In Taiwan’s entertainment industry, CEO Sun Derong is widely known as a veteran talent manager who helped develop the careers of numerous stars, including Joe Chen, Cyndi Wang, Ming Dao and the group 5566.
Joe Chen was once signed to an entertainment company headed by Sun Derong and received significant support from him during the early stages of her career. However, after the actress found greater fame in mainland China, their relationship reportedly deteriorated, and the two have allegedly had little to no contact for more than a decade.
On the morning of October 7, Line Today reported that Sun Derong had recently appeared on the YouTube channel of 100% Entertainment, where his comments were interpreted as accusing Joe Chen of being ungrateful.
When asked whether he had anything in particular he wanted to say to artists he had previously worked with, Sun Derong directly named Joe Chen and questioned her attitude toward him. “In what way did I ever treat you badly?” he asked. “Before you became famous, do you know how we had to go around asking people one by one just to secure opportunities for you, including acting projects and variety shows?”
Noticing that Sun Derong had become emotional, the host attempted to calm him down. The veteran executive then softened his tone and said, “When she got married, didn’t I ask someone to send her my congratulations?” When Joe Chen held her wedding, she reportedly did not invite Sun Derong. Nevertheless, he asked someone to pass along a message to the actress: “Now that you’re married, try not to lose your temper so easily. In family life, maintaining harmony should come first.” Joe Chen was reportedly not known to have publicly responded to his message, which appears to have contributed to Sun Derong’s lingering disappointment.
During the same appearance, Sun Derong stressed that he believed he had been able to maintain his position in Taiwan’s entertainment industry because he had “never wronged anyone.” He therefore said he wanted to understand why Joe Chen had become so distant from him. Speaking directly to the actress during the recording, he asked, “What did I do that made you uncomfortable? You don’t even need to come to my funeral.”
Born in 1979, Joe Chen has long been known as one of Taiwan’s leading “idol drama queens.” She gained widespread popularity across Asia through dramas including The Prince Who Turns Into a Frog, Destined to Love You, Fated to Love You, Swordsman and The Queen of SOP.
Alongside her acting career, Joe Chen’s love life has also attracted considerable public attention. In 2019, she appeared on the second season of the dating reality show Meeting Mr. Right, where she was paired with Alan Chen. Unlike many reality-show couples whose relationships end once filming is over, Joe Chen and Alan developed genuine feelings for each other off camera. In December 2019, the actress officially confirmed that she was dating Alan, who is nine years younger than her, drawing widespread attention.
Their relationship, however, did not initially receive universal support. According to Chinese media reports, Alan comes from a wealthy Malaysian family and was reported to have access to substantial family wealth, luxury properties, a private aircraft and expensive cars. At the same time, rumors about his past lifestyle and romantic relationships circulated online, prompting some of Joe Chen’s fans to strongly oppose the relationship. Despite the criticism, Joe Chen continued to publicly stand by her boyfriend and their relationship.
After several years together, the couple officially registered their marriage in 2022. In September 2024, they held a lavish wedding ceremony in Malaysia, the groom’s home country. Media reports said the celebration took place at a five-star hotel. The couple reportedly covered travel and accommodation expenses for their guests and prepared commemorative gifts worth more than RMB 10,000 for each attendee, making the ceremony one of the most talked-about celebrity weddings of that year.
Sources: kenh14