18 Jun 2005 - Issue 12
main page
main page
NEWS ROUNDUP - 13/06/05-19/06/05
"Circus of Life" costume trials
Linda Chung, Winnie Shum, Elaine Yeow, Sherming Yiu, Chan Man Ching, Tam Ching Man and Yan Ying tried out their acrobat costumes earlier for new series "Circus of Life". As the costumes were made from camisoles and swimming costumes with light chiffon, they seemed to give a mysterious sexiness and due to the short timescales, the girls had to wear their costumes to eat in the canteen and attracted the attention of many people there.
However, Linda did not find the costumes sexy at all because the trapeze artist costumes later are even sexier. During the fitting, they had to strike a pose for the photographers and Linda admitted that she was a little stiff, but the wirework helped. When Linda was taking part in Miss Chinese International, she gained high marks with her hula hoop routine, but surprisingly, she cannot even do the splits. She laughs: "I usually play basketball and volleball and not gymnastics, so my body is rather inflexible. I had to practice very hard for the contest and I never thought I could fool everyone!"
Elaine also felt that her body was rather rigid, so she will be training by going swimming. She says that the director has told them not to try too hard and if they can't do it to speak out to avoid delay to filming.
Ta Kung Pao 14/06/05
Myolie at Opening
Myolie Wu, Shirley Yeung and Annie Lau took part in the opening of a sushi restaurant earlier in a wine flask smashing ceremony. Myolie was dressed in a sexy dress and says that this is the second time she has opened a sushi restaurant, so her fee has gone up a little. With her series "The Gateau Affairs" currently airing, this has led to a rise in the number of opening jobs she has, but as she is busy filming, she has had to turn some of them down and miss out on the generous fees.
Myolie is quite anxious about the ratings for her new show, but is quietly confident and believes that it will poass smoothly. However, with many students currently facing their exams, she thinks there will be some effect on the ratings and she daren't overestimate the results. In the series, she loves to make cakes and in reality, Myolie has learned to bake cakes before, but she has been too busy with work lately and has not had time. Even her boyfriend has never tried her cakes made with love!
Shirley reveals that she has received a six figure fee for this opening and asked if she will have sponsored sushi, she laughs that she does not know, but even if they give her a discount card, she will be very happy. When she was at high school, Shirley made her own sushi, but has not done so since entering the industry and her boyfriend is also yet to try her creations.
Ta Kung Pao 14/06/05
Carlo ready for summer
The sport-loving Carlo Ng, to celebrate the coming summer, has recently been taking his time to head to the Gym, and gaining himself a golden tan. As well, during his free time from work, he will call up his friend for a game of soccer, bowling, golf, and many more, hoping to maintain his built and healthy image to see others.
Aside from attending many catwalk shows lately to show the outcome of his work, Carlo has recently been invited to a mall to promote Father’s Day by taking on the role a MC. That day the games planned were spin-off of the “Super Trio Continue” games. The audience in attendance were all very eager to participate, and Carlo immediately choosing three children to go against boy band Sky in the competition. In the end it was the group of three spirited children who won out.
Ta Kung Pao 14/06/05
Mr HK Contestants First Look!
Within TVB’s final 16 Mr. Hong Kong contestants, who went to TVB City to had their height, weight, and measurements taken, the most distinct one was Rocky. Admitting that he had previously taken part in the “Healthy Men” pageant, his arm width already reaches 18 inches!
As for the most anticipated event of the swimwear, the producer reveals that the “Health Group” will have an event where they have to head into the water to film, and the men will be sporting swimwear to appear, believing the men can “meet their match”.
Koon Suet Fa’s son John Kong and the fresh appearance Matthew Ko, appear to be TVB’s Mr. Hong Kong Pageant’s black horse. A year ago John had won the “Mr. Shanghai” award in the Mainland and first place in the “International Model Competition,” his experience on stage seems filled.
As for Matthew who returned from his studies in Canada to Hong Kong, has just signed a contract with the local modeling company, and earlier taken part in the G3 mobile phone commercial, attracting a crowd of female audience. Matthew and Kristy Yeung are also considered old classmates because the school he was attending in Canada happens to be the same school that Kristy Yeung attended before she entered in a pageant.
The Sun 13/06/05
The Sun 13/06/05
Josephine at Charity Sale
Josephine Sum attended a charity auction event. Mentioning of earlier taking rather sexy photos for her slimming company, causing the actual spokesperson Nancy Sit to come out and clarify, Josephine only expresses that she has already signed a one-year contract, and that her salary is already received.
After the photos were released to the public, Josephine admits that her workload has increased, getting the opportunity to take part in TVB’s new series and a movie. She is currently looking for a manager, who will give her a chance to go all out. Having entered the entertainment business for five years, she expresses that Eric Tsang did offer to sign her at the start, but as she was unsure of her path at the time, she did not agree to the project.
The Sun 13/06/05
Sushi Shirley
The other day, Shirley Yeung, receiving a six-figure sum, attended a newly opened branch to a sushi shop as the guest appearance to cut the ribbon for it’s opening ceremony. She expresses that she highly likes to eat Japanese food, “I myself regularly come to this shop to eat, the employees there even recognize me, so there is a rather warm feeling when coming.” During the event, Shirley also tried to make some sushi herself, and she reveals that she had tried to make sushi before, but needed her mom by her side to assist her. “I had put in cucumbers, carrots, then put some vinegar onto the rice. Though the final product wasn’t a good as the ones you buy outside, but it’s still passable!”
She also reveals that on June 20, she will begin filming for TVB’s new series “Circus of Life,” and will head out to Puen Yue in July and August for outdoor filming. In the series she portrays an archaeologist.
