HK Director Danny Pang Unable To Repay $340K He Borrowed For Wife’s Cancer Treatment, Files For Bankruptcy

Hong Kong director Danny Pang, one-half of the Pang Brothers, best known for The Eye horror films and The Storm Warriors, has filed for bankruptcy after owing HK$2mil (S$340K).

The 58-year-old, who’s the younger twin brother of director Oxide Pang, revealed his financial woes to the media when he was spotted outside a Hong Kong court yesterday (Dec 19).

Looking desolate, Danny said that his wife of 30 years, who suffered from breast cancer a decade ago, was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in February this year.

Fearful that he would not be able to see her for the last time, Danny, who was then filming in China, left the production and returned to Hong Kong to care for her.

However, treatment doesn’t come cheap.

Even with government subsidies, their monthly expenses, including medical and living costs, come up to HK$100K (S$17K).

It doesn’t help that things have been slow on the work front.

Danny had plans to start shooting a Chinese movie in June, but filming was repeatedly postponed, leaving him with no income for an extended period.

He was even willing to take on editing jobs, but there were no offers.

With no income and having exhausted his savings, Danny turned to private loans and is now HK$2mil (S$340K) in debt.

He had no choice but to file for bankruptcy.

While his brother and sister-in-law, Malaysian actress Angelica Lee, had offered help, Danny declined as it wasn’t a long-term solution.

“He also has a family to take care of,” Danny reasoned.

Besides Oxide, Hong Kong actor Cheung Siu Fai’s wife also offered assistance, giving him an advance director’s fee when they worked on horror flick Reborn.

Danny admitted that he and his wife once considered “giving up”, but those negative thoughts are behind them now.

“We’re not afraid of death, so what else is there to fear. Right now, we just want to live each day well,” he said.

Photos: Danny Pang/Weibo, Chinapress