The Male Lead’s Rival: A Muscular Figure, Once the Internet’s Renowned Liang Shanbo.

He Jun Dong appears as Liu Yu Ning’s rival in Hunchback.

As a guest star in Hunchback, He Jun Dong quickly steals the spotlight. His character, Châm Thạch, is a scholarly, romantic, and straightforward young man. With just a few brief scenes, he manages to make the audience laugh with his charming demeanor.

Châm Thạch is a young scholar with a striking appearance. When he suddenly appears, Wei Shao immediately feels threatened, fearing that his wife will be attracted to this new man.

He Jun Dong’s presence makes Liu Yu Ning determined to express his love for his wife.

Indeed, Châm Thạch is talented and uses flowery words to praise Xiao Qiao’s beauty, making Wei Shao uneasy. He even volunteers to be Xiao Qiao’s guide when she expresses her desire to visit Yun Zhong County to see the stone carvings on the cliff.

Fearing he might lose his wife, Wei Shao interrupts and disparages his rival, firmly taking his wife’s hand and leaving. This is a rare possessive act from Wei Shao towards his wife.

Viewers are especially delighted by a scene where He Jun Dong unexpectedly reveals his muscular arms, leaving Wei Shao speechless. No one expects the seemingly gentle Châm Thạch to have such well-toned muscles. Out of jealousy and fear of losing Xiao Qiao, Wei Shao starts weight training.

He Jun Dong displays his muscular physique despite his scholarly appearance.

Ironically, it is He Jun Dong who teaches Liu Yu Ning how to weight train. Images of the male lead struggling to lift weights and gasping for breath go viral on social media, providing a mix of exaggeration and cuteness.

Moreover, although he only plays a supporting role, He Jun Dong’s presence as Châm Thạch is significant. This character helps the male and female leads understand their true feelings for each other, marking a turning point in their relationship.

Many netizens praise He Jun Dong, saying things like, “He shifts the whole tone of the film to comedy as soon as he appears!” and “Because of this scene, I ended up watching the whole series!”

WATCH: Hunchback Clip – Witnessing Châm Thạch’s physique, Wei Shao is stunned.

He Jun Dong – Aging Like Fine Wine

Returning to the costume drama genre, He Jun Dong embodies the image of a scholar in a chaotic era, captivating audiences. He doesn’t need to be a dominant figure; his charm is enough to make viewers fall in love with his maturity and adorableness.

He Jun Dong is praised for his ageless charm.

Some people compare his portrayal of Châm Thạch to his role as Liang Shan Bo in the 2007 version of Liang Shan Bo and Zhu Ying Tai. Back then, he made countless women’s hearts flutter with his gentle and virtuous character, becoming a “moonlight knight” for a generation. However, in Hunchback, He Jun Dong’s performance is even more charming and delightful.

Like fine wine, He Jun Dong, at the age of 50, still captivates women with his handsome face, mature charm, and well-built body. Standing next to the male lead, Liu Yu Ning, he doesn’t seem much older. While Liu exudes masculinity and charisma, He Jun Dong adds a touch of maturity, wisdom, and subtle charm.

Despite limited screen time, He Jun Dong leaves a lasting impression.

Viewers are also intrigued by the love triangle involving a male lead who is awkward with love, a smart and lively female lead, and a “moonlight knight” rival played by He Jun Dong. This triangular relationship fuels the popularity of Hunchback on social media. Some even suggest that if He Jun Dong were younger, Liu Yu Ning might have to watch out for his leading man position.

Before Outshining the Male Lead, He Jun Dong Faced Setbacks

Although he outshines the male lead in Hunchback with his cameo role, few know that He Jun Dong has also faced setbacks in the past, being overshadowed by other male leads.

In the 2007 version of Liang Shan Bo and Zhu Ying Tai, he played the lead role of Liang Shan Bo opposite Dong Jie as Zhu Ying Tai. Many expected the audience to adore his character, but surprisingly, people also showed great affection for Ma Wen Tai, played by Chen Guan Lin. As a result, He Jun Dong’s lead role was overshadowed.

He Jun Dong faced challenges in the past.

His role as Liang Shan Bo was less favored than Ma Wen Tai.

In that version, Ma Wen Tai had a tragic past. He was handsome, talented, and came from a prestigious family, capturing the audience’s ideal type. At that time, Ma Wen Tai became the audience’s favorite because of his unrequited love for the female lead. On the other hand, He Jun Dong’s portrayal of Liang Shan Bo was considered too innocent and naive.

In another instance, when he starred in Qin Wang Li Shi Min with Yan Kuan, his appearance was heavily criticized, despite playing the lead role of Li Shi Min, who historically had an extraordinary appearance. In the series, He Jun Dong’s looks were overshadowed by Yan Kuan, who played Li Jian Cheng.

Collaborating with Yan Kuan, He Jun Dong’s appearance was criticized.

Later, in the TV version of Tiny Times, He Jun Dong once again faced a similar situation, being outshined by the late actor Qiao Ren Liang. He played the role of Gong Ming, the CEO of a company, who cared for his younger brother, Zhou Chong Guang, portrayed by Qiao Ren Liang. However, the audience was more impressed by Qiao Ren Liang’s complex character and challenging life.

He Jun Dong’s character in Tiny Times was overshadowed by Qiao Ren Liang’s.

It’s been said that He Jun Dong has had bad luck with his lead roles, and this was evident in Hua Xie Hua Fei Hua Man Tian. In this series, a much older He Jun Dong couldn’t keep up with the younger Zhu Yi Long, who played Hua Wu Xie. Zhu Yi Long’s performance as Hua Wu Xie gained popularity, while He Jun Dong’s role was forgettable.

In Hua Xie Hua Fei Hua Man Tian, He Jun Dong was outshined by Zhu Yi Long.

It’s been noted that He Jun Dong has the looks, talent, and experience, but his choice of roles hasn’t always been fortunate. His lead characters often lack depth and impact, failing to capture the audience’s preference. However, in Hunchback, as Liu Yu Ning’s rival, he shines and goes viral, even with limited screen time.