Chinese singer Liu Genghong's online fitness videos have proved a huge hit among people exercising at home. [Photo/China Daily]

Chinese singer Liu Genghong (aka Will Liu) has been enjoying a spike in popularity recently after branching out into online fitness.

The 49-year-old posts fitness videos on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, and his account had skyrocketed to 62 million followers as of May 7, igniting an interest in indoor exercise among the public.

Joy Media, Liu's MCN agent, has also attracted public attention.

Lei Binyi, founder and CEO of the company, which is located in Hipark in Hangzhou's Xiaoshan district, recently shared his reflections on Liu's smash hit in an interview with Zhejiang News.

Lei said his company has been focusing on online fitness on the coattails of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games and due to the resurgence of the COVID-19 epidemic.

"Liu's surge in popularity was not merely good luck but a result of his devotion to fitness for over 30 years and of his seizing an opportunity," Lei said.

"The livestream industry has been attracting too much attention and I felt a greater social responsibility fell on my shoulders. Younger generations are encouraged to try new things but they also need to know the pain behind the scenes," he added.

Lei said his MCN company has been running in Hangzhou since 2019, when the city's livestream industry mostly focused on e-commerce.

"Hangzhou's livestream climate is energetic, and we can find many ideal personnel and have our requests quickly answered by plants in surrounding areas," Lei said.

Liu's MCN agent company Joy Media is located in Hipark in Xiaoshan district, Hangzhou. [Photo/zjol.com.cn]