TEENS ACCUSE POP STAR WU OF SEXUAL ASSAULT

Chinese-canadian celebrity Kris Wu is facing unusually swift fallout in China from sexual assault allegations in a sign that China's weak Metoo movement could be gaining steam amid the new official scrutiny of the nation's wealthy.

In the span of two days, more than a dozen brands suspended or ended cooperation with Wu, and state media published a slew of critical commentaries, after a 19-year-old aspiring actress, Du Meizhu, accused Wu of predatory sexual behaviour against teen girls. By Tuesday, 24 alleged victims have lodged allegations against Wu on social media, many with chat history screenshots and audio recordings.

Wu, who shot to fame as part of the South Korean-chinese boy band EXO, has denied the allegations and his company says it filed a police report against Du. In similar cases in the past, Chinese state media cautioned against prejudgment, or at times even cast doubt on the allegations. This time, however, it reported heavily on the disputed facts of the case.