Hong Kong actor Vincent Wong, who has been celebrating one joyful event after another this year, recently held a concert in mainland China. Soon to become a father, he announced the gender of his unborn child on stage, jokingly saying he “can’t accept having a daughter,” which sparked criticism for emphasizing a preference for boys over girls.
Vincent Wong and his wife Yip Hin, who is 13 years younger than him, announced their pregnancy earlier this year. Last month, during a concert in Foshan, he excitedly revealed that they are expecting a daughter, expressing his surprise by exclaiming “can’t accept it.” Believing they were having a son all along, the unexpected news of a daughter hit him hard.
His seemingly patriarchal remarks drew widespread criticism towards Vincent Wong. On August 3rd, he responded to the backlash in an interview, admitting that he had been criticized for days. Having held a Hong Kong swimming record for 21 years and competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Vincent Wong, who currently coaches children at a swimming pool in Hong Kong, faced questioning from the mothers of his students about his controversial statement.
The most concerning aspect for Vincent Wong is the reactions from his wife and father-in-law, both questioning his true feelings as they thought he genuinely preferred sons over daughters. Vincent Wong explained that he actually loves daughters but mistakenly thought the baby was a boy when he made the announcement, and was concerned his wife might misinterpret his reaction as unhappiness. The unexpected contrast in emotions led him to say “can’t accept it.” He criticized the sensationalist media headlines for causing him days of criticism, almost causing a “family crisis.”
During the interview, Vincent Wong revealed that his wife is over 5 months pregnant, with her pregnancy symptoms subsiding. He plans to be present in the delivery room for the birth. He confessed to feeling immense pressure, as he now consumes daily content related to daughters, worrying about his daughter’s future marriage prospects. With most of his work in mainland China, the frequent travel worries him as his pregnant wife accompanies him.
Vincent Wong plans to celebrate his daughter’s birth with a traditional Chinese one-hundred-day banquet. When asked if he will invite his ex-girlfriend Linda Chung to the celebration, he jokingly responded, “That’s a sharp question, I can’t answer that today.”
Sources close to Vincent Wong revealed that at 45 years old, he and his 80-year-old father both became fathers in middle age, possibly leading to heightened anxiety. With only two brothers and no girls in the family, it is unlikely that he truly dislikes having a daughter, with his onstage declaration of “can’t accept it” likely being a momentary misstep.