2021 Year in Review: This Year's Top 5 Top Celebrity Gossip Stories

The year 2021 has been filled with twists and turns, making us all the more ready to bid it farewell. But Beijing wasn’t too bad of a place to spend the year, so in 2021 Year in Review, we’re taking a look back at the best and worst of times in the capital from this year that was.

Doping, divorce, tax evasion, surrogacy... China certainly had no shortage of juicy celebrity scandals in 2021, and we've been doing our best to keep you well-informed on the tantalizing details with our column Beijing Pops, so that you too can get in on all the hot goss. Now, it’s time to look back at the top five viral showbiz stories that set the Chinese internet aflame this year. Let the show begin!

1. Zheng Shuang’s surrogacy and tax evasion scandal

The year did not get off to a good start for Zheng Shuang and her boyfriend Zhang Heng, whose break-up drama just about broke the internet as well back in January. The couple first found themselves on the wrong side of the spotlight when Zhang – who had just released an album – hinted that Zheng had callously demanded in 2019 that the couple's US-based surrogate abort the fetus she was carrying. The scandal knocked Zheng, who was long believed to be a pure, innocent young woman with integrity and courage, clean off her pedestal. Apparently, Zhang's thirst for vengeance wasn't satiated because four months later, in April, he spilled the tea on a contract Zheng had forged to evade paying taxes. This led to a police investigation and finally, in August, Zheng was fined RMB 299 million for the scheme. If that weren't enough, the now vilified actress also saw all of her TV dramas pulled from streaming platforms overnight. 

2. From rapper to rapist

By all accounts, singer and MC Kris Wu's year was a long time coming. Early on, reports started surfacing online that the former EXO member had emotionally abused his girlfriend, which led to her struggles with depression. However, Wu and his studio denied the allegations, even going so far as to sue the people who had started the “rumor.” However, in July, a Weibo user nicknamed “Du Mei Zhu” posted some damning evidence that revealed Wu had tricked underage girls into having sexual relations with him. Shortly thereafter, more women started to come forward, accusing Wu of sexual assault. After weeks of investigation, Wu was formally arrested Aug 16 on suspicion of rape charges by Beijing Chaoyang Police.

3. Jia Ling’s directorial debut Hi, Mom! dominates China’s box office, sets world record

Although China’s film industry was still feeling the impacts of COVID-19 this year, the unprecedented success of Jia Ling’s Hi, Mom brought some much-needed excitement to the ailing industry. The hilarious and emotional comeback story of a mother and daughter not only dominated China's box office charts when it was released during the Lunar New Year holiday but also smashed world records for the highest-grossing female director. The film also turned leading actress Zhang Xiaofei into an overnight sensation, thanks to her impressive performance as the titular mom.

4. The Beijing International Film Festival returns

Following several delays and reschedulings, the Beijing International Film Festival (BJIFF) finally returned for its 11th installment, hosted at the Beijing Yanqi Lake International Convention and Exhibition Center. This year’s BJIFF took place from Sep 21 to 29, and opened with the premiere of the war film Changjin Lake starring TFBOYS member Yi Yangqianxi. Meanwhile, acclaimed actress Gong Li was honored as president of the international jury for the festival’s highly-anticipated Tiantan Awards. All told, 15 films were nominated for the award, including 12 foreign films and three indie productions, with Liu Zhihai's Beyond the Skies taking home the coveted best feature film award.

5. Singer Leehom Wang’s infidelity scandal

Just when you think the curtain is about to drop on another year of showbiz drama, an encore of epic proportions is waiting for its cue in the wings. Enter Jinglei Lee, another teenage idol who fell from her once lofty position above millions of adoring fans. In early December, the now ex-wife of singer Leehom Wang accused her husband of infidelity with a lengthy article on Weibo, saying that penning the letter was the hardest decision she'd ever made.

According to Lee, the public idol and male role model turned out to be something of a playboy and had more than a few relationships post-saying "I do." What's more, his selfish behavior throughout Lee's three pregnancies also resulted in severe mental issues. However, it wasn't until after the divorce was finalized and Wang allegedly refused to give Lee her financial due, that the open letter, a last act of desperation, came to light.

Wang fired back two days later, professing his innocence, however, by that point, many people had already made up their minds. Nor was his case helped by the evidence Lee continued to post proving Wang’s infidelity and emotional abuse. Eventually, as more and more people voiced their support for Lee, Wang finally apologized, complete with an announcement that he’s ready to temporarily withdraw from the entertainment business so that he can spend more time with his parents and children.

For her part, when asked whether she would still file a lawsuit against Wang in light of his apology, Lee said she was no longer considering litigation.

READ: 2021 Year in Review: The Hottest Stories of the Year

Images: Weibo, 8 Days, sg.yahoonews.com, CGTN, herworld.com