He ranked seventh during the final episode with 905,875 votes,[3] securing him a place in the show's project boy group Wanna One under YMC Entertainment.

[6] After Wanna One's disbandment on 31 December 2018, Cube Entertainment announced that Lai would focus on solo activities in China and that he would debut in a new boy group later in the year.

[21] In June 2020, Lai was cast in youth drama Don’t Think About Interrupting My Studies as the main lead, Lin Xiao Ran, alongside Li Landi as Nan Xiangwan.

Two days after the photos surfaced, he announced his decision to "switch career paths" and retire from the entertainment industry, with speculation that he will focus on being a film director.

[27] He has endorsed Nongfu Spring (农夫山泉), TBJ,[11] L'Oréal[28] and Downy,[29] KM Pharmaceutical (XYLIS),[30] Perfect Diary, VIVLAS Lipstick, Wolong Nuts and elleair.

[citation needed] In March 2021, Lai announced support for cotton from Xinjiang in mainland China, after some companies had expressed concerns about human rights abuses.