The dream of seeing the full F4 together on stage once more has shattered perhaps it was always just that, a dream.
In 2001, the Taiwanese version of Meteor Garden took Asia by storm, catapulting Barbie Hsu, Jerry Yan, Vic Chou, Vanness Wu, Ken Chu, and Rainie Yang into A-list stardom. Riding on the massive popularity of the drama, Jerry, Vanness, Vic, and Ken formed the real-life boy band F4. However, by 2007, the group disbanded, and despite a brief reunion in 2013, the full F4 lineup hasn’t performed together since.
This changed briefly in July when all four members shared the stage once more, sparking waves of nostalgia and excitement. They even announced a comeback tour scheduled for December.
But according to China Times, those plans have now crumbled. The concert will go on, but only as F3 Jerry Yan, Vanness Wu, and Vic Chou. Ken Chu has been dropped.
Insiders report that Ken Chu was removed from the tour due to ongoing behavioral issues and a breach of confidentiality. He reportedly livestreamed concert script details, ignored warnings from the production team, and made divisive remarks about his strained relationship with the other members. In response, Jerry, Vanness, and Vic refused to share the stage with him.
Ken Chu, born in 1979, rose to fame as the charming playboy Ximen in Meteor Garden. He went on to star in other notable dramas such as Poor Prince, Love Storm, and Momo Love. Although a consistent actor, he never quite reached breakthrough status, and his career has stalled over the years.
His struggles deepened when he was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, a rare and chronic condition causing extreme muscle pain, fatigue, and inflammation. The illness not only drained his health but also altered his physical appearance.
To manage the condition, Ken Chu has been on medication, which led to swelling, water retention, and drastic weight gain reportedly up to 90 kg. Once celebrated as a heartthrob, he became labeled “the ugliest F4 member” by media, with his looks now mocked rather than admired. The very asset that once defined his career turned into a source of public ridicule.
This physical transformation has deeply affected his career. As directors looked elsewhere, his screen presence diminished. Compared to his former bandmates, Ken Chu is now the least visible.
Back in their heyday, Taiwan’s F4 were kings of the concert scene, with legendary tours like Fantasy Live World Tour and F4 Japan Tour attracting tens of thousands of fans. Their last joint stage was the Jiangsu Spring Gala in 2013. A virtual reunion happened in October 2020 through pre-recorded videos for the show One Thousand and One Nights.
In a past TV appearance, Vanness Wu reflected on the group’s split: “We were all young and emotionally immature. Constant public comparison and gossip created negative emotions envy, competition, conflict. After repeatedly hurting each other, we decided to part ways. That breakup gave all four of us relief. We even wondered why we hadn’t done it sooner.”
“We were just young guys influenced by external pressures,” he added.
Sources: K14
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