Sally

Who Is Sally?

Sally, born Liu Xiening on October 23, 1996, in Shenzhen, China, is a Chinese singer, dancer, and actress best known as Gugudan’s lead dancer and rapper — and the group’s only foreign member. Her journey from a dance student in Beijing to a K-pop idol, and later a rising Chinese drama actress, is one of the most interesting cross-border stories to come out of the 2016 idol generation.

From Beijing Dance Student to K-pop Idol

Sally originally studied dance at the Beijing Contemporary Music Academy, hoping to become a professional dancer. Everything changed in 2015 when she was scouted by Jellyfish Entertainment. After only a few months of training, she debuted with Gugudan in June 2016 as the group’s lead dancer and rapper, quickly standing out for her sharp choreography and playful stage presence.

Bridging Two Industries

As Gugudan’s promotional schedule slowed down, Sally began splitting her time between South Korea and China. In 2018, she returned home to film her first web drama, “Hello Debate Opponent,” officially kicking off her acting career the following year. When Gugudan entered its long hiatus, Sally leaned further into Chinese entertainment, joining the survival competition “Produce Camp 2020,” where she placed sixth and debuted with the girl group BonBon Girls 303.

A Growing Acting Career in China

After Gugudan’s official disbandment in 2020 and BonBon Girls 303’s later split in 2022, Sally fully committed to acting. She’s since built a steady filmography of Chinese television dramas, including “Story of Kunning Palace,” “The Double,” and “The Land of Warriors,” a sequel to the hit series “Douluo Continent.” Her short drama “Night of Love with You” was even reported as one of the most-watched short-form dramas of its quarter in 2022.

Now signed with T Entertainment, Sally continues to expand her acting resume while occasionally releasing solo music, including her singles “Time to Bloom” and “City Lady.”

Quick Facts Table

From a Korean idol stage to leading roles in Chinese dramas, Sally’s career shows how far talent and adaptability can carry an artist across two very different entertainment industries.