"Wife Kneels for a 60,000 Won Padded Jacket... Public Outraged by Husband’s Response"

Kneeling and Pleading Over a $45 Jacket
60 Million Views... Spreads Across China

A video showing a woman kneeling before her husband and pleading with him to buy her a down jacket at a shopping center in Hubei Province, China, has gone viral online, sparking controversy.

A wife kneeling and pleading with her husband to buy a padded jacket at a shopping center in China. Photo by SCMP

"Buy me a 60,000-won padded jacket": Public outrage as husband leaves wife kneeling

According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP) and other sources on December 13 (local time), the video was filmed earlier this month in front of a clothing store inside a shopping center in Xiaogan, Hubei Province.

In the video, the woman kneels and begs her husband to buy her a down jacket priced at 299 yuan (about 62,300 won). In response, the husband harshly scolds his wife for several minutes, and the video clearly captures his voice as he stands with his hands on his hips, shouting, "I won't buy it for you." The husband then leaves the scene, abandoning his wife who remains kneeling.

The video spread rapidly through social media, and the related hashtag has garnered over 60 million views. In particular, there has been a flood of criticism over the husband's cold attitude as he walked away from his wife. Online commenters reacted with statements such as, "Why stay with such an indifferent man?" "It's better to get a divorce quickly," "Even a stranger wouldn't act like that," "Why treat your wife this way over a padded jacket?" and "I couldn't live with him for even a day." One commenter argued, "This incident shows how important economic independence is for women. Women must always be able to support themselves in order to enjoy dignity and freedom," highlighting the necessity of women's economic independence.

"If staged, those involved could be detained for inciting gender conflict"

However, the authenticity of the incident has not yet been confirmed. A local lawyer, Mr. A, stated, "If it turns out the video was staged, those involved could be detained for five to ten days on charges of inciting gender conflict through a fabricated scenario."

Conversely, if the video is confirmed to be genuine, there is analysis that the woman could file a lawsuit against her husband and demand a division of joint assets. Mr. A explained, "If the wife has no income and the husband controls all finances without covering her living expenses, she can file a complaint against him." He added, "If the husband has insulted or emotionally abused his wife, she should collect evidence before taking legal action."