Chinese singer Chen Yufan's company apologizes over drug issue

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The company representing Chinese singer Chen Yufan issued a statement of apology Wednesday on Chinese social media after denying Chen was allegedly arrested for drug possession.

43-year-old singer Chen Yufan, member of renowned Chinese pop-and-rock duet Yu Quan, was reportedly arrested for drug abuse. His company Giant Jump Entertainment then denied that it had happened on Chinese social media platform Weibo, which, however, was deleted subsequently.

The statement from Giant Jump Entertainment, Chen's company, is posted on its official account on Weibo. /Photo via Weibo

The company apologized in a subsequent post for its mistaken declaration as well as the negative impact caused by the singer's "personal misconduct."

The organizers of Yu Quan's upcoming concert, which was set to open in Beijing on December 25 to celebrate their 20th anniversary, released a statement saying that due to the artist's personal reasons, the concert was formally canceled and the refunding of tickets has begun.

A screenshot shows Yu Quan's concert is canceled and tickets are being refunded.

"Our crews are all in shock and sorrow at this moment. We hope that our caring friends will continue to give help and support. And we also hope that Mr. Chen Yufan will cooperate with the investigation and face the following outcomes," the company statement noted.

Hu Haiquan, another member of Yu Quan, broke the silence before the official statement was published, posing a battery of questions on his Weibo account, asking, "Why did you choose to escape from the reality in such a stupid way? Why did you not think about your parents and child in those tough moments? Why did you forget the trust and hope given [to you] by so many friends in the past two decades?"

Hu Haiquan (L) and Chen Yufan perform onstage during the "Yu Quan" 20th-anniversary concert in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, January 20, 2018. /VCG Photo

Chinese netizens also shared their strong opposition to celebrity misconduct, especially concerning drug addiction. "Zero Tolerance for Drug Abuse" soon became one of the hottest hashtags on Sina Weibo with over 64 million views in three hours after the official statement was released.

A screenshot shows Hu Haiquan's post on Weibo.

"Pay tribute to the anti-narcotics police, and say no to drugs!" posted many Weibo users. Weibo user @Strangerd7 said, "Stars and celebrities were supposed to bring more positive energies to the public, but see what has been shown? We should all be the best of ourselves."

(Cover: Chen Yufan performs onstage during the "Yu Quan" 20th-anniversary concert in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, January 20, 2018. /VCG Photo)