The departure of two more prominent figures has hit EAST BUY. On the evening of April 24, the company announced through its internal community that anchors Mingming and Tianquan would be leaving. This marks another significant change in the core anchor team, following the earlier departures of Dong Yuhui and Dundun. The loss of these key personnel has once again raised concerns about the stability of Yu Minhong's team.
The announcement was titled "The journey is long, ride free; a stretch of mountains and rivers, affection remains here." It stated, "With regret and reluctance, we share an update: anchors Mingming and Tianquan will soon bid farewell to EAST BUY. Mr. Yu held sincere discussions and attempted to persuade them to stay, but ultimately respects their decision. The company also respects and understands their personal career planning and development choices."
Although the announcement was released in the evening, the news quickly became a trending topic on Weibo. Interestingly, just days prior, Yu Minhong had responded to fan inquiries about Mingming and Tianquan's whereabouts during a live stream, clearly stating that "both are on vacation." Few anticipated that within a matter of days, "vacation" would turn into "farewell," a sudden change that inevitably surprised many followers.
It is understood that both Mingming and Tianquan were early anchors for EAST BUY, having deeply participated in the company's startup and growth phases, serving as core forces that accompanied the platform from its beginnings to maturity. Public records show that Mingming, real name Shi Ming, is a graduate of Xi'an Jiaotong University. He was originally a physics teacher at Xi'an New Oriental, joining in March 2013, before transitioning to become an anchor for EAST BUY. Known for his humorous broadcasting style, he was dubbed by netizens as the "escaped crosstalk actor from DeYunShe." Tianquan graduated with a bachelor's degree from UC Berkeley and later earned a master's degree from Columbia University. He joined EAST BUY as an anchor in 2022.
The following day, anchors Mingming and Tianquan each posted responses to their departures. Tianquan mentioned in his post that the company's management style had changed, making it difficult for him to fully adapt, though he remained grateful for Yu Minhong's mentorship. Mingming expressed that "no matter what, I do not regret coming to EAST BUY," and thanked Mr. Yu for the platform he built. Reading both statements together, it becomes apparent that their departures were not impulsive decisions; both hold gratitude towards EAST BUY. However, when personal development paths diverged from the platform's direction, an amicable parting became the best choice for both sides.
Placed within the broader context of the live-streaming e-commerce industry, such talent mobility is not uncommon. In recent years, as competition in the sector has intensified, leading organizations universally face significant pressure regarding anchor team iteration and management model adjustments, and EAST BUY is no exception.
Followers familiar with EAST BUY will recall that Dong Yuhui, Dundun, Mingming, and Tianquan were once playfully referred to as the "F4" anchor group of EAST BUY. They garnered massive followings with their unique styles and were highly representative of the platform's anchor team. A turning point for this group began with the "small essay" incident that erupted in December 2023. At that time, conflicts between EAST BUY's management and Dong Yuhui became public, and Yu Minhong issued a public apology for "management loopholes" within the company. This turmoil became a significant inflection point for changes in EAST BUY's anchor team.
On July 25, 2024, EAST BUY officially announced Dong Yuhui's departure, citing "career aspirations, commitments to other ventures, and personal schedule arrangements" as the reasons. On the same day, Yu Minhong published "An Open Letter to EAST BUY's Shareholders" addressing the departure: starting from that day, the wholly-owned subsidiary Yu Hui Tong Xing would officially spin off from EAST BUY, with Dong Yuhui holding 100% of its equity.
Following Dong Yuhui, another core anchor, Dundun, officially announced his departure in mid-June 2025. At that time, the official EAST BUY account released a video announcing the news of anchor Dundun's (real name Wang Ruodun) departure, which also sparked widespread attention and sentiment among fans. Regarding his departure, Dundun stated that his three-year contract with EAST BUY had expired, expressing deep gratitude for the company's and Mr. Yu's training and support over the years. He mentioned that in the future, he would continue collaborating with EAST BUY in the capacity of "Official Recommender for EAST BUY's Self-operated Products." Additionally, Dundun candidly shared his intention to "establish myself at thirty, and challenge my unknown capabilities, moving forward."
