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”.