Hong Kong director Tsui Hark reportedly dates woman 29 years his junior

Hong Kong director Tsui Hark. Photo from Tsui's Weibo

On Thursday, Sohu shared a video that captures Tsui and Lele strolling through the streets, holding hands, and playfully interacting, with Lele even seen kissing Tsui on the cheek. The footage quickly became one of the most-read topics on the social media platform Weibo, with many viewers remarking on Lele’s affectionate behavior and the couple’s romantic connection.

Yet, some expressed nostalgia and regret over Tsui’s previous marriage to Hong Kong film producer Shi Nansun, with whom he had collaborated on numerous successful films.

Tsui and Shi, 73, were married in 1996 and divorced in 2018, and they did not have children. Reports suggest that Lele was once Tsui’s assistant and that she bore him a child in 2023, though neither party has publicly addressed these claims.

Tsui’s early life was spent in Ho Chi Minh City, where he often sneaked into cinemas as a child. At 16, he relocated with his family to Hong Kong and later pursued filmmaking studies in the U.S.

Tsui then became a pivotal figure in the Golden Age of Hong Kong cinema and is celebrated by critics as "one of the masters of Asian cinematography." His directorial credits include influential films such as the "Once Upon a Time in China" series and "The Blade."

He is also a prolific writer and producer, with notable productions including "A Better Tomorrow," "A Better Tomorrow II," "A Chinese Ghost Story," "The Killer," and "The Legend of the Swordsman."