Jackson Wang: Entering a bold new era

At the Weibo Music Awards 2026 in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, on Sept. 23, Jackson Wang was named International Musician of the Year, while his "Magic Man 2 World Tour 2025-2027" earned the title of recommended concert. These accolades cap a milestone year in which the 32-year-old artist has continued to reinvent himself and push forward.

Jackson Wang. [Photo provided to China.org.cn] 

On Sept. 24, Wang attended an exclusive launch event at Hong Kong Ocean Park for the brand-new Under the Castle (UTC) offline experience. Over 1,000 guests explored a bespoke haunted house presented by UTC, along with themed rides, costumed performers, and a selection of special delicacies and merchandise.

As Halloween approaches, this immersive, spooky original fantasy IP has come full circle, landing at The Summit of Ocean Park after months of preparation. For Wang, who serves as the creative director of UTC, the venue holds deep personal significance: he and co-founder Henry Cheung used to visit the haunted house in Ocean Park together as kids.

Yet Wang offered another reason for his love of haunted experiences. "When I was young, I came to Ocean Park every Halloween. I'd bring the person I wanted to pursue," he recalled. "Everyone knows the haunted house is fun, but at the same time, it's those three hours waiting in line, still talking with each other about life. That's what makes it beautiful and unforgettable."

The UTC offline experience will run on selected nights through Nov. 1 at Hong Kong Ocean Park. Having previously toured Shanghai, Singapore and Bangkok over the past three years, the IP is set for further expansion and diversification in the future. According to Wang, a new UTC comic will soon be released, bringing back lead characters Pumpkie and Spookie to explore a sharper philosophical question: "What exactly is happiness?"

Wang has been searching for his own answer to that question during a journey of personal rebirth and new career peaks. Last year, his album "Magic Man 2" debuted at No. 13 on the Billboard 200, marking the highest-ever launch for a Chinese solo artist. More importantly, the album helped Wang piece himself together after a year-long hiatus, confronting painful industry realities, such as vanity and betrayal, while reclaiming his true self. His fight with his inner and outer demons has resonated with an ever-expanding global audience. 

This year, besides continuing his concert tour, including dates across the Americas in March and April and new sold-out shows on the Chinese mainland starting in October, he added several new milestones. In July, he became the first global ambassador for the International Fencing Federation, a fitting role given his background as a competitive youth sabre fencer. On Sept. 25, coinciding with Mid-Autumn Day, he received MVP of the Year amid cheers at the 2026 Bazaar Gala in Wuhan, Hubei province.

Another major chapter opened when Wang signed a management deal with entertainment conglomerate Roc Nation. As Wang has also built businesses spanning music, fashion, creative direction and live entertainment across Asia and Western markets, the Roc Nation deal cements his position as one of the most globally influential Chinese stars. An official press release from Roc Nation stated: "That competitive fire still burns through everything he touches. It's the spirit of someone who refuses categories: athlete, artist, entrepreneur, creative director. And there's no indication he's stopping anytime soon."

While grateful to work with a prestigious agency and become colleagues with global icons like Rihanna and Alicia Keys, Wang maintains a grounded perspective. "Honestly, in the end, it still comes down to what you do yourself, what project you can actually make," he said. "That's what matters most. What actually helps me is the proper management system. In terms of creative content and product, nothing is really different from before. I'm still very hands-on with everything I do."

Jackson Wang, founder and creative director of UTC (center), alongside Henry Cheung, co-founder of UTC (right), and Richard Yang, CEO of UTC (left), at the UTC exclusive launch event at Ocean Park in Hong Kong, Sept. 24, 2026. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

Wang revealed he has already finished recording two new albums, but has yet to announce release dates. Meanwhile, a new single titled "Thank You," his first release under the Roc Nation deal, serves as a heartfelt tribute to his loyal fans and the supporters.

He wrote on social media platform Weibo the day the single came out that an artist is a product in itself, adding that he acts as both the product and his own product manager. "I know very clearly what I want to do, what I want to express, where my direction is," he wrote.

This multi-faceted artist is clear about where to focus his attention. "After I passed 30, what I most care about now is my career," he said. Wang has decided that the answer to a systematic world is to keep making things with his own hands, and to show grace and gratitude to those who stuck by him even through difficult times. His new song's lyrics already said it: "I wanna say thank you, you always let me be a wild child."