TV heartthrob puts hometown in focus

London exhibition highlights pictures portraying the allure and charm of Shanghai

Hu Ge is no stranger to cameras. The heartthrob actor has starred in over 14 TV series, two movies and released three albums in the past two years. Now, the 34-year-old has discovered a new role behind the camera.

Hu's photographs, featuring his home city Shanghai, are being displayed at an exhibition in central London from June 13-18.

As Shanghai's tourism ambassador and a passionate amateur photographer, Hu was invited to take part in the Hometown exhibition at London's Alfred Dunhill Burdon House. It is one of a series of initiatives to promote the image of Shanghai, London's sister city.

Hu is one of the most popular stars in China with over 48 million followers on Sina Weibo, a Chinese twitter-like service. He is also among the highest-paid stars in China. Last year, his three TV series received more than 19 billion online views. He is reported to have earned over 200 million yuan ($30 million; 27 million euros) in endorsement fees for more than 30 advertisements in 2015.

The photography and video exhibition showcases work from invited artists from China and abroad that have shared their interpretations of Shanghai and what "hometown" means to them.

Planning to capture panoramic photos of the city, Hu climbed to the top of the Shanghai Tower, more than 600 meters above ground. "The weather was not ideal and the tower was still under construction," says Hu. "But I was very glad to grasp a moment from the Shanghai's developing process."

Hu was appointed as a tourism ambassador for Shanghai in January. During his two-year tenure, he will appear in videos, illustrated books and at major events to promote the city's image such as the ongoing Amazing Shanghai campaign in London.

"As a Shanghai native, I feel very lucky and honored to be the ambassador. I love the city and it is an opportunity for me to further understand my hometown," Hu said during an interview with China Daily on June 13. "It also means a major responsibility as I am not only representing myself but also the city."

It has long been a tradition for Shanghai to polish its brand with the help of celebrities from various fields. Former NBA star Yao Ming and Olympic champion hurdler Liu Xiang, both Shanghai natives, have also previously been selected as the city's faces.

"If Yao Ming (2.29 meters tall) is Shanghai's height (gaodu in Chinese), Liu Xiang is Shanghai's speed (sudu in Chinese), then I am Shanghai's Baidu (the top search engine in China)," Hu quips.

"So while in Shanghai we do have the picturesque Bund, a living example of British and Western architecture, with the best restaurants and leisure facilities. We also have the old town with Shanghai-style shikumen houses adorned with beautiful stone arches, and the many interesting alleyways full of diverse arts and culture that make my hometown so dynamic," Hu says in a special message for the campaign.

"It does help a lot to promote Shanghai with celebrities from various fields," says Chen Jingxi, deputy director of Shanghai Information Office. "But the ambassadors need to be not only famous, but also enjoy a good reputation."

Hu was appointed as the city's ambassador for being an example of "positive energy".

Born in Shanghai's Xuhui district in 1982, he was enrolled in the Shanghai Theater Academy in 2001 and immediately skyrocketed to stardom in 2005 after playing the leading role in Chinese Paladin, a TV series based on a popular role play game of the same name.

However, one year later, Hu was severely injured in a car accident, which killed his assistant. It took him about a year to recover and return to the industry.

In 2015, Hu had another career takeoff thanks to the TV drama Nirvana in Fire. In the series, Mei Changsu, played by Hu, relies solely on his wits to avenge the betrayal of his father and fellow kinsmen after losing all his kung fu skills in a battle.

He won many awards at home and abroad for this role, among which the most recent is the Magnolia Award for best actor at the Shanghai TV Festival. The TV series has also been exported overseas to South Korea and Japan.

"I am very happy to see that the series can be enjoyed by foreign audiences. It not only showcased the quality of Chinese TV dramas, but also the beauty of Chinese culture," Hu says.

liujing-4@chinadailycom.cn

(China Daily European Weekly 06/17/2016 page21)