Former Mediacorp actress Yang Libing has revealed that an ex cheated her out of her share of Toto winnings, publicly calling on him to return the money — one of two major financial setbacks that she says cost her a fortune.
“I hope my ex sees this report and returns my share of the Toto winnings!” Libing said in an interview, recounting how a former partner had walked away with winnings that were rightfully partly hers. The Toto incident was not the only time Libing suffered a major financial setback. After leaving acting to work as a property agent, she completed a high-value deal with a business partner — but because they did not clearly document how the commission would be split, she lost S$1.4 million in commission. “So you see, if not for these two incidents, maybe I would already be very rich,” she said with a laugh.
Despite the losses, Libing has come to see money as a form of tuition fee. “Money buys you wisdom, brings benefactors into your life, and even helps buy you a kind of protection,” she said, adding that she believes a higher power has been watching over her and helping her through major difficulties.
Much has changed in Libing’s life in the past two decades, from divorce to the loss of loved ones. Once regarded as one half of local showbiz’s golden couples, she and Li Nanxing famously split in 2005 after 11 years of marriage. They have no children and neither has remarried. Despite what appeared like a bitter divorce at the time, Libing said there is “no deep-seated hatred” between them, and she is open to sharing the screen with him again if the right script comes along. “Things just happened… everyone has their own lives now. If there’s a good script and role, and he’s willing to take part, I’m totally fine with it,” she said.
Using “plain water” to describe the essence of marriage, she offered a philosophical take: “Love exists during passionate romance — it’s like fruit juice or red wine, sweet and fragrant. But later, it turns into plain water.” She explained that plain water isn’t bad, but something the body needs every day — it represents an elevated, deep familial bond. But when money, family background and other complex factors enter a marriage, and that cup of “water” loses its original purity, letting go may be the only way forward. “Many couples can’t bear to let go because they’re unwilling to accept it,” she said. “But if you don’t let go, you’re actually not letting yourself go.”
Libing’s candour about money — from the Toto betrayal to the seven-figure commission loss — is unusual in an industry where stars typically project effortless wealth. Her willingness to frame the losses as “tuition fees” paid to life has resonated with fans who remember her from her Mediacorp heyday, a reminder that even golden couples and prime-time stars navigate the same messy terrain of trust, contracts and breakups as everyone else.