Wang Leehom says he lived ‘under fear, extortion and threats’ during marriage to ex-wife
The singer has made two social media posts in response to allegations of infidelity made by his ex-wife amid news of their divorce. In his most recent post, he said he was ready to quit his job temporarily to spend time with his family to "make up for the damage this storm has brought".
(Screen grab: Instagram/wangleehom)
Wang Leehom, the Taiwanese-American singer-songwriter embroiled in the marital scandal storm, has finally broken his silence.
In his latest Facebook post written in Chinese on Monday (Dec 20), Wang wrote that he was "ready to quit my job temporarily and set aside time for my parents and kids to make up for the damage this storm has brought".
He also admitted that he "didn't manage the marriage properly, caused trouble to my family, and didn't give the public the image that an idol should have. It was all my fault."
Wang added: "From now on, I will be mindful of my words and deeds, and assume the responsibilities of a father, son and public figure."
This latest post comes a day after the Lust, Caution actor, 45, first posted about his acrimonious divorce from ex-wife Lee Jinglei. In a four-page post in Chinese on his social media accounts on Sunday, Wang offered his side of the story.
“Our marriage lasted from Nov 27, 2013, to our separation on Aug 5, 2019. Over the period of five years and eight months, I lived in fear, blackmail and threats,” he wrote.
“I can say with certainty that I was not unfaithful in our marriage,” he added.
“MOST FRIGHTENING DAY OF MY LIFE”
The Golden Melody Awards winner said that he met Lee at his concert in 2003 but they only started contacting each other via email in 2011.
Lee, who went by Nishiharu Michiko then, was 26 and not 16 and underaged, as she had implied when they started dating, he said. She is 10 years his junior.
Wang alleged that troubles started not long after when Lee broke the news of her pregnancy to him.
“If you don’t marry me now, I will disappear, change my name, and you will not see the child in my belly in your life. Don’t try to find me, you’ll never find me,” Wang wrote.
He claimed that this information was recorded during a marriage counselling session in 2016.
“I was terrified, but I saw that she was serious about marriage registration that very same day. I could not imagine not ever seeing the child,” said Wang.
“Seeing how upset she was, with her punches and kicks, I nodded and agreed. We registered in New York City on the same day.
“That day was the most frightening day of my life. What I didn’t know was, that day was nothing compared to today.”
THEY SAW FIVE MARRIAGE COUNSELLORS
The R&B artiste admitted that they “constantly had issues”, and saw a total of five marriage counsellors, starting from March 2014.
The couple began to negotiate divorce terms in 2020 and Lee had “demanded around RMB$200 million" (S$43 million).
“She is not the person she claims to be; one who does not want a single penny from me,” Wang wrote.
He added: “In the process, she even told the mediator that if I did not comply with her demands, she is willing to tell the media things that would ruin my career.”
The singer shared that he had agreed to give approximately RMB$150 million in assets to Lee “due to my longtime desire for Lee to live comfortably, but she believed these were inadequate”.
These included half of the property in Los Angeles, half of the stocks the couple own and a monthly allowance of RMB$210,000.
APOLOGIES AROUND
Wang claimed in his letter that money was not the issue. “The point now is that we have three precious children,” he continued in his post.
He said that he was only choosing to make a public statement now because it was the only way to speak to Lee at this time.
He also apologised to her. “Lee Jinglei, I am sorry I did not meet your standards of being a satisfactory husband”, and implored Lee to “direct everything to me”.
“I am willing to face all your demands and all your anger, but the Internet really is a world where everything leaves a trace, and you have used it to ruin me.
"Please, please, do not let these records become the source of further humiliation for our three children as they grow up. I beg you to let me see them.”
The singer also apologised to his fans “for not managing my marriage well” and to his friends “who were dragged into this, I bow and apologise to you, as my marriage affected you”.
Referring to the letter that his parents had written in his defence, Wang added: “Thank you especially for the handwritten letter you wrote last night. Due to my failure at managing my own marriage, your son has made you suffer. I am deeply apologetic. Sorry”.
He ended the long post by saying he “will respond to her lengthy 5,000-word false accusation separately”.
