In the glamorous world of Asian entertainment, Jerry Yan is one of the few stars who has won over so many fans. This 48-year-old actor, singer, and former model was born Liao Yang-zhen on January 1, 1977, in Taoyuan, Taiwan. He started out small and became a pan-Asian icon. Yan is of Atayal and Hakka descent. His rise from a single-parent home to the top of the entertainment world is proof of his strength, talent, and timeless appeal. Yan keeps audiences spellbound with his brooding intensity, sharp features, and natural charm. He shows that some stars only get better with age.
Early Life: From Hardship to Fame
Jerry Yan had a hard childhood. After his father died when he was 12, he and his sister were raised by their mother alone. The family had trouble making ends meet in Taoyuan. Young Yan did small jobs to help make ends meet, but his dreams were always bigger than his situation. He went to Dingxi Elementary School, Xiehe Senior Vocational School, and Yongping Senior High School in the Greater Taipei area, where he developed a love for the arts.
Yan got into the entertainment business by accident. He won the TVBS Modelling Competition and the Men’s UNO modelling contest in 1998, which got him started in the fashion world. By 2000, he was a popular model who worked with high-end brands like Gucci and Louis Vuitton and appeared in ads and music videos. These early jobs helped him get better at being on camera and set the stage for a career that would be very diverse.
The Meteor Garden Phenomenon: How It Became Famous
In 2000, Yan made her acting debut as Hong Minglong in the Taiwanese show Spicy Teacher. But everything changed in 2001. Yan burst onto the scene when she played the arrogant but weak Dao Ming Si in Meteor Garden, a Taiwanese version of the Japanese manga Hana Yori Dango. The show, which followed four rich heirs and their love lives, became a huge hit across Asia and started a “Meteor Garden” craze.
Meteor Garden II (2002), the sequel, made him a leading man for sure. Fans loved Yan’s performance as the tsundere heir, whose fiery temper hid a deep love and loyalty. F4, a boy band made up of Yan, Vic Chou, Vanness Wu, and Ken Chu, was born out of the show’s success. They put out three studio albums as F4, including the number one hits “Meteor Rain” and “Fantasy 4ever,” and toured to sold-out crowds, causing hysteria wherever they went. Yan’s solo projects came next. His first album, Jerry for You, came out in 2004 and won him “Best Newcomer” at the China Top Music Awards and a spot in the IFPI Hong Kong’s Top 10 Selling Mandarin Albums.
A Career with Many Facets: Acting, Music, and More
After Meteor Garden, Yan did a great job of diversifying. He worked on a wide range of TV shows, from romantic comedies to dramas. Some of the best parts are:
- He played Zhang Zilin in Love Scar (2002), which got more than 10% of the votes.
- The Hospital (2006) was a groundbreaking medical drama that aired on Japan’s NHK. He played Dr. Su Yihua, which showed how deep he could be as an actor.
- Hot Shot (2008), a funny movie about basketball, stars Wu Chun of Fahrenheit and Dong Fangxiang.
- Down with Love (2010), a hit romance with Ella Chen that was at the top of the ratings even though it was leaked online.
- He won Best Actor at the Philippines Asian Drama Awards for Loving, Never Forgetting (2014).
- He played Lu Xingcheng in Count Your Lucky Stars (2020) and Xiao Han in The Forbidden Flower (2023), where he starred with the much younger Xu Ruohan. This brought back interest in his timeless appeal.
Yan’s first movie role was in Magic Kitchen (2004), which starred Andy Lau and Sammi Cheng. After that, he appeared in Ripples of Desire (2012), the Japanese heist movie Lupin III: Necklace of Cleopatra (2014), and a small part in the youth hit Our Times (2015). His music career also took off. His 2009 album Freedom reached the top of Japan’s Oricon charts, and he had a sold-out solo concert in Tokyo with two encore shows. Yan, who sings and plays the piano, is still under contract with Sony Music Taiwan.
The Forbidden Flower has won a lot of awards, from Mnet’s Best Asia Pop Artist in 2004 to Harper’s Bazaar China’s Icon of the Year in 2023. Yan will be in the drama Marriage Exposed in 2025, which promises more romantic drama.
Personal Life: Privacy, Interests, and Tributes
Yan is very protective of his private life and stays away from drama on social media to keep his emotions in check. In fact, he has even promised not to use a smartphone at all. He is known for being an animal lover, especially of dogs, and he also supports environmental causes. He was in a high-profile, on-and-off relationship with supermodel Lin Chi-ling for years. They got back together for a short time in 2017, but then they broke up again. There have been rumors that he is dating co-stars like Seanna Chang, but he is still single and working on his craft.
On August 13, 2025, Yan went to the grave of his late Meteor Garden co-star Barbie Hsu (who died in 2022) at Chin Pao San Cemetery in New Taipei. He was with friends from both sides. The quiet tribute showed how loyal he is to both fans and coworkers.
Legacy: Getting Better with Age
Over two decades later, Jerry Yan’s influence endures. He represents the growth of Asian pop culture, from his time as a member of the boy band F4 to his more mature and complex roles. On platforms like X (formerly Twitter), fans still go crazy for his Instagram posts about upcoming projects. One person even said he was “aging like fine wine.” As Yan moves on to Marriage Exposed and beyond, he reminds us of why Dao Ming Si stole our hearts: he was intense but also vulnerable, and his talent was timeless. Jerry Yan shines forever in an industry full of stars that come and go.