Ta Kung Pao 03/06/05
Alex all set for MHK
Yesterday, the 20 final Miss Hong Kong contestants set out to the Maldives for outdoor filming, and before setting out they held a praying ceremony at TVB City with performing guests Alex Fong (Lik Sun) and Kenneth Ma. Alex, who had prepared a pair of swimming trunks for the trip stated ahead that he would be looking at the contestants, saying, “Earlier there were so many negative reports, but being a performing guest I would have to communicate with them. But to prevent others from saying that I am courting girls, I will only look at their contestant ID.”
During the ceremony, “Kelly Chen look-a-like” Lam Lai was caught off guard by a four-eyed guy, who took her hand and placed it on her shoulder to take a picture, scaring her, “I was so scared! He really took me by surprise.”
The Sun 14/06/05
Misleading Track Promo
TVB series "Misleading Track" will begin airing next week and leading stars including Bowie Lam, Christine Ng, Louisa So and Cindy Au took part in a diving promo event in a swimming pool earlier. Christine and Louisa wore sexy bikinis at the event and Louisa was the first to be thrown into the water twice by Bowie and Chan Shan Chung, but Christine was spared the ordeal because she cannot swim. The artistes then split into teams to play games.
This is the first time that Louisa has appeared at a promo in a bikini and Bowie praised her figure, saying it had a lot of potential for bikini modelling, before laughing at Christine, saying that she was covering herself with a long skirt because she had skin problems. To this, Christine replied that she had a rash that she had caught from Bowie, but she explained that if she revealed too much at the first promo, then she would not have anything left to attract the reporters at the next event. With fifteen years having passed since she took part in a beauty contest, Christine admits that her figure has 'matured' and she is afraid of the press photographing her bottom, so she has been working hard with her yoga to lose some of her belly, but her husband seems to rather like it. ASked if her husband wants to see her 'with a bump', she laughs that she is getting old now and the responsibility is too great, so she doesn't want to have children.
Louisa says that she will wear a bikini to go swimming usually, so she does not mind wearing one out in public. ASked if she is going all out because she is the female lead in the show, she says this is not related and she could have worn a diving suit instead, but she did not want them all to be wearing black. She smiles that no-one else has kept their promises, but she is true to her word and will do what she pledges to.
The Sun 30/05/05
Dae Jang Geum Celebratory Dinner
TVB's airing of Korean Hit Drama 'Jewel in the Palace' has been a great success and with the visits of many of the show's stars to Hong Kong over, TVB held a special celebratory dinner for the cast and crew involved in the visits. Present were TVB General Manager Mr Stephen Chan, Production Resources Dept Deputy Chief Lok Yee Ling and External Affairs Assistant Chief Tsang Sing Ming as well as artistes Bowie Lam, Shirley Yeung and Sung Chih Ling.
To reward those outstanding performers, TVB also presented twelve special awards to those who had contributed a lot. These included Purchasing and Scheduling Manager Lee Kai Cheung, Programme Purchasing Supervisor Luk Kwan Wai and Dubbing Artiste Ching Man Yi, who all received a commemorative plaque. As for whether there was also a cash award, Mr Chan laughed: "That's it! (Will they get a rise?) We will review it, we have an appraisal system." Mr Chan also revealed that TVB has already bought in Ji Jun Hee's series "Spring Day" and Ron Ng will be singing the theme tune to it.
Sung Chih Ling has risen to popularity after her series of interviews with the Korean stars and she laughs that the show has not brought the biggest gain to the star Lee Young Ae, but to her because now she has been noticed, there is a lot of work coming her way and she hopes to head towards hosting in the future and as a result, she has been eagerly learning to speak Mandarin and polishing up her lazy pronunciation.
Ta Kung Pao 16/06/05
Myolie Wants Disney Wedding
Recently, a bridal studio has signed Myolie Wu as their spokesmodel and although she has dressed in many wedding gowns before, Myolie still has many fantasies about her own wedding day and hopes to have a fairytale wedding ceremony: "Disneyland will be opening in September and I will not only be visiting at the first opportunity, but I also want to have my wedding there! Although I don't know when I will be getting married, this is my wish." Asked which of the cartoon characters she would like as the theme, she says: "I think every girl wants to be like Snow White, because she is very pretty and the scene where she is kissed by the prince has a very deep impression. However, I am worried that my skin has darkened and I will not be Snow White, but Snow Black instead!"
The Sun 15/06/05
Maggie Siu in Bra Top
After signing as spokesperson for a beauty contract, Maggie Siu has taken herself from a 32B to a 34C bra size and has no hesitation to showing off her great figure. Most recently, she has appeared in a sparkly silver bra top in a set of ads, showing off her feminine beauty and even she says herself: "I will be making a few people rather giddy today!"
Reports suggest that Maggie will soon be challenging the limits of her sensuality as she has been shooting a set of ads on the beach. Asked about this, Maggie replies: "I did think about it for a while, but I am happy with the crew and with such a fit figure, then I thought I should give it a try and I agreed to it."
The Sun 01/06/05
Ka Lok and San San on Working Date
Chin Ka Lok and Lee San San have been dating for a number of years now, but they rarely appear as a couple for their work, but they were invited together to an opening in Macau and when asked about their fee, San San smiles: "It is not bad. You should know that when you see us appearing as a pair! (So how much?) Five figures each." Asked if he would be giving his share to his girlfriend, Ka Lok said obediently: "Of course, I will give it all to her." Ka Lok then looks dreamily at San San and says: "Everything is left to the Chairman of the Board!"
As for why they rarely appear together for public occasions, Ka Lok says: "She is more successful than me, otherwise I wouldn't have to work as hard. (When are you going to get her a diamond?) I have already, but we have to wait until she is free. I am ready anytime." San San adds: "I can't this month, he can give me a diamond any time, but one with a vow is not quite the time yet." The couple continued their banter and during the photoshoot, Ka Lok complained about San San's heels being too high. When asked to pose as a kiss, they just pretended and humoured the press.
