Liu Yuning and Wang Yibo Lose! 2026's Strongest Mainland Drama Actor is 'Him': Exceptional Acting, Stunning Looks, and Guaranteed Ratings Quality

The 2026 landscape of Mainland Chinese drama male leads has been reshuffled. With hit series such as 'Chasing Jade', 'To Mountains and Seas', 'Mo Li', and 'A Record of Mortal Cultivation' airing consecutively, and amplified by international luxury brand endorsements, fashion weeks, concerts, and large-scale events, the online buzz among post-90s (born 1990–1999) actors has surged. According to Net Temperature's discussion data, Zhang Linghe claimed the top spot on the annual online popularity ranking for post-90s Mainland drama actors, accumulating over 418,944 mentions in just five months from his historical drama 'Chasing Jade'. Wang Yibo, Liu Yuning, and Xiao Zhan followed in second to fourth places.

The rankings reveal that historical dramas remain the primary driver for creating top-tier male idols, while brand endorsements and fashion events have become crucial battlegrounds for boosting commercial value.

2026 Mainland Drama Post-90s Male Actor Popularity Top 10:

1. Zhang Linghe – 418,944 mentions – 'Chasing Jade', 'Love You' 2. Wang Yibo – 210,155 mentions – 'Explore New Realms 2' 3. Liu Yuning – 175,902 mentions – 'Bend the Waist', 'A Dream Within the Scroll' 4. Xiao Zhan – 172,249 mentions – 'The Story of Zanghai' 5. Cheng Yi – 79,418 mentions – 'To Mountains and Seas', 'Heavenly Sword Heart' 6. Wang Hedi – 62,996 mentions – 'Dreaming of the Galaxy' 7. Tan Jianci – 46,965 mentions – 'Love with Smoke' 8. Hou Minghao – 45,813 mentions – 'Into the Azure Clouds', 'Xiao Yao' 9. Yang Yang – 42,237 mentions – 'A Record of Mortal Cultivation', 'Rain on the Bell' 10. Cheng Lei – 42,107 mentions – 'Mo Li', 'What Kind of Order Is This'

Top 10 | Cheng Lei: Four Consecutive Historical Dramas Spark Full Explosion

Born in 1993, Cheng Lei is one of the fastest-rising new-generation actors in the past two years. With four consecutive historical dramas—'Brocade Moon Like Song', 'With Jin Chang'an', 'What Kind of Order Is This', and 'Mo Li'—airing in succession, he has maintained high public discussion throughout the year.

In 'With Jin Chang'an', he played the amnesiac general 'Jin An', whose bathing scenes and shirt-ripping moments sparked social media buzz, earning him nicknames like 'Male Bodhisattva of Mainland Entertainment' and 'Bathing Emperor'. In 'What Kind of Order Is This', he formed the 'Yu Dan Couple' with Wang Churan, whose modern internet slang and book-reincarnation premise successfully attracted young viewers. However, it was his collaboration with Bai Lu in 'Mo Li' that pushed his popularity to new heights, achieving remarkable viewership from its premiere and reaffirming his leading-man capabilities.

Top 9 | Yang Yang: 'A Record of Mortal Cultivation' Reignites Wuxia Craze

Yang Yang returned to the spotlight this year with two major IP dramas: 'A Record of Mortal Cultivation' and 'Rain on the Bell'. In 'Rain on the Bell', he portrayed the classic role of Zhan Zhao, earning praise for his sharp martial arts performance, sparking comparisons with previous portrayals by He Jiajing and Andy Lau. In 'A Record of Mortal Cultivation', he played Han Li. Though some原著 fans joked he was 'too handsome to be an ordinary man', his natural and non-overacting performance received widespread acclaim. Additionally, Taiwanese actor Tseng Ching-hua's resemblance to Yang Yang unexpectedly became a talking point online.

Top 8 | Hou Minghao: Sweet Historical Romance Boosts Popularity

Hou Minghao maintained his popularity this year with 'Into the Azure Clouds', 'Xiao Yao', and 'Jade Tea Bones'. In 'Into the Azure Clouds', he played the imprisoned Ji Bozai, forming a sweet couple with Lu Yuxiao; his semi-transparent pajama look sparked online discussions. In 'Xiao Yao', he transformed into a domineering demon king, with his extensive fight scenes considered among his best performances in recent years. From fierce demon king to scholarly top scholar, Hou successfully demonstrated his range, raising fan expectations for more diverse future roles.

