Mainland Chinese actress Fan Bingbing, who was blacklisted due to the “yin and yang contracts” scandal, was recently rumored to have moved to a luxurious mansion in the mid-levels of Hong Kong to settle down. Recently, a netizen captured a photo of her standing alone by the roadside in Hong Kong, waiting for a taxi. Apart from looking particularly lonely, a detail on her feet also shocked netizens.
In the photos shared by netizens on Weibo, Fan Bingbing, seen from the side, was engrossed in her phone while wearing a light yellow dress, standing by the roadside waiting for a ride. She tied her hair in a high ponytail and paired it with sneakers, looking in good spirits. However, some pointed out that the sneakers on Fan Bingbing’s feet have been worn since three years ago, jokingly saying, “Even the ever-changing image of her has become thrifty,” and now going out alone without assistants or bodyguards, waiting for a taxi by the roadside, her back view appearing “low-key like an ordinary person,” which surprised fans and made them feel a little heartbroken.
Last month, some netizens shared a video of encountering Fan Bingbing at a restaurant in Hong Kong. She appeared with fair and glowing skin, in quite a good state, seeming to be leading a relatively happy life after relocating to Hong Kong.
Fan Bingbing was embroiled in a tax scandal in 2018 due to the revelation of “yin and yang contracts,” causing her acting career to plummet. According to official reports from the Chinese Communist Party at that time, Fan Bingbing had to pay over 880 million yuan in tax evasion, under-reporting taxes, and fines within a stipulated period to avoid criminal liability.
In her efforts to make a comeback for nearly two years, Fan Bingbing not only worked with Hollywood action star and Venice Film Festival winner Liam Neeson but also frequently traveled to Europe for major film festivals and fashion shows, maintaining a high level of exposure. Having not filmed domestically for 6 years, she was recently rumored to have moved to Hong Kong and settled in a mid-level luxurious mansion.
On August 19, Fan Bingbing shared a photo on Weibo of herself on the cover of the Chinese magazine “Style Vision,” with the caption: “Past, present, future… all in one!” Some netizens interpreted her post as ambitious, preparing for a comeback in the Chinese entertainment industry. However, when other netizens asked in the comments when she would start filming again, some fans replied, “If you mention filming again, it feels like pure harm + haters,” which led to more comments from netizens stating, “If you don’t start filming again, nobody will care about past, present, or future.”
Despite not being able to continue filming in China, Fan Bingbing has not given up on her acting career. She has recently appeared in the South Korean film “Green Night,” which was nominated for the Berlin International Film Festival, and made a cameo in the Korean drama “The Insider” starring Korean actors Kang Ha-neul and Lee Yu-bi. However, the former had dismal box office results, only generating $70,000 in sales, a stark difference compared to Fan Bingbing’s past film successes, leaving many netizens lamenting that “Fan Bingbing can no longer return to her former glory.”