The Sun 15/06/05
Gigi's thoughts on Donald Tsang
Gigi Lai is not really an avid follower of politics, so she doesn't really have much to say about the new Chief Executive of Hong Kong SAR, Donald Tsang, but she feels that a change for Hong Kong is a good thing. She hopes that the government will continue to support the artistic world and allow special dispensation for filming, like they do in Hollywood, but this will not be easy because the region is so populated.
Taking part in a jewellery event, Gigi took the opportunity to choose some items for herself. Talking of the earlier news about Michelle Ye asking a fee much higher than that of many TVB top ladies, Gigi says: "I don't know about other people's matter. (Do you ask a top band fee?) I don't know, I leave it all up to TVB to arrange, but of course, we are always low paid working for TVB, so I wouldn't just film anything for the sake of an extra few thousand dollars."
Gigi says she does not like to compare her salary with other artistes and adds: "TVB productions are usually high quality, so even working for free is worth it!" As for her choice of jewellery, Gigi reveals that she does not wish for a huge engagement ring from her boyfriend and says: "The most important thing is for a man who loves me 100% and someone who is 100% mine."
Ta Kung Pao 17/06/05
The Sun 17/06/05
Jessica on Diving
Jessica Hsuan, Jackie Lui, Kwok Fung and Mak King Ting have joined a diving group in a documentary to seek out a sunken ship off the coast of China. As the group leader, Jackie has been on a dive earlier to film some footage and he reveals that to get to the wreck takes about half an hour and as it is entangled in nets, there is an element of danger to the mission. Kwok Fung has over thirty years of diving experience, so he is very confident about the dive.
Jessica has been diving for about two years and this is her second experience of visiting a shipwreck. She says that she is quite nervous and laughs: "In all my life I have never taken part in such a historical event. (Are you worried that you might see some skeletons?) I may not be able to dive so deep, but if I see them, I will just treat them as props." The last time that Jessica explored a shipwreck, she says it had a very 'Titanic' feel to it and she was able to see the lockers and cutlery from the ship. Asked if she has experienced any dangerous dives, she says that she was nearly swept away by a current, but luckily she was pulled back by her companions.
Asked how she spent Fathers Day, Jessica says: "I was very happy this year to be able to spend the occasion with my dad for the first time. My father moved to Beijing nearly ten years ago and he has only returned to Hong Kong to live with me recently. (What did you buy him as a gift?) I gave him my apartment, because I bought it for my parents to stay in when they come back to Hong Kong. He likes antiques, but I can't afford the more expensive pieces."
Ta Kung Pao 18/06/05
MHK update - Alex Fong's Thoughts
The group of Miss Hong Kong contestants have finished filming in the Maldives and ended their visit by appearing in their swimsuits and showing off their figures. Despite being extremely careful with their skimpy outfits, there were several girls who showed off more than they had bargained for, even with the assistance of the crew.
Number 9 Mak Nga Chi was very friendly with the press, posing eagerly for the cameras and didn't even notice her bikini bottom moving out of position. Asking the reporters "Is this pose okay?" she continued for several minutes before the crew noticed and stepped in to help her out.
Alex Fong has completed his section of the shoot and hands the baton to Kenneth Ma, who will join the group in Sri Lanka. Asked for his opinions on the girls, Alex says: "I know all their names now! (Who are your top three?) 12, 15 and 18. (Weren't you good friends with number 13?) Yes, if I want to choose a few more then she would be there. She is very talkative and easy going. All twenty of them have their characteristics." Asked to explain his choices for the top three, Alex says: "Number 15 Luk Sze Wan is very balanced and I feel she has the winning look that can win over the audience as well as eloquence in conversation. Number 12 Cheung Wan Chi is very youthful, friendly and photogenic. Also her English is great, so she will not be a disappointment if she has to represent Hong Kong internationally."
The girls were very pleased to hear about Alex's comments and number 18 was the happiest. "I am so happy! Alex had said to me that I look like Fiona Sit and my friends say the same, other say I look like Leila Tong. I don't mind, as long as it is positive. (Alex says you are made for this industry.) Maybe because I have filmed before and studied Film Production, so I know about positioning. (Do you feel more confident?) I will not be influenced by other people's praises." As for number 15, she says: "I am thankful for his praises, but every girl has their own talents and they are all very good." Number 12 says modestly: "I don't think I am especially outstanding and my education is not as high as some of the others. (Are you more confident after Alex's praises?) I entered because I am confident."
Ta Kung Pao 18/06/05
Mr Hong Kong Selections Made
TVB's "Mr Hong Kong" Contest will be taking place on July 24th and the sixteen finalists have been separated into the 'style' and 'fitness' sections and met the press for the first time.
After introducing themselves, they went on to display their special talents and those up for 'style' showed off singing and musical instruments, whilst the 'fitness' guys offered more of a variety, including press-ups, boxing, handstands, dance and chopstick-breaking. Overall, the standards of the men were very mediocre, mostly lacking in a handsome appearance, but there were a couple of hunky musclemen. Four of the men stood over six foot tall and over half of them have a university standard of education. Among the more eyecatching was John Kong, son of the former Miss Asia contestant Kong Suet Fa, who has just completed his second year at the Beijing Central Academy of Drama. He hopes that he will have a fulfilling summer break, so he decided to enter this contest. He insists that this was not his mother's decision and he wants to win through his own merits. However, he knows that his mother's influence is quite great, but he hopes to minimise this. He adds that his mother has offered her advice, but he will not be repeating her antics to try and stand out, just being himself with an air of freedom.
