It's blown up! The mega influencer Guo Youcai returned to Heze for a live broadcast, achieving legendary status once again

Friends who have been browsing Douyin recently have probably come across Guo Youcai’s live stream, right?

On April 15, it was reported that Guo Youcai, who two years ago became famous for singing “Promise” and gained 10 million followers in just nine days at Heze South Station,returned to his hometown, Heze in Shandong Province, with his team for a live stream after two years, drawing an explosive response.

On April 14, Guo Youcai went live from the Guanyu Peony Garden in Heze, where the scene was packed with people. Data shows that the peak number of simultaneous viewers in the live stream exceeded 100,000.According to third-party data, the live stream garnered more than 4 million views.

Image source: DADuoDuo

Some friends may wonder how Guo Youcai became so popular?

On May 9, 2024, Guo Youcai live-streamed near Heze South Station, covering an old song 'Promise' by Li Yijun. At the time, his voice was hoarse, and he lacked singing techniques or elaborate accompaniment.

What the editor (ID: whshi234) didn’t expect was that this live stream caused his popularity to skyrocket. In just nine days, his followers surged to over 10 million, making him the hottest top influencer on Douyin at the time. After his sudden rise to fame, not only did he become well-known, but he also brought attention to Heze South Station, with large numbers of fans visiting daily to check in.

It’s worth mentioning that after his sudden popularity, Guo Youcai no longer limited himself to street live-streaming at Heze South Station. Instead, he embarked on a nationwide cultural tourism tour, singing while live-streaming and showing viewers the scenery.

However, fame brings controversy, and Guo Youcai has been surrounded by disputes since his rise.

Image source: Douyin

The most criticized point by netizens is that he doesn't sing well. Many netizens joked that he's “tone-deaf but still dares to be an influencer,” “sings worse than I do, so why is he famous?” and “there’s no technique, only emotion, but unfortunately, emotion can’t save off-key singing.”

Speaking of which, what’s amazing is that we all know new influencers are born every day in the influencer circle, and old influencers fall from grace just as quickly. Many top influencers don’t stay relevant for more than half a year before collapsing—whether it's due to a ruined persona, failed product endorsements, or negative news. Very few can remain popular for two years without falling out of favor, and Guo Youcai is one of them.

The editor (ID: whshi234) finds it incredible that Guo Youcai, a grassroots individual without education, background, or professional singing skills, could go viral overnight thanks to an old song, a retro look, and a backstory, even driving cultural tourism development in a city. This would have been unimaginable in the past.

The main reason Guo Youcai has not collapsed, in the editor's opinion (ID: whshi234), is that he remains down-to-earth.

Image source: Weibo

Many internet celebrities collapse after becoming popular because they lose their sense of self, forget their original intentions, aggressively exploit their followers, act arrogantly, and fabricate false personas, ultimately being abandoned by fans and eliminated by the market.

But Guo Youcai is different. From the first day he became an overnight sensation, he recognized his own limitations and has maintained a low-profile and pragmatic attitude, avoiding arrogance, pretense, or hype. Even after establishing his company, he has not lost his grassroots essence and still returns to Heze to sing for his fans in the Peony Garden.

Additionally, he knows how to pivot in time, not relying on a single source of traffic. Many internet celebrities, after gaining fame, only depend on repetitive content to maintain popularity—like singing or making skits—and once the buzz fades, they don’t know what to do next. But Guo Youcai transitioned from street live-streaming to cultural tourism collaborations, commercial performances, and building a team, continuously expanding his business, turning short-term traffic into long-term influence, which is why he can remain successful.

Guo Youcai’s journey is not just a story of an internet celebrity’s rise but also a microcosm of the influencer economy. It tells us that only sincerity can ensure longevity in the world of online fame.

That said, although Guo Youcai’s recent live stream in Heze went viral again, it remains uncertain how long this momentum will last. And as his popularity continues to grow, will he lose his grassroots nature and become arrogant due to excessive commercialization? Only time will tell.

Finally, the editor would like to ask everyone: Do you think Guo Youcai will collapse in the future? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

597 Views