Actor Li Yapeng and wife criticized for allegedly exploiting diva Faye Wong’s fame

Chinese actor Li Yapeng (L), his wife Haiha Jinxi (R), and their son. Photo from Li's Weibo

According to Sinchew, Li and Haiha hosted a livestream on Tuesday, during which the actor drew attention as he sang "Because of Love," a song sung by Wong and Hong Kong singer-actor Eason Chan for the TV series "Cherish Our Love Forever" starring Li.

The actor then asked his wife if she wanted to sing a duet with him, to which Haiha replied: "I want to hear you and Faye Wong sing; you two sing better together."

She then played Wong’s part in the song, suggesting Li sing Chan’s part to complete a "duet." After the song ended, Haiha applauded and praised it.

Following the livestream, many criticized Li for using his former wife’s fame to attract traffic on social media. Others accused him of mimicking Chinese businessman Wang Xiaofei by continually mentioning his ex-wife, Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu, on social media.

"Without mentioning Faye Wong, you probably wouldn’t sell anything," read a comment on social media platform Weibo, referring to the purpose of Li and Haiha’s live streams is to sell products.

Meanwhile, some people believe there’s nothing wrong with Li singing the theme song of a film in which he starred in.

"Faye Wong is not off-limits," read another comment. Neither Li nor Wong has spoken about the controversy.

Wong, 55, and Li, 52, married in 2005 and divorced in 2013. Li admitted in an interview that he divorced Wong for financial reasons. They share a daughter named Li Yan.

Wong then rekindled with her ex-boyfriend, the 44-year-old Hong Kong actor Nicholas Tse, in 2014 and has since maintained a strong relationship. Meanwhile, Li remarried Haiha in 2022.

Wong moved from Beijing to Hong Kong at 18 and became famous in the early 1990s with her Cantonese music. Her international recognition grew through her roles in films by Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai, including "Chungking Express" and "2046."

Once a top actor in China, Li gained fame for his roles in TV series and movies such as "The Singer" (1997), "Laughing in the Wind" (2001), "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" (2003), and "Eternal Moment" (2011). He transitioned to business in 2011.

However, things have not been going well for him, and Li admitted last year to financial struggles due to a 40 million yuan (US$5.5 million) debt from real estate investments. He failed to repay the debt on time late last year, resulting in a court order that restricts expensive consumption.