Singer Wang Leehom’s comeback from divorce scandal, with Las Vegas concert, divides social media
- Taiwanese-American Wang Leehom’s break-up with his wife Lee Jinglei, who accused him of infidelity, divided fans and drew the ire of the Chinese Communist Party
- News of his comeback concert in Las Vegas led some internet users to point out that male stars are treated more leniently than female stars when they transgress
Taiwanese-American singer Wang Leehom is making a comeback with a concert in Las Vegas in January, according to its promoter. It will be Wang’s first public outing since a divorce scandal a year ago.
“Even if there is only one person listening, I will still sing for you,” says Wang in a 15-second teaser released by Kwan’s International on social media.
In the video, Wang is seen in profile against a dark background playing an acoustic guitar. Sporting a plain hairstyle and a white T-shirt, the 46-year-old singer appears calm and slightly melancholic.
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Singer Wang Leehom announces comeback a year after divorce scandal
“The recent case of the collapse of a celebrity’s image has once again proven that the words and actions of public figures receive a lot of attention and their actions make an impact on society,” wrote the Central Committee for Disciplinary Inspection (CCDI), the party’s highest internal monitoring body.
The announcement of the comeback concert provoked renewed discussion on Chinese social media platform Weibo.
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Some internet users asked whether a celebrity with a “record of bad behaviour” should perform on stage again, and commented on the way fallen male celebrities get away with bad behaviour more easily than their female counterparts.
“Our entertainment industry has been too tolerant of male celebrities, ” said one Weibo user.
Another wrote: “Are we lacking male celebrities in this industry? What is the purpose of having this kind of person coming back again? What is the value of the entertainment industry?”
However, there are fans showing support for his comeback and appreciation for his talent on social media. “‘An ‘article’ cannot destroy a musician who made great a contribution to Mandopop,” one internet user wrote.
Chiu Li-kwan, a director of Kwan’s International and a talent scout who supported Wang 20 years ago, told Taiwan newspaper The China Times that the singer’s talent shouldn’t be hidden away forever.