Leung Man Lung has worked with the Water Police for nine years, having caught many illegal immigrants in the past and has had special dispensation from his superior officers to take a month off work to take part. He says: "I will definitely support TVB's events and my colleagues support me too, because they think I am very brave to take part. (Are you confident?) You have to try your best in everything. (If you win, will you continue as a police officer?) To be a police officer is my childhood ambition, but I cannot answer this question." He says he is not worried about failure because to get into the final is already an achievement.
The oldest contestant is 37-year old Cheng Kin Lok, who is a fitness trainer and has filmed advertisements before. He is not worried about losing out due to his age and he feels his maturity may actually benefit him. He feels that he has the body, but he is not so good at communicating, so he is feeling some pressure at being interviewed by a strong female personality. He is not worried about parading in swimming trunks because he has taken part in fitness contests before and the outfit then was even more revealing. Wong Cheung Hing had emigrated to France when he was five years old, so he sung a French song for his item and his aim for this contest was to pick up some experience and memories. Pang Koon Kei is the shortest contestant at just 5 ft 6 inches, but he does not feel this is a disadvantage, but rather makes him stand out. His 'chopstick snapping' act is something he has been practising since he was 14 years old.
TVB's non-drama assistant chief Ho Lai Chuen indicates that there will be four heats, where the contestants will be tested on their intelligence and one person will be eliminated, leaving 12 contestants for the final. There will also be an interview round with two strong female MC's, but their identities are yet to be revealed. As for the competition from ATV's "Mr Asia", Mr Ho says that friendly competition is a good thing.
Ta Kung Pao 18/06/05
Linda and Rabbit on Working Date
Miss Chinese International winner Linda Chung has been approached recently by a Japanese skincare company to be their spokesperson and after very professionally trying the products herself for a while, Linda has agreed and recently filmed her first ad for them.
Shooting the ad, Linda appeared in many costumes, the most memorable of which was wearing a strappy top and posing with a rabbit to show off her beautiful skin. Maybe the rabbit was entranced by Linda's beauty, so it did exactly what she wanted it to and made her very happy. Another costume was that of a fairy dressed in a small top and short skirt, handing out ice creams, attracting the attention of men and women crewmembers alike. Linda's more playful side was shown during the magician's outfit shoot and she says: "In the ad, I had to use a lot of eye expression, actions and smiles to show the secrets of whitening, so this was like doing expressive acting and was quite a challenge." Asked about her fee, Linda smiled widely and said: "There are six figures, but the happiest thing for me was the skincare products sponsorship. I have sent some to Vancouver for my friends."
Ta Kung Pao 18/06/05
Michelle's Last Stand
Michelle Ye, Pinky Cheung and Alice Chan took part at an opening for a haircare centre earlier and Alic indicated that it was thanks to the owner nominating her for Miss Asia that she entered showbiz, so she has told some of her male friends to come.
Some reports indicate that producer Siu Ding Yat had approached Michelle to film for him, but because the fee she demanded was even higher than Gigi Lai, it fell through. She explained that this was all done for her by her TVB manager, so she believes that they would have asked for a reasonable fee for her although she knows the fee that they asked for. Despite this falling through, she is thankful to producer Siu and she believes that the deal falling through was not just about the money. She is not unhappy about this because she has other work lined up with the same salary.
As for whether she is afraid this will scare off other potential work, Michelle says she is not worried as she has work lined up until next year. Her management contract with TVB ends at the end of the month, but she will still keep a friendly co-operation with them. Asked why she is leaving, she says that there are many reasons, one of which is that she wants to meet more people and build new relationships. She smiles: "I am thankful for TVB to 'marry me off' so smoothly. Miss Lok (Yee Ling) is great, so I hope she has a good marriage too."
Ta Kung Pao 19/06/05
MHK arrives in Sri Lanka
The twenty Miss Hong Kong contestants have arrived in Sri Lanka for the second leg of their location filming and met up with their male star Kenneth Ma, who had just flown in, before shooting at a 1750 year old ancient village. Wearing strappy tops and short dresses, they displayed some distress under the blistering heat.
As it was Mak Nga Chi's birthday, the crew arranged a small celebration for her in the evening, with cake and a card. As the other girls presented her with small gifts, she was moved to tears. Kenneth Ma was then persuaded to give her a birthday kiss. 24-year old Nga Chi says that this is her most memorable birthday and it was kept so secret that even her room-mate Man Kin Yee had not said anything. Asked if her boyfriend would be jealous about Kenneth's kiss, she says that she is currently single, so she is not worried. She does not find the hot weather hard to bear because the crew are working even harder and to be able to work with over a hundred people is a privelege and she is glad to be a part of it.
Kenneth says that he has only noticed reports about Lee Sze Nga and Tang Sheung Man in the papers, but after meeting the girls, he finds Mak Chui Chui, Yuen Nei Ming and Lam Lee are the most outstanding. Asked why he was so embarrassed about kissing Nga Chi, he says: "This was the first time I had met and I don't know her, so it was rather embarrassing. If it was my birthday and a girl I didn't know gave me a kiss, I would not be so embarrassed though!" After the birthday party, he has been left with a rather deep impression of Mak Nga Chi!
Ta Kung Pao 19/06/05
Liu Kai Chi weeps for son
For Fathers Day, most fathers should be happy, but for Liu Kai Chi, with the news of his son's leukaemia making a return, this is the worst news he could have received. Talking on a radio interview, Uncle Chi shared sentiments with another father of a cancer patient Cheung Chi Pang.
Talking of his son's condition, Uncle Chi's eyes welled up with tears and said candidly that it was very hard to accept to start with, but luckily he was able to pull himself together. He feels that this is all the will of God and his son needs another year of treatment. The family have all had their bone marrow tested, but there is not a match suitable for him, so they will have to continue with chemotherapy before seeing if a transplant is viable.
