Li Xueyang (Chinese: 李雪阳; pinyin: Lǐ Xuěyáng, born July 1, 1995), known professionally as Li Xueqin (Chinese: 李雪琴; pinyin: Lǐ Xuěqín), is an Internet celebrity, stand-up comedian, and actress in mainland China. She rose to nationwide acclaim for her performance in the third season of the stand-up comedy competition show Rock & Roast [zh] in 2020, which was also her stand-up comedy debut.

Li Xueqin
Birth nameLi Xueyang
Native name李雪琴, 李雪阳
BornJuly 1, 1995
Tieling, Liaoning, China
Nationality China
Alma materPeking University
Years active2018-Present
Subject(s)Personal stories

Early life and education

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Li Xueqin is a native of Tieling, Liaoning Province. Her parents divorced when she was in junior high school. She attended the School of Journalism and Communication at Peking University, a period when she first began to struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts. Following her graduation, she enrolled at New York University for a master's program in education. However, her transition to life in the United States proved difficult, leading to intense feelings of loneliness and a deepening of her depression, culminating in a suicide attempt.[1][2] This critical juncture led Li to withdraw from her studies and return to China, where she took on various jobs, including dishwashing at a bar, to support her family. She eventually started a business with a friend and began to post short video clips on Douyin and Weibo, which marked the beginning of her comedy career.[1][2]

Career

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Li Xueqin initially gained internet recognition in 2018 through a series of short video clips where she jokingly introduced local landmarks to her favorite celebrity, Kris Wu. The viral impact of Wu responding to one of her videos catapulted her to overnight fame, making her the most-searched topic on Weibo.[2][1] Other notable figures such as Guo Ailun and Robin Li also responded to her video clips.

In 2019, Li received an invitation to perform on Rock&Roast but declined due to her lack of stand-up experience. However, she later accepted an invitation, citing the economic uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Her preparation for stand-up involved self-learning, primarily through reading Greg Dean's Step to Step to Stand-Up Comedy.[3] She finished in fifth place on the show, and was noted as one of a cohort of female comedians to reach the final six of that season.[4]

Following her success in stand-up, Li Xueqin branched out to other forms of comedy in a heavily male-dominated industry, notably one of few female voices associated with the Dongbei renaissance.[5] She frequently appears on variety shows in China, and was in the process of producing a TV sitcom as of March 2022.[3]

Style, theme, and public reception

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Li has been acclaimed for her sharp wit and bold punchlines; more than just her humor, fans appreciate her ability to tell real-life stories that resonate with ordinary Chinese people. [3][6]

One of Li's notable jokes involved a conversation with her mother about the stress of living and working in a buzzing urban centre. She jokingly narrated her mother's responses to her ideas about returning to her hometown to farm, only to be reminded that her family owns no land and that farming for others would be akin to her city job. This joke strikingly highlighted the dilemma of many young Chinese people who are caught in the throes of globalization: unable to continue the agricultural lifestyle of their parents while struggling to find their place in urban metropolitan centers.

Li, who once lived in Beijing, addressed the plight of the Beipiao (北漂) – young individuals who move to Beijing to chase their dreams but often face the harsh realities of high living costs and restrictive policies. In a poignant performance, she compared her relationship with Beijing to a one-sided infatuation with Chinese Canadian superstar Kris Wu. She described the city's indifference to her sacrifices, using this as a metaphor for the broader experience of disenfranchised youth facing an absurd reality in mega-cities like Beijing. Her closing line "Is your dream hosting the summer Olympic games?" humorously challenges the notion that big city is essential for success, resonating deeply with young career builders facing similar struggles.[6]

Filmography

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TV and web series

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Year English title Chinese title Role Note
2022 《樂天小酒窩之小酒窩的尬》 Youku webseries
Hello My Love 芳心蕩漾 Li Xueqin Webseries
2023 Sticky Club 《黏人俱乐部》 Xueqin Webseries
2023 Hometown, farewell and safe 《故乡,别来无恙》 Wu Yun Web/TV Series
TBA The Prisoner Of Beauty 折腰 Xiao Tao

Film

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Year English Title Chinese Title Role Note
2023 Post-Truth 《保你平安》 Wei Ruyi
TBA 《逍遙游》[7] Tanna
TBA 《粉墨江湖》
2024 YOLO 《热辣滚烫》 Lili
2024 Inside Out 2 《头脑特工队2》 Sadness Chinese dub [8]

Variety shows

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Premiere date Broadcast Platform English Title Chinese title Note
2020 July 22 - September 23 Tencent Video ROCK&ROAST 脱口秀大会第三季
2020-2021 December 6 - February 21 Mango TV 希望的田野
2021 January 10 - March 28 Dragon TV Top Funny Comedian 欢乐喜剧人第七季
May 22 - July 24 Tencent Video 50km Taohuawu 五十公里桃花坞
June 16 - August 25 Heart Signal 心动的信号 (第四季)
August 14 - October 16 The Coming One 明日創作計劃
April 11 - present mao xue woof 毛雪汪
2022 May 22 - July Dragon TV Onair sitcom 開播!情景喜劇
June 12 - present Tencent Video 50km Taohuawu 五十公里桃花塢第二季
July 23 - present Hunan Satellite TV Hello Saturday 你好星期六
June 11 - July 31 Tencent Video We Are The Champions 戰至巔峰
2023 April 18 - present Mango TV SHErlock 女子推理社
2023 May 28 - August 6 Tencent Video 50km Taohuawu 五十公里桃花塢第三季

References

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  1. ^ a b c Yau, Elaine (October 2, 2020). "She had a public crush on Kris Wu. He reached out. Now she's a comedy star". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on January 3, 2021. Retrieved October 2, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c 何, 晞宇 (2020-09-25). "《脱口秀大会》决赛没进前三 李雪琴的脱口秀却爆火了 - 每日更新 - 华西都市网新闻频道". West China City Daily (in Chinese). Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  3. ^ a b c Wang, Men-yun (2022-03-08). "In China, A New Class of Female Comics Isn't Holding Back on the Punchlines". Vogue. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  4. ^ Federer, Emma (2020-12-07). "Female Chinese Stand-Up Comedians Stand Up for Themselves". Chinosity. Retrieved 2023-10-02.
  5. ^ Bai, Meijiadai (23 August 2023). "The Missing Link in Northeast China's Cultural Revival". Sixth Tone. Retrieved 2024-08-23.
  6. ^ a b Zhu, Ping (2021-02-01). "The Art of Telling the Truth: Chinese Female Stand-up Comedians". World Literature Today. Retrieved 2023-12-19.
  7. ^ 電影逍遙游官宣
  8. ^ Sina Movies (2024-05-29). "皮克斯/迪士尼动画电影《头脑特工队2》内地院线版中文配音曝光…". Sina. Retrieved 2024-07-09.

See also

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