Over the last few years, Boy’s Love (BL) dramas have evolved from a niche internet phenomenon into an absolute juggernaut, completely rewriting the rules of Asian media. From the neon-lit romance of Thailand and Japan to the high-gloss productions of Korea and Taiwan, studios across the region are churning out hits to feed a fiercely devoted global fandom.
Yet, when you think of the world’s ultimate BL hubs, Singapore rarely makes the shortlist. However, a homegrown talent has been making waves through the community.
So, who is Ayden Sng, the breakout star driving the internet wild in the hit show Double Helix?
Who Is Ayden Sng?
Born Sun Zheng (孙政), Sng grew up in Singapore as the second eldest of five brothers. Academically, he was already ahead of the curve. During primary school, he got into Mensa Singapore after passing their supervised intelligence test, which put him in a pretty select group of people recognized for high cognitive ability.
He attended Raffles Institution from 2006 to 2011, one of Singapore’s most selective schools, then headed to Duke University where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in International Comparative Studies in 2018.
@moanaberry tersenyum lebar sepanjang nonton vlog ini, sesempurna itu ya Ayden 😭😭 #DoubleHelix #AydenSng #LyuSitong ♬ suono originale - spedupaudios.t
His musical side started early too. In 2008, he joined the Singapore National Youth Chinese Orchestra. He became a finalist in the erhu open category at the 2012 Singapore Chinese Music Competition, and holds a diploma in erhu performance. Over the years he picked up orchestral conducting and mastered the erhu, violin, and piano.
In university, Sng founded Duke’s first traditional Chinese music ensemble. Recently, in 2020, he performed live at the Singapore Biennale with a showcase titled Unexpected Sounds: Reimagining the Erhu.
From Corporate Job to Full-Time Actor
Ayden took his time getting to acting. After graduating from Duke, he stepped into the corporate world as a product manager in the tech industry, pulling in a reported $6,000 to $7,000 a month.
The shift came when he got scouted, landing the lead role in the short film The Play Book (爱本), which caught the attention of Mediacorp who signed Sng as a full-time artist in May 2019.
The decision of leaving his corporate job to pursue acting came with some weight behind it. On the meWATCH talk show Hear U Out with Quan Yi Fong, Sng opened up about the guilt of leaving, especially given the financial pressures his family faced at the time. He said, “That was pretty selfish of me. And if I choose to be selfish, I have to pay the price. I have to make sure I don’t regret my decision. I have to be extremely disciplined. I have to care for myself. To be responsible to my parents and family. I have done my best over the past few years. I have not let up.“
@polaris._.3to3 Ayden: I won’t allow myself to fail. I have to keep pushing. The more you get to know him, the more you love him. #doublehelix #AydenSng #双程 #DoubleHelix #fyp ♬ original sound - Polaris
Since his debut, Sng has landed a few prominent roles in TV and film. His first leading man role came in 2020 in Loving You (爱…没有距离), alongside Jesseca Liu. 2023 was a banner year for the actor with his villainous turn in the All that Glitters and he made his full-length film debut Grace Wu’s directorial debut Seven Days.
In 2021, he renewed his contract with Mediacorp. He has kept a steady stream of local projects, but it wasn’t until this year that Sng would get another level of global attention.
The Dive to BL and Double Helix
The moment where the world collectively asked “Who is Ayden Sng?” came with his lead role in the 2026 Chinese-Singaporean BL drama Double Helix.
Adapted from Lan Lin’s novel A Round Trip to Love (双程系列), Sng plays Lu Feng, a wealthy, rebellious heir whose high school romance with model student Cheng Yichen (Lu Si Tong) gets torn apart by family pressure and a classmate exposing their relationship. Years later, they reunite when Lu Feng becomes Yichen’s boss, and everything they buried starts coming back up.
The show has earned critical praise for its fearless, well-paced approach to a notoriously dark and complex storyline. And despite the polarizing opinions on the character’s toxic dynamics, viewers are completely obsessed with the explosive chemistry between the two leads. Sng specifically gained praise for his performance, commending his ability to bring a high-wire emotional intensity to a deeply troubled character.
@gagaoolala.official You are absolutely not prepared for the toxicity of this series named Lu Feng *Disclaimer: Pls proceed with care since there are scenes that will touch on sensitive issues. First two episodes of "Double Helix" are out now on GagaOOLala💜 Title: "Double Helix" Available worldwide (except Japan & Korea) Where to watch? ✨𝙂𝙤 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙞𝙣 𝙗𝙞𝙤✨ #blseries #bl #boyslove #doublehelix ♬ 原声 - GagaOOLala
However, the announcement that Sng will be taking on the role of Lu Feng was met with apprehension.
A Singaporean actor headlining a Chinese BL drama is rare, and that is a big part of why this project has generated so much conversation locally. Sng is widely noted as the first Mediacorp talent to take on a BL lead role at this scale, and many viewers have called it a bold career move. Singapore’s entertainment industry has historically been cautious around LGBTQ+ representation in mainstream media, which made his decision feel significant to a lot of people watching.
Online discussions ranged from genuine admiration to curiosity about what this means for local actors moving forward. The reaction has leaned largely positive, with fans noting how thoughtfully Ayden has spoken about the character and the emotional choices behind each scene.
Beyond the Virality
Double Helix arrives at a moment when Ayden’s career is already moving in a clear direction. He earned a Best Actor nomination at the 2023 Star Awards, landed 9th on TC Candler’s 100 Most Handsome Faces list in 2024, and took home the Most Popular Rising Stars award for three consecutive years through 2025.
He also has an upcoming project, “Hungry Souls: From Hell, With Love,” already listed on his filmography, which points to more Chinese market work ahead.
With Double Helix capturing the public’s attention, the industry and fans alike are eagerly speculating on how he will navigate this peak in his career. The most buzzing question in fan circles is whether his future slate will feature another BL series.
Whether he chooses to double down on the genre or pursue mainstream cinematic roles, only time will tell which path he chooses, but the industry is watching closely.