Uncle Chi says he just wishes for his son to be happy and have as little pain as possible. He says his son is very afraid of people in uniform and feels frightened and tired every day. During the broadcast, Uncle Chi played a tune on the harmonica for his wife and all parents suffering pain. He wanted to encourage his wife and thank her for all the care she has given to his son and the overflowing love for the family. At this point, Uncle Chi became very emotional as he said that his wife is 101%, but he is just a 90%, because he can be impatient and finds it hard to control his emotions. However in the last two years, he has matured a lot and knows how to handle things better.
Ta Kung Pao 19/06/05
Bernice's Father's Day Offerings
Bernice Liu prepared some Father's Day snacks for her dad earlier and her experience in the kitchen was quite mature, to which she laughs: "Apart from making him some nice things to eat, I have also prepared a present for him, but it is a secret, so I won't tell you what it is!"
Bernice has always been the apple of her father's eye and after entering showbiz, he has volunteered himself has her chauffeur, driving her around no matter how hard it is. She says with much gratitude: "My dad is afraid of the danger of a girl out on her own, so he would rather drive me around at all hours of the day and in order to look after me, he has been apart from my mother for long periods of time. He is the best father ever, so I have to thank him for Father's Day."
The Sun 17/06/05
Joyce on Beauty and Health
Female artistes of today value beauty over their own lives, but as a member of the 'lazy tribe', Joyce Tang has revealed that she does not really have much experience of beauty techniques, so she has someone to do her hair and make up for her to reach the desired effects. However, Joyce is a keen sports fanatic, so she plays badminton all year round, playing one or two sessions a week, so little wonder she has managed to keep so fit, much to the envy of others!
In order to help her acne condition, Joyce decided to learn about skincare regimes and has been heading to the beauty salon for facials, thus her condition has improved a lot. She has also received sponsorship and often goes for milk facials - keeping her skin in great form in just three minutes.
The Sun 17/06/05
Miu says No to Jamie in Ads
Offers of ad work for Michael Miu has been flooding in recently and since the ending of his series "The Academy", there have been a lot of complaints about the death of his character in the show. Michael says that they are making up for it in real life with all the offers of work that are coming in, ranging from health products to sports equipment. His wife Jamie Chik has also been approached by slimming companies, but Michael says he has put a stop to this because he does not want her wearing skimpy swimwear, but adds that his wife is still undecided because of the pressure.
The Sun 17/06/05
main page"Circus of Life" costume trials
Linda Chung, Winnie Shum, Elaine Yeow, Sherming Yiu, Chan Man Ching, Tam Ching Man and Yan Ying tried out their acrobat costumes earlier for new series "Circus of Life". As the costumes were made from camisoles and swimming costumes with light chiffon, they seemed to give a mysterious sexiness and due to the short timescales, the girls had to wear their costumes to eat in the canteen and attracted the attention of many people there.
However, Linda did not find the costumes sexy at all because the trapeze artist costumes later are even sexier. During the fitting, they had to strike a pose for the photographers and Linda admitted that she was a little stiff, but the wirework helped. When Linda was taking part in Miss Chinese International, she gained high marks with her hula hoop routine, but surprisingly, she cannot even do the splits. She laughs: "I usually play basketball and volleball and not gymnastics, so my body is rather inflexible. I had to practice very hard for the contest and I never thought I could fool everyone!"
Elaine also felt that her body was rather rigid, so she will be training by going swimming. She says that the director has told them not to try too hard and if they can't do it to speak out to avoid delay to filming.
Ta Kung Pao 14/06/05
Myolie at Opening
Myolie Wu, Shirley Yeung and Annie Lau took part in the opening of a sushi restaurant earlier in a wine flask smashing ceremony. Myolie was dressed in a sexy dress and says that this is the second time she has opened a sushi restaurant, so her fee has gone up a little. With her series "The Gateau Affairs" currently airing, this has led to a rise in the number of opening jobs she has, but as she is busy filming, she has had to turn some of them down and miss out on the generous fees.
Myolie is quite anxious about the ratings for her new show, but is quietly confident and believes that it will poass smoothly. However, with many students currently facing their exams, she thinks there will be some effect on the ratings and she daren't overestimate the results. In the series, she loves to make cakes and in reality, Myolie has learned to bake cakes before, but she has been too busy with work lately and has not had time. Even her boyfriend has never tried her cakes made with love!
Shirley reveals that she has received a six figure fee for this opening and asked if she will have sponsored sushi, she laughs that she does not know, but even if they give her a discount card, she will be very happy. When she was at high school, Shirley made her own sushi, but has not done so since entering the industry and her boyfriend is also yet to try her creations.
Ta Kung Pao 14/06/05
Carlo ready for summer
The sport-loving Carlo Ng, to celebrate the coming summer, has recently been taking his time to head to the Gym, and gaining himself a golden tan. As well, during his free time from work, he will call up his friend for a game of soccer, bowling, golf, and many more, hoping to maintain his built and healthy image to see others.
Aside from attending many catwalk shows lately to show the outcome of his work, Carlo has recently been invited to a mall to promote Father’s Day by taking on the role a MC. That day the games planned were spin-off of the “Super Trio Continue” games. The audience in attendance were all very eager to participate, and Carlo immediately choosing three children to go against boy band Sky in the competition. In the end it was the group of three spirited children who won out.
Ta Kung Pao 14/06/05
Mr HK Contestants First Look!
Within TVB’s final 16 Mr. Hong Kong contestants, who went to TVB City to had their height, weight, and measurements taken, the most distinct one was Rocky. Admitting that he had previously taken part in the “Healthy Men” pageant, his arm width already reaches 18 inches!
As for the most anticipated event of the swimwear, the producer reveals that the “Health Group” will have an event where they have to head into the water to film, and the men will be sporting swimwear to appear, believing the men can “meet their match”.
