Former television actor and burgeoning social media star Dickson Yu is once again dominating headlines in Hong Kong, following a magazine report detailing alleged romantic involvement with two women, simultaneously fueling renewed scrutiny regarding his public conduct and career transformation. The latest issue of East Week magazine claimed that Yu was actively pursuing two individuals, described as a “young version of Loletta Lee” and a “pure version of Sally Yeh,” bringing his increasingly high-profile personal life back into the media spotlight.
Yu, who departed Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) to reinvent himself as a key opinion leader (KOL) and radio host, has paradoxically seen his visibility increase despite leaving traditional broadcast media. While his career shift has cemented his popularity through frequent social media updates and occasional appearances on rival network ViuTV, it has also amplified public criticism over a series of controversies ranging from accusations of being overly dependent on his mother to disputes over his content creation style.
Navigating Transition and Lingering Scrutiny
Yu’s career trajectory has been notably marked by a brush with death. In 2018, during a football match, he collapsed due to sudden cardiac arrhythmia, a life-threatening event where his heart momentarily stopped. Following a difficult recovery, Yu returned to work with a reduced schedule until 2022, when he earned critical praise for his leading role in the TV drama Silver Lining. Despite this success, he chose to leave TVB shortly thereafter, signaling a definitive turn toward the digital sphere.
The transition to KOL status, however, has not softened public opinion. His online activities have frequently drawn fire, highlighting the razor-thin line celebrities walk when moving from tightly managed traditional media to the unfiltered world of social content creation.
One significant point of friction arose from a YouTube video where Yu reviewed a traditional local ice house (bing sutt). Critics accused him of adopting an overly condescending or “food critic” persona, with viewers suggesting his comments—calling the food “nothing special” and the decor “too retro”—lacked respect for the long-established neighborhood eatery. Many online commentators asserted that Yu was deliberately manufacturing controversy to boost viewership at the expense of local businesses.
Dispelling Rumors and Addressing Family Ties
The former actor has also used his digital platform to address persistent, strange rumors connected to his 2018 health crisis. On his YouTube channel, Yu publicly refuted claims that his mother had sought out a self-proclaimed “tycoon’s personal feng shui master” to perform a “lamp-lighting ritual for life extension.”
“Someone came forward claiming my mother knelt before him to help me free of charge,” Yu clarified, “but neither my mother nor I know this person.”
In addition to handling speculation about his near-fatal incident, Yu has faced ongoing mockery regarding his close relationship with his mother. As an only child from an affluent background, Yu frequently mentions his mother on his radio program Salty Talk, More Than Waves. His admission that he avoided traveling to Japan for over a decade due to his mother’s concerns about radiation led to widespread online teasing, with critics labeling him a ma bao (a man overly reliant on his mother).
The recent reports concerning his private life underscore the intense media scrutiny Yu continues to face outside the protective umbrella of a major network. As Yu builds his brand across diverse platforms, maintaining his current level of public attention appears to come at the cost of constant engagement with both his professional achievements and personal controversies. His efforts to manage multiple simultaneous narratives—from serious health recoveries to dating rumors and content critiques—define the challenges of contemporary celebrity in the digital age.
