Episode Summary
Jia Fan stands up against an abusive designer during a group interview, losing his chance but gaining respect from Liao Jinyuan, who publicly calls out the misconduct. Tensions rise as Han Yijing struggles with family pressure, and Jia Fan decides to go independent as a content creator. With support from friends and growing online traction, both Jia Fan and Han Yijing begin carving out their own paths—despite the obstacles.
Spoiler Alert
“Wanna Be” – Episode 20 Recap & Spoilers
Things are heating up in Wanna Be, and Episode 20 delivers a full-on fashion industry showdown, some serious moral backbone, and a few tender moments that remind us why we’re rooting for these characters in the first place.
The Interview From Hell
The episode kicks off with Jia Fan heading into a high-stakes group interview. As luck (or bad karma) would have it, he runs into some of his former Newcomers teammates. Among them is a girl who’s about to be humiliated by designer Jimmy, who demands she strip in front of everyone—just to prove she didn’t lie about her waist measurements. Yeah, that kind of designer.
Jia Fan can’t stay silent and steps in to defend her, but his good deed costs him. Jimmy immediately takes away his “pending” status and confiscates his phone when Jia Fan tries to film the incident. Just as things are spiraling, in walks Liao Jinyuan—cool, composed, and clearly not here for Jimmy’s nonsense.
Jimmy offers Jia Fan a “chance” to apologize and strip in return. Jia Fan just looks at him like he’s a joke (which he is), and says nothing. That’s when Liao Jinyuan drops the hammer, calling Jimmy out for his outdated and abusive behavior. He even pulls the plug on their upcoming spring collaboration. Jia Fan asks why he helped him, and Liao Jinyuan makes it clear: it’s not about helping him, it’s about respecting the profession of modeling.
Mixed Signals and Missed Messages
Meanwhile, Han Yijing finishes work and wants to text Jia Fan, but gets stuck staring at her phone. On the other side of town, You Ning is asking Xing Mo for career advice—she thinks Liao Jinyuan advising her to pivot is him thinking about their future. Xing Mo, ever the realist, isn’t buying it. When You Ning asks if he’ll be honest, he just shrugs it off.
Later, Liao Jinyuan and Jia Fan head to a bar—apparently Jia Fan insisted on buying him a drink, and Jinyuan is helping drum up business for Xing Mo. Jia Fan stands by his decision to call out Jimmy, no regrets. Liao Jinyuan warns him: if he crashes and burns, he’ll personally go win Han Yijing back. No pressure, right?
At that moment, Han Yijing shows up—yep, You Ning invited her just to see what would happen. Drama alert. But instead of stirring the pot, You Ning backs Jia Fan 100%, even though she’s crushing hard on Liao Jinyuan. She tells Jia Fan to stay true to himself, and confidently predicts that even CEO Ling will eventually have to back down.
Boxing, Breakthroughs, and Blurred Lines
Jia Fan gives Han Yijing and Liao Jinyuan space to talk. She admits she’s been worried about him—and misses him, too. But Jia Fan, ever the optimist, tells her he didn’t want to reach out until he had good news. She takes him to a boxing gym to help him blow off steam, which is her go-to stress relief spot.
Later, under Han Yijing’s subtle nudge, Shu Bo calls Jia Fan to offer help. Jia Fan appreciates it but says he’ll figure things out. Then Si Min accidentally spills the tea: Shu Bo had already reached out to companies on Jia Fan’s behalf, but mysteriously, none followed up. Si Min suspects this whole Jimmy mess might’ve been orchestrated by CEO Ling herself.
Cut to Han Yijing, marching back into the office, furious. CEO Ling tells her she can date whoever she wants—just not Jia Fan. Because, family. Han Yijing’s response? “If this is what family means, I’d rather not have one.”
Going Indie and Going Viral
Jia Fan reveals his next move: he’s going solo, launching his own social media channel. When he tells Han Yijing, she doesn’t show much excitement, and he notices—but doesn’t press it.
Thankfully, he’s not alone. Dong Xiaoru, Si Min, and Shu Bo all rally behind him. Even the Newcomers show up for his first shoot. Meanwhile, Han Yijing’s new magazine cover smashes sales records—over 10,000 pre-orders in just four hours and eight minutes. Liao Jinyuan and his team are celebrating when You Ning walks in with afternoon tea—and more juicy news: Jia Fan’s video just hit 10K views.
Final Thoughts
This episode is all about standing up, speaking out, and staying true to yourself—even if it costs you. Jia Fan’s journey from passive model to principled fighter is hitting its stride, while Han Yijing is slowly realizing that love doesn’t come with conditions—or family approval.
Liao Jinyuan continues to be the moral compass we didn’t know we needed, and You Ning? She might just be the wildcard to watch.
Stay tuned—because if this episode is any sign, Wanna Be is just getting started.
