From L to R, Guo Yang, Zhang Wei and Wang Wenbo pose at a press coference in Beijing on June 21, 2009. [cnsphoto]

China's first popular teen band, Huaer, or the Flowers, has formally split, music label Gold-Typhoon has announced.

The band's 26-year-old vocalist Zhang Wei will embark on a solo singing career, while drummer Wang Wenbo and bassist Guo Yang will also stay in the public eye.

Wang Wenbo revealed the reasons for their disbanding at a "Happy Ending" press conference on Sunday in downtown Beijing.

"In recent years, all of us have had our own ideas for new goals," he said, "I run an entertainment company and invest in films. Guo Yang is going into business, and Zhang Wei has been pursuing a change in his showbiz career."

"We will still be connected in various ways in the future," said Zhang Wei. "They will help produce my albums. Wang Wenbo and I will host a TV show. And all of us will embark on a ten-year anniversary concert tour."

The press conference was held in a shoe boutique, and Zhang Wei explained why.

"Ten years ago, there was a bar called Busy Bee across the street. It was where we started to take the stage with this lineup and came up with the band's name," he said, "now the bar no longer exists, and we chose this place as where we start again."

"The biggest regret is that we haven't staged any concerts for our ten year anniversary," said Zhang Wei, "so that's what we will do next."

According to the Information Times, the ten-year anniversary concert tour of Huaer will begin at the end of the year.

(CRI June 23, 2009)