Rumors alleging that former EXO member Kris Wu, who is currently serving a 13-year prison sentence in China for sexual assault, has died while incarcerated are rapidly spreading through local media across Greater China.
Taiwanese outlet Mirror Media reported on November 13 that “rumors of Kris Wu’s death have been circulating quickly online in China.” The outlet noted that a man who claimed to be Wu’s fellow inmate appeared online and said, “I heard from prison guards that Kris died suddenly. There are rumors he was killed by local gang members.”
This is not the first time speculation regarding Wu’s alleged death has surfaced. In March, when the Canadian government publicly criticized China for executing four Canadian citizens for drug trafficking this year, some netizens speculated that Kris Wu, who holds Canadian citizenship, might have been among them. The rumors were soon dismissed because Wu has never been charged with drug-related crimes. This made it unlikely that he was one of the individuals mentioned by the Canadian government.
Additional unverified claims such as allegations that Wu “died after a prolonged hunger strike” have continued to circulate online. None of these rumors have been confirmed.
Kris Wu debuted as a member of EXO in 2012, but he left the group in 2014 after filing a lawsuit against SM Entertainment to nullify his exclusive contract. He later moved to China and worked as an actor and singer. In 2021, 24 individuals, including a former girl group member, accused Wu of sexual misconduct. He was convicted and sentenced to 13 years in prison. After completing his sentence, he is expected to be deported to Canada.
As of now, Chinese authorities have issued no official statement regarding Wu’s status or the rumors of his death. State-run and mainstream media outlets have instead repeated warnings that the spread of unverified information may result in legal consequences.
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