Wah, this one serious tea, but local starlet Eleanor Lee handled it like an absolute pro, swee sia!

Recently, the 26-year-old actress took to Instagram to drop a deeply reflective post addressing the heavy drama she’s faced over the last two years—ranging from fabricated audio scandals to treacherous fake friends snaking her left and right. Instead of playing the victim, Eleanor straight-up thanked the haters, backstabbers, and ghosters for providing free motivation. But she made her boundaries crystal clear with a classic local quip: “Please don’t ever come back into my life ah, door lock already, key thrown into Singapore River!”

Main Character Energy Since Primary School

Eleanor’s resilience isn’t new—it’s been brewing since she was a kid. In her post, she recalled a defining moment from her primary school graduation where she chose to ditch the traditional family fanfare, attended for just five minutes completely alone, and silently swore to make it big just to spite her childhood bullies. Talk about ultimate main character energy from a young age!

The Dark Storm: Eleanor’s Major Controversies Over the Last Two Years

The past two years have tested Eleanor’s mental fortitude like never before, most notably marked by a career-threatening scandal that erupted in China.

• The Fake Anti-China Audio Leak: In mid-2025, Eleanor found herself caught in a massive crossfire when a 31-second malicious audio clip surfaced online. The voice in the recording was allegedly heard insulting Chinese nationals (“Most Chinese people are stupid”) and claiming she was only in the industry for the money. The leak triggered intense online fury among patriotic Chinese netizens, leading to heavy backlash and her reported removal from the cast list of the Chinese period drama The Journey of Legend.
• The Truth Comes Out: Fortunately, truth and justice prevailed. Following a police investigation, Eleanor’s management agency and authorities confirmed the recordings were entirely fabricated and doctored. Her former personal assistant—who had been let go years prior—came forward on Weibo to issue a public apology. The ex-assistant admitted she maliciously synthesized and leaked the clips out of spite and frustration over an ongoing compensation dispute. While the ordeal caused immense reputational damage, it cleared Eleanor’s name of any wrongdoing.

Facing the “Bad Apple” Legacy and the Quan Yifeng Blueprint

Growing up in the spotlight also means carrying heavy baggage, and internet trolls were quick to drag up her family history, trying to insult her by calling her a “bad apple” just like her mother, veteran host Quan Yifeng.

Eleanor’s response? A masterclass in flipping the narrative: “Thank you ah, compliment received!”

The Legacy of Quan Yifeng’s Controversies

Quan Yifeng has long been one of Singapore’s most prominent television personalities, but her career has frequently courted intense public scrutiny and controversy over the decades.

• The Taxi Driver Incident (2010): One of Yifeng’s most high-profile controversies involved a dispute with a ComfortDelGro taxi driver over a luggage loading fee, which resulted in a court case and a fine for criminal intimidation. The incident played out heavily in local tabloids and heavily tested public perception of her temper.
• Fierce Directness and Industry Clashes: Known for her sharp tongue, unyielding perfectionism, and unfiltered personality on screen, Yifeng has often polarized viewers. She has faced criticism for her abrasive approach, though her supporters argue it stems from extreme passion and professionalism.

Despite weathering fierce storms, public backlash, and industry backstabbing from people left, right, and center, Yifeng remains an absolute iron woman in Eleanor’s eyes—someone who stands tall and continues to love the world despite the scars. Eleanor shared her mother’s golden rule for survival: If you fall down, don’t wait for people to carry you—ownself pick ownself up, no pity party needed!

From Godfather to Bitter Feud: The Sour Relationship with Addy Lee

While Eleanor and her mother lean on each other, their inner circle suffered a massive, permanent fracture when their relationship with celebrity hairstylist Addy Lee turned completely sour.

Addy—who was Eleanor’s godfather and instrumental in helping jumpstart her career by introducing her to key contacts in China—shattered hearts when he went public with an explosive six-hour livestream exposé.

• The Pandemic Pandemic Fallout: Addy detailed how their decades-long close relationship (where they were “close like family”) deteriorated during the COVID-19 pandemic. After collaborating on lucrative e-commerce sales livestreams—where they raked in substantial revenue—tensions boiled over. Addy claimed that Quan grew unhappy, threw temper tantrums behind the scenes, and accused him of leveraging her and Eleanor’s popularity for personal gain.
• Feelings of Betrayal: Addy expressed deep hurt, alleging that despite taking care of Eleanor’s welfare, funding parts of her international schooling and trips, and treating her like his own flesh and blood, he felt unappreciated and discarded. Things worsened when Eleanor publicly thanked his industry rival, David Gan, for fixing her hair, which Addy took as a direct slight against his own team.
• The Final Break: After a day of emotional distress and staying isolated in his room, Addy received a message from Quan stating that she and Eleanor were moving out. That marked the end of their contact, transforming a once-unbreakable bond into a public, bitter estrangement.

Steady Pom Pi Pi: The Comeback Era

Having survived fabricated audio scandals, intense public backlash, and the painful fracture of long-term alliances, Eleanor is choosing to look forward.

To all her loyal fans who stuck by her side throughout the rollercoaster ride, she offered a heartfelt promise: she is ready to work hard, bounce back, and shine brighter than ever like a true boss.

Learn from mum, keep the keys to the haters and fake friends locked out in the Singapore River, and let them go fly kite. Steady pom pi pi!

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