Did Jolin Tsai split from boyfriend because of comments on marriage?

Mandopop superstar Jolin Tsai and her long-time boyfriend, Vivian Dawson, have split up after six years, leading to speculation on the internet that the pair split because of Dawson’s recent comments.

In a previous interview, the 32-year-old model-actor was quoted saying that he hopes his future wife would adopt his surname, always wear her wedding ring and share their marital assets.

However, such traditional views about marriage would probably have clashed with the career-minded Tsai.

With a successful music career spanning about two decades, the 36-year-old is one of Mandopop’s top-selling artistes and had an estimated net worth of NT$2 billion in 2014.

Collectively known as “VJ” to fans and the media, the couple shared on several occasions that they would like to get married by 35.

However, friends who were close to the couple revealed to Taiwanese media that the issue about sharing marital assets was not the dealbreaker for the relationship as they had already discussed it before.

Instead, the main reason was that they separated due to their busy schedules. While Dawson was mainly working in China, Tsai was busy flying to different countries all the time, making it difficult for them to meet for dates.

They also shared, “Jolin has a wide range of interests and never stops reinventing herself. Unless her partner is of equal status and shares her views, he won’t be able to keep up with her.”

Over the years, the couple has been spotted out on dates in Taiwan, Japan, London and Singapore. The model-actor also brought Tsai to visit his parents in his home country of New Zealand, where his Singaporean mother said she was “extremely pleased with her”.

Throughout their relationship, Dawson was mostly known to the Taiwanese media as “Jolin’s boyfriend”, and his success in the industry was largely credited to her as well.

Tsai was previously romantically linked to fellow Mandopop royalty Jay Chou and actor Eddie Peng.