PUBLISHED ONJune 15, 2026 11:13 AMBYKristy ChuaChinese actor Jin Ze, who died aged 33 on June 4, is alleged to have suffered from overwork and sexual assault in newly released screenshots.
His ex-girlfriend Li Zifeng - who is the CEO of Hecai Culture and Media which co-produced the film The Sun Rises on Us All (2025) - disclosed on June 13 screenshots of their alleged chat logs from as far back as 2022.
The unverified messages contained voice-to-text messages allegedly from Jin Ze claiming that he was frequently called to social events. "It's impossible to avoid this in society. How can I avoid these things? When I was at [an entertainment company], I went to [a streaming platform] to accompany [names of the men] and those gay men. Who can understand the suffering I endured?" the message said.
"He forced me to get on my knees, bit me and dragged me to the bed. How can I explain that?"
Netizens have speculated that the names mentioned in the message are high-ranking staff in big entertainment companies in China.
In separate chat logs, Jin Ze allegedly told Li he felt "close to death" after working long hours from 6am to midnight daily. According to his drama listings, he had seven series released between 2025 and 2026, some being microdramas with more than 60 episodes each. Another three series have not been released.
This prompted netizens to urge authorities to investigate the unscrupulous practice of showbiz's long working hours, and look out for celebrities' physical and mental health.
In one of her posts, she wrote: "Jin Ze was being bullied and I didn't look further into it. I should've been there for him and helped him."
News of Jin Ze's death broke on June 6 through a statement published by his management agency Shengshi Guangnian Culture Co. He was said to have died in his home in Hangzhou on June 2.
The agency stated that the news of his death had come suddenly and that his family was handling his afterlife matters. "Please refrain from fabricating or spreading rumours and do not speculate on his cause of death," they wrote. "Let us work together to preserve his dignity and remember him with respect."
Born in Weihai, Shandong province, Jin Ze, whose real name was Zhang Jia Wei, initially made his debut as a model after graduating from Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology. He then appeared on the 2016 music show I Can See Your Voice and transitioned into acting.
His credits include Hello, Joann (2019), Forget You, Remember Love (2020), and Legally Romance (2022).
Shengshi Guangnian Culture Co has yet to release a statement regarding the new information published.
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