Chinese actor Joseph Zeng, who began his career as a member of a boy group, has gained popularity through dramas including Heavenly Sword and Dragon Slaying Sabre and Mysterious Lotus Casebook. He recently came under the spotlight after his former agency filed a lawsuit against him over an alleged dispute involving damage to the company’s interests.
Shanghai Black Gold Entertainment Development Co., Ltd., whose legal representative is singer Shang Wenjie, reportedly filed the lawsuit against Zeng and other related parties, alleging that they harmed the company’s interests while fulfilling their contractual obligations.
The dispute between Zeng and his former agency dates back several years. Zeng debuted in 2014 after participating in a talent programme associated with Shang Wenjie. In 2021, he filed a lawsuit to terminate his contract following a dispute over the distribution of his entertainment earnings.
Zeng subsequently won both the first and second trials, successfully terminating the contract. He was also awarded RMB15 million (approximately RM9.03 million) in revenue-sharing payments.
Nearly five years later, Black Gold Entertainment has now launched another lawsuit under a new cause of action, drawing renewed public attention to the dispute.
In a statement issued on the 8th, Zeng’s studio stressed that the contractual dispute had already been decided by the court in 2021 and that the relevant facts had been established through legal proceedings. It argued that the factual and legal basis of the latest lawsuit contradicts the findings of the legally effective judgment.
The studio further said the latest action “lacks factual and legal basis” and could potentially “mislead public opinion”.
It added that the previous dispute had already reached a final legal conclusion and urged the public to rely on official court decisions rather than unverified information. The studio also pledged its full support for Zeng in responding to the lawsuit through legal channels and expressed confidence that the court would handle the case fairly.
