An introduction to Wang Yibo’s variety show ‘Day Day Up’

If you’re like us and you’ve fallen in love with the Asian explosion happening on our screens right now, chances are you’ll know who Wang Yibo is. He’s the heartthrob that starred as Lan Wangji in The Untamed, he also captivated us as Ji Xiang Kong in Gang Your Heart, and made us laugh a lot as Zhai Zhi Wei in Love Actually. We’re in love! While Wang Yibo has a long list of shows scheduled to air later in 2020, we don’t want to wait that long! We went looking for other places where we could catch the man of the hour on our screen. Fortunately, we discovered that Wang Yibo is a co-host of a popular variety show that airs in China called Day Day Up. Naturally, we dove right in. The show is highly entertaining and viewers get to watch Wang Yibo participate in the show as himself, rather than a scripted character he is acting out. We thought we loved him before, but after diving into Day Day Up, we just can’t get enough. Here is everything you need to know about Day Day Up and why you should be watching too.

What is it?

This show aired on Hunan Television from 2008 until its conclusion in 2022. It was originally created to broadcast and promote traditional Chinese values and promote harmony in Chinese society in light of the Beijing Olympic Games. The Chinese title of the show "Tiantian Xiangshang" (天天向上) comes from the old saying, "Study well and climb higher everyday or study hard and you will improve everyday" (好好学习，天天向上; Haohao Xuexi, Tiantian Xiangshang). The show had five main hosts, all men with a wide variety of backgrounds and talents. The segments and issues the show focused on did an impeccable job of capitalizing on the talents of each individual host to ensure peak entertainment.

The hosts

Wang Han graduated from Hunan Radio Television College in 1996 and has worked for the Hunan Broadcasting System, the company responsible for Day Day Up, for over 20 years. Clearly, he has had an incredibly successful broadcasting career with the company. People love him on Day Day Up, and often cite the paternal relationship that often plays out on screen between himself and Wang Yibo as a reason to continue watching. Wowkie Zhang, also known as Da Zhang Wei, had quite a successful music career before joining the cast of Day Day Up. He was a member of China’s first teen band, The Flowers, from 1999 until 2009 when the band disbanded. Since then, he has enjoyed a successful solo career. His musical talents are utilized often on Day Day Up. Wang Yibo is the youngest of the crew, but that doesn’t make him any less accomplished. He burst onto the entertainment scene as part of a K-Pop ensemble, UNIQ when he was just a teenager. Since then, he has starred in several successful television dramas in China, and established himself as a singer/rapper and exceptionally talented dancer. Qian Feng has hosted several other variety shows in China over the years and has also started in a couple of different dramas as both supporting and leading roles. Finally, other than his role on Day Day Up, very little is known about the final co-host Gao Tianhe. We do enjoy watching him dote on Wang Yibo, though! Their relationship is adorable. Wang Yibo and Wowkie Zhang left the main hosting lineup around 2021. Later episodes featured Wang Han with Qi Sijun and others.

The shenanigans

So why should you watch this show? Well, you’ll get to see Wang Yibo in his natural habitat being Wang Yibo often. They capitalize on his dance skills frequently and you’ll see him sing and rap pretty often too. However, although we showed up for Wang Yibo, we stayed for the shenanigans embedded into the segments. They have dating segments, cooking segments, workout segments, other kinds of physical challenges and more. Imagine Wang Yibo operating an excavator to pick out rubber duckies from an indoor “pond”. Wang Yibo brandishing a cleaver and slaughtering a bunch of unsuspecting cucumbers. Wang Yibo rapping about motorcycles. We think you get the idea. All the hosts bring something different to the table, through their professional experiences and their differing personalities. Laugh-out-loud hilarity always ensues.

Wang Yibo's Post-Day Day Up Variety Career

After stepping away from the Day Day Up lineup, Wang Yibo continued to expand his presence in variety programming. He hosted seasons of Exploring the Unknown with Wang Yibo in 2024 and 2025. These projects let viewers see him tackle new formats while maintaining the easy charisma that first drew audiences to his hosting work. The shift also gave him room to blend travel segments with personal interests, something fans had long requested. His continued comfort in front of live audiences proved that the skills sharpened on Day Day Up translated easily to fresh projects.

The Show's Conclusion and Legacy

Day Day Up wrapped its run in 2022 after fourteen years on Hunan Television. The program had evolved far beyond its original Olympic-era mission, becoming a weekly fixture that mixed games, interviews, and light cultural lessons. Later seasons welcomed additional hosts such as Qi Sijun, Sha Baoliang, Pan Yueming, Hu Haiquan, Ding Zhen, Wu Zelin, and Zhang Yanqi. Their arrivals kept the energy high even as the original Everyday Brothers roster changed. The finale drew strong ratings and nostalgia posts across Chinese social media, confirming the show’s lasting place in weekend viewing habits.

Wang Yibo's Transition from K-Pop Group to Solo Star

Wang Yibo first entered the spotlight through the K-Pop group UNIQ. The ensemble went on indefinite hiatus in 2018 and released no new material after that point. In March 2026 he updated his Weibo profile, removing the UNIQ reference entirely. The move signaled a clean break from group branding and a deeper focus on his solo catalog and acting slate. Fans noted the timing aligned with his contract renewal at Yuehua Entertainment, further cementing his identity as an independent artist.

Fan Favorites and Memorable Episodes

Certain installments still circulate online years later. Clips of Wang Yibo’s dance showcases regularly rack up millions of views, especially the ones that paired him with visiting choreographers. Physical challenges that required him to operate heavy machinery or race against the clock remain popular edits on short-form platforms. The 2019 episode featuring Xiao Zhan as a guest drew record numbers and still prompts reunion comments whenever it resurfaces. These moments capture the unscripted warmth that made the program a gateway for many international viewers discovering Wang Yibo for the first time.

Where can you watch Day Day Up?

Obviously, the show aired in Mandarin on HunanTV in China. Full episodes now live primarily in MangoTV archives or on scattered YouTube uploads. International subtitling efforts stayed more limited than expected for post-2021 episodes, so language learners often rely on fan translations. Older segments remain free to stream, while some higher-profile Wang Yibo appearances sit behind subscription walls. For anyone chasing specific episodes, checking both platforms in tandem usually yields the best results.