Ian Fang apologises for leaked texts involving Carrie Wong -- but her BF hits back

Choo Yun Ting
The Straits Times
May 19, 2019

Mediacorp actor Ian Fang has apologised for the scandal over a series of leaked text messages with fellow artist Carrie Wong, breaking his social media silence after news about the incident broke last week.

But his apology sparked a retort from Wong's boyfriend, Taiwanese model Boris Lin, who appeared to question Fang’s rationale for issuing it and the actor's sincerity.

On Sunday morning (May 19), Fang, 29, posted on Instagram a screenshot of a note written in Chinese, apologising to those affected by the incident, including Yanxi Palace actor Lawrence Wong. It was Fang's first Instagram post since May 11.

"One needs to be accountable for their mistakes and face the consequences, and I will take responsibility for this incident and reflect upon my words and actions," the note read.

Fang added that he has engaged a lawyer to handle matters regarding the privacy breach and false allegations that have been made.

"I hope that the public can give me a chance to change for the better, and to prove myself," he wrote.

"I will not hurt those who love or support me, or cause my mother to shed tears over me again."

In his apology, Fang thanked Mediacorp's artist management arm The Celebrity Agency (TCA) for its support and advice as the scandal unfolded.

"To be a good actor, I need to be a good person, and I have much to learn," he said.

The leaked private chats between Fang and Carrie Wong, 25, included coarse language that suggested they had a physical relationship.

The chats also criticised actor Lawrence Wong, who is currently working with Carrie Wong on upcoming Channel 8 production My One In A Million. One of Fang's leaked messages said: "You have to win (Lawrence Wong) and let him know that we don't rely on connections, looks or luck."

On Saturday, Carrie Wong's boyfriend, Lin,released a statement about the matter through his lawyer which was posted on his Instagram account. In the statement, Lin said that the actress had done nothing wrong and that the pair's relationship was fine.

"I hope that after this matter, Mr Fang can stop trying to get between our relationship, and respect himself and his friends," Lin said in the Chinese statement.

TCA said in a statement on Friday that police reports have been made following the leak, and it has sought legal advice on the issue.

But hours following Fang’s statement on Sunday, Lin posted in Chinese on Instagram a message seemingly in response to the Mediacorp actor.

In his post, Lin did not mention Fang directly, but questioned why a public apology was issued after several days of silence, even though TCA had said that neither Fang nor Carrie Wong would be commenting further on the text message scandal.

"People are not stupid, all everyone wants is the truth," Lin wrote.

The lack of clarification over the incident has led to much speculation and criticism from the public, he said. The Taiwanese also suggested that Fang was playing the victim card, and questioned if his apology was genuine or simply to seek attention.

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

大眾不是笨蛋,大家要的只是一個事實。 事情經過這麼多天,沒有人願意出面說明,大家固然不能理解事情的始末,並開始無止盡、無上限的謾罵。 以至於我覺得有義務出來澄清,並承受大眾的輿論、謾罵及嘲笑,為的只是希望給大眾一些真相,但整篇聲明中也不願意細說到任何事情,都是基於對你的尊重。 整件事情發生至今,甚至新傳媒公司已發表公開聲明說到:你們都不會在對此事做任何回應。 而你神隱多日,始終不願意出來道歉及出面說清楚,卻突然這個時間點發表這樣的道歉,到底是真心想要道歉還是炒新聞? 實在不理解為什麼做最多錯事的人,到現在這種時候,還可以裝無辜、裝可憐,你自己清楚到底事情究竟是如何開始的,甚至當別人已經停止,你還不放棄的打擾 發送曖昧訊息的情歌、甚至半夜打電話騷擾。 即使你和另一半在一起的事實,是這個圈子裡公開的秘密,但你不願意承認或是公開向她道歉。 我也願意尊重你們,因此在聲明中也不願提起與她任何相關的訊息,畢竟她也是無辜的。 可是你明知你自己不顧自己的情感去介入另一段感情,傷害到其他人,卻始終不願意道歉,還可以說自己是惡意遭到「針對」? 在今年紅星大獎的After Party上,事情都已發生數個月,但友人因不曉得我們之間的狀況,而介紹我們彼此認識,友人也很清楚的向你表明我的身分是誰,當時我也和你微笑握手致意,並安靜的在一旁聽你們寒暄。 至始至終我都希望給予你尊重 如果我這時候出面澄清為的是希望給你難堪,當時我在會場上當著所有人的面找你把事實講清楚不是最好的方法嗎? 或是大家說的「警告你」,畢竟那時所有的藝人朋友、記者媒體都已在場。 孰不知我們親自打過照面後,在你們因宣傳之需要,得一同出席活動時,你依然不放棄的打擾我們? 還用諷刺及輕挑的口語去刺激她? 試問你究竟居心為何? 你有無傷害到你自身那段不願意承認的感情,我不清楚。但你的舉動,有無傷害到我,我相信是不爭的事實。 你卻想一再避重就輕的去說,甚至在這個時刻才要發表道歉,去影射自己是事件的「受害者? 不是只有你有媽媽,也不是只有你的媽媽愛你,或是你的媽媽會為你感到傷心、不捨 在道歉中把自身的母親扯進來,為的是什麼? 我願意為我所說一字一句負責,所言也絕對屬實。 我數年前就早已不在這個產業工作,這一輩子我也絕對不會再做任何與演藝事業相關的產業,炒新聞對我一點意義都沒有。 要的不過就是社會大眾能知道事情的真相 你呢?你日後也不再進行任何相關產業的工作嗎?還是你要繼續藉機炒新聞?

A post shared by Boris (@borislin0713) on

Lin's post also questioned why the unnamed person he was addressing was still sending flirtatious messages and making calls in the middle of the night, without clarifying who the recipient of these correspondences was.

He also alluded to Fang not making a relationship with another person public. The latter has been linked to his Mediacorp colleague, Rebecca Lim.

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