Tiger Hu Yanbin found himself at the center of heated debate after his relationship with 26-year-old influencer-turned-actress Yi Mengling, who is 16 years younger than the 42-year-old Chinese singer-songwriter, came to light.
In the early hours of November 22, Hu Yanbin joined a fan group chat and posted an apology on social media, thanking supporters for defending him during the rumors and saying, “I’m deeply sorry you’ve had to bear so much.” He also wrote that he had “never intended to hide anything” but also “had no obligation to report personal relationships to the world.” He assured fans by saying, “You made me and you can destroy me,” and added that the only thing he can do is stand on stage and sing for them. He was still online until 3 a.m., responding to fans for five hours and saying, “Wonder if anyone can still say I don’t care about fans.”
It started with a viral video of Hu Yanbin and Yi Mengling kissing and holding hands on a beach in the Maldives. Yi Mengling responded to media inquiries by claiming the video was “AI-generated.” Not long after, the pair appeared together at the airport, where Hu Yanbin urged everyone to post the moment online “so people know it’s not AI.”
Some long-time followers took issue with the recent dating news, saying it’s not about the romance but the singer’s “dismissive attitude.” The contradicting statements between Yi Mengling, who said it was AI, and Hu, who said it was not, also drew flak, though supporters feel a celebrity’s private life is indeed none of the public’s business.
Photos: Weibo
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