Full Article and Interview from Bazaar Men China - #HouMinghao August 2026 Cover Issue (Link: mp.weixin.qq.com/s/Ra1V_YC1K…) - Hou Minghao: Ten Years in the Making If Hou Minghao’s 2026 was made into an album, it would have three “title tracks”: one sung for the version of himself who once replayed the same song over and over in the dead of night, one for the young general in #KeytothePhoenixHeart who chose the people and the greater good, and one reserved for those who have weathered the rain alongside him. This year, Hou Minghao has started filming a new drama, kicked off his concert tour, and stepped onto the stage of music variety shows. Rather than feeling worn down by his packed schedule, he has instead found himself in a feverish “combat high.” Whether as a singer or an actor, every journey he undertakes is filled with passion, and every time he steps onto the stage, he gives it his all. Side A: “Simon” — Returning to His Place as a Singer The venue lights dimmed, the roar of tens of thousands of people rose and fell in waves, a beam of light tore through the darkness, and Hou Minghao appeared suspended from a wire above a rotating aerial stage. The back-to-back performances of “Fire” and “Open Fire" (火力全开) were like two signal flares, setting the entire venue ablaze. With his crisp stage presence, steady singing and dancing, and commanding performance, he brought the stage to a fever pitch. His personal concert tour, "Belongs To Us" (属于我们的), was a pure echo of the musical dream he had carried since childhood. After the first concert, Hou Minghao described his feelings as “happy, with a little bit of sadness.” “Seeing so many fans travel such a long way just to see me, thinking back to the lightsticks and everyone singing along from the audience, I was genuinely so happy. The sadness came from a kind of withdrawal. For several days after the concert, scenes from that night kept replaying in my head. When I thought about how there were still more than ten days, or even longer, until I could see everyone again, it felt like too long of a wait, so I would feel a little sad.” He began vocal training at the age of five and learned the accordion after turning six. From there, he continued studying and exploring music along the way. During his adolescent years, music was woven into almost every part of his growth. Over the following decade, Hou Minghao moved from one production set to another. More and more people came to recognize him as an actor, while his identity as a singer, like an “unfinished dream,” was quietly tucked away in his suitcase. Yet he never truly forgot it. In between filming, he took online classes, practiced his vocals, and continued to protect his dream of becoming a singer. This year, he performed at music festivals, brought his concerts into stadiums, and stood before tens of thousands of people. That five-year-old boy who began studying vocal music had finally arrived where he was meant to be. During this tour, one song held particular significance for him: “Simon.” The stage was designed with rippling water, its shimmering reflections flowing over his ankles as he stood amid the moving light and began to sing. The song is notoriously difficult and is widely regarded as a “litmus test for male singers.” Its chorus requires sustained articulation in the high register, along with frequent transitions between chest and head voice. His decision to perform it during his tour and at music festivals was also a testament to his vocal ability. The song accompanied him through one of the lowest periods of his life. During that time, he often struggled to sleep through the night. He would sit curled up on the sofa, headphones on, letting songs play at random. When the line “Simon, I just don't know where to go” came on, he pressed repeat. The original song was written and performed by Dean Ting. At its core, it is about confusion, self-doubt, and searching for a way forward. Those piercing lyrics were almost like a diary of what Hou Minghao was going through at the time. Hou Minghao said that he hopes to understand a song together with his listeners, rather than having people focus solely on technical skill. “Actually, whether it’s acting or singing, the core is understanding the emotions and story behind it. Whenever I receive a new song, I approach it the same way I would read a script. I map out the emotional progression of the entire song and the character’s state of mind, break down the subtext behind each section of the lyrics, and think about how my breathing and pauses should fit the emotions.” Hou Minghao’s state of mind and "Simon" occupy the same psychological coordinates. Both stand at a crossroads, needing