Jay Chou surprised fans on October 15 when he posted an “angry message” on Instagram, saying he was looking for his magician friend, Will Tsai (蔡威澤).
The Mandopop star, who has tens of millions of followers, even warned in his post,
“If you don’t show up soon, you’re done.”
Jay Chou’s public attempt to reach his friend came after months of trying to contact him privately without success. He later unfollowed Will Tsai on Instagram, sparking speculation that their friendship had fallen apart.
On October 16, Taiwanese media reported that the two were allegedly involved in a financial dispute worth over 100 million Taiwan New Dollars (around S$4.2 million). According to Mirror Media, Jay Chou had been trying to locate Will Tsai for several months. The dispute reportedly caused losses to a third party, and even Jay’s company, JVR Music, received legal documents from the affected party demanding payment.
The situation was described as “the most unbelievable magic act,” which angered Jay Chou, who is known for his usually mild temperament. Unable to reach Will Tsai, Jay Chou decided to make a public post to express his frustration, effectively signalling that their long-time friendship had reached a breaking point. However, he later deleted the post.
Although Will Tsai did not contact Jay Chou directly, he responded through Instagram, reposting the message and saying that he would “temporarily stay off social media.”
Jay Chou’s record label JVR Music said that it “will not comment” on the matter.
Who is Will Tsai?
Will Tsai, 41, moved to Canada with his family when he was 15. After his family went bankrupt, he worked three jobs to support himself. At 19, he became inspired to pursue magic after watching a street performance.
In 2017, he appeared on America’s Got Talent, performing an illusion using four coins worth 10 Taiwan New Dollars (about S$0.40) each, making them disappear, move, and even transform into flower petals. The performance became a turning point in his career and gained him international fame.
Jay Chou, who is also a fan of magic, became close friends with Will Tsai and often brought him along on his travels. Will Tsai was also featured in Jay Chou’s variety show J-Style Trip. What started as a close friendship between two magic lovers now appears to have ended over money.
