Mandopop superstar Wang Leehom’s ex-wife Lee Jinglei “Thunder Goddess” now also compared to a 17th-century shogun in a commentary on the lessons to be learned from the couple’s explosive and messy divorce saga, seeks to peacefully end the drama.
The singer announced the split on Dec 15, which was followed by Lee revelations of Wang’s indiscretions and infidelities over social media.
The scandal ended up dragging singer Vivian Hsu’s name in the mud and resulted in an alleged suicide attempt by By2 singer Yumi after rumours circulated that she had been Wang’s mistress.
On Dec 20, the singer, 45, wrote “It was all my fault,” in a Facebook post and announced he was taking a break from showbiz.
While Wang is widely considered to have fallen from his place as a well-beloved icon in the Mandopop world, with even China’s Communist Party throwing shade, his former wife won praise not only for her skilful use of Mandarin in her lengthy Instagram posts but also as a symbol for a woman who has had too much and is standing up for herself.
In a Dec 29 commentary in the Taipei Times, Mr John Yu wrote that the proof of Wang’s wrongdoings in their marriage “was apparently the result of years of meticulous accumulation, rendering each piece a fatal blow to the enemy.”
He continued, “This move is not unlike the 17th-century shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, who is famous for uniting Japan in the Sengoku period by biding his time to make the perfect strike when the odds were against him.
Only by imitating Lee’s forbearance and tolerance, like Ieyasu, can we deliver the fatal blow when the time is ripe.”
Lately, however, it has seemed that the saga has come to an end, at least for now, with both Wang and Lee staying quiet over the past few days.
In an Instagram post on Dec 23, Lee wrote, “I hope this letter can really put an end to the continuous turmoil so that everyone can return to a peaceful life.”
She has not posted over social media since then.
Lee answered questions in her last post, including explaining why she chose to air her accusations against her former husband publicly.
For her, it seems that the “dirty laundry” route was the last resort.
An excerpt from her post, written in Mandarin, was translated by taiwannews.com.tv to read, “In private, I tried all the methods that I could think of, and even today, no matter in public or in private, I still did not get a sincere apology.”
“Yes, an apology is very important, because if a person cannot admit one’s own problem and keeps blaming others for one’s own mistakes, that person will never be willing to feel regret, change, nor correct themself.”
She also refuted allegations that she would not sue Wang after he offered to give her a house.
“This was never about getting money or revenge. I believe in legal justice, therefore I believe the legal system will give a fair result that divides the appropriate properties entitled to the children and me.”
Moreover, Lee issued an apology to those who were implicated in the contentious split, and added, “I hope this thing ends as is; I hope we can all soothe our hearts’ injuries, live a peaceful life, and become the change we wish to see.”
In the meantime, Wang, who beat a hasty retreat from China, has been in quarantine in Taiwan for a week.
According to the country’s laws, he then has to quarantine at home for another seven days.
On Tuesday (Dec 28), it was reported that paparazzi camped outside S Hotel, which is owned by Wang Xiaofei, the ex-husband of Barbie Hsu, to catch a glimpse of the beleaguered star as he left the hotel after the quarantine period.
He allegedly left the premises with 10 bodyguards and engaged two additional taxis to go in opposite directions in an attempt to elude photographers, but at least one photo of the singer still made it to the news. /TISG
Read also: ‘Thunder Goddess’: Wang Leehom & Lee Jinglei’s online dispute inspires female empowerment advocacy
‘Thunder Goddess’: Wang Leehom & Lee Jinglei’s online dispute inspires female empowerment advocacy