Koon Suet Fa’s son John Kong and the fresh appearance Matthew Ko, appear to be TVB’s Mr. Hong Kong Pageant’s black horse. A year ago John had won the “Mr. Shanghai” award in the Mainland and first place in the “International Model Competition,” his experience on stage seems filled.
As for Matthew who returned from his studies in Canada to Hong Kong, has just signed a contract with the local modeling company, and earlier taken part in the G3 mobile phone commercial, attracting a crowd of female audience. Matthew and Kristy Yeung are also considered old classmates because the school he was attending in Canada happens to be the same school that Kristy Yeung attended before she entered in a pageant.
The Sun 13/06/05
The Sun 13/06/05
Josephine at Charity Sale
Josephine Sum attended a charity auction event. Mentioning of earlier taking rather sexy photos for her slimming company, causing the actual spokesperson Nancy Sit to come out and clarify, Josephine only expresses that she has already signed a one-year contract, and that her salary is already received.
After the photos were released to the public, Josephine admits that her workload has increased, getting the opportunity to take part in TVB’s new series and a movie. She is currently looking for a manager, who will give her a chance to go all out. Having entered the entertainment business for five years, she expresses that Eric Tsang did offer to sign her at the start, but as she was unsure of her path at the time, she did not agree to the project.
The Sun 13/06/05
Sushi Shirley
The other day, Shirley Yeung, receiving a six-figure sum, attended a newly opened branch to a sushi shop as the guest appearance to cut the ribbon for it’s opening ceremony. She expresses that she highly likes to eat Japanese food, “I myself regularly come to this shop to eat, the employees there even recognize me, so there is a rather warm feeling when coming.” During the event, Shirley also tried to make some sushi herself, and she reveals that she had tried to make sushi before, but needed her mom by her side to assist her. “I had put in cucumbers, carrots, then put some vinegar onto the rice. Though the final product wasn’t a good as the ones you buy outside, but it’s still passable!”
She also reveals that on June 20, she will begin filming for TVB’s new series “Circus of Life,” and will head out to Puen Yue in July and August for outdoor filming. In the series she portrays an archaeologist.
Ta Kung Pao 03/06/05
Alex all set for MHK
Yesterday, the 20 final Miss Hong Kong contestants set out to the Maldives for outdoor filming, and before setting out they held a praying ceremony at TVB City with performing guests Alex Fong (Lik Sun) and Kenneth Ma. Alex, who had prepared a pair of swimming trunks for the trip stated ahead that he would be looking at the contestants, saying, “Earlier there were so many negative reports, but being a performing guest I would have to communicate with them. But to prevent others from saying that I am courting girls, I will only look at their contestant ID.”
During the ceremony, “Kelly Chen look-a-like” Lam Lai was caught off guard by a four-eyed guy, who took her hand and placed it on her shoulder to take a picture, scaring her, “I was so scared! He really took me by surprise.”
The Sun 14/06/05
Misleading Track Promo
TVB series "Misleading Track" will begin airing next week and leading stars including Bowie Lam, Christine Ng, Louisa So and Cindy Au took part in a diving promo event in a swimming pool earlier. Christine and Louisa wore sexy bikinis at the event and Louisa was the first to be thrown into the water twice by Bowie and Chan Shan Chung, but Christine was spared the ordeal because she cannot swim. The artistes then split into teams to play games.
This is the first time that Louisa has appeared at a promo in a bikini and Bowie praised her figure, saying it had a lot of potential for bikini modelling, before laughing at Christine, saying that she was covering herself with a long skirt because she had skin problems. To this, Christine replied that she had a rash that she had caught from Bowie, but she explained that if she revealed too much at the first promo, then she would not have anything left to attract the reporters at the next event. With fifteen years having passed since she took part in a beauty contest, Christine admits that her figure has 'matured' and she is afraid of the press photographing her bottom, so she has been working hard with her yoga to lose some of her belly, but her husband seems to rather like it. ASked if her husband wants to see her 'with a bump', she laughs that she is getting old now and the responsibility is too great, so she doesn't want to have children.
Louisa says that she will wear a bikini to go swimming usually, so she does not mind wearing one out in public. ASked if she is going all out because she is the female lead in the show, she says this is not related and she could have worn a diving suit instead, but she did not want them all to be wearing black. She smiles that no-one else has kept their promises, but she is true to her word and will do what she pledges to.
The Sun 30/05/05
Dae Jang Geum Celebratory Dinner
TVB's airing of Korean Hit Drama 'Jewel in the Palace' has been a great success and with the visits of many of the show's stars to Hong Kong over, TVB held a special celebratory dinner for the cast and crew involved in the visits. Present were TVB General Manager Mr Stephen Chan, Production Resources Dept Deputy Chief Lok Yee Ling and External Affairs Assistant Chief Tsang Sing Ming as well as artistes Bowie Lam, Shirley Yeung and Sung Chih Ling.
To reward those outstanding performers, TVB also presented twelve special awards to those who had contributed a lot. These included Purchasing and Scheduling Manager Lee Kai Cheung, Programme Purchasing Supervisor Luk Kwan Wai and Dubbing Artiste Ching Man Yi, who all received a commemorative plaque. As for whether there was also a cash award, Mr Chan laughed: "That's it! (Will they get a rise?) We will review it, we have an appraisal system." Mr Chan also revealed that TVB has already bought in Ji Jun Hee's series "Spring Day" and Ron Ng will be singing the theme tune to it.
Sung Chih Ling has risen to popularity after her series of interviews with the Korean stars and she laughs that the show has not brought the biggest gain to the star Lee Young Ae, but to her because now she has been noticed, there is a lot of work coming her way and she hopes to head towards hosting in the future and as a result, she has been eagerly learning to speak Mandarin and polishing up her lazy pronunciation.
