Another Yu Menglong like death? Chinese actor Jin Ze dies at 33; here’s what we know so far

Chinese actor Jin Ze, whose real name was Zhang Jiawei, has died at the age of 33 sending shockwaves across the country’s entertainment industry, prompting an outpouring of condolences from members of the entertainment industry. His agency, Shengshi Guangnian Culture Co., Ltd., issued an official statement on Saturday (June 6, 2026) confirming the news, which quickly circulated on Chinese social media.

Jin Ze’s death comes nearly nine months after the mysterious death of another Chinese actor, Yu Menglong, who died on September 11, 2025, after falling from a building in Beijing. The circumstances surrounding his death also attracted significant attention on social media, with multiple theories emerging speculating about what might have happened.

On one hand, authorities claim that the 37-year-old actor died as a result of an accidental fall and was intoxicated at the time of the incident. On the other hand, social media users have shared multiple video clips suggesting that the actor’s fatal fall was not accidental.
It is pertinent to note that no similarities have been reported so far between the two cases, and the cause of Jin Ze’s death had not been revealed at the time of filing this report.

The agency’s statement claimed that Jin Ze died at his home in Hangzhou on Thursday (June 4, 2026) and the cause of his death has not been disclosed. “We announce with profound sorrow that our contracted actor Jin Ze (Zhang Jiawei) passed away at his home in Hangzhou on June 4, 2026,” the statement read, as quoted by Global Times.

“Jin Ze, formerly known as Zhang Jiawei, was born on January 30, 1993, in Weihai, Shandong Province. He was an outstanding young actor and model… We express our deepest grief and extend our sincere condolences to his family.” The statement also urged the public to refrain from spreading rumors or unverified information and to respect the family’s privacy during this challenging time. Furthermore, it appealed to netizens not to disturb the family as they make funeral arrangements.
Before the agency released its statement, reports of Jin Ze’s death had already begun circulating on Chinese social media, where the news quickly became a top trending topic and attracted widespread attention from fans and insiders of the entertainment industry, according to Global Times.

What do we know about Jin Ze?

Jin Ze, also known by the English name Garvey, was a Chinese model and actor born in Weihai, Shandong province, China, according to My Drama List. A graduate of the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology, he began his career in the fashion industry and debuted as a model in 2013 before transitioning into acting, according to China News Weekly.

His entry into the entertainment world came in March 2016 when he appeared on the mystery music show “Seeing Your Voice,” according to My Drama List. He made his acting debut the following year in the drama “My Fox Fairy Wife” , which was broadcast in February 2017. Over the years, he went on to appear in several television dramas, steadily building his presence in the industry.

In recent years, Jin Ze gained popularity through micro-dramas and short-form dramas, a rapidly growing segment of China’s entertainment landscape. His upcoming project, “Waiting for the Flowers to Bloom, Waiting for Your Return,” had attracted more than 1.48 million reservations on the Hongguo Short Drama platform prior to his passing, reflecting strong audience anticipation for the release, according to Global Times.

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According to the news outlet, his last post on his Sina Weibo account, which has more than five million followers, was published on May 6, 2026 and announced the completion of filming for one of his projects.

Following news of his death, members of the entertainment industry and many netizens expressed their condolences, mourning the loss of the actor whose career spanned modeling, television dramas, and the increasingly popular world of short-form entertainment.