Lin Yi (, born January 11, 1999) is a Chinese actor and model. He gained popularity after starring in the 2019 romantic web series Put Your Head on My Shoulder, which brought him wider recognition.
Early life and education Lin Yi was born in Hebei and grew up in Shenyang, Liaoning. In 2015, he received the top score in the unified examination of dance majors in Liaoning Province and was admitted to the Beijing Sport University, majoring in Dancesport.
Career
2015–2018: Career beginnings In 2015, while still in his first year of university, Lin Yi was discovered by the agent and signed with Tangren Media Co. Ltd. In 2016, during his summer vacation abroad, he received education in professional training in dance and performance. In 2017, he participated in the casting of the youth campus web series My Huckleberry Friends and auditioned for the male lead, Lin Yang, but ultimately failed.
In May 2017, Lin Yi participated in Youku's idol reality show Beautiful Youth Academy as a cast member. During the show's acting class, he restored the clip from the film Mr. Six by Feng Xiaogang. After the acting class, Director Feng recognized Lin Yi's acting skills and said he would become a good actor. On November 7, 2017, he participated in Youku's fashion variety show Crazy Wardrobe and won the 6th championship with 41 votes. In December 2017, he was confirmed to star in the scifi film Hope Island with Duan Yihong and Andy García.
2019–present: Rising popularity
In 2019, Lin Yi started gaining increased attention and popularity with his role as Gu Wei Yi in the romantic comedy web series Put Your Head on My Shoulder, which is based on Zhao Qianqian's novel of the same name. The series has gained a cult following both in China and overseas, and Lin Yi's portrayal of Gu Wei Yi has received favorable reviews, making him popular. On May 20, 2019, Lin Yi and his co-star Xing Fei held a grand fan meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, where thousands of fans gathered. Also, Lin Yi was featured in the May issue of Harper's Bazaar Hong Kong. In November 2019, he was nominated for the "Best Actor Award for Chinese Contemporary TV Dramas" at the 26th Huading Awards with the series Put Your Head on My Shoulder. In December 2019, he was honored with the "Youth Trending Artist of the Year" award at the Tencent Video All Star Night and the "New Actor of the Year" award at the 4th Golden Blossom Internet Film and Television Awards.
In 2020, Lin Yi starred in the web series The Blessed Girl and Memory of Encaustic Tile. On October 1, 2020, the song "My Motherland", a tribute to the 71st anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China sung by Lin Yi together with other artists, was released.
On January 29, 2021, the costume adventure fantasy web series The Blessed Girl, starring Zhao Jinmai and Yuan Hong, was launched on Tencent Video, in which Lin Yi plays the aspiring young monarch, Yuan Yi. On April 28, the web series Love Scenery was aired, in which Lin Yi co-stars with Xu Lu and plays the role of Lu Jing, an e-sports anchor. In October, he joined Zhejiang TV's variety show Keep Running: Yellow River Season 2 as a cast member. On December 27, he was selected into the 2021 Movie Channel "Starry Oceans" Young Actor Selection Program.
On January 26, 2022, the web series Memory of Encaustic Tile was aired on Youku, in which Lin Yi co-stars with Chen Yuqi and plays the role of Zheng Su Nian. On April 2, the film One Week Friends was released, in which he co-stars with Zhao Jinmai and Shen Yue and plays Xu You Shu.
In September 2023, Lin Yi visited South Korea to hold 23 meet-and-greet events for the upcoming film One Week Friends. On December 14, the time-travel and suspense web series Derailment was aired on Youku, with Lin Yi co-starring with Liu Haocun and portraying Qi Lian.
On March 1, 2024, the web series Everyone Loves Me, starring Lin Yi and Zhou Ye, was broadcast on Youku and aired on March 19 on Netflix. Lin Yi plays Gu Xun, a reserved guy who unknowingly falls for the girl he rejects. On March 9, the TV series Angels Fall Sometimes he co-stars with Li Landi, adapted from the Japanese series , was broadcast. Lin Yi plays Lin Tuo, an interior designer diagnosed with ALS. On June 8, the TV series The Tale of Rose starring Liu Yifei was broadcast, in which Lin Yi plays He Xi, a young pilot whom the heroine has a crush on. He has completed filming for the series Smile Code with Shen Yue and Ski into Love with Esther Yu, both highly anticipated by the public.
