Biography
Who is Lai Kuan-li?
Early life and background
Lai Kuan-li was born in Taipei, Taiwan, on September 23, 2001. During his childhood, he lived in Los Angeles, United States, for a period of five years before returning to his home country. While in the United States, he used the English name Edward Lai. He eventually attended Lin-kou High School in Taiwan before starting his entertainment career.
Music career and Wanna One
In 2016, Cube Entertainment recruited Lai during the Cube Star World Audition held in Taiwan. He gained significant public attention in 2017 by participating in the second season of the South Korean competition series Produce 101. He placed seventh in the final episode with over 900,000 votes, which earned him a spot in the project boy group Wanna One, managed by YMC Entertainment.
Lai was active as a member of Wanna One until the group disbanded in December 2018. Following this, he formed a musical duo called Wooseok x Kuanlin with Pentagon member Wooseok in early 2019. This unit released an extended play titled 9801 in March 2019, featuring the lead track I'm a Star. He also held a series of fan meetings across cities including Seoul, Bangkok, Singapore, Taipei, and Hong Kong.
Acting and directing career
Lai Kuan-li shifted his focus toward acting and solo projects in China starting in 2019. He was cast as the male lead in the Chinese drama A Little Thing Called First Love. In 2020, he took on the role of Lin Xiao Ran in the youth drama Don't Think About Interrupting My Studies, starring alongside Li Landi. He also expanded his work into filmmaking, debuting as a director for the short film Winter and Spring Are Fighting in 2021. This project received recognition at the Rome Prisma Independent Film Awards, where Lai won the best director category.
In 2024, Lai announced a transition in his career path, stating his intention to retire from the entertainment industry. Following this announcement, he joined the film and television company Wanhe Tianyi as a director in 2025. He has also been involved in cultural meetings and public events, such as attending a gathering between Song Tao of the Taiwan Affairs Office and figures from the Taiwanese cultural sector in October 2024.
Legal issues and endorsements
In July 2019, Lai initiated a legal dispute against Cube Entertainment, requesting to terminate his exclusive contract. He alleged that the company had sold his management rights in China to a third party without obtaining his permission. The Seoul Central District Court ruled in his favor on June 17, 2021, effectively ending his contract with the agency.
Throughout his career, Lai has served as a brand ambassador for various companies, including Dr. Jart, TBJ clothing, and Nongfu Spring. In 2021, he publicly supported the use of cotton from Xinjiang, a stance that drew commentary from the premier of Taiwan, Su Tseng-chang, regarding the intersection of celebrity influence and human rights discussions.
Birthday and age
Lai Kuan-li was born on September 23, 2001, which makes Lai 25 years old today. That birthday falls under the Libra sign. Lai shares the date with 61 other famous people.
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