preface
In 2013, a romance spanning a 40-year age difference caused a huge sensation in Taiwan. The public relationship between a 17-year-old girl Jing Eun and 58-year-old musician Lee Kun Cheng sparked heated discussions.
Some people think that this is a pure old friend, and others question whether Li Kuncheng used his position and fame to manipulate the young girl.
At that time, Jing En and Li Kuncheng insisted that their relationship was sincere, and said that they would spend the rest of their lives together. So, ten years on, how are the controversial lovers doing now?
A rebellious girl falls in love with an old grandfather
Jing En was born in a well-off family in Taiwan and had no worries about food and clothing since childhood. However, her privileged family did not bring her a happy childhood. Although Jing's parents meet her needs financially, they are constantly at odds with each other.
The father is so devoted to his work that he becomes more and more cold to his wife, and sometimes even lashes out in front of his children, punching and kicking his wife.
Whenever something unsatisfactory happens, Jing'en's parents will be angry with her, and will even lock their daughter in a small dark room as punishment.
Living in this environment for a long time, Jing En gradually became reticent and reluctant to come into contact with others. Her character is shy and rebellious, and her heart is full of contradictions. Eventually, Jing's parents chose to go their separate ways.
In order to get the attention of her parents, Jing Eun began to try heavy makeup, skipping school, and even swearing when arguing with others. She often left without saying goodbye, lingering in various bars and nightclubs, indifferent to her studies, and frequently absent from class.
After entering adolescence, Jing'en's rebellious behavior intensified, not only often running away from home, but also often getting into physical confrontation with people.
However, underneath this rebellious exterior, the 17-year-old still retains a love for music in his heart. She closes herself in the world of music, filling the emptiness in her heart with CDs.
It was in this context that Li Kuncheng entered Jingen's life. Li Kuncheng is a famous musician in Taiwan and a close friend of Jingen's father for many years.
As a leader in Taiwan's music industry, although his hair has grayed, Li Kuncheng still often appears in interviews with major media. His home treasures tens of thousands of precious vintage vinyl records, which have become an important factor in attracting Jing Eun.
Jing Eun's father confided in Li Kuncheng about the troubles caused by his daughter's rebellion, and begged him to help enlighten this rebellious daughter. At first, Kobayashi was not interested in this old friend of his father.
However, Mr. Li's witty conversation, love of music and rich life experience gradually attracted Kobayashi's attention. Mr. Li has a lot of old records in his home, which is a paradise for Xiao Lin, who loves music.
The two began to communicate more, sharing their love for music and insights into life.
Although Li Kuncheng is older, his attitude towards Lin Jingen is full of respect and equality. He does not teach her as an elder, but sincerely listens to her thoughts and understands her confusion.
In the resonance of the music, two souls that were originally unrelated found a point of convergence.
As time went on, Li Kuncheng's care made Jing En gradually open up, but her relationship with her parents became more and more estranged.
When the Lin family's parents noticed the abnormality, they immediately demanded that Li Kuncheng be forbidden from associating with their daughter. They severely criticized Li Kuncheng for disregarding his status as an elder and behaving inappropriately, and begged him to keep his distance from his daughter.
However, this prohibition instead inspired Kobayashi's rebellious mentality. Mr. Li no longer hides his feelings, but is more unscrupulous and openly dating Kobayashi.
In the face of media doubts, Mr. Li stated that his relationship with Kobayashi was not impulsive. He said that as soon as Kobayashi reached the legal age for marriage, they would immediately register their marriage.
The remarks caused an uproar, with many questioning the reasonableness of the relationship, which spanned a nearly 40-year age difference.
Take it to court
After the relationship between Li Kuncheng and Jing En was made public, it immediately sparked heated discussions in the society. One is a 17-year-old girl in the prime of her youth, and the other is a sophisticated man over half a hundred years old, such a huge age gap is difficult for many people to accept.
In the face of the media, Li Kuncheng insisted that his relationship with Jing En was not impulsive, and that their meeting and love was arranged by God.
In order to prove his sincerity, Li Kuncheng frequently posted sweet photos with his young girlfriend on social platforms. He told the outside world that once his girlfriend reached the legal age for marriage, they would immediately register their marriage.
However, instead of quelling the controversy, such actions have instead sparked more doubts and criticism.
Kobayashi's parents couldn't accept the relationship, and they begged Mr. Lee to stay away from their daughter. However, Mr. Li frequently communicated with Kobayashi's father in an attempt to convince him to accept this "older son-in-law".
Far from alleviating the conflict, this behavior has exacerbated the tension in the family.
Under tremendous pressure, Kobayashi chose to cut ties with his parents. When she was 18 years old, she broke free from her parents and began living with 58-year-old Mr. Li.
This decision completely angered Kobayashi's parents, who even took Mr. Li to court, accusing him of abducting minors. However, Kobayashi personally appeared in court and said that he did so voluntarily, and the lawsuit ended in Mr. Li's victory.
Despite the legal victory, the lovers are still facing enormous social pressure. Some of Mr. Lee's friends and peers began to distance themselves from him, believing that his actions were unethical.
Kobayashi also lost many friends, and her classmates and peers had difficulty understanding her choice.
However, Jing En and Li Kuncheng do not seem to be in the opinion of the surprise world. They continued to show their affection publicly, and even circulated photos of Jing Eun's slightly convex lower abdomen on the Internet, triggering pregnancy speculation.
Although these speculations were eventually proven to be misunderstandings, the lovers still stuck to their choice.
During this difficult time, Mr. Li and Kobayashi chose to support each other. Their relationship deepened in the face of adversity, and after a few years of living together, the relationship between the two quickly warmed up.
On November 15, 2016, when Kobayashi was 21 years old, Mr. Li and Kobayashi officially registered their marriage, fulfilling their promise.
Ten years later
Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, this "year-old love" has lasted for nearly ten years. Today, Kobayashi is 26 years old and Mr. Li is 66 years old. How has their lives changed? Has this controversial love affair stood the test of time?
After getting married, Mr. Li's career fell into a trough. Perhaps because of his age, or because of the previous controversy that affected his public image, Mr. Lee's activities in the music industry gradually decreased.
Faced with financial pressure, the couple chose to move to the countryside and make ends meet by selling Mr. Lee's collection of antique records.
In 2022, the news that 65-year-old Li Kuncheng was seriously ill and hospitalized spread on the Internet, which aroused public concern.
Although Li Kuncheng himself came forward to deny it, this news still makes people think: In this relationship that crosses the generation gap, will the problems caused by the age gap finally appear?
Today's Jingen is 27 years old, which is the golden age of life. However, her husband Li Kuncheng is 67 years old and has entered old age. Are they living as happily ever after as they would like them to be?
Does Jing Eun regret her choice when she was younger? Can Li Kuncheng continue to give Jing En enough love and support?
The controversial couple has spent nearly a decade proving the strength of their relationship. However, the problems posed by the age gap may become more and more apparent over time.
Jing En is on the rise in his career and life, while Li Kuncheng has entered the old age of his life. Will this huge difference be a stumbling block in their marriage? What kind of life awaits them in the future?