Chinese actor Cheng Yi has recently become the center of online discussion after a controversy regarding his real birth year surfaced. While fans were already debating the issue, an explanation from his former manager only seemed to intensify the situation.

The controversy began when a court document circulated on social media revealed that Cheng Yi had withdrawn a lawsuit against a netizen who allegedly posted false information about him. However, what caught people’s attention was the birth date listed in the document: April 13, 1989. For years, the actor has publicly stated that he was born on May 17, 1990.

Although the difference is only about a year, the issue has drawn attention because it affects how actors are categorized within the Chinese entertainment industry. In China, actors are often grouped by generation based on their birth years. Those born between 1990 and 1994 are typically classified as part of the “post-90s” generation, and Cheng Yi has long been placed in that category alongside stars such as Xiao Zhan, Bai Jingting, Lu Han, and Yang Yang.

If the birth year shown in the court document is accurate, Cheng Yi would instead belong to the older “post-85s” group, often compared with actors like Lin Gengxin, Jing Boran, Luo Yunxi, and Chen Xiao. Because of this, some netizens speculated that his management company might have adjusted his age to give him a stronger advantage in the highly competitive entertainment industry, as the “post-90s” actor group includes many extremely popular names.

As the debate intensified, Cheng Yi’s former manager stepped forward to offer an explanation. According to the manager, Cheng Yi was physically taller and more mature than most children his age when he was young. His family therefore allowed him to start elementary school one year earlier than usual.

Because of school enrollment requirements, the family reportedly adjusted his official household registration documents to make him appear one year older. The manager insisted that Cheng Yi was actually born in 1990, and that the earlier date appearing in official documents was simply the result of administrative changes made during childhood.

The manager also added that the reason the issue attracted so much attention was because Cheng Yi has become such a well-known figure. Nevertheless, instead of calming the situation, the explanation has sparked even more debate among netizens about the actor’s real birth year.

Sources: HHT