Hong Kong artist Louis Koo recently found himself sued by film producer Tang Chai-chi in the High Court to reclaim a private loan of 8.3 million Hong Kong dollars that was made 10 years ago. Louis Koo, who has been shining in front of and behind the camera in recent years, stars in and produces the new film “Kowloon Walled City Besieged” (referred to as “Kowloon Walled City”), which has been a big success in Hong Kong and Taiwan recently. It is expected to break Hong Kong’s box office record in history. Therefore, some netizens suspect that this might be the main reason behind the lawsuit at this moment.
According to Hong Kong’s “Ming Pao” newspaper, Tang Chai-chi, former chairman of “Sun Entertainment Group” (now known as “Brilliant Culture Holdings”), filed a lawsuit in Hong Kong High Court on June 11. He alleged that in 2013 and 2014, when Louis Koo and he invested together in a fashion brand and food business, Louis Koo privately borrowed 8.3 million Hong Kong dollars from him for capital injection, but Louis Koo has not repaid the amount in the past 10 years.
Tang Chai-chi requested the court to order Louis Koo and Louis’ company to hold half of the shares in trust for him, and to transfer the relevant shares and provide an account statement. The plaintiff in the case is Tang Chai-chi, and the defendants are Louis Koo and Louis Koo’s company Cool Label Limited.
The report pointed out that during Tang Chai-chi’s tenure at “Sun Entertainment Group,” he made significant contributions to the Hong Kong entertainment industry and collaborated with Louis Koo on multiple occasions. Films that “Sun Entertainment Group” had invested in include “Operation Red Sea,” “You Are the One,” “Holiday in Paris,” and “Paradox,” which helped Louis Koo win his first Hong Kong Film Award for Best Actor.
Louis Koo has yet to respond to the debt lawsuit filed by Tang Chai-chi. However, rumors have been spreading that not only Louis Koo’s fans are shocked by the news, but many netizens have also expressed doubts about the situation, pointing out Louis Koo’s long-standing support for charitable causes and questioning why someone of his earning capacity would “owe over 8 million Hong Kong dollars.”
Some Hong Kong netizens have pointed out that Louis Koo’s recent action film “Kowloon Walled City Besieged,” in which he stars and produces, has been the Hong Kong daily box office champion for over 40 consecutive days since its official release on May 1. The total box office in Hong Kong has officially exceeded 100 million, poised to challenge the historical box office record in Hong Kong. This is believed to be the primary reason for Tang Chai-chi’s legal action against Louis Koo at this time.