In May of 2021 I wrote about the television show Word of Honor and how much I loved it. In August of 2021, I watched as Zhang Zhehan, one of the lead actors, was accused of being unpatriotic to his country and saw his career and reputation destroyed almost overnight. It was shocking the extent to which he was systematically erased from the Internet, and he was forced into hiding for months. However, in the years since, it’s been more or less accepted that the allegations against him were false, and that he was actually the target of a very effective smear campaign. Sounds like he and Build Jakapan would have a lot to talk about if they ever met.
Thankfully, I recently discovered that Zhang Zhehan has started releasing music again, and even performed a couple of concerts in Bangkok earlier this year. I promptly checked out his new albums, which is how I came across “Believer“, an incredible power anthem of resilience. As I said on Sunday, I have no idea how people endure a public character assassination on the scale of what these two men have endured. But clearly they are made of stronger stuff than me. Maybe they should team up for future concerts. After what they’ve been through, I’m sure they would have no problem taking on the world together.
Suggestions for artists I should check out? Please contact me with your ideas. I hope you enjoyed your daily helping of art!
