A Star Actor Tried His Hand at Teaching English. The Reviews Are Mixed.
The Hong Kong-based actor and filmmaker Daniel Wu raised eyebrows in China when he recently announced his latest project: headlining a spoken English language course.
Now the course is out, and the early reviews are decidedly mixed, with some fans demanding refunds and complaining that Wu was used as a “marketing gimmick.”
The course, titled “Learn Spoken English with Daniel Wu,” was a collaboration between Beijing-based education group Gaotu Techedu and Wu’s own education venture, Yashi Education Technology. It was marketed as an opportunity to learn English from Wu, a native of the United States who graduated from the University of Oregon.
Wu’s background featured heavily in promotional materials for the course, with a representative from Gaotu telling domestic media that, “Wu has long been recognized for his pure American-accented English.”
The pitch seems to have worked, with sales of the 398-yuan ($55) course reportedly exceeding 2 million yuan in just 48 hours.
But many users soon expressed disappointment with the course, complaining that the classes were too simple and didn’t focus enough on Wu. Hashtags related to the course on microblogging platform Weibo have been viewed over 60 million times.
According to Gaotu, the course consists of 84 lessons on topics such as socializing, travel, fitness, dining, and shopping. Wu is joined by a certified English instructor from Gaotu, who helps explain the material. Each lesson lasts around eight to 10 minutes.
Shen Yi, a 37-year-old internet company employee, told Sixth Tone that he purchased “Learn Spoken English With Daniel Wu” last week to prepare for an upcoming trip abroad, only to find the lessons too basic to be useful. “The content is quite simple,” he said. “I was hoping for something more in-depth, focusing on specific scenarios, like how to handle incorrect food orders at a restaurant or dispute a bill.”
Shen also complained about the course’s use of an AI chatbot trained on Wu’s voice and appearance. “The AI doesn’t know when to end a conversation and lacks flexibility,” he said. “If your responses are short, the AI’s replies are also brief. It might be that the less proficient someone is in English, the harder it is for them to use this product effectively.”
AI integration had been a selling point of the course, with Gaotu saying it had incorporated the wildly popular DeepSeek large language model in order to allow users to practice their spoken English.
Wu is not the first celebrity popular in China to pivot into the education industry. According to domestic media reports, at least 13 current and former stars have entered the education market over the past decade, mostly in language and music training.
Last year, former China Central Television host Yang Lan launched a 299-yuan language and social skills course. And in 2021, singer Wang Leehom founded a music learning app, offering a 30-day vocal training course priced at 1,699 yuan.
According to Xiong Bingqi, deputy director of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, stars may underestimate user expectations when it comes to educational content. “For celebrities, entering the education industry is a personal choice,” Xiong told Sixth Tone. “But in the end, success depends on the quality of the course and the actual learning experience, not just a celebrity’s public image.”
Not everyone thinks Wu’s class was a flop. Some users have defended Wu and the course, pointing out that it was cheaper than classes offered by comparable celebrities and that dissatisfied customers can apply for a refund. “This is probably some of the most budget-friendly celebrity merch,” reads one highly upvoted comment on Weibo.
For Shen, the controversy may be a matter of mismanaged expectations. “If you don’t set high expectations for the course and simply see it as a way to spark interest, develop a sense for the language, and rekindle enthusiasm for learning English, then it actually delivers,” he said.
Contribution: Wu Yufei
(Header image: Screenshots of Daniel Wu teaching English. From Douyin）
