Ho Ying Wai recently broke down in tears as he recalled experiencing troubles with his 14-year-old son who’s going through a rebellious phase.
In an interview on Samson Yeung’s YouTube channel on Sept 11, the Hong Kong actor, who turns 62 next month, said the teenage boy had been upset over the restrictions at home, which included over his romantic relationships, gaming time, and allowance.
One morning at 4am while the rest of the family was fast asleep, he stole thousands of dollars in cash and went missing.
Ying Wai and his wife Jo Jo woke up at 7am to discover him missing, prompting them to call the police. The family lives in China.
Authorities launched a city-wide search using surveillance cameras, eventually tracking him many kilometres away in a district in Guangzhou.
Ying Wai drove there and arrived by mid-day, later receiving an urgent call from the parent of one of his son’s classmates.
After what the former described to be a tense standoff, his son agreed to speak on the phone.
But this was followed by harsh words where the boy said Ying Wai was “not fit to be a father” and wanted to cut ties.
“He was acting just like some good-for-nothing wastrel; who speaks to their father like that?” he said during the interview.
He admitted he was furious but held it in and tried to reason with him.
He recalled telling the boy: “It’s fine to be angry with your dad, but you have no phone and no money, do you realise how dangerous the situation is?”
His son agreed to stay at his classmate’s home but had “12 major demands” in exchange for his return home, including a new iPhone, returning his savings, agreement to not interfere with his private life and allowing him to lock his bedroom door.
He declared he would not return home unless his parents agreed, but Ying Wai drew the line and told him: “Our family isn’t the triad, we don’t negotiate like that. I will always be your father. I’m open to discussion anytime, but not to this kind of bargaining.”
Ying Wai eventually agreed to return his savings but made it clear that if the money ran out, he would not provide extra allowance.
While he would allow the boy to lock his door, he reached a compromise on his demands for the newest iPhone: the boy would have to save up, and they would split the cost 50-50.
His son was initially reluctant but changed his mind after his classmate urged him not to push his luck too far.
Ying Wai said it was a painful ordeal, and he was torn between disciplining his son and preserving their relationship.
He had considered imposing physical punishment but ultimately decided against it as he felt it’s no longer acceptable “in this day and age”.
Ying Wai, who is known for dramas and films such as Detective Investigation Files (1995) and Flirting Scholar (1993), was previously married to former actress Sher Ng. They had a daughter before they divorced in 2010.
He married Jo Jo, who’s 21 years his junior, in 2011 and they have two sons.
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syarifahsn@asiaone.com
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