 |
| Henry Huo Zun Quietly Stages a Full Comeback After Years Away from the Spotlight |
Chinese singer Henry Huo Zun is firmly back in circulation after several years of silence, marking one of the more unexpected yet steady comebacks in the mainland entertainment scene.
What began as a cautious test of the waters in late 2023 has now grown into a full return, complete with festival stages, solo concerts, and a touring musical. Huo’s re-entry into showbiz initially slipped under the radar when he appeared at an overseas concert in Las Vegas in 2023.
At the time, it looked more like a quiet trial than a proper comeback.
But 2024 saw him ramp up to three solo concerts in China, signalling that he was ready to face audiences at home once again.
Most recently, on 16 November, Huo Zun performed at the Nanjing Yangtze Finless Porpoise Music Festival, delivering a nine-song set including favourites such as Starfall, Hongyan Jie, The Legend of Qin, Running in the Sunset, Juan Zhu Lian, and Gui Yi.
After the show, he shared photos with a short message about seeing his own silhouette under the sunset and thanking fans for turning up, adding a gentle reminder to “dress warmly” and expressing hopes to meet everyone again next year.
 |
Henry Huo aka Huo Zun was one of China’s most recognisable young vocalists in the 2010s, known for his distinctive tone and fusion style.
Born in Shanghai in 1990 to a family of musicians, he rose to prominence through reality shows, placing in the top three of Asian Wave in 2012 before winning the first season of Sing My Song in 2014.
His self-written track Juan Zhu Lian later earned him a Spring Festival Gala appearance, solidifying his status as a rising star.
His career took a sharp turn in August 2021 when his former girlfriend Chen Lu publicly accused him of “emotional neglect” and shared chat screenshots that triggered widespread criticism.
Huo Zun apologised and announced he would withdraw from the industry.
The situation later shifted when Chen Lu became the subject of an investigation over an alleged attempt to obtain money.
By 2023, the case had been handed to prosecutors, and Huo also won several defamation suits after courts determined that parts of the screenshots circulated online had been altered.
 |
In China’s tightly scrutinised entertainment environment, a return after public controversy is far from guaranteed.
Many artists disappear permanently, unable to regain public favour. Huo’s situation, however, has been shaped by several key developments.
Firstly, the legal shifts surrounding the controversy reshaped public perception.
The revelation that some of the chat logs had been edited, combined with court rulings favouring Huo in defamation cases, softened earlier criticism.
Secondly, his vocal ability remains widely recognised, and even those who still question aspects of the 2021 incident acknowledge that he stands out musically within the current scene.
There remains no official conclusion regarding the case involving his former partner, and online discussions remain divided.
Still, the reception to his recent performances shows clearly that a large portion of the public is willing to give him space to rebuild.
Huo Zun’s comeback has not been loud or flashy.
Instead, it has been gradual, measured, and grounded in live performance — a route that suits an artist known more for his music than his persona.
Whether this return will grow into a full revival of his earlier career remains to be seen, but with festival bookings, concerts, and musical theatre already on his schedule, it’s fair to say his new chapter is well underway.
For now, he appears focused on doing what made him popular to begin with: singing, writing, and letting the stage speak for itself.
Source: Sohu