'Rumors that Kris (Wu Yifan), a former member of the group EXO serving a 13-year prison sentence for rape of a minor, has died in prison have again heated up Chinese online circles. However, local police and media strongly denied it, saying "this is completely untrue." Amid this, the possibility of "chemical castration" for Kris, who will be deported to Canada after serving his sentence, has been reexamined, and the controversy continues.
#. "Was he killed in prison?" "Did he die from a hunger strike?"… the "third death rumor" spreads again
Taiwan's Sanli News reported on the 13th (local time) that "claims are spreading on Chinese social media that Kris died in a detention facility." Online, sensational rumors kept appearing, such as 'he was killed after refusing to become the group's cell boss,' 'he weakened and died after a long hunger strike,' and 'he died after being gang-raped in prison.' Some anonymous sources even added the baseless claim that "the Canadian government criticized that Kris was included on China's execution list."
But these were all unverified rumors.
#. Chinese police call it "false" and immediately rebut… "Kris is alive"
Chinese Chinese-language media and the Jiangsu provincial public security bureau immediately denied the death rumors. Local media reported that "this is the third death rumor about Kris," and that "the police clearly identified it as a 'false rumor' on their official social media." Chinese media emphasized that "Kris is still serving his sentence in detention."
Kris debuted in 2013 as a member of EXO-M and enjoyed explosive popularity in Korea and China. However, in 2014 he filed a lawsuit against SM Entertainment and left the group to return to China. He subsequently worked actively as an actor and singer, but his activities were halted in 2021 after allegations surfaced that he forced sexual relations on women, including minors, after giving them alcohol.
As multiple victims' testimonies followed, the Chaoyang District People's Court in Beijing sentenced him to 11 years and 6 months for rape and 1 year and 10 months for group indecency, for a total prison term of 13 years. The appeal was dismissed and the sentence was finalized.
#. Deported to Canada after sentence… what is the possibility of "chemical castration"?
Kris, who had dual Chinese-Canadian nationality, will be forcibly deported to Canada after completing his sentence. Canada has a system that can apply hormone-suppressing injections (chemical castration) to sex offenders, and after Kris's verdict there had been local discussions that "he could be subject to it." However, experts analyzed that "because there is no retrial of the criminal record after entering Canada, the actual likelihood of application is low."
Rumors of Kris's "death in prison" have resurged three times during his incarceration, causing confusion among fans and the general public. But the official position of Chinese police and the media is singular: "Kris is alive and is currently serving his sentence in prison." After his sentence ends, he is expected to leave Chinese soil and be deported to Canada, and what measures will be taken afterward depends on the Canadian legal system.
[Photo] 'OSEN DB'
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