Jackson Wang is trending on Twitter again. And this time, all it took was a single photo.
The Chinese K-pop star is the latest cover model for Super Elle, a Chinese fashion and lifestyle magazine aimed at readers in their teens and 20s.
For those who may not be familiar with Wang, he's best known for being a member of the K-pop band Got7. However, he's also found success as a solo artist, becoming the highest charting Chinese artist on the Billboard 200 with his first solo album Mirrors, which he debuted in November 2019. Here are five things to know about him:
1. He comes from a family of athletes
His father was a member of China's national fencing team and won a gold medal at the Asian Games. He also competed in two Summer Olympics. His mother was a former world-class gymnast. Wang started training as a fencer at the age of 10 and was a member of the Hong Kong national fencing team. He was so good at the sport, he got offered a scholarship to Stanford University in the US and could have joined Hong Kong's national team for the 2012 London Olympics, but turned the opportunity down to become a K-pop star instead.
2. He was a K-pop trainee for two and a half years
It may seem like he was born to be a K-pop star now, but back in 2011, after he moved to Seoul, South Korea, to start training, it took hard work to kickstart his career. Wang made an appearance on the reality survival show Win: Who is Next, which pitted K-pop trainees against one another and eventually won a spot on Got7 with fellow trainees Mark, Yugyeom and BamBam.
3. He's quite the funnyman
Appearing on Korean and Chinese variety shows, Wang doesn't shy away from the camera. He's appeared on an endless list of television programmes, which has helped create a global fan base. He also appeared on a Late, Late Show segment called This is How We Do It with James Corden.
4. He can speak multiple languages
Wang is known for being able to speak five languages fluently: Mandarin, Cantonese, Shanghainese, English and Korean. He was born and raised in Hong Kong, but his parents are from China so he likely learnt Mandarin and Shanghainese from them. He also attended the American International School, and Cantonese and English are widely spoken in Hong Kong. And, of course, he learnt Korean while training to become the star he is today.
5. He's incredibly popular in China
On the Sina Weibo social media platform alone, he has 24.2 million followers. Of course, he also spends time working on his Chinese brand. He's appeared on Chinese television and even held a birthday party at the Beijing Olympics Sports Centre in 2019 with all 5,000 tickets selling out in 98 seconds. He was appointed as an ambassador for Fendi China and launched a collaboration for a limited-edition line called the Fendi X Jackson Wang Capsule Collection.
Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
Results for Stage 2
Stage 2 Yas Island to Abu Dhabi, 184 km, Road race
Overall leader: Primoz Roglic SLO (Team Jumbo - Visma)
Stage winners: 1. Fernando Gaviria COL (UAE Team Emirates) 2. Elia Viviani ITA (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) 3. Caleb Ewan AUS (Lotto - Soudal)
Leap of Faith
Michael J Mazarr
Public Affairs
Dh67
Business Insights
- Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
- The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
- US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
MATCH INFO
Chelsea 0
Liverpool 2 (Mane 50', 54')
Red card: Andreas Christensen (Chelsea)
Man of the match: Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
The biog
Born: Kuwait in 1986
Family: She is the youngest of seven siblings
Time in the UAE: 10 years
Hobbies: audiobooks and fitness: she works out every day, enjoying kickboxing and basketball
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Sri Lanka Test squad:
Dimuth Karunaratne (stand-in captain), Niroshan Dickwella (vice captain), Lahiru Thirimanne, Kaushal Silva, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Janith Perera, Milinda Siriwardana, Dhananjaya de Silva, Oshada Fernando, Angelo Perera, Suranga Lakmal, Kasun Rajitha, Vishwa Fernando, Chamika Karunaratne, Mohamed Shiraz, Lakshan Sandakan and Lasith Embuldeniya.