to find courage through song. He understands why the song begins with such a calm intro, why the grandeur of the organ enters midway through, and why the strings need to erupt at the end. “I treat it as a complete dramatic performance. Only by fully breaking down the layers of confusion, struggle, and self-reconciliation within the song can I convey its true essence.” Side B: “A Promise Becomes a River” — Standing Firm Amidst Chaos, Carrying the Greater Good In “A Promise Becomes a River” (一诺成川), what Hou Minghao delivers is more than just his voice. He also delivers #XiaoWuyi’s solitary promise to stand alone amid the flames of war and protect the people. Within 48 hours of its premiere, "Key to the Phoenix Heart" surpassed 8,500 in platform popularity. By its sixth day, its effective viewership across the entire internet had exceeded 200 million. Hou Minghao’s portrayal of Xiao Wuyi surpassed 300 million in character popularity on iQIYI, while his character’s average contribution score on DataWin remained steady at 47%, making him the No. 1 best-performing character among costume dramas released during the same period. "Key to the Phoenix Heart" is one of the rare, high-quality original screenplays currently on the market, and Hou Minghao has repeatedly expressed his particular affection for Xiao Wuyi. “I rarely come across a character who is this multifaceted while still maintaining such a strong sense of realism. From the very first scene to the very last, the character’s motivations flow so naturally that I never needed to use other methods to bridge the gaps. It has political intrigue, suspense, romance, and a sense of duty to the greater good—the elements are extremely rich.” Xiao Wuyi’s circumstances are deeply complicated. On the surface, he is the “demon general” reviled by the world, carrying the burden of infamy. In truth, however, he cares deeply for the people and is committed to reform. As a general, he carries the blood feud of the Beifu Army, whose soldiers were unjustly killed. As an adopted son, he bears the weight of gratitude toward his adoptive father, who sacrificed the life of his own biological son to ensure Xiao Wuyi’s survival. And as a husband, he is gravely wounded with a limited time left to live. Unable to bring himself to tell his beloved the truth, he can only conceal his feelings. During the process of developing the character, Hou Minghao was enveloped in all of these conflicting emotions, which he carefully broke down and explored. He said that Xiao Wuyi’s contradictions feel deeply real. “The blood feud forms the tragic foundation of the character. His gratitude toward his adoptive parents is intertwined with guilt. When it comes to the female lead, Xie Jiayu, at first all he wanted was to ensure that she would have a peaceful and happy future. But later, he became greedy for more. That desire to walk the same road and reach the same destination with her could no longer be suppressed. When I was creating the character, I wanted to set technique aside and first make the audience empathize with him, rather than deliberately designing the performance. Once I understood his struggle of the pain of wanting to love someone but being unable to, the performance naturally fell into place.” As the Crown Prince Wenxi of the former dynasty, Xiao Wuyi possesses the natural leverage to restore the old regime. Yet he chooses instead to preserve peace throughout the realm. Hou Minghao is remarkably clear-eyed about this: restoring the former dynasty was never his choice. “He grew up fighting on the battlefield and witnessed far too much devastation caused by war. Thirty thousand soldiers of the Beifu Army were wrongfully killed because of corruption at court and he knows very well that if he were to stir up a struggle for power, ordinary people would be the ones to suffer. His obsession was never with reclaiming the throne, but with purging the corrupt officials at court and restoring peace to the realm. That is why he let go of his identity as Crown Prince and chose to protect the people as a subject and a general. As he has always said, ‘Xiao Wuyi only wants to be Xiao Wuyi.’” While "Key to the Phoenix Heart" was airing, he continued filming while using whatever free moments he had to watch the drama himself. He wanted to experience the major highlights alongside the audience, such as the horseback archery scene and the promise of the red silk. Yet he never dared to watch the finale. “It feels like if I don’t watch the ending, the story will never truly be over.” A story that never reaches its curtain call is a creator’s private indulgence, as well as a tender kind of obsession. Bonus Track: “Rainy