Death rumors surrounding Kris Wu, the former EXO member currently serving a 13-year prison sentence in China, have rapidly circulated across social media platforms in recent days.
Chinese authorities have officially refuted these claims, declaring them unverified misinformation that may result in legal consequences for those spreading false information.
The rumors began spreading extensively on November 13, with multiple unconfirmed claims emerging primarily through Weibo posts and social media channels in Greater China. According to reports, a user claiming to be incarcerated alongside Wu posted allegations of his death, stating that prison guards mentioned Wu had suddenly died. Some posts included graphic claims suggesting Wu had been attacked by prison gang members, while other accounts alleged he died following a prolonged hunger strike.
Supporting these rumors, another post circulated featuring a blurred photograph purportedly showing Wu during interrogation in a blue prison uniform. However, the Jiangsu Provincial Police Department issued an official statement declaring the image fabricated, explaining that it was created by combining a past news report with a digitally replaced face of Wu.
Chinese authorities emphasized that no credible evidence supports these death claims. State-run and mainstream media outlets have not reported any confirmation of Wu's death, and both prison and judicial authorities have remained silent on the matter beyond police warnings about spreading unverified information.
This is not the first time speculation about Wu's death has surfaced. In March 2025, rumors emerged when Canadian authorities announced that four Canadian nationals had been executed in China for drug trafficking crimes.
Some online users speculated that Wu, who holds Canadian citizenship, might have been among those executed. However, this theory was quickly dismissed because Wu had never faced drug-related charges. Additionally, in April this year, similar death rumors circulated online, which also proved unfounded.
Wu debuted as an EXO member in 2012 but departed from the group in 2014 after filing a lawsuit against SM Entertainment to terminate his exclusive contract. He subsequently moved to China, where he worked as an actor and singer.
In 2021, following accusations from 24 individuals, including a former girl group member, Wu was arrested on sexual assault charges. He was convicted in November 2022 of raping three women and organizing group sexual activities. After completing his 13-year sentence, Wu is expected to be deported to Canada.
