LayarHijau– Young actor Zhou Keyu has recently become the center of public attention after viewers noticed a significant change in the end credits of his latest drama, Sniper Butterfly, which he stars in alongside Michelle Chen Yanxi. The usual note indicating “United States” for his nationality—seen in his previous works—has quietly disappeared.
Amid growing speculation, Zhou’s studio released a statement confirming that he voluntarily renounced his U.S. citizenship when he turned 18. He is now a full Chinese citizen with no dual status. Many netizens applauded the decision as a patriotic gesture, praising him as a “proud young patriot.”
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But as the praise poured in, the spotlight unexpectedly shifted to another star—Liu Yifei. Some commenters questioned why the acclaimed actress still holds U.S. citizenship, demanding that she follow Zhou’s example. The debate escalated rapidly, and Liu suddenly found herself the target of harsh criticism, her name shooting up trending lists across social media.
Zhou Keyu, born in Los Angeles in 2002 under the name Zhou Daniel, spent his early years as an American citizen. According to Southern Entertainment Network, his childhood was far from easy—his parents divorced, he seldom saw them, and neighbors once had to rush him to the hospital after discovering him with a dangerously high fever over 39°C.
At age seven, a house fire forced him to hide in a closet to survive. After the incident, his older brother, who lived in Beijing, brought him to China. Zhou once emotionally shared, “My brother is my parent.”
He later entered the entertainment industry under Jiaxing Xinyue. After debuting with the boy group BEST in 2019, he transitioned into acting and has been steadily gaining recognition through romantic dramas and now his latest release.
While Zhou’s citizenship move has been widely welcomed by fans, it has also reignited long-running discussions about national identity within China’s entertainment world—especially for stars with foreign backgrounds.
Many argue that pressuring Liu Yifei is unfair, noting that citizenship is a personal decision. Others insist that A-list celebrities who thrive in the Chinese market should reflect what they view as the “ideal cultural identity.”
The heated conversation underscores how sensitive the topic of nationality remains in China. For celebrities, it’s not just a matter of legal status—it’s a question of loyalty, belonging, and public perception.
