Veteran Hong Kong singer William So was scheduled to hold a concert in Wenzhou, Zhejiang, this October as part of his 2025 concert tour. However, the event has been canceled after strong public backlash from Chinese netizens over his two-decades-old drug scandal.
William So’s drug case dates back to 2002, when he and Taiwanese actress Anya were detained in Taipei for possessing and allegedly using ecstasy. Although his career suffered at the time, the 57-year-old singer has recently held shows across Mainland China. But when news of the Wenzhou concert surfaced, C-netizens lodged formal complaints. The initial response from provincial tourism authorities—that the “approval process was compliant and all documents complete”—only fueled more outrage and sent the topic trending online.
Under mounting pressure, the concert was eventually canceled. People’s Daily Online, a state media outlet, published a commentary calling the decision necessary and urging accountability for those who approved the event. With the recent developments, it looks like China’s stance on “problematic artists” remains hardline with drug offenses unwelcome to stage comebacks on the mainland.
Photo: william_gung
