Wang Leehom scandal: how the singer and actor went from golden boy to social pariah in an instant

Name: Wang Leehom divorce drama prompts warning by China’s Communist Party to Chinese celebrities
Uploaded: 2021-12-23T10:30:09.000Z
Duration: 2 min 43 s
Description: Wang Leehom divorce drama prompts warning by China’s Communist Party to Chinese celebrities

Wang has been engulfed in scandal after his estranged wife made accusations of infidelity and other indiscretions publicly

‘I have been your fan since childhood. I never thought you are actually such trash,’ wrote one enraged fan

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Taiwanese singer Wang Leehom had it all before his spectacular fall from grace. Photo: File

Alice Yan

Published: 6:30pm, 23 Dec 2021Updated: 4:12pm, 24 Dec 2021

Before his divorce dispute gripped the public imagination in China and Asia, singer, songwriter and actor Wang Leehom had been worshipped as a top idol for more than two decades.

The 45-year-old Taiwanese-American heartthrob was born into an intellectual family in New York State with his parents both graduating from elite universities in Taiwan. Wang’s two brothers and some of his relatives hold degrees from America’s Ivy League schools.

Graduating from Williams College with a bachelor’s degree and from Berklee College of Music with a master’s degree, Wang started his music career in the 1990s in Taiwan after being spotted by a talent scout.

His R&B music style, infused with jazz, rap and a Chinese flavour, plus his tall and handsome appearance and highly-educated background soon helped him shoot to fame in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

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Wang Leehom divorce drama prompts warning by China’s Communist Party to Chinese celebrities

Wang has received numerous awards for his songs and albums and was one of the most popular stars in the first decade of the 21st century. Some of his top-ranked songs include Dragon’s Successor, Change Yourself, The Only One and The Sun and the Moon in My Heart.