When the news broke on Tuesday that 19-year-old Hong Kong actress Rose Chan had been groped and forcibly kissed by two of her drunken co-stars - Benny Chan, 42, and Joe Ma, 43 - at a supper gathering in Hengdian, China, many were quick to sympathise with her.
Rose's mentor and producer Checkley Sin called the two male Hong Kong celebs, both married, "worse than beasts for bullying a helpless woman".
Chinese actress Huang Yi, who worked with Rose on the historical epic The Woman Knight of Mirror Lake earlier this year, referred to her as an "innocent, hard-working girl".
She said: "I've looked at those paparazzi photos and she doesn't look like a willing party."
Renowned director Wong Jing, whose film the three were shooting, even likened Benny Chan to a "lecher" on his Sina Weibo microblog.
However, as the days went by, sentiments in the Chinese media, as well as online, seem to have wavered.
Why didn't Rose use her gongfu skills when the actors started behaving inappropriately? She certainly has no lack of them, netizens said.
They have pointed out that the little-known Rose - she made her film debut last year in Ip Man: The Legend Is Born - was not just any ordinary wing chun exponent; she bagged the silver medal at the 2009 national wushu championships in Hong Kong.
Ironically, days before she held her press conference to open up about being "molested", she was seen at a promotional event demonstrating nifty self-defence moves to flight attendants.
It's not the first time that Rose, who spent five hours lodging a police report on Wednesday, has made headlines as a "victim" of sexual harassment.
In June, she was decked out in hot pants at a function when French eyewear designer Alain Miklitarian's hand reportedly brushed her near her crotch.
Hong Kong press reported Rose as saying that Miklitarian subsequently apologised. The alleged culprits in this case also have some defenders.
"Benny is famous in the industry for being playful, especially when he has a drop too much," said Chinese filmmaker-producer Chen Zhiqiao.
"If you were uncomfortable during the drinking session, why didn't you stop him right then? Benny would have stopped.
"(Rose's) intentions are extremely obvious."
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Whether it is publicity or not, it is still a crime to molest.
Sometimes I think netizens waste too much time on such stuff and think too much imagining and creating a simulation on what actually happen.
Whatever it is, be it a real thing or just a publicity stint, why shld we ordinary folks get so indulge and involve so much. Afterall, there is a saying those in the entertainment world, be it singer or actress or both are just reel life and real life .....
No need to beat around the bush. I admit - it went all the way in :D:eek:
Under such circumstances, you wouldn't think of using kungfu on your friends, you probably start with disbelief that it is really happening. After overcoming the shock, which could be a few hours later, then it really hits you what had happened...