Public row between singer Wang Leehom and estranged wife Lee Jinglei unites Chinese, Taiwanese netizens
- After the celebrity Taiwanese-American singer announced he was divorcing his wife, she publicly accused him of infidelity and other indiscretions
- The drama diverted Taiwanese attention from the island’s referendum, and became one of few topics that internet users from mainland China and Taiwan agreed upon
In the latest developments surrounding the brawl between the celebrity Taiwanese-American singer-songwriter Wang Leehom and his Taiwanese wife Lee Jinglei, Wang’s father Wang Ta-chung overnight issued a handwritten defence of Leehom, claiming that Lee had used pregnancy to force his son into marriage.
On Sunday, Lee reacted with a detailed rebuttal of Wang Ta-chung’s claims, and gave Leehom until 3pm to apologise or said she would take legal action against both father and son. The deadline came and went without a public response from Leehom, however, and it is unclear if Lee will now proceed with legal action.
The latest twist, apart from reportedly diverting Taiwanese attention from the island’s referendum on Saturday, has also emerged as one of the few topics where netizens from mainland China and Taiwan can largely see eye to eye, with many throwing their support behind Lee and urging Leehom to take responsibility for his own misdeeds.
Two days after the famous crooner announced he was divorcing his wife, Lee posted a nine-page response on Instagram alleging a long list of Leehom’s indiscretions, ranging from infidelity to prostitution.
However, in a handwritten note overnight, Wang Ta-chung alleged that Lee had used her pregnancy with the couple’s first child to force his son into marriage by threatening to “expose secrets and ruin Leehom’s career” if he did not marry her.
Wang senior, who is in the United States, reached out to Taiwan’s Apple Daily with his version of the events, lamenting that the couple’s marriage was “seven years of pain including the last two years of a life of hell”.
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Wang Ta-chung claimed that Lee had demanded “hundreds of millions of Taiwanese dollars, living expenses, two Filipino maids, one nanny and one dedicated driver”, on top of living and educational expenses for the couple’s three children: two girls and a boy all younger than seven.
He also said that the couple had already been separated for more than two years, adding that “Leehom absolutely did not cheat during this period”, and that “Leehom is not a scum”.
In response, Lee said on Instagram on Sunday that she is saddened that at his age, Wang Ta-chung had to defend and lie for his 45-year old son in public, adding that Leehom should personally bear responsibility for what he had done.
“So much factual and well-documented information has already been published online, yet you did not apologise nor face the situation calmly. Instead, as a middle-aged man you chose to hide behind your father,” Lee said, referring to Leehom.
Pregnancy
Lee added that Leehom had mentioned many times that he was very anxious to get married and wanted children as soon as possible, which was why the couple had not taken any contraceptive measures during their relationship, adding that “it is impossible for a 37-year-old normal adult to not know such basic common sense. If a man does not want the female to become pregnant, he will definitely wear protective measures”.
However, after becoming pregnant, Wang asked Lee to have an abortion due to family pressure, prompting Lee to suggest that she would raise the child on her own, as she felt that “murdering a child was not a choice”.
Lee said that both she and Leehom eventually agreed to get married, pointing out that “a highly knowledgeable and successful person” like Leehom is unlikely “to make such a prudent decision to get married because of threats”.
“If I threatened him to get married, he would be scared, right? How come there are second and third births?” Lee asked, adding: “If it is seven years of pain, how can there be a second child and a third child? Without love, how can there be children? Am I a child-producing robot?
“Like ordinary couples, we have our fair share of joy, happiness, and mutual support …. of course marriage is not just about happiness, but it is impossible to say that it is all pain and suffering,” Lee said, while disputing Wang Ta-chung’s claims that his son had not cheated as ludicrous, pointing out that no son would tell his own father of his marital indiscretions.
Child support
As for Wang Ta-chung’s claims on living expenses and child support, Lee said that she merely wanted the quality of life of the three children to remain unchanged.
“I did not ask for hundreds of millions of Taiwan dollars, nor did I ask for a dime of alimony. In yesterday’s statement, I have also said that I will pay for my children’s living expenses and education expenses, and not suffer any more of your bullying or humiliation just because I asked for child support,” Lee said.
Revealing that she had originally asked Leehom to leave her and the children the property that they live in, Lee said that Leehom had declined the request and instead said he could “loan” it to them and it should be “returned” to him in future.
“Many of [what I had asked for], are my entitlements; it is not as if your family have to give them away as a form of alms or charity,” Lee said, adding that after her revelations, Leehom subsequently sent her a text message saying that the property would now be hers if she retracted what she had said about him on Saturday.
In conclusion, Lee called on the Wangs to provide substantive evidence, “otherwise it will constitute defamation”. She added that Leehom should issue a public apology before 3pm on Sunday, “otherwise I will immediately seek legal channels to file a defamation complaint against you and your father”.
Online reaction
Netizens and commentators alike were almost unanimous in condemning Wang Ta-chung’s defence of his son, pointing out that the issue was one between the couple and Wang senior had unnecessarily added oil to the fire by inflaming public opinion against his own son.
Praising Lee for standing up for her rights against a philandering husband, many said Lee’s comments were “logical, rational and well-written, while stating the facts clearly and guarding her ground”.
“It is bad enough that a woman with three children could not even get an apology for the unfaithful ways of her husband, but she also had to be slandered by her ex-husband’s family,” one Taiwanese internet user wrote.
Countless observers also took Leehom to task on social media for being irresponsible and for passing on the buck to his father, adding that Leehom should face his own misdeeds.
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“Can’t you even take responsibility for what you have done instead of hiding behind your father’s back like a cowardly little boy?” asked one.
Even the small handful of anti-Lee comments, such as those stating that “women should not be offended”, were greeted robustly by many women and men who argued that the crux of the matter was that Wang had been unfaithful and had failed as a husband and father.
Many also said it was right that various brands such as Japanese auto brand Infiniti and Readboy, a manufacturer specialising in electronic learning products in China, had announced that they had terminated their business agreements with Wang.
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Taiwan referendum
On Saturday, voters in Taiwan rejected four contentious referendum proposals in a result that allows President Tsai Ing-wen and her government to continue their much-criticised trade and energy policies.
The polls, widely seen as a test of public confidence in Tsai and her government, saw a lower-than-expected turnout of around 41 per cent, prompting the opposition Kuomintang to assert that the squabble between Wang and Lee had overshadowed the referendum and affected voter turnout.
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Like those in Taiwan, countless mainland Chinese netizens saw eye to eye on the issue, with many calling Leehom and his father “a family of shameless actors and liars who had no respect for women and could not take responsibility for Leehom’s mistakes”.
Others said there was nothing wrong in Lee claiming child support, pointing out that it was almost unheard of for Leehom to suggest that the house that his wife and children are living in are only temporarily “loaned” to them.
“Even a beast such as a tiger would not mistreat their own offspring. I do not know what kind of father you are,” a Chinese netizen wrote.
When commenting on the dispute, Hu Xijin, former Global Times editor-in-chief, described Leehom as an “American Taiwanese”, drawing howls of laughter from Taiwanese netizens.
“So, suddenly Taiwan is now an independent country”, read one popular comment, while another said: “Hu should be arrested for advocating Taiwan independence!”.
Hu, who retired this week but who remains a commentator for the Communist Party-backed nationalistic tabloid, said on Chinese microblogging website Weibo that since Leehom’s biggest market is mainland China, the response of mainland Chinese netizens are the most critical to his future.
“The accusations by his wife are fatal, so unless he can provide evidence to the contrary to turn the situation around, his future in the mainland Chinese market is likely to come to an end,” Hu said.
