than one star, Wong Jing attributed it to a combination of necessary talent, timing, and capital. He noted that Zhao’s rise was not solely the result of the agency’s efforts but also her acting skills, audience appeal, and the timing of her entering the market during the boom of period dramas. Wong opined that replicating Zhao Lusi’s success would require formidable capability, implying that the agency might lack the necessary prowess to promote another star of her caliber.

Recalling her decision to enter the industry, Zhao mentioned choosing Galaxy Entertainment partly because it seemed unlikely to make her a star, viewing it as an experiment since her parents were initially against her joining the showbiz. “The company appeared too inexperienced in star-making, which suited my parents’ preference for me to stay out of the limelight; the plan was to leave if I didn’t get roles, but then I did, and here I am,” Zhao explained during her stream.

Wong Jing criticized some agencies for treating artists as mere “money trees,” ignoring the essential collaborative nature of artist-management relationships. He argued that such attitudes could inevitably lead to trust deficits and disputes over contract terminations. He called for agencies to return to foundational principles—safeguarding artist rights, ensuring contract transparency, and equitable distribution of resources—rather than treating artists as disposable commodities, stressing that a partnership based on extracting every last drop could only head towards an inevitable fallout.

Zhao Lusi has risen to the rank of a top-tier celebrity in recent years with her roles in popular series like “The Longest Day in Chang’an,” “Couldn’t Hide It,” and “Court Lady”, cementing her status. Amid her health crisis last year during the filming of “Lover,” she was rushed to the hospital. Zhao recently lamented on social media about her agency demanding compensation for cancellations due to her health issues. Frustrated with being both sidelined by her agency and held by a prohibitive contract, she voiced on social media, “No need for you to blacklist me; I’m done!” a statement that resonated widely, symbolically tearing up what netizens dubbed her “indenture” to Galaxy Entertainment.