Having been the top scorer in the national college entrance examination (gaokao) in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, graduating with a degree in Economics from Peking University, and working in finance in Hong Kong (China), at the age of 30, Zeng Shuangyi decided to change direction, abandoning her dream job to become an actress.

She said she chose a "free and independent life" over a high salary and job security.

The top graduate leaves the financial district to find meaning in life.

Zheng Songyi first gained public attention in China when she participated in the talent show Produce Camp 2020. She attracted attention for being the only contestant among 101 who was not affiliated with an artist management company, and also for being a former student of one of China's most prestigious universities.

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A photo of Trinh Song Di during the Produce Camp 2020 talent search program. Photo: Min News

At that time, during the theme song performance challenge, she volunteered to switch from a "3-day class" to a "1-day class"—meaning she had to learn the new singing and dancing in just 24 hours, sleeping less than 3 hours each night. Despite her best efforts, she only ranked 75th and was eliminated in the second round. "That was the lowest point of my life. But at least, I dared to try," she said.

Born in 1995, Song Di rose to prominence in 2013 when she topped the gaokao (national college entrance examination) in her hometown of Futian, Fujian Province. This achievement earned her admission to Yuanpei College at Peking University, where students are free to choose their preferred major. After graduating with a degree in Economics, she moved to Hong Kong to work for a financial company.

Although many consider it a "golden job" with an enviable income, Song Di describes it as "the darkest period of her life." She realized that only when living with her passion, specifically acting, did she truly feel a sense of purpose.

Shedding the label of "student at a prestigious university," she rediscovered her childhood dream.

Song Di's passion for art began at the age of 5, when she was deeply moved by a female character in a television drama. As a child, she studied dance, but her mother refused the teacher's advice to let her pursue a professional artistic career. Her mother wanted her to focus on her studies.

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Netizens compared photos of Song Di when she was a child and when she became an adult. Photo: Min News

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) , after shifting her focus to acting, her life changed significantly: from a private apartment in central Beijing to shared accommodation in the suburbs, taking the subway instead of taxis, and rarely buying expensive clothes. However, Song Di said she feels at peace: “I know what I want and what the worst-case scenario is. Even though this path is difficult, I still want to walk on my own two feet.”

In the early days of auditioning in Beijing, Song Di often left the "graduation school" section blank on her resume. She worried that a prestigious degree would make others think she wasn't suitable for the profession.

"What kind of roles can Beijing university students play? Academic prodigies?", a director once sarcastically remarked.

For many Chinese people, Peking University is a symbol of intellectualism – a place that trains people who will have prestigious, stable jobs, not a place that produces actors, a profession considered precarious and fraught with controversy.

According to Min News , she no longer avoids the fact that she is a graduate of Peking University. She sees it as part of her identity, but not a label to limit herself.

Don't let the diploma become a mold.

Currently, Trinh Song Di has approximately 260,000 followers on social media and has appeared in several television dramas such as Under the Skin 2 (2024) and The Burning River (2020).

She shared that her goal is to create iconic roles to prove her true abilities and break free from the "Beijing student label."

Commenting on her story, one netizen wrote: "Everyone has the right to try out different roles in life. Being a graduate of Peking University, no matter how prestigious, is just one role."

Song Di herself shared that every time she meets her old classmates from Peking University, she feels a special sensation. Many of them have become directors, entrepreneurs, and live stable, comfortable lives. But some say their lives are like a "besieged city": From the outside, it seems ideal, but inside, it's full of pressure. Some friends even express envy of Song Di for daring to live freely despite facing many uncertainties.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/nu-thu-khoa-khoi-tu-nhien-dai-hoc-danh-gia-bo-viec-luong-cao-theo-nghe-dien-2456896.html