Yang Yang, 28, has become a viral sensation in China by meticulously mimicking Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. His over 20 videos show him dressed in a black leather jacket, glasses, and gray hair, capturing the billionaire's distinctive style. One video alone amassed 15 million views. By early June, his social media account had attracted 54,000 followers, and his live streams consistently drew up to 20,000 concurrent viewers.
Yang achieves his look using flour and hair gel to create Huang's signature gray hairstyle. His costume includes a leather jacket costing 100 CNY (approximately 350,000 VND) and glasses for 10 CNY. In his popular videos, Yang often holds a model graphics card, a key Nvidia product. He recreates famous moments of the CEO, such as eating noodles from a large bowl, drinking inexpensive juice, and practicing Huang's Chinese name pronunciation in a local accent. These details are inspired by the CEO's visit to China, where he was seen enjoying Beijing stir-fried noodles and bubble tea on the street.
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Nvidia CEO (left) and Yang Yang (right). Photo: Red Star News |
Before his recent internet fame, Yang came from a farming family. At 16, he worked as a laborer, washing dishes and cooking noodles in restaurants. Five years ago, he returned to his hometown to care for his parents. Despite previously creating rural life content with over 300,000 followers, his income remained unstable. The idea to impersonate Jensen Huang came to Yang last year due to their facial resemblance, but he only seriously pursued it after videos of the Nvidia CEO's daily life circulated widely on Chinese social media. "I heard Mr. Huang once worked as a dish washer in a restaurant when he was young. I also experienced those days", Yang shared.
Yang admitted he felt pressured after individuals claiming to represent Nvidia's legal department contacted him, requesting the removal of his videos. "I hope Mr. Huang and Nvidia are not concerned. If the videos affect the company's image, I will proactively delete them all if they speak up", Yang stated.
Regarding the legality of Yang's impersonation, lawyer Yang Jie from Duy Uong Law Office in Sichuan province, clarified that Yang Yang's actions are for entertainment purposes and fall within the bounds of free speech and online creativity. Copying the jacket and glasses style is not defamatory, and viewers recognize it as an impersonation. Overall, this act does not infringe on copyright or incur civil liability. However, lawyer Yang warned that using memes requires moderation. Intentionally crossing boundaries to gain views or profit could lead to legal issues.
The phenomenon of bloggers changing their lives by impersonating celebrities is a growing trend in China. Before Yang, a street food vendor found fame due to his striking resemblance to "King of Pop" Jay Chou. Similarly, Ryan Chen, an English teacher in Chongqing, became famous across platforms for his voice impersonations and perfect mimicry of US President Donald Trump's gestures.
Nhat Minh (According to Yahoo, China News Weekly)
