Actor Zhang Haowei, who rose to fame for his role as the “Crown Prince” in the hit Chinese drama “Joy of Life”, has recently been embroiled in a series of scandals including tax evasion and alleged involvement in organized prostitution. Despite his response on Weibo on the 24th claiming to be a victim of extortion, manipulation, and online violence orchestrated by a group, with plans to sue for compensation, both of the new dramas he was involved in have swiftly cut ties with him.
In recent days, the media has exposed Zhang Haowei’s alleged tax issues and inappropriate comments, particularly a leaked audio recording where he mentioned “we can cultivate our own mommy” and “entice girls from all over”, raising suspicions of involvement in organized prostitution. This sparked heated discussions among netizens and severely impacted his acting career.
Previously denying all accusations and stating that he had reported the matter, Zhang Haowei released a statement on Weibo on the 24th, claiming that there had been some progress in the recent tumultuous events. He revealed that the person behind the scandal was a childhood friend who turned enemy due to a financial dispute, escalating to false accusations against him. He vowed to sue for compensation, asserting his determination to see the lawsuit through regardless of how many years it may take.
In his statement, Zhang Haowei expressed, “August 2024 is the darkest moment of my life, being extorted by a group, manipulated, and subjected to online violence. However, I have deeply reflected on this event, which exposed some of my own issues, and I extend my apologies to the public.” He also announced his decision to “suspend his acting career, utilize this time to properly handle the case and lawsuits, and give the public an explanation.”
Furthermore, Zhang Haowei shared his clean criminal record and a receipt of the case he reported, revealing his real name as Zhang Xiaohan. Following the scandal, he reported to the police that a certain individual forged chat records to defame him, resulting in an official case being opened. The individual later admitted under interrogation that they falsified and spread chat records with Zhang Xiaohan out of personal grievances. After mediation, the individual acknowledged their mistake, and Zhang Xiaohan demanded a public apology and compensation.
Regarding this, some netizens believe that if the leaked chat records were indeed fabricated, Zhang Haowei is indeed wronged. However, others question what will happen if the individual does not apologize or admit to fabricating the chat records, suggesting potential criminal implications for both parties due to the content’s implications of organized prostitution. Some also criticize Zhang Haowei for not addressing the audio recording, despite clarifying the falsity of the chat records.
According to reports from “Extreme News”, the scandal surrounding Zhang Haowei erupted due to the disclosure of the audio recording. In the leaked audio, a man resembling Zhang Haowei is heard introducing his boss to his friend and discussing plans to manage “girls from all over”, causing a surge in online discussions.
Some netizens speculate that the chat records were indeed leaked by someone close to him, the content was manipulated using technology to discredit Zhang Haowei, while the authenticity of the audio recording remains uncertain.
After the controversy broke out, the production team of the drama “Shu Jin Ren Jia” posted a message alongside the drama’s poster, lamenting that “the actor got into trouble, and the producer went crazy”, reflecting on the year-long effort put into filming and how it all went to waste due to one actor. Notably, the director of the drama, Liu Haibo, was reported to have a “meltdown”. Public information prior to this indicated that Zhang Haowei was the third male lead in the series.
Similarly, according to “Securities Times”, on the day Zhang Haowei was exposed for tax issues, the official Weibo account of the web drama “Sheng Nu” edited a post from May, removing the mention of Zhang Haowei’s special appearance. The topic of “Zhang Haowei suspends acting work” on August 24th gained widespread attention, and in the early hours of the 25th, Zhang Haowei announced on Weibo: “Temporarily bidding farewell to social media, focusing on the case and legal proceedings for justice.” This reignited discussions among the public.