EAST BUY responded warmly, wishing Dundun a bright future and continuous success. It is worth noting that upon Dundun's departure, the remaining EAST BUY anchors held a small farewell gathering for this "outstanding graduate," with Yu Minhong and the anchor team acknowledging his contributions, stating he "elevated the 'Beautiful Life' account from an ankle-level broadcast room to a top-tier one."
Beyond the successive departures of core anchors, EAST BUY's management layer has also undergone significant changes. On November 6, 2025, Yu Minhong confirmed via social media that former EAST BUY CEO Sun Dongxu had resigned for personal reasons. Prior to this, rumors of Sun's departure had circulated multiple times. Yu Minhong, responding to viewer questions during a live stream, had previously stated that "Xiao Sun (Sun Dongxu) is on vacation," denying the resignation rumors. In hindsight, the "vacation" then might have been a precursor to the departure.
The consecutive changes in both the anchor team and management have plunged EAST BUY into considerable difficulty, compelling Yu Minhong to reconfigure strategies and seek new development directions for the platform. In December 2025, Yu Minhong finalized a new successor for EAST BUY, appointing Sun Jin, Vice President of New Oriental Education & Technology Group, as the Executive President of EAST BUY, responsible for the platform's daily operations and management.
Entering 2026, Yu Minhong made another strategic move, announcing the appointment of Chen Xingjia as the General Consultant for New Oriental's three major sectors—education, EAST BUY, and cultural tourism—with an annual salary of 1.5 million RMB. This attempt aims to inject new vitality into EAST BUY's development through talent acquisition.
From Dong Yuhui and Dundun to now Mingming and Tianquan, the "F4" have successively "graduated," and the management has undergone a major overhaul. It is evident that EAST BUY is actively, or perhaps被动ly, reducing its reliance on "top-tier IPs." As the platform adjusts its strategic direction, its management models, team assessments, and live-streaming systems are consequently transforming. This might also be the reason Tianquan candidly admitted it was "difficult to adapt": a misalignment emerged between the old talent structure and new development needs, ultimately leaving both sides with no choice but to part ways amicably.
Once, EAST BUY gained overnight fame with its "knowledge-infused sales" approach, becoming a breath of fresh air in the live-streaming e-commerce industry. Now, this once highly successful live-streaming platform is undergoing a profound transformation. Some lament the changes, while others question whether the platform has cooled towards departed stars. However, Yu Minhong, having witnessed the departure of several top anchors, understands clearly: relying on a few star anchors to support a publicly listed company is not a sustainable path. Rather than being constrained by top IPs, it is better to deepen roots in products, supply chains, and offline scenarios.
Recent data disclosed by EAST BUY indicates that self-operated products have become the primary growth driver for the company. The platform has cumulatively launched 801 self-operated product SKUs, with self-operated products accounting for approximately 52.8% of total GMV. Concurrently, Yu Minhong plans to expand into offline supermarkets. He revealed during a live stream that EAST BUY's first flagship offline store is scheduled to open in Beijing's Zhongguancun area in April 2026, with plans to establish 2 to 3 stores in each city, aiming for hundreds nationwide. Furthermore, EAST BUY recently ventured into the health supplements sector, launching six "Blue Hat" certified self-operated health products, signaling a clear intent for multi-sector布局.
In the short term, EAST BUY will inevitably undergo an adjustment period: traffic may fluctuate, fans may react emotionally, and the live-streaming rooms will need time to cultivate new anchor personalities. These are unavoidable growing pains during the transformation. However, from a long-term perspective, this proactive pursuit of change is precisely the necessary path for EAST BUY to move towards a more stable and risk-resilient development system.
In summary, the live-streaming e-commerce industry is highly volatile. There are no permanent top IPs, nor are there unchanging development models. Whether EAST BUY can break free from its dependence on core anchors and achieve a breakthrough through self-operated products, offline expansion, and multi-sector diversification remains to be seen over time. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that those anchors who once grew with the platform, and the brilliance they created together, have already become indelible marks in EAST BUY's history. Yu Minhong and EAST BUY's transformation journey is undoubtedly challenging and fraught with responsibility.
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