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Entertainment • Musician

Kris Wu

Kris Wu (吴亦凡), born Li Jiaheng, is a Canadian-Chinese singer and actor born in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 27, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Kris Wu (born Li Jiaheng; 6 November 1990) is a Canadian-Chinese singer and actor. He rose to prominence as leader of EXO-M, the Chinese sub-unit of the South Korean boy group EXO. After leaving EXO in 2014, he pursued a solo career in mainland China. In 2022 and 2023, Chinese courts upheld convictions related to rape and other offences, resulting in a 13-year prison sentence and deportation.

Early life

Wu was born in Guangzhou, China, and immigrated to Canada with his mother as a child. Sources describe him as a Canadian of Chinese descent and note his earlier name as Li Jiaheng.

Entertainment career

He entered the entertainment industry through SM Entertainment and debuted with EXO in 2012. He later left the group and worked in film and music in mainland China.

In 2021, Wu was taken into custody in China amid sexual assault allegations. Court reporting and encyclopedic summaries state that he was later convicted of rape and related offences, with the sentence upheld on appeal.

Public profile

Wu was widely known in Chinese-language pop culture as a singer, actor, and former idol group member. Media coverage also notes his work with brands and his later removal from public and commercial activity after the allegations.

Key facts

  • Born in Guangzhou and moved to Canada with his mother at age 10.
  • Debuted in 2012 as a member of EXO and served as leader of EXO-M.
  • Left EXO in 2014 and continued his career in mainland China as a solo artist and actor.
  • Multiple media reports and court summaries state that he was arrested in 2021 and later convicted in China on rape-related charges.
  • Chinese court rulings in 2022 and 2023 upheld a 13-year prison sentence with deportation after completion.
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Canadian context

He is a Canadian citizen of Chinese descent who spent part of his upbringing in Canada, making him a notable figure in Canadian-Chinese entertainment coverage.[1][7][15]

Frequently asked questions

Who is Kris Wu?
Kris Wu is the English stage name of Wu Yifan, also known as Li Jiaheng, a Canadian-Chinese singer and actor from Guangzhou.
What group was he in?
He debuted in 2012 with EXO and was the leader of its Chinese sub-unit, EXO-M.
What is his nationality?
Sources describe him as Canadian.
What happened in the legal case?
Sources state that he was arrested in 2021, later convicted in China on rape-related charges, and sentenced to 13 years in prison plus deportation.
Is he still active as an entertainer?
Available sources indicate his public entertainment career effectively ended after his 2021 arrest and subsequent conviction.

References

  1. Chinese Wikipedia — https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%90%B3%E4%BA%A6%E5%87%A1
    Supports: Birth name, birthplace, Canadian nationality, move to Canada, EXO debut, EXO-M leadership, career timeline.
  2. Wu Chinese Wikipedia — https://wuu.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%90%B4%E4%BA%A6%E5%87%A1
    Supports: Birth details, Canadian identity, EXO debut, and 2021 arrest reference.
  3. BBC News 中文 — https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/trad/chinese-news-57901164
    Supports: Canadian nationality, upbringing in Canada, public profile, and brand fallout after allegations.
  4. Chinese Wikipedia — https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hans/%E5%90%B4%E4%BA%A6%E5%87%A1%E5%BC%BA%E5%A5%B8%E3%80%81%E8%81%9A%E4%BC%97%E6%B7%AB%E4%B9%B1%E6%A1%88
    Supports: 2021 detention, 2022 first-instance verdict, 2023 appeal outcome, sentence and deportation.
  5. Chinese Wikipedia (Hong Kong) — https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E5%90%B3%E4%BA%A6%E5%87%A1
    Supports: Canadian-Chinese identity, EXO/EXO-M membership, and post-2014 career shift.