LayarHijau – The death of Yu Menglong has captured global attention, while also reigniting discussions about the dark history of Tianyu Media, China’s only state-owned talent agency. The agency has come under scrutiny for its alleged involvement in a string of mysterious deaths of young celebrities over nearly two decades, from Tan Beixi in 2006 to Yu Menglong in 2025. Observers suggest a pattern linked to the agency’s powerful connections across politics, business, and entertainment.
A review of celebrities who died under Tianyu Media’s management shows a variety of officially reported causes, ranging from accidents to suicides attributed to depression. The list includes Tan Beixi (2006, car accident), Shang Yubo (2011, fall), Bian Ce (2015, fall), Benxi (2016, fall), Qiao Renliang (2016, suicide), Ren Jiao (2017, fall), Cai Zhong (2020, suicide), and Yu Menglong (2025, fall). Among them, Ren Jiao and Yu Menglong were officially classified by authorities as having died in “alcohol-related accidents.”
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Since Tan Beixi’s tragic accident, information about the artist has almost completely disappeared online. When LayarHijau searched Baidu on Monday, November 3, 2025, no results appeared, including regarding the suspected 2006 accident. According to an article by Star EBC published on October 4, 2025, the internet in China at that time was far less developed, making it difficult for the public to track or verify the artist’s existence. Tan Beixi’s name resurfaced only after the Yu Menglong case drew attention, as netizens began examining the pattern of mysterious deaths of young talents under Tianyu Media.
Questions about Tan Beixi also appeared on Zhihu around October 5–6, 2025. On October 2, 2025, a user on Threads posted about Tan Beixi, though the name was briefly misattributed to singer Benxi, who is also listed among the Tianyu Media artists who died under tragic circumstances. The Threads post noted that Benxi once released the song 〈Pink Gun〉, widely interpreted as referencing the tragic fate of Qiao Renliang. Three months after Qiao’s death, Benxi also passed away under unclear circumstances.
The near-complete absence of Tan Beixi’s information online in 2006 can be explained by several factors. Internet penetration in China was limited at the time, social media and online archives were still in early stages, and much public information was not digitally recorded. In addition, controversial celebrity deaths were often underreported, and in some cases, older records may have been removed or lost. This explains why Tan Beixi’s name remained largely absent from public discussion until renewed interest surfaced following the Yu Menglong case.
This phenomenon highlights how Tan Beixi, despite being absent from public records for nearly two decades, has returned to public attention, raising questions about digital traces and transparency in China’s entertainment industry.
