Dear reporters: If you don’t have any good question to ask, don’t.
While attending a charity event this week, master Wang Kai gracefully responded to a WTF question from a reporter following a couple of questions about a potential relationship with Stay With Me co-star Joe Chen Qiao’en. Props for him for giving such an eloquent answer, because I would’ve just been shocked someone just compared my friend to leftovers to my face. Full interview here.
Q: Would you two talk about relationship problems? You know a lot of people are saying Chen Qiao’en is a famous “leftover woman”, and recently there’s been a lot of celebrity “leftover women” getting shotgun weddings, what are your thoughts?
Wang Kai: “Leftover women” isn’t necessarily derogatory. In today’s society, I think it should be complimentary. Because you’re excellent enough, because you have a higher standard, so you might be in a relationship later. But that’s not a bad thing. The relationship that’s right for you will just come later.
Note: “Leftover women 剩女” is a recently coined term to deprecate unmarried older women, comparing to leftover food. Chen Qiao’en actually had a drama, SOP Queen 胜女的代价, which trie to reclaim the term for career-focused women.
Do you know which media outlet the reporter was working for? Why is that even a question…
Sina ;( So a big “news” outlet. I did a search and apparently the topic is not uncommon for celebs, although most of them aren’t prefaced with “are you concerned about your friend being a leftover…. “
Thank you for the posting, Idarklight. Applause for you. Wish the interview is eng-subbed (wink wink)…they asked him a few questions other than this. There was also another big interview with Lu yu a few months back and the short dialogues during the Transboundary singing competition that never got covered by any blogs…(more winks).
Most of the other questions for this interview were pretty standard, but he did say that his focus is likely to be the big-screen in the near future (probably after Ode to Joy 2 ?)
The last I heard, wangkaiinternational was still planning to translate the Luyu interview. It’s two long interviews, though, so it might take a while.
Big props to Wang Kai! Now that could be an excellent example of the #HeForShe movement! The “leftover” term is not only derogatory, but also, IMO, a deflection from the recent phenomenon in China, where many males can’t afford to marry, because the ladies have – indeed – higher standards & more expensive dowries :D.
this is also a phenomenom in Japan where I heard about first.
Way to go, Wang Kai! Awesome and graceful answer to a stupid and asinine question.
Good on him! *Clap clap clap* I know that many netizens have been wondering if Qiao En would ever find her S.O, it’s become a plot point when she participates on variety or talk shows but I reckon she takes it all in good spirit and jokes ^_^ whilst she says she is “worried” lol Up Idol loves to bring this up — Idrc, so long as she is happy (coupled or not), everything will fall into place. Qiao En jia you!!