Having found his start on social media, business-school graduate Zhen Ning quickly cashed in on his rising star, venturing into modelling and acting. His momentum only grew from there—he is now one of the scene’s most watched new faces. In BURO Malaysia'S December cover story, the 25-year-old gets candid about his life in and out of the limelight.

If there’s one notable innovation the age of digital media has brought upon us—the mosaic of human reactions it unleashes notwithstanding—it is the influencer ecosystem. The culture can’t get enough of it. The conversations it causes, however, slide from complementary to derogatory. What some consider a free agent of change is seen by others as a fraudulent hero-for-hire. Standing right in the eye of that storm is Zhen Ning.

With over 85,000 sets of eyes watching his every move—and that’s on Instagram alone—the 25-year-old has figured out the art of painting the perfect picture. He puts on nice clothes. He flexes his well-defined physique. He attends glamorous parties. He schmoozes with the in-crowd. But who he is as a person remains a mystery. As we sat down with our cover star, a tightly wound thread slowly unravelled, revealing a flawed yet familiar face.

TRUTH HURTS

Growing up with three older sisters, Zhen Ning picked up on the intricacies of gender dynamics almost instinctively, allowing him to perceive relationships beyond their intrinsic social utility. All those times he spent in the chair getting dolled up by them somewhat softened the edges of his existence. That said, an understanding of a theory can only get you so far. Comprehension alone does not make the heart comply. This he learned the hard way.

“I experienced my first heartbreak when I was in college,” he opens up. “Getting cheated on taught me that love can go as fast as it comes. I’d never do that to another person,” he vows. But that resolve did not come easily for him. He was aware of that primal urge to retaliate. Inflicting that pain on someone else would’ve been the quick fix to the frustration. Struggling with suicidal thoughts, he instead turned to partying and alcohol to escape reality.

Zhen Ning’s reckless tendencies persisted in the years that followed. Feeling the ache of loneliness, which constantly crept into his rented studio apartment, he sought companionship in Yuji. The golden-haired dachshund, now a staple on his social media feed, had to bear the brunt of his mercurial temperament. “I wasn’t the best person for him. I would lash out at him from time to time,” he says, admitting to having a short fuse.

“I cried countless times after the fact, regretting my actions, which in part was due to my lack of knowledge in pet ownership,” he adds. Yuji’s unconditional love, according to him, eventually led to a moment of clarity. As though being confronted by the reflection in the mirror, Zhen Ning began turning over a new leaf, making minor changes in his life. “I just can’t bear the thought of losing him. I don’t know if I’ll be able to handle that pain,” he falls silent.

Like every other work in progress, Zhen Ning’s road to reinvention is windy, sharp corners sneak up on him when he least expects them. Earlier this year, he caught himself hounded by the questions that prodded at the complex contradictions of his being. But a quiet introspection prevented him from slipping further into depression. His diagnosis was simple: he was fighting his inner demons, and they got the best of him.

“Thankfully, I managed to recollect myself. I threw myself into my self-care rituals, like hitting the gym, going to the spa, and surrounding myself with nature,” he works up a smile. Offering more details of his journey to healing, Zhen Ning shares that he finds comfort in the pages of his self-help books. “They teach me how to go through my daily life with a sense of purpose. So I’m just following their guidance now—it feels good,” he adds.

ONE DAY AT A TIME

When asked if he’s ready for another stab at romance, and if there are qualities in a woman that he finds particularly alluring, the rising heartthrob flashes a disarming smile. “I don’t really have a type. I feel like everyone is different in their own way,” his response measured and diplomatic. “I also think love should be unconditional because nobody in this world is perfect. So you need to learn to give and take,” he continues. His tone lightens.

Then comes the million-dollar question: would he date a fan? “Holy shit. I’ve never thought about that. Probably not—it feels weird. I would love to meet someone new; someone who doesn’t already think they know me,” he says, drawing respectable boundaries between what’s personal and what’s professional. One thing is for certain: the right one would come along with an instinctive fluency in his love languages—physical touch, quality time, and words of affirmation.

