‘Imitation genius’: China influencer overcomes abusive dad to self-fund US education

A 19-year-old influencer in China has announced he has been admitted to top-tier Boston University, with tuition and living costs to be covered entirely by himself, as he has earned money through his online activities in recent years.

Zhong Meimei, born Zhong Yusheng, shot to fame in May 2020 when he released his first batch of videos in which he mimicked female teachers at primary and middle schools, the National Business Daily (NBD) reported.

His works quickly captivated internet users, who called him an “imitation genius.” Many people described how Zhong, then just 13, perfectly portrayed teachers through his lines, facial expressions, and movements.

He amassed his first million followers in only one month. At the end of 2020, Zhong won a national video creation award given by mainland media outlet New Weekly.

Zhong focused on his studies over the past couple of years while occasionally releasing videos, which also feature humorous content in which he impersonates hotel receptionists, crew members, or office workers.

On June 22, Zhong revealed on social media that he has been admitted to Boston University, with his semester set to start next year.

“BU is a highly qualified university. You cannot get enrolled simply because of money,” he wrote, refuting online speculation that his admission was achieved through improper means.