Update: Following Kris Wu's detention on July 31, the star has officially been arrested on suspicion of rape in Beijing. Prosecutors confirmed his formal arrest but did not give any further details relating to the charges.
The case has become the biggest #MeToo case in China, with a Weibo hashtag related to his charges being viewed 1.6 billion times, with massive support for the victim as well as the police action.
The news of the former EXO member's official arrest follows the sentencing of former K-pop star and Big Bang member Seungri, who was sentenced to three years in jail for arranging sex services as well as illegal gambling earlier this month.
Original Story (August 3, 2021): Former EXO member Kris Wu was detained in China on August 2 following accusations of sexual assault on Chinese social media platform Sina Weibo. Since the information was shared by a user with the handle "Du Meizhu" last month, Wu has been dropped by several big brands, including Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, and Porsche.
The Weibo user claimed that she was sexually assaulted by Kris Wu at the age of 17, while she was a student at the Communication University of China in Beijing, and also explained that the K-pop star had been using the same methods with other girls. Following several investigations by the police, after the story surfaced, the star was detained but has not yet been formally charged.
“I don’t believe this is just my own personal matter. You can even say that this is a problem with the atmosphere in China’s entertainment circle,” Du Meizhu said in an interview with NetEase.
Of course, the social media post gained a lot of traction both in China and around the world, leading to multiple brands taking a stance against the singer and cutting ties with him.
"Louis Vuitton takes the recent accusations concerning Mr. Kris Wu very seriously and as such suspends its collaboration with the artist until the investigation is concluded," the luxury house told CNN.
Wu's Weibo account — where he initially responded to the claims stating that they were false in front of his 51 million followers — was taken down following his detention. Chinese music platforms have also removed his songs.
The case has become one of the biggest conversations in China, where there's been less progress around the #MeToo movement than we've seen worldwide. There have been multiple experiences by women that were brave enough to come forward, where they were met with pushback, so activists and social media users have been quick to support Du Meizhu in her claims. Wu's detention also came as a surprise to many, as victims of sexual abuse usually have a difficult time pursuing justice.
Kris Wu has yet to be formally charged and there's yet no information available as to the status of the case.
If you have been sexually harassed or assaulted, there are resources to help you.