In August 2025, Lin Yi was announced to star opposite Lu Yuxiao in the modern romance drama When I Meet the Moon, based on the novel of the same name by Zhu Yi.
Filmography Television and web series Year English title Original title Role Network. 2019Put Your Head on My Shoulder致我们暖暖的小时光Gu Wei YiTencent Video 2021玲珑Yuan YiTencent VideoLove Scenery良辰美景好时光Lu Jing / Herman / Liu Mo YaniQIYI, Tencent VideoPut Your Head on My Shoulder 2021 อุ่นไอในใจเธอ 2021Gu Wei YiWeTV2022Memory of Encaustic Tile昔有琉璃瓦Zheng Su NianYoukuHu Tong 胡同Ouyang HuiCCTV-8, Mango TV, Tencent VideoOur Times 我们这十年Ye ZhouZhejiang TV, Dragon TV, Jiangsu TV, Guangdong TV, Youku, iQIYI, Tencent Video, Mango TV, Migu 2023Derailment 脱轨Qi LianYouku2024别对我动心Gu XunYouku谢谢你温暖我Lin TuoCCTV-8, Tencent VideoThe Tale of Rose玫瑰的故事He XiSmile Code失笑Liang Dai WenTencent Video2025 嘘，国王在冬眠 Shan Chong Youku When I Meet the Moon 折月亮 Fu Shize iQIYI
Film Year English title Native title Role 2022 One Week Friends [zh] 一周的朋友 Xu You Shu rowspan="2" Our Destiny我们的命中注定Lin Jun He / Lin Shao MinHope Island希望岛
Variety show Year English title Chinese title Role Notes/Ref. 2017 Beautiful Youth Academy 美少年学社 Cast member Crazy Wardrobe 疯狂衣橱 Contestant Episode 6–10, final winner 2019 Happy Camp 快乐大本营 Guest 20191116, sings "Those Bygone Years" with partner Xing Fei Magic Hanzi 神奇的汉字 Episode 45–48, "Battle for the Ultimate Elite" 2020 Happy Camp 快乐大本营20201017 202120210220 Day Day Up 天天向上 20210502 Keep Running:Yellow River Season 2 奔跑吧·黄河篇第二季 Cast member Episode 1–5 2022 Let's Go Skiing 超有趣滑雪大会 Winter fun entertainment snow variety show Hello, Saturday 你好，星期六 Guest 20220205, solo dance "The Sounds of Snowfall"202320231021202420240210; 20240713; 20240720; 20241221All Out Action Season 3全力以赴的行动派 第三季Cast memberNatural High: Season 2现在就出发Recurring member
Discography
Single YearEnglish titleChinese titleIntroductionRef.2020"My Homeland"我的祖国A tribute song to the 71st anniversary of the founding of PRC2024"Confession Scene"告白画面Everyone Loves Me OST (with Zhou Ye)
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Results Ref.201926th Huading AwardsBest Actor in Chinese Contemporary Dramas Put Your Head on My Shoulder4th Golden Blossom Internet Film and Television Awards New Actor of the Year Tencent Video All Star Night 2019Youth Trending Artist of the Year 2023Television Series of China Quality Ceremony 2023Quality Emerging Drama StarOur Times2024Weibo Awards 2023Weibo Anticipated Actor of the YearDerailmentYuewen Global IP AwardsPromising IP Actor of the Year4th New Era International TV Festival Ammolite AwardsMost Promising Actor of the New EraDerailmentWeibo TV & Internet Video Summit 2024Progressive Actor of the YearTencent Entertainment White Paper Awards 2024Influential Actor in TV Series of the Year2025Weibo Awards 2024Weibo Breakthrough Actor of the Year
References
External links