Flirty and brazen

She was a relatively unknown Hong Kong model-actress.

But 26-year-old Liddy Li has become a household name overnight - for all the wrong reasons.

Since Monday, she has been high on netizens' search engine list, with many labelling her "homewrecker", "shameless mistress" and "cheap woman".

One netizen even said: "You must be fame-hungry because you cannot make it in the industry, to resort to doing such a despicable and shameless thing."

The reason behind these insults?

Li was recently revealed as the third party in Hong Kong director Oxide Pang and Malaysian actress Angelica Lee's four-year marriage - and she was evidently not shy about flaunting her "other woman" status in public.

On Monday, photographs of Li and Pang on a date were splashed all over Hong Kong tabloids, showing the pair kissing, holding hands and flirting outside a theatre.

The news of their affair sent shock waves through the Asian showbiz industry as Pang, 48, seemed to be enjoying a blissful union with Lee, 38.

The couple had attended Hong Kong actress Charlie Young's wedding in Singapore last November, smiling and holding hands.

HOW THEY MET

They fell in love after meeting on the set of the hit horror movie The Eye in 2002, which Pang co-directed with twin brother Danny Pang and which she starred in. They dated for eight years before tying the knot in 2010.

They have collaborated on other movies like action flick Out Of Inferno (2013), mystery thriller Sleepwalker (2011) and horror flick Re-cycle (2006).

According to media reports, Li made no attempt to conceal the affair when the photographs were taken last Friday.

Instead, she boldly flirted with Pang, taking the initiative to kiss him, feed him popcorn and share a soft drink with him, before entering the theatre to catch Hong Kong flick Aberdeen.

After the movie, they went for dinner, with Pang's arm around her shoulders.

They later went to a supermarket, where Li took a magazine with Lee on the cover, and flipped through it.

She shoved it in Pang's face when he approached her, but he snatched it from her and put it back on the racks.

Li made her debut in 2009 as a model-actress, but only got bit roles in TVB variety shows and dramas, such as Boom Boom Ba and Love Kickoff (both 2009).

The baby-faced starlet gained more recognition after she switched to singing in 2012, releasing her first single The Image Of Bliss, which made it to the Top 10 TVB Music Charts.

Subsequently, she scored a small role in racy Hong Kong comedic film Lan Kwai Fong 2 (2012) and a starring role in the short film Time Machine (2013).

Last November, Li posted on her Weibo account a group photo of Pang, popular Hong Kong singer Pakho Chau and a few crew members celebrating her birthday.

On May 13, she wrote on Weibo: "I love you, fate! You decide the path that I should tread. (You) decide the person I should meet. (You) decide what I should do. You decide that I should enjoy every period of time, whether I like it or not."

This led many to speculate that she was referring to Pang.

Before the scandal broke on Monday, Pang answered calls from Hong Kong tabloid Apple Daily, saying that Li is "just an ordinary friend". He denied kissing her, and asked: "What photos did you take? We simply went for a movie together."

He added that his marriage was stable, but that he and Lee seldom see each other due towork schedules.

Pang is based in Hong Kong, while Lee lives in Malaysia and takes care of his 12-year-old daughter from his earlier marriage.

When pressed by Apple Daily on whether he still loves Lee, Pang replied, "No comments", before saying "yes".

With the affair out in the open, Pang has reportedly apologised to Lee and flown to Malaysia.

When reporters asked Li about the latest development, she said in a text message: "No mood to reply."

Netizens have blasted Pang for his actions, with many calling him "an a**hole", and have shown support for Lee, saying that she has been "a loving wife and good stepmother" and advised her to file for divorce.

One netizen commented: "Angelica is so good and even helps to take care of your daughter, how can you do this to her? Thankfully, you two do not have kids yet, so Angelica can quickly file for divorce and move on."

Lee is reportedly extremely upset over the affair, and has asked Pang to give her time to think things through, adding that she is considering divorce.

Lee's father, on the other hand, had told the media: "I don't know anything, but it's my right as a dad to protect my daughter. If Pang let my daughter down, I will definitely punish him."

Lee's close celebrity girlfriends, actresses Gigi Leung, Valen Hsu and Charlie Young, have remained silent so far.

Malaysian actress Yeo Yann Yann, 37, told The New Paper: "It's definitely not pleasant news to read about in the past week, but it's up to the couple to settle it themselves. It's something we outsiders have no say over."

What photos did you take? We simply went for a movie together.

- Hong Kong director Oxide Pang on his relationship with Liddy Li, before the scandalous photos were published