Getai veteran Wang Lei: I earn two to three times more selling seafood on livestreams

Has local veteran singer-actor Wang Lei found a new calling selling seafood on livestreams?

Not really.

However, during a press conference yesterday (July 15), the 59-year-old admitted that he earns more hawking seafood on his livestreams than he does performing getai.

He said: "How much can one make selling [seafood] online? I can only say, what I earn after an hour of selling seafood online is about two to three times more than one getai show."

Wang Lei first became an online sensation when he started his seafood sales stream amid the Covid-19 circuit breaker period. He goes by his online moniker Mai Yu Ge (Chinese for Fish-selling Bro), and holds Facebook livestreams that draw up to 62,000 viewers while dressed in his signature bandana with his silvery hair spiked up.

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Despite his side business bringing in the big bucks as well as online fame in Singapore, Malaysia, and even China, Wang Lei affirmed that he will not give up getai.

"Getai is my 'root' and though it doesn't earn much, I won't ever forget my roots."

He also cautioned people against thinking that he's earning easy money.

"Don't just think that livestreams bring you easy money. There's actually a lot of complex logistics and preparations involved. I need to spend days to prepare for just one livestream session. It's really not easy."

ALSO READ: Gossip mill: Getai singer Wang Lei becomes hit online influencer hawking seafood - and other entertainment news this week

bryanlim@asiaone.com