Taiwanese actress Joe Chen, who held her wedding reception with Malaysian artist Alan Chen last month, has opened up about the mounting pressure from social media to have a baby.
During a Q&A session on Instagram on Tuesday (Oct 8), one netizen asked if Joe had plans to have children.
The 45-year-old responded by saying she lacks the patience to handle kids, adding that pregnancy at this age can be "a little dangerous".
Joe then went on to lament about the constant focus from others on whether she plans to have children.
The Fated To Love You star said having children is a personal choice, and regardless of whether someone wants them or not, their decision should be respected.
“Is it really that important whether a woman has kids or not? If you want kids, then go ahead. If you don’t like them, then don’t! Is it really that difficult?” she said.
Joe shared that she’s now enjoying married life with Alan, who’s nine years her junior.
She also opened up about long-distance relationships, saying it’s not an issue for her. In fact, she’s someone who needs a lot of personal space.
“Being together all the time would be unbearable,” she admitted.
Since last year, Joe has received tons of comments urging her to get pregnant.
Some netizens said having a child is important to her husband’s family. One even suggested that her in-laws will seek "outside help" to ensure they get a grandchild if Joe doesn’t conceive this year.
In response to these comments, Joe said having a baby is not a priority at the moment and believes her life can be complete without any children.
“I’m living my life happily. Whether I have a baby or not is none of your business,” she wrote on Weibo.
Joe and Alan were in Langkawi last month for their wedding reception. The place is special for the couple as it’s where they first declared their love for each other in 2019.
They registered their marriage in Taipei City on March 31, 2022, but were unable to hold a wedding ceremony then due to the pandemic.
