LayarHijau – A recently viral audio recording on social media has sparked discussions among netizens. The recording captures a private conversation between director Wong Kar-wai and screenwriter Qin Wen during the preparation of the drama Blossoms Shanghai (繁花). In the conversation, comments are made about actors including Tang Yan, Liu Shishi, Ni Ni, Chen Daoming, You Benchang, and Jin Jing. Some remarks mixed in jokes considered inappropriate, with some even bordering on sexual harassment toward Jin Jing.
Netizens Recall International Actors’ Experiences
The controversy over the recording brought netizens’ attention back to Wong Kar-wai’s unique and demanding working style, especially the experiences of several international actors. On November 2, Song Hye Kyo’s experience while filming The Grandmaster became the number one trending topic on Weibo with the hashtag #宋慧乔一代宗师戏份被王家卫大幅删减# (Song Hye Kyo’s Scenes Heavily Cut in The Grandmaster by Wong Kar-wai).
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The Grandmaster (一代宗師), released in 2013, became the focus of discussion. Song Hye Kyo revealed that she was initially invited for a “guest role.” What was expected to be a short shoot lasted three years. In the final version of the film, most of her scenes were cut, leaving only two lines of dialogue. Netizens also mentioned that her passport was allegedly held by the production team to prevent her from leaving the set.
Japanese actor Takuya Kimura faced similar circumstances when starring in 2046 (2004) and other Wong Kar-wai films. He arrived on set without a complete script and had to adapt to the director’s unpredictable working style. In China, several local actors also faced challenges, such as repeated takes and sudden script changes. The hashtag #王家卫受害者# (Wong Kar-wai’s Victims) became popular across China, Japan, and Korea, highlighting the experiences of actors from various countries.
Leaked Recording: Writer’s Claims and Director’s Sharp Remarks
The discussion over actor treatment intensified after young screenwriter Gu Er (real name Cheng Junnian) leaked a private recording between Wong Kar-wai and Qin Wen. Gu Er claimed that his copyright was revoked, despite being actively involved in developing the script, particularly sections related to business themes within the story.
The production team denied Gu Er’s claims, stating that he only assisted in data collection and was not a main writer. They also accused him of manipulating and leaking the recordings, and legal action has been taken. Gu Er, who also suffers from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), expressed his dissatisfaction with what he called “long-term exploitation.”
In the recording, Wong Kar-wai commented on Tang Yan, calling her “pretentious” and explaining that she usually arrived early and paid attention to etiquette. He suggested that staff adjust their communication strategy so that the main actors arrived first, preventing Tang Yan from arriving early without anyone welcoming her. Qin Wen responded with laughter, calling Wong Kar-wai a “master at reading people.”
In another part of the recording, Qin Wen criticized Liu Shishi while she was starring in The Golden Years alongside Ni Ni. A signature line from Liu Shishi’s character was reassigned to Ni Ni’s character, sparking dissatisfaction among Liu Shishi’s fans. Qin Wen sarcastically remarked, “They probably spread this themselves,” and revealed that Liu Shishi had confronted him once but was rebuffed.
Chen Daoming, who previously mentored Qin Wen, was also mentioned in the recording. Qin Wen called him “extreme,” and Wong Kar-wai added that he has a contrasting character, with opposing sides within a single personality. You Benchang, the nonagenarian actor who played “Ye Shu,” was described as “not easy to manage” due to his active social media presence (WeChat Moments). Many netizens criticized these comments as disrespectful to veteran actors, questioning the image of Wong Kar-wai as a cultured, literary director.
Gu Er posted several recordings lasting over an hour under the title “會議紀要” (Meeting Minutes), although some content is no longer available. The topic continues to be widely discussed by netizens, highlighting Wong Kar-wai’s controversial working patterns and their impact on actors, both local and international.
