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| Cecilia Boey Gets Real About Her Rough Start on ‘Grade One’ and Life Under the Spotlight |
Cecilia Boey, better known in China as Song Yanfei, has always had the kind of screen presence that turns heads—but behind the glam, she’s got a history that’s anything but shiny. In a recent interview, the 29-year-old actress got candid about her early years in the Chinese entertainment industry, especially her time on the now-iconic reality show Grade One, which unknowingly kickstarted the careers of many of today’s big-name stars.
Known for her vibrant energy and no-nonsense attitude, Cecilia admitted, “I feel like I’m a magnet for controversy—every time I go on a variety show, something always ends up trending for the wrong reasons.”
And it’s not just the headlines she notices. She confessed she keeps tabs on online reactions and comments. “Sometimes it really gets to me,” she said, without sugar-coating the emotional toll.
From JYP Trainee to Chinese Variety Star
Before she ever hit Chinese screens, Cecilia trained under JYP Entertainment with dreams of debuting as a K-pop idol. That path got cut short due to a serious knee injury, pushing her to pivot into acting and variety in her native China. One of her earliest appearances was in the Grade One reality series on Hunan TV—a show designed to showcase young talents in mock school settings.
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But for Cecilia, it wasn’t just fun and games.
“Mentally, I wasn’t in a good place back then,” she shared. After filming wrapped, the cast was split up, and her emotional state took a nosedive. “I was constantly crying. I barely left the house,” she revealed. The situation hit especially hard when she watched back a moment where she lashed out at a co-star who joked about her messing everything up. “I looked so defensive and unhappy. I didn’t even realise I was like that on set.”
The ‘Grade One’ Alumni Club
Looking back, it’s easy to forget just how stacked that Grade One cast really was. Back then, names like Cheng Yi, Esther Yu (Yu Shuxin), and Meng Ziyi weren’t headline-worthy just yet. Tong Mengshi, Yuan Yuxuan, Xing Fei, and Zhang Yuxi were also part of the mix—many of whom are now regular faces in dramas and on red carpets.
But for Cecilia, the experience was more complicated. “The show helped, sure—but it cost me emotionally. I was just a kid trying to make sense of everything.”
Even now, years later, she says she sometimes holds back from speaking too freely, worried that people will twist her words or react harshly. “I still have that fear of saying the wrong thing,” she admitted. Fortunately, close friends like Meng Ziyi—who also faced plenty of online backlash in her own time—have encouraged her to be braver and ignore the noise. “She told me not to be afraid. That really stayed with me.”
Still Standing in 2025
In more recent years, Cecilia has continued to build her career across dramas, music, and variety, including her most recent appearance on Ride the Wind 2025. She’s grown up in front of the camera, weathered public judgement, and somehow managed to keep things real.
If anything, Cecilia Boey’s journey from misunderstood rookie to grounded veteran shows just how layered a celebrity’s path can be—especially in the high-pressure world of Chinese variety and showbiz.