2005–2013: Career beginnings, Fashion Youngster

Yee debuted as a child star, appearing in several variety programs from 2005 to 2008.^[10][11]

In 2009, Yee became a member of former Chinese idol group Fashion Youngsters. He left the group in 2011.^[11]

In 2010, Yee made his acting debut in the television series Iron Pear.^[11]

In March 2012, Yee participated in Hunan TV's reality talent show Up Young and entered the top 100. Despite being eliminated, he attracted the attention of TF Entertainment and was invited to audition with the company. Prior to debuting with TFBoys, Yee released his first solo single Dream Skyscraper.^[12] He also acted in several short films^[13][14] and appeared in the music video for Father (2013), a song by The Voice of China contestant Chang Hexuan.

2013–2016: TFBoys and solo activities

Yee officially debuted as a member of TFBoys in August, 2013. In 2015, he voiced the main character for the Chinese dub of the animated movie The Little Prince.^[15]

In July 2016, he starred in the xianxia television series, Noble Aspirations, playing a fox demon.^[16] In November, he released his second solo single You Say. The single was produced by music producer Lee Wei Song and written by Leehom Wang.^[17] The same month, he joined the cast of the variety show Let Go of My Baby.^[18]

2017–Present: Mainstream popularity

In January 2017, Yee joined the voice cast of the animated movie GG Bond: Guarding, playing the character of a mysterious man.^[19] Yee starred as the young version of the male protagonist in historical drama Song of Phoenix.^[20] He also released his own rendition of Li Sao for the soundtrack of the drama.^[21]

In September 2017, it was announced that Yee has set up his own independent studio for his solo activities.^[22] In November, Yee released his first English language single, titled Nothing to Lose, produced by Harvey Mason Jr. while Yee participated in the lyrics writing.^[23] Five days later, he released another single titled Unpredictable, produced by David Gamson and with lyrics written by Dave Gibson.^[24] Both songs ranked number two and one respectively on the FreshAsia Music Chart.^{[citation needed]}

In 2018, Yee was confirmed to join the dance-oriented variety show Street Dance of China as a captain.^[25] Yee was invited to attend the 60th Grammy Award Ceremony on 28 January 2018, held in New York as the Music Ambassador of Radio 101, a China Music Vision guest. He was also the youngest Chinese musician ever to be officially invited to the ceremony.^[26] The same month, Yee was named as one of the top 10 influential charity stars by Sina.^[27] Later in the year, it was announced that he will star in the fantasy animated film L.O.R.D: Legend of Ravaging Dynasties 2.^[28] This year, he was accepted into Beijing's prestigious Central Academy of Drama after placing first and achieving the highest score for both his college entrance examination and live audition.^[29][30]

In 2019, Yee starred in the film Better Days, adapted from a Chinese novel In His Youth, In Her Beauty.^[31] His performance earned him the Best New Performer Award at the 39th Hong Kong Film Awards.^[32] The same year, he starred in the historical mystery drama The Longest Day in Chang'an.^[33][34][35] On 22 December 2019, he held his first solo concert, Su Er in Shanghai, China.^[36]

In 2020, Yee starred in period action drama Forward Forever.^[33] In November 2020, he released Backseat Theater, a cover album. He recreated his imaginary "backseat concert" based on his numerous journey of going back and forth between North 2nd Ring Road and Changping when he was small.^[37] His second film A Little Red Flower was in the theaters on 31 December 2020.^[38]

In 2021, Jackson Yee's first war film,The Battle at Lake Changjin, was released in the cinemas on 30 September 2021, and it became the highest-grossing film of all time in China.^[39]

^[40] He was featured in the short film, A Date with Snow and Ice, that promotes Beijing Winter Olympic Torch Relay with Eileen Gu.^[41]

In 2022, Jackson Ye starred in a sequel to the film, The Battle at Lake Changjin II, was released on 1 February 2022.^[42]

In 2023, Jackson Yee starred in the film Full River Red (2023), directed by Zhang Yimou. The film gained a box office of 4.5 billion RMB, becoming the one of the highest-grossing film of all time in mainland China.^[43]

In January 2024, Jackson was elected as a member of the Chinese Film Association Council, making him the youngest among the 167 members.

Philanthropy

In June 2017, Yee was chosen as one of the WHO China Tobacco Control Champion by the World Health Organization.^[44][45]

In September 2017, Yee called for preserving and protecting the historic sites, and to stop uncivilized actions on cultural relics and monuments. He was named ambassador of the China Foundation for Cultural Heritage Conservation's Great Wall Charity Campaign Guardian of the Great Wall.^[46]

In November 2017, Yee was invited by the World Health Organization to Geneva as one of the four youth leaders from China, to give a speech a calling for the elimination of AIDS discrimination. Shortly after, he was awarded the title of WHO China Special Envoy For Health. As the special envoy for WHO in China, he naturally put an emphasis on healthy living, and also mentioned his support for the Children's Companion Program, a project that aims to help children in rural provinces whose parents have moved away to work in major cities.^[45] The same month, he collaborated with 16 other celebrities on the song Embracing You, which serves as the theme song for 30th World AIDS Day.^[47]

On his birthday concert held on 28 November 2017, Yee announced the establishment of the Jackson Yee Fund. Its first phase will help raise 1.5 million yuan ($227,000) to support a charity program for the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation to help more than 12,000 rural, "left-behind" children, whose parents have moved to urban areas to earn a living with temporary jobs.^[48]

In 2019, Yee represented China at the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum. Joined by nearly 1,000 other youth advocates in New York on 8 and 9 April, he met with government ministers and officials to advance the role of young people in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.^[8][49] Using the phrase Yi qi lai ba!, Yee launched a new collaboration with WHO China encouraging young people to join to choose active, healthy lifestyles.^[50]

On 9 November 2019, Yee was announced as the China Forest Fire Management Charity Ambassador^[51][52] to promote the awareness of forest fires - prevent forest fires and protect our green homes.⁣

In July 2021, Yee donated 1 million to Red Cross Society of China Zhengzhou Branch^[53] plus another 1 million to Han Hong Love Charity Foundation^[54][55] to relieve the damages done in 2021 Henan floods.

Endorsements

To see his band's endorsements, please visit TFBOYS

On 28 July 2021, Yee was announced as the Nescafé brand ambassador as they shared the same attitude of "dare to think and act".^[56]

Fashion

On 5 April 2021, Armani beauty made Yee as its global makeup and skincare ambassador.^[57] He had been the ambassador for Giorgio Armani makeup for China since January 2020 and an Emporio Armani global ambassador since August 2020. “Jackson Yee really has a voice in China,” Véronique Gautier, global president of Armani Beauty, told WWD. She said he also resonates with young people and his human engagement echoes that of Giorgio Armani.^[58] On 19 January 2022, Armani beauty made Yee its Giorgio Armani Global Beauty Ambassador.^[59]

On 16 April 2021, Yee was promoted to Tiffany & Co.’s global ambassador^[60] as his endorsement of the brand at a regional level in China since his appointment June 2020 has "generated impressive levels of social media fan growth and consumer engagement that well exceeded our expectations,” said CEO Alessandro Bogliolo.^[61]

Singles

EP

Album

Film

Television series

Web series

Variety show

Music video appearances

Forbes