Something interesting happened when he sat for our ‘A Few of My Favourite Things’ series. “Hello, I’m Zhen Ning. I’m an actor…” he prefaced his episode, making it known that he has pivoted to bigger and better things. He who broke through the industry’s consciousness through modelling is not one to stay in his comfort zone. But his risk-taking doesn't always pay off. Seeing acting as the natural next step, he dived into it headfirst, quickly finding out that he was out of his depth.

“It was bad. I didn’t know the first thing about acting and ended up looking like a blank paper,” he recounts his acting debut a little over two years ago. “I was under immense pressure because the director kept scolding me in between the many takes it took me to get to where he wanted me,” he adds. Mindful of his newcomer status, he learned to take the scathing feedback in his stride, reframing the negativity as part of a learning curve.

BUSINESS OR PLEASURE?

“I’m only human, so of course I get affected by criticism. But I also realise that I can’t please everyone,” he says, candidly. Perhaps that experience left a mark deeper than he lets on, as he recently made headlines for his decision to segue into the Malay-dominated entertainment scene, citing flexibility and freedom as the primary reasons he is moving away from Chinese productions, which he deemed more demanding.

“I did not criticise any side—it was just a comparison I made in response to a question I was asked. I feel like both sides have their own pros and cons,” he clears the air. “For instance, I have found that Chinese productions are generally time-driven, while Malay productions tend to follow a more intuitive rhythm rather than rigid schedules,” his eyebrows furrow as he recalls everything that goes down behind the scenes.

All that aside, venturing into the mainstream is simply a sensible move to make, especially if one wishes to extend their reach. It has worked wonders for his peers, like Alvin Chong and Sean Lee. But with great exposure comes great scrutiny. We have all seen the witch-hunt some of our filmmakers have had to endure. The ruckus that erupted following the release of Mentega Terbang and the censoring of Cannes Film Festival winner Tiger Stripes are still fresh in memory.

On this, Zhen Ning chooses his words carefully, walking the line between what is and what could be. “As I said, you can’t please everyone in this world,” he says. “I see acting as an art form. So I would willingly use my soul and my body to portray a character without any ego or any fear of how other people think of me. I’d say it’s all about adapting to your surroundings and being able to flow like water,” he lets out a soft exhale.

As far as establishing himself as an actor goes, Zhen Ning has a long way to go, and he is not ashamed to admit it. Proving his commitment to the craft, he takes it upon himself to sign up for acting lessons before hitting any set and keeps an eye out for projects that allow him to break through the confines of comedy and romance. After all, nobody likes to be pigeonholed. Note to casting directors: he would love to play a superhero.

“I really like Spider-Man. I like that he has his own way of thinking. The franchise also has a good mix of action and romance,” he says. Giving us a closer look at his silver-screen sensibility, he then shares the many movies that have shaped his worldview. “The film that really caught my attention and got me invested in the art of acting was Scarface. The way Al Pacino brought Tony Montana to life is just fascinating to me,” he adds.

THINGS TO COME

When it comes to his contemporaries, he confesses his cinematic crush on one specific actor: Robert Pattinson. “His acting range is incredible. The way he captures his characters is just amazing,” he gushes over the Good Time and The Lighthouse star. “My introduction to his acting came through the Twilight saga. I have to say he left quite an impression on me—he played the role very convincingly,” he adds, his voice tinged with admiration.

As he charts a course for an illustrious career, Zhen Ning keeps these pieces of inspiration clipped onto his vision board, lest he get steered off track by the noise. And while he hones his craft, he holds out hope for a more vibrant performing arts scene in the country. “There is so much talent here that is hidden from the world. The world deserves a chance to see Malaysia,” he says, optimistically, before leaning towards the doorway.