Local television host Quan Yi Fong has addressed the claims made by her former close friend, Addy Lee, regarding their fallout years ago, stating that his criticisms “have no effect” on her. Following Addy’s explosive Facebook livestream on May 13, Yi Fong, 51, spoke to Lianhe Zaobao in a report published May 15 to share her side of the story. The two had been friends for decades before drifting apart.

Yi Fong explained that during the Covid-19 pandemic, she was still actively working as a host for over 10 hours a day, yet she still helped Addy with his livestream sales efforts. She noted that when Addy first started selling products like chilli crab paste, he had limited reach and viewership. He encouraged her to collaborate, and she supported him by leveraging her Facebook following of over 260,000 to boost their joint livestreams.

A week after they started streaming together, Addy invited Yi Fong to move in with him to continue livestreaming amid Covid-19 restrictions. By officially changing her residence to his, they were able to continue working together despite the social distancing rules. Addy's recent revelations followed a controversy involving Yi Fong’s daughter, actress Eleanor Lee, who was accused in April of making a derogatory remark about Chinese nationals in a leaked audio clip. On May 12, Addy posted on Facebook claiming “karma” had caught up with Yi Fong and Eleanor. He also claimed someone from Eleanor’s management had warned him not to escalate the situation.

During a lengthy six-hour livestream on May 13, Addy confirmed the fallout between him and Yi Fong occurred in 2020. He alleged she earned $300,000 in one month from livestream sales, later humiliated him, and eventually moved out. He also claimed that Yi Fong, her boyfriend, and Eleanor lived with him rent-free and that he paid for their expenses. Furthermore, he accused Eleanor—his goddaughter—of betraying him by praising his rival David Gan after the fallout and allegedly tarnishing his business.

Yi Fong clarified that she actually earned $400,000 over three months from livestreaming, a sum larger than her annual earnings at Mediacorp. Addy encouraged her to quit hosting and focus solely on livestreaming. However, she said she felt increasingly uneasy about it. She ensured the income was declared and taxes paid, and Mediacorp was aware she was doing side work.

She also struggled to promote Addy’s custom-made hair products because she didn’t fully understand them and felt guilty for marketing them to her audience. Her fans, she said, bought the products in bulk and often exchanged them with one another due to unused excess. This made her feel both grateful and conflicted, as if she had taken advantage of their support. Eventually, these feelings led her to stop livestreaming with Addy and move out.

On her decision not to speak about their fallout earlier, Yi Fong said she believes in letting relationships fade naturally if they no longer serve a purpose. Responding to Addy’s claims that she was ungrateful, she said she had simply offered him help as a friend and didn’t see it as anything extraordinary. “We were friends once, but I didn’t fully understand his boundaries. Honestly, his criticism has no effect on me,” she stated, adding that this would be the final time she addresses the matter as she sees no point in prolonging it. She concluded by posting a reflection on Facebook: “Wasting energy on others is pointless. Focus on improving yourself and live a good life. A clear conscience is the best way to live.”