Biography
Who is Viya?
Early life and background
Viya was born in Lujiang County, China, into a retailer family in Anhui province. At the age of 18, she opened her first store in Beijing, where she worked in the front selling apparel and modeling. Her boyfriend and now husband, Dong Haifeng, managed back-end and inventory operations.
She later performed on Anhui TV's talent show Super Idol and joined a music group for a period. Afterward, she returned to the shopping business and opened additional stores in Xi'an before transitioning into e-commerce.
Rise to livestreaming fame
In 2016, Viya signed up for Taobao's livestreaming program as one of the platform's first channels. She built a strong reputation for selling various products and services, which earned her the popular moniker queen of livestreaming.
Among her well-known sales were a rocket launch service for a large sum in 2020 and a big amount of inventory on Singles' Day in 2021. Her prowess at selling high-priced goods made her a prominent internet celebrity in China.
Tax penalty and career disruption
In December 2021, Viya was accused of misreporting income from 2019 and 2020, leading to an underpayment of taxes. She was fined 1.34 billion yuan, which equaled $210 million, marking the biggest fine given to a livestreamer in the country.
The penalty occurred as part of a broader regulatory crackdown on internet celebrities and entertainment personalities in China. Following the ruling, her social media accounts were taken down.
Birthday and age
Viya was born on September 7, 1986, which makes Viya 40 years old today. That birthday falls under the Virgo sign. Viya shares the date with 39 other famous people.
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