Former EXO Member Kris Listed as a 'Major Criminal' in China... Possibility of Chemical Castration

Imprisoned for 13 Years and Deported to Canada

Former EXO member Kris Wu (Chinese name Wu Yifan, stage name Kris) has been listed on China's "major crimes" roster. He fell from being a globally popular K-pop star to a serious criminal.

On the 23rd (local time), Chinese media outlets such as Beijing News and China Press reported that the Beijing High People's Court strictly punished serious violent crimes such as murder, robbery, and grievous bodily harm according to the law, closing 650 cases, and introduced three major crime cases. Kris's sex crimes were included among these cases, the reports said.

Chris
Photo by AFP Yonhap News

The work report stated that in July 2018, Kris engaged in lewd activities with two women after drinking at his home. It also specified that from November to December 2020, he forcibly raped three intoxicated women who were unable to resist.

In November last year, the Beijing No. 3 Intermediate People's Court upheld the original sentence in Kris's appeal trial, where he was charged with rape and group obscenity, sentencing him to 13 years in prison and deportation. Since China has a two-tier trial system, the appeal trial is the final judgment. Accordingly, Kris will serve 13 years in prison and then be deported to Canada. Canada enforces chemical castration on sex offenders. Because of this, some have speculated that Kris might face such a measure.

Kris, a Canadian national, was criminally detained on July 31, 2021, on rape charges. At that time, Chinese public security authorities stated, "We have investigated allegations raised online that he repeatedly lured underage women into sexual relations," and "He has been criminally detained on rape charges, and the case investigation is ongoing." Shortly after Kris's arrest, major Chinese video platforms such as Tencent and iQIYI reportedly removed movies and dramas related to him from the internet.

Kris's sexual assault allegations surfaced following a woman's revelation claiming to be his ex-girlfriend. She exposed that Kris promised support in the entertainment industry in exchange for sexual relations. She claimed there are more than eight victims including herself, and that two of the victims are minors.

Kris debuted as a member of EXO under SM Entertainment in 2012 but left the group after a lawsuit to nullify his exclusive contract in 2014. Since then, he has been active as a singer and actor in China.