English influencer fails English exam, takes break from social media

A Chinese social media influencer known for sharing English learning tips has stopped posting after failing a college English proficiency exam, according to a report by Redstar News.

The influencer, surnamed Zhou, boasts over 90,000 followers on Xiaohongshu, a lifestyle-oriented platform similar to Instagram. On China's Twitter-like platform Weibo, Zhou's situation became a trending topic recently.

Zhou, a sophomore in college, launched his account in April 2023 to document his own English studies, not to become an influencer, according to his post. He clarified that he never claimed to be an English expert and emphasized his own struggles with the language.

While disappointed by the criticism he received after failing the exam, Zhou also acknowledged the supportive messages. He attributed his large following to a combination of luck and consistent effort, admitting that maintaining the account required time and energy. Zhou's decision to halt posting stems from his desire to focus on studying and retaking the exam.

Zhou scored 411 out 710 on the exam, falling 14 points short of the passing mark of 425.