Chinese actor Wang Dong’s wife posts video of him allegedly strangling her
He later issues statement saying he's 'finally free’ and will not be ‘threatened’
Chinese actor Wang Dong has been accused by his 21-year-old wife, referred to in online reports by her Weibo handle Annepple, of abuse.
They got married in 2021 and have a 10-month-old daughter named Cindy together. It is the actor's third marriage.
Wang Dong, 44, is the star of dramas such as Diamond Lover (2015), Meteor Garden (2018) and Storm Eye (2021). His popularity grew even more this year after his wuxia fantasy drama The Blue Whisper became a hit.
On Aug 26, Annepple uploaded a video containing closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage dated Feb 18.
It begins with footage of a man, purportedly Wang, jumping onto a bed. Although he’s out of frame, he is heard cursing and hitting something.
In her caption, Annepple claimed that Wang subsequently "took (a part of) the baby's bed, which is made out of wood, and hit (her) with it multiple times".
She called the police when he left the room. However, he snatched her phone when he returned. He then climbed onto the bed and strangled her, saying “Do you want to die together?”.
According to Annepple, Wang let go only when the police knocked on the front door.
In her caption, she said: "After we came back from the police station, he hit me even more severely where there were no CCTV cameras. I passed out on the floor. I scratched him while I was trying to stop him from beating me.
“In the end, I mustered the last spurt of energy I had to ask for help from our neighbours."
Annepple included photos of injuries sustained from the alleged attacks, and said she suffered from short-term memory loss after the incident.
She also accused Wang of abusing her previously, when she was seven months pregnant.
Hours after Annepple's video was shared, Wang uploaded a statement on Weibo.
He wrote: "I apologise to everyone for taking up public resources, and also for my overreaction at the time.
“However, I am now finally free and will no longer be tortured or threatened. I once had expectations in life. I worked hard and tolerated, (but) being controlled until (I wasn't) able to breathe is not a normal relationship between a husband and a wife.
“But I really would like to say that this is not the whole truth. I've handed the matter over to my lawyers. I hope that everyone will give us some personal space. I'm sorry to have bothered everyone.”
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