A self-portrait posted by actress-singer Vicki Zhao Wei on her new blog. [Photo courtesy of Zhao Wei]
Vicki Zhao Wei has become a new star on the blogging scene. The Chinese actress and singer might still be a blogging rookie compared to fellow star Xu Jinglei, but she has already beat the Internet record previously held by Xu.
Zhao Wei's blog had attracted 10 million hits as of March 18, just 25 days after its launch in February, according to the blog's host site, Sohu.com.
This widespread interest crushed a domestic record set by Xu Jinglei, who began blogging in October 2005. It took Xu 112 days to achieve 10 million clicks. Xu, an actress and director, is still among the most popular bloggers in China.
Like Xu Jinglei, Zhao Wei has made her blog very personal, sharing photos and experiences from her daily life. Her recent posts center on a trip to a film festival in France. Almost every entry is embellished with self-portraits and scenic photos.
Zhao Wei told reporters at her blog's launch party in February that she was glad to have a new tool through which she could share her emotions with fans.
The blog currently has only 13 posts, but has already attracted over 20,000 comments, in which fans marveled at the star's very personal chronicles.
Following the growing popularity of blogs, many Chinese celebrities have opened their own pages online. But one insider says that up to seventy percent of the celebrity blogs are maintained not by the stars, but by their agents.
"It's the authenticity in Zhao Wei's blog that attracts readers," an analyst from Sohu.com says.
(CRI March 20, 2008)