Ta Kung Pao 16/06/05
Myolie Wants Disney Wedding
Recently, a bridal studio has signed Myolie Wu as their spokesmodel and although she has dressed in many wedding gowns before, Myolie still has many fantasies about her own wedding day and hopes to have a fairytale wedding ceremony: "Disneyland will be opening in September and I will not only be visiting at the first opportunity, but I also want to have my wedding there! Although I don't know when I will be getting married, this is my wish." Asked which of the cartoon characters she would like as the theme, she says: "I think every girl wants to be like Snow White, because she is very pretty and the scene where she is kissed by the prince has a very deep impression. However, I am worried that my skin has darkened and I will not be Snow White, but Snow Black instead!"
The Sun 15/06/05
Maggie Siu in Bra Top
After signing as spokesperson for a beauty contract, Maggie Siu has taken herself from a 32B to a 34C bra size and has no hesitation to showing off her great figure. Most recently, she has appeared in a sparkly silver bra top in a set of ads, showing off her feminine beauty and even she says herself: "I will be making a few people rather giddy today!"
Reports suggest that Maggie will soon be challenging the limits of her sensuality as she has been shooting a set of ads on the beach. Asked about this, Maggie replies: "I did think about it for a while, but I am happy with the crew and with such a fit figure, then I thought I should give it a try and I agreed to it."
The Sun 01/06/05
Ka Lok and San San on Working Date
Chin Ka Lok and Lee San San have been dating for a number of years now, but they rarely appear as a couple for their work, but they were invited together to an opening in Macau and when asked about their fee, San San smiles: "It is not bad. You should know that when you see us appearing as a pair! (So how much?) Five figures each." Asked if he would be giving his share to his girlfriend, Ka Lok said obediently: "Of course, I will give it all to her." Ka Lok then looks dreamily at San San and says: "Everything is left to the Chairman of the Board!"
As for why they rarely appear together for public occasions, Ka Lok says: "She is more successful than me, otherwise I wouldn't have to work as hard. (When are you going to get her a diamond?) I have already, but we have to wait until she is free. I am ready anytime." San San adds: "I can't this month, he can give me a diamond any time, but one with a vow is not quite the time yet." The couple continued their banter and during the photoshoot, Ka Lok complained about San San's heels being too high. When asked to pose as a kiss, they just pretended and humoured the press.
The Sun 15/06/05
Gigi's thoughts on Donald Tsang
Gigi Lai is not really an avid follower of politics, so she doesn't really have much to say about the new Chief Executive of Hong Kong SAR, Donald Tsang, but she feels that a change for Hong Kong is a good thing. She hopes that the government will continue to support the artistic world and allow special dispensation for filming, like they do in Hollywood, but this will not be easy because the region is so populated.
Taking part in a jewellery event, Gigi took the opportunity to choose some items for herself. Talking of the earlier news about Michelle Ye asking a fee much higher than that of many TVB top ladies, Gigi says: "I don't know about other people's matter. (Do you ask a top band fee?) I don't know, I leave it all up to TVB to arrange, but of course, we are always low paid working for TVB, so I wouldn't just film anything for the sake of an extra few thousand dollars."
Gigi says she does not like to compare her salary with other artistes and adds: "TVB productions are usually high quality, so even working for free is worth it!" As for her choice of jewellery, Gigi reveals that she does not wish for a huge engagement ring from her boyfriend and says: "The most important thing is for a man who loves me 100% and someone who is 100% mine."
Ta Kung Pao 17/06/05
The Sun 17/06/05
Jessica on Diving
Jessica Hsuan, Jackie Lui, Kwok Fung and Mak King Ting have joined a diving group in a documentary to seek out a sunken ship off the coast of China. As the group leader, Jackie has been on a dive earlier to film some footage and he reveals that to get to the wreck takes about half an hour and as it is entangled in nets, there is an element of danger to the mission. Kwok Fung has over thirty years of diving experience, so he is very confident about the dive.
Jessica has been diving for about two years and this is her second experience of visiting a shipwreck. She says that she is quite nervous and laughs: "In all my life I have never taken part in such a historical event. (Are you worried that you might see some skeletons?) I may not be able to dive so deep, but if I see them, I will just treat them as props." The last time that Jessica explored a shipwreck, she says it had a very 'Titanic' feel to it and she was able to see the lockers and cutlery from the ship. Asked if she has experienced any dangerous dives, she says that she was nearly swept away by a current, but luckily she was pulled back by her companions.
Asked how she spent Fathers Day, Jessica says: "I was very happy this year to be able to spend the occasion with my dad for the first time. My father moved to Beijing nearly ten years ago and he has only returned to Hong Kong to live with me recently. (What did you buy him as a gift?) I gave him my apartment, because I bought it for my parents to stay in when they come back to Hong Kong. He likes antiques, but I can't afford the more expensive pieces."
Ta Kung Pao 18/06/05
MHK update - Alex Fong's Thoughts
The group of Miss Hong Kong contestants have finished filming in the Maldives and ended their visit by appearing in their swimsuits and showing off their figures. Despite being extremely careful with their skimpy outfits, there were several girls who showed off more than they had bargained for, even with the assistance of the crew.
Number 9 Mak Nga Chi was very friendly with the press, posing eagerly for the cameras and didn't even notice her bikini bottom moving out of position. Asking the reporters "Is this pose okay?" she continued for several minutes before the crew noticed and stepped in to help her out.
