#SHOWBIZ: Hokkien music legend Chen Ying-git dies at 72 after a 'Turbulent Life'
TAIPEI: Taiwanese Hokkien music legend Chen Ying-git has died at the age of 72, following a prolonged battle with dementia, a stroke, and severe complications that left her bedridden for three years.
Taiwanese Hokkien music icon Chen Ying-git passed away at the age of 72 after a grueling struggle with dementia, a stroke, and severe health complications that left her confined to a bed for three years. Once a prominent figure in Taiwan's music world, Chen's later years were marred by financial struggles, legal entanglements, and imprisonment.
Reports from Taiwanese media outlet ETToday indicate that Chen amassed significant debts over the years due to her financial responsibilities towards friends and romantic partners. Her initial career in Taiwan's intricate nightclub and entertainment scene exposed her to numerous hardships that drained her wealth and led her into legal disputes.
In August 2023, Chen's life took a devastating turn when she was sentenced to three years and two months in prison for orchestrating the forgery of negotiable securities. Just days into her sentence, her pre-existing dementia worsened due to acute kidney failure and sepsis, causing her to enter a coma. Chen was subsequently granted medical parole and transferred to Taipei Veterans General Hospital for extended dialysis treatments.
The mounting medical bills were largely covered through social media fundraising efforts spearheaded by her close friend and fellow musician Xu Chang-de. As her health rapidly declined in May, her family and friends prepared for the worst. Her ex-husband visited her bedside to say goodbye as her condition reached critical levels. During her final days, Xu organized a special concert titled "Say Goodbye to Everyone Before Boarding the Rocket" to bid a parting farewell to his beloved Chen.
Reflecting on her arduous journey, Xu gently encouraged her during her last moments, urging her to leave her pain behind if she ever saw a rocket. Chen's funeral was meticulously planned in advance by a team of renowned funeral director Kuo Hsien-hung. Her life story, a testament to both her legendary stardom and the hardships she endured, eerily paralleled her most iconic anthem, "Turbulent Life."
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
