Despite rumors, former EXO member Kris Wu not dead, authorities say

Rumors that former EXO member Kris Wu, who is serving a 13-year prison sentence in China for rape, has died are spreading on Chinese social media. However, Chinese police have firmly denied the claims, calling them “false information.”

According to Taiwanese media outlet SET News and other foreign press reports on November 13, an anonymous post recently circulated on China’s Weibo social media platform, claiming to be written by an inmate housed in the same prison as Wu.

The post alleged that Wu was beaten to death after refusing the sexual demands of a gang leader. Another rumor claimed Wu died following a hunger strike that deteriorated his health.

A doctored photo also made the rounds on Weibo, showing a man resembling Wu in a prison uniform undergoing interrogation. It was later revealed to be a digitally manipulated image with Wu’s face edited in.

As the unverified rumors gained traction, police in China issued an unusually swift response. Authorities in Jiangsu Province released a statement via Weibo, denouncing the speculation as “fake news” and warning that spreading unverified information could result in legal consequences.

On Nov. 25, 2022, the Beijing court sentenced Wu to a total of 13 years — 11 years and six months for rape, and one year and 10 months for organizing group lewd acts.

Chinese authorities have not disclosed Wu’s current prison location or the conditions of his incarceration.

BY SHIN HYE-YEON [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]