Former Mediacorp star Dai Xiangyu, as soon as generally known as Dai Yangtian, says all his upcoming jobs have been halted after an unfounded accusation about him soliciting prostitutes went viral in China.
Rumours of the China-based 39-year-old actor visiting intercourse staff was a trending sizzling subject on Weibo on Aug 6, after a paparazzi account on the platform leaked a voice clip of a recorded dialog between Chinese actor Zhang Haowei and an unknown girl discussing casting information for a drama. Prostitution is illegitimate in China.
In the dialog, 33-year-old Zhang, who seems in the interval sequence Joy Of Life (2019) and its sequel Joy Of Life 2 (2024), says that Dai admitted to him that he’s about to be investigated for soliciting prostitutes, after one other Chinese actor, Li Yifeng, was detained for visiting prostitutes.
Li, 37, was investigated by the Beijing police for soliciting prostitutes in September 2022. He later confessed to the crimes and has not been lively in the Chinese leisure scene since.
On Aug 7, Dai wrote on his Weibo: “I’m not angry about this incident, I just feel so frustrated. I don’t know how to explain something I’ve never done. I’m a middle-aged male artiste who’s not that famous. Who would want to cast someone who might be involved in a scandal like this and who isn’t very famous anyway?
“All my upcoming jobs have been halted, so all I can do is to do my best to prove myself, but people are going to think there’s something wrong with you even if a certificate of innocence can be issued.”
The information broke simply as Dai had been gaining new followers for his portrayal of a serial womaniser and homicide sufferer in interval drama Strange Tales Of Tang Dynasty II: To The West (2024).
His company and supervisor denied the allegations instantly.
Zhang apologised to Dai on Aug 6. In a Weibo submit, he stated he doesn’t know Dai personally and that the rumours about Dai will not be true.
He stated the dialog was a personal one he had with a good friend a number of years in the past whereas he was warming up for a basketball match, and that it was edited.
On Aug 7, Zhang posted one other apology to Dai on Weibo.
He wrote: “I have been ridiculously wrong in my actions and there is no excuse for my behaviour. As an adult, I should pay attention to my words and behaviour, regardless of whether it is a public proclamation or a private conversation. I should not have spread unverified rumours that hurt the reputation of others.”
He added: “The rumours about Dai Xiangyu are just rumours that I heard and spread. They are unverified claims. This incident has taught me an invaluable lesson and I will use the rest of my life to reflect on what I have done.”
Former Mediacorp actor Dai Xiangyu (left) along with his Chinese actress spouse Chen Zihan, who’s sticking up for him after Dai was accused of soliciting prostitutes.Dai, who’s finest recognized in Singapore for starring in Mediacorp drama The Little Nyonya (2008), stated in his submit that he believes Zhang didn’t imply to harm him.
Dai added: “I think he was loose with his words in a private setting and that was exploited by someone with ulterior motives to irresponsibly slander me.
“The cost of slandering me is so low, yet it destroyed the image I had built up over 17 years. It hurt me and my family.”
He thanked his spouse, Chinese actress Chen Zihan, 46, for trusting him.
She took to Weibo to stay up for Dai, posting a screenshot of a dialog she had with a good friend discussing the incident.
In the textual content messages, Chen seems to be unfazed by the rumours and stated she laughed when she heard the information. She joked: “My husband is finally famous.”
In a submit accompanying the screenshot, she wrote: “My husband’s greatest wish is to work hard, but he has not even had a chance to reap the fruits of his hard work before he received such a blow. I’m at his side, and I’m telling him with a smile, ‘It’s okay, just keep persevering in your career. Don’t give up. It’s okay.’
“I don’t want to see him so upset and aggrieved. But, hubby, it’s not a big deal. Nothing is as important as the two of us living our lives well together.” – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