Top 7 | Tan Jianci: Urban Drama Breakthrough, Commercial Value Soars

Tan Jianci's biggest hit this year was 'Love with Smoke'. Playing the sarcastic rich second-generation Li Yifei, comedic scenes like 'boiling tea eggs with Da Hong Pao tea' went viral online, helping him break free from the ancient costume image of Xiangliu in 'Lost You Forever'. Beyond acting, he was officially promoted to global brand ambassador for Michael Kors, released a new music single, and advanced simultaneously in film, music, and fashion. Despite a brief online scandal, his studio's swift response minimized damage to his popularity.

Top 6 | Wang Hedi: Expanding into Film and Music, Triple Threat Career

Wang Hedi expanded his career into film and music this year. He starred in the Spring Festival film 'Dreaming of the Galaxy', held personal concerts, released rap singles, and became the full-series ambassador for adidas Originals. Though he lacked a major new drama hit, classic roles like Dongfang Qingcang in 'Love Between Fairy and Devil' and 'Business Proposal' continued to generate buzz, and his variety show appearances kept his online热度 consistently high.

Top 5 | Cheng Yi: Triple Role Performance, Secures Ancient Costume King Status

Cheng Yi remained a leading figure in historical dramas this year. In 'To Mountains and Seas', he took on the challenge of playing three roles, with his martial arts, emotional depth, and character transitions hailed as his acting masterpiece. In 'Heavenly Sword Heart', portraying Wangquan Fugui, he reignited a wave of fan-created content. Additionally, in 'Chang'an Twenty-Four Strategies', playing the avenger Xie Huai'an, he received praise not only for his role but also for singing the theme song, further boosting the show's discussion.

Top 4 | Xiao Zhan: Few Works, Yet Commercial Value Remains Top-Tier

Though Xiao Zhan had only one drama, 'The Story of Zanghai', his commercial influence remained astonishing. As global ambassador for Gucci and Tod's, he appeared twice at Milan Fashion Week, with massive overseas fan support—brand-related discussions even surpassing those of his drama. His new film 'Leisurely Craft' achieved strong pre-sale numbers, and the filming of his new drama 'Small Town Good Prescription' sparked a tourism boom in the location, showcasing his unparalleled drawing power.

Top 3 | Liu Yuning: Winning Fans Across Live Streams, Music, and Acting

Liu Yuning's greatest strength lies in his cross-platform engagement. Besides 'Bend the Waist' and 'A Dream Within the Scroll', his urban drama 'Roses in Bloom' also received positive reviews. He continued hosting live streams, concerts, and major galas, with music-related buzz exceeding 19,000 mentions. His down-to-earth streaming style and solid singing ability led fans to say, 'If Liu Yuning is in it, the theme song is worth looking forward to'.

Top 2 | Wang Yibo: Remains Runner-Up Despite No New Drama in Two Years

Despite not releasing a new drama in nearly two years, Wang Yibo maintained extremely high popularity. His biggest highlight this year was the documentary 'Explore New Realms 2', where he challenged extreme sports like rock climbing, breaking the idol stereotype and winning the Weibo Annual Documentary Award. He also serves as global ambassador for LOEWE, Chanel, and Lacoste, appeared alongside LVMH executives at Paris Fashion Week, and co-performed with Aaron Kwok at CCTV's Spring Festival Gala, reaffirming his unshakable top-tier status.

Top 1 | Zhang Linghe: Breakout with 'Chasing Jade', Reaches Summit in Just Five Months

The biggest dark horse of 2026 is undoubtedly Zhang Linghe. His performance as Marquis Xie Zheng in the historical epic 'Chasing Jade', aired in March, skyrocketed his fame. The single drama generated 136,000 discussions, accounting for nearly one-third of his annual total buzz, and attracted a large overseas fanbase.

Beyond historical dramas, his role as the gentle TCM professor He Suye in 'Love You' also received high praise, creating a sharp contrast with the domineering general in 'Chasing Jade', proving his versatility beyond ancient costumes and solidifying his position as a modern drama lead. From his breakout in 'Love Between Fairy and Devil' to 'Ning'an Rumei' and 'Love You', and now his full explosion with 'Chasing Jade', Zhang Linghe completed a popularity逆袭 in just five months. He not only topped the 2026 post-90s Mainland drama actor popularity chart but has become the most watched new-gen idol. Netizens commented: 'His portrayal of Du Hua Nian is my favorite', 'The leads and supporting cast in this drama are all stunning to watch', 'I never understood the term “broken beauty” until I saw Zhang Linghe as the fallen marquis', 'Zhang Linghe is devastatingly handsome', 'This drama is purely worth watching for the male lead', 'I first saw Zhang in Du Hua Nian... his Fei Wenxuan left no impression, but Chasing Jade is a completely different vibe... same person, yet such a dramatic difference in styling and makeup'.