Day” — A Quiet Conversation with Time, Holding the Umbrella for Each Other Another song on the tour setlist is “Rainy Day.” It isn’t a lively song. It is quiet and deeply emotional, sung for those who stood in the rain alongside him. The moment the opening notes begin, a sea of lights illuminates the audience in perfect unison. It is a secret emotional signal shared exclusively between Hou Minghao and his fans, Kiwis—an enduring bond forged over years of mutual devotion, and a source of the tenderest, most healing warmth in his heart after a decade in the industry. The story behind it is about far more than a sudden downpour. On the day #Glory wrapped up filming, torrential rain suddenly came down. Hou Minghao was feeling unwell and suffering from excruciating stomach pain. He should have gone straight to the hospital and rested, but he could not stop thinking about the fans waiting outside. He didn’t want them to stand in the rain for nothing, so he insisted on going out to see them. He pushed aside the umbrella and made his way toward the crowd. From that moment on, “rainy day” was no longer simply a symbol of the weather. It became something silently understood between them. This gentle facet of his personality resonates across both the drama and real life. In #FangsofFortune, the character #ZhaoYuanzhou leaves behind a gentle confession, "From now on, whenever it rains, it'll be me keeping you company." At his concerts, Hou Minghao also expressed this sentiment several times. "From now on, whether it’s my rainy day or yours, we will hold umbrellas for one another and walk together. All these years, you’ve always been the ones who understood me through my rainy days." Looking back on the road he has traveled, Hou Minghao remembers the many roles, big and small, that he has played. “Every character has a reason for existing. Whenever I choose them, there must be something about their qualities and inner core that moves me. And it’s precisely because of each one of these small roles, one after another, that people have come to see the person I am today.” He is also grateful for the opportunities that came with #IAmNobody, #BackfromtheBrink, #FangsofFortune, #LoveInTheClouds, and others, which allowed more people to get to know him. After ten years in the industry, what matters to him is not the size of a role, but whether he can portray the character with authenticity and wholeness. “For example, in Kttph's fire scene, my face was clean during the test shoot. But I felt that Xiao Wuyi, having fought his way through battlefields, would inevitably have scars and dust on him. If he were in perfect condition, the character simply wouldn’t work. I would be particular about these details because I hope to give the audience a genuine experience, to make them feel that he is a real person, that he truly existed.” In recent years, he feels that his mindset has become increasingly steady. His tendency to “be particular” is simply a matter of staying committed to his craft, rather than an anxiety-driven need to prove himself to the outside world. “Now, I focus more on ‘how to do the job well’ itself.” This year, he stepped onto the stage of music variety shows, performing duets on #TheTreasuredVoice, continuing to put his energy into his identity as a singer. “Each stop on the concert tour is also a place where I recharge. Every time I meet the fans and sing together with them, it leaves me excited and fulfilled for a long time. Then I keep working hard toward the next show.” Looking back on his ten years in the industry, he is grateful for every opportunity and everyone who has accompanied him along the way. “Someone once asked me what it feels like to have the genuine hearts of tens of thousands of girls. I don’t think it’s that I ‘have’ them. Rather, I’m grateful that they chose me. Being a singer and being an actor are both things I love at this stage of my life. I hope to lead a richer life and have no regrets. Moving forward, I will remain true to myself and my original aspirations, and continue to pursue what I love."

My first time seeing Tie Dan’s training footage 😦 No wonder why Minghao won the flag-pulling game in Tenday 🤭 #HouMinghao

Omg kiwis did it!!! 🎉🎉🎉 (3 days, 4 hrs, 18 mins, and 33 sec) #HouMinghaoGalaxyFarFarAway

Shaded areas will be on sale 10/20 at 13:18! Previously not for sale bc it has low visibility, but it still sounds great! Demand is crazyyyyy #HouMinghaoBelongsToUs2026

just made eye contact and came to the belated realization that my trusty sticky tabs are now out of print :0

There’s even a chance to win concert floor tickets at the DearIrean livestream on 10/21 😮 #HouMinghao

our very famous Monkey 😭😭😭