In a case that has sent shockwaves across China’s entertainment scene, a male celebrity was executed after being convicted of murdering his underage girlfriend following her decision to end their relationship.
This marks the first known execution of a public figure within the Chinese entertainment industry and has sparked widespread public reaction.
Local media outlets such as Hongseong Newspaper and Geukmok Newspaper reported that the Intermediate People’s Court in Shaanxi Province sentenced Zhang Yi Yang, known both as an actor and singer, to death after he brutally killed his girlfriend.
His execution by firing squad was reportedly carried out in December of last year.
News of the punishment gained attention after the court’s official announcement circulated on Chinese social media platforms.
Court documents revealed that Zhang, born in 1990, had shown troubling behavior prior to the murder, including multiple suicide threats in reaction to his girlfriend’s decision to end their relationship.
The two had been dating since 2021. On his birthday in February 2022, he lured the girl to meet with him, and during yet another heated argument, he launched a deadly attack using a weapon he had brought in advance.
“He stabbed the victim’s left carotid artery, jugular vein, trachea, and esophagus, causing severe damage,” according to the court’s report. “She died at the scene due to massive blood loss and airway obstruction.” The girl was only 16 years old at the time of her death.
Following the murder, Zhang tried to hide his crime by dumping her body in a reservoir and discarding her mobile phone and blood-soaked clothes.
The next day, he attempted suicide in a hotel room but was found in time by hotel staff, who rushed him to a hospital. He was later taken into custody by police.
Citing the “brutal” nature of the act and its “socially negative impact,” the court handed down a death sentence, which was swiftly carried out.
Zhang Yi Yang had previously participated in variety shows and released solo music albums.
His work in the film industry earned him recognition in 2019, when he received the Best New Actor award at the prestigious Jinshangjiang (金尚奬) awards.