Hong Kong star Shawn Yue and Taiwan’s “Belt King” heiress Wang Tangyun both almost simultaneously released statements on social media on July 20, officially announcing the end of their nearly 9-year marriage. The couple did not disclose the reasons for their divorce, only mentioning that they had reached a consensus to peacefully separate and would continue to co-parent their two children as family members. However, what caught attention was that on the same day, Shawn Yue was confirmed to appear as a guest on the mainland China’s Hunan TV Mango TV variety show “Thorn and Thistle 2026”.
At the age of 44, Shawn Yue got married to Wang Tangyun in 2017, and they have two children together. On the 20th, when Shawn Yue suddenly announced the divorce on social media, he said: “We have reached a consensus, respecting and blessing each other’s life choices. Thank you for all the roles you have played as a mother and a wife, from now on, we will always be family.”
Meanwhile, Wang Tangyun also shared her thoughts on social media, admitting that making this decision was not easy, but both of them had gained a lot of growth and insights in their marriage. She stated that even though their marital relationship has come to an end, they still care deeply for each other. Losing the title of spouse does not mean it is a sad thing, instead, she believes that both of them will lead better lives in the future.
In fact, Shawn Yue’s marital issues have been in the spotlight in recent years. On New Year’s Eve in 2023, Shawn Yue suddenly cleared all his Instagram posts and wrote in English: “Reset and restart.” This sparked discussions among netizens. When asked about why he cleared his Instagram, Shawn Yue responded at the time, saying, “It was just a compulsive behavior, I wanted to unify the filters of the photos and reorganize the layout of my Instagram.”
Moreover, Shawn Yue and Wang Tangyun had attended a gathering of friends where they appeared separate from each other in group photos, unlike their usual close and affectionate manner. Additionally, Wang Tangyun’s presence has been notably absent from Shawn Yue’s reorganized social media platforms, raising speculation about their marital status.
It is noteworthy that almost at the same time as Shawn Yue announced the divorce, he was also confirmed to appear as a guest on the mainland China’s Hunan TV Mango TV variety show “Thorn and Thistle 2026”, with a preview set to air on August 13 and the official episode on August 14. This high degree of coincidence in timing stirred discussions on Weibo, with related topics trending, and netizens commenting “Love and career always have to be on their way,” and “Divorce announcement on the same day as joining ‘Thorn and Thistle’” became one of the hottest topics of the day.
Since his marriage in 2017, Shawn Yue has significantly reduced his acting work, focusing on his family and his streetwear business in mainland China. During this time, he faced issues like panic disorder and briefly retreated from the public eye, with only one movie, “Top Secret Mission”, having disappointing box office results in the past seven years, causing his career to hit a low point.
Due to Shawn Yue’s limited film and television resources in recent years and the lack of progress in his streetwear business, his announcement of returning to TV variety shows on the day of his divorce was interpreted by netizens as a way to resolve the switch between his personal and public identities at once. He seems to be declaring to the world, “I am back, ready to give my all to my career.” Some netizens joked, “Divorce before joining ‘Thorn and Thistle’,” as it seems to have become a sort of “routine,” reflecting the audience’s nonchalant attitude towards such operational patterns.