Kris Wu Case Sparks Crackdown on Celebrity Worship

Chinese-Canadian pop star Kris Wu was detained over rape allegations, Beijing police posted on Weibo on July 31. Wu’s woes began in July when Sina Weibo user “Du Meizhu” alleged in a post that Wu drugged and raped her at his home while she was a student. Shortly after Du’s post, several other women came forward. Wu, 30, has denied the accusations. While his Weibo page of 51 million followers closed following the police statement, many of Wu’s fans not only proclaimed his innocence, but also began ganging up on critics online, with some even claiming they will spring Wu from prison. The fanatic fervor has not gone unnoticed by China’s National Cyberspace Administration, which announced a twomonth campaign targeting the online practices of celebrity management organizations, such as encouraging minors to raise money to support their idols, crowdfund billboards and ads, and other costly fan-funded activities. Wu’s case is still under investigation.