Alex Fong has completed his section of the shoot and hands the baton to Kenneth Ma, who will join the group in Sri Lanka. Asked for his opinions on the girls, Alex says: "I know all their names now! (Who are your top three?) 12, 15 and 18. (Weren't you good friends with number 13?) Yes, if I want to choose a few more then she would be there. She is very talkative and easy going. All twenty of them have their characteristics." Asked to explain his choices for the top three, Alex says: "Number 15 Luk Sze Wan is very balanced and I feel she has the winning look that can win over the audience as well as eloquence in conversation. Number 12 Cheung Wan Chi is very youthful, friendly and photogenic. Also her English is great, so she will not be a disappointment if she has to represent Hong Kong internationally."
The girls were very pleased to hear about Alex's comments and number 18 was the happiest. "I am so happy! Alex had said to me that I look like Fiona Sit and my friends say the same, other say I look like Leila Tong. I don't mind, as long as it is positive. (Alex says you are made for this industry.) Maybe because I have filmed before and studied Film Production, so I know about positioning. (Do you feel more confident?) I will not be influenced by other people's praises." As for number 15, she says: "I am thankful for his praises, but every girl has their own talents and they are all very good." Number 12 says modestly: "I don't think I am especially outstanding and my education is not as high as some of the others. (Are you more confident after Alex's praises?) I entered because I am confident."
Ta Kung Pao 18/06/05
Mr Hong Kong Selections Made
TVB's "Mr Hong Kong" Contest will be taking place on July 24th and the sixteen finalists have been separated into the 'style' and 'fitness' sections and met the press for the first time.
After introducing themselves, they went on to display their special talents and those up for 'style' showed off singing and musical instruments, whilst the 'fitness' guys offered more of a variety, including press-ups, boxing, handstands, dance and chopstick-breaking. Overall, the standards of the men were very mediocre, mostly lacking in a handsome appearance, but there were a couple of hunky musclemen. Four of the men stood over six foot tall and over half of them have a university standard of education. Among the more eyecatching was John Kong, son of the former Miss Asia contestant Kong Suet Fa, who has just completed his second year at the Beijing Central Academy of Drama. He hopes that he will have a fulfilling summer break, so he decided to enter this contest. He insists that this was not his mother's decision and he wants to win through his own merits. However, he knows that his mother's influence is quite great, but he hopes to minimise this. He adds that his mother has offered her advice, but he will not be repeating her antics to try and stand out, just being himself with an air of freedom.
Leung Man Lung has worked with the Water Police for nine years, having caught many illegal immigrants in the past and has had special dispensation from his superior officers to take a month off work to take part. He says: "I will definitely support TVB's events and my colleagues support me too, because they think I am very brave to take part. (Are you confident?) You have to try your best in everything. (If you win, will you continue as a police officer?) To be a police officer is my childhood ambition, but I cannot answer this question." He says he is not worried about failure because to get into the final is already an achievement.
The oldest contestant is 37-year old Cheng Kin Lok, who is a fitness trainer and has filmed advertisements before. He is not worried about losing out due to his age and he feels his maturity may actually benefit him. He feels that he has the body, but he is not so good at communicating, so he is feeling some pressure at being interviewed by a strong female personality. He is not worried about parading in swimming trunks because he has taken part in fitness contests before and the outfit then was even more revealing. Wong Cheung Hing had emigrated to France when he was five years old, so he sung a French song for his item and his aim for this contest was to pick up some experience and memories. Pang Koon Kei is the shortest contestant at just 5 ft 6 inches, but he does not feel this is a disadvantage, but rather makes him stand out. His 'chopstick snapping' act is something he has been practising since he was 14 years old.
TVB's non-drama assistant chief Ho Lai Chuen indicates that there will be four heats, where the contestants will be tested on their intelligence and one person will be eliminated, leaving 12 contestants for the final. There will also be an interview round with two strong female MC's, but their identities are yet to be revealed. As for the competition from ATV's "Mr Asia", Mr Ho says that friendly competition is a good thing.
Ta Kung Pao 18/06/05
Linda and Rabbit on Working Date
Miss Chinese International winner Linda Chung has been approached recently by a Japanese skincare company to be their spokesperson and after very professionally trying the products herself for a while, Linda has agreed and recently filmed her first ad for them.
Shooting the ad, Linda appeared in many costumes, the most memorable of which was wearing a strappy top and posing with a rabbit to show off her beautiful skin. Maybe the rabbit was entranced by Linda's beauty, so it did exactly what she wanted it to and made her very happy. Another costume was that of a fairy dressed in a small top and short skirt, handing out ice creams, attracting the attention of men and women crewmembers alike. Linda's more playful side was shown during the magician's outfit shoot and she says: "In the ad, I had to use a lot of eye expression, actions and smiles to show the secrets of whitening, so this was like doing expressive acting and was quite a challenge." Asked about her fee, Linda smiled widely and said: "There are six figures, but the happiest thing for me was the skincare products sponsorship. I have sent some to Vancouver for my friends."
Ta Kung Pao 18/06/05
Michelle's Last Stand
Michelle Ye, Pinky Cheung and Alice Chan took part at an opening for a haircare centre earlier and Alic indicated that it was thanks to the owner nominating her for Miss Asia that she entered showbiz, so she has told some of her male friends to come.
Some reports indicate that producer Siu Ding Yat had approached Michelle to film for him, but because the fee she demanded was even higher than Gigi Lai, it fell through. She explained that this was all done for her by her TVB manager, so she believes that they would have asked for a reasonable fee for her although she knows the fee that they asked for. Despite this falling through, she is thankful to producer Siu and she believes that the deal falling through was not just about the money. She is not unhappy about this because she has other work lined up with the same salary.
As for whether she is afraid this will scare off other potential work, Michelle says she is not worried as she has work lined up until next year. Her management contract with TVB ends at the end of the month, but she will still keep a friendly co-operation with them. Asked why she is leaving, she says that there are many reasons, one of which is that she wants to meet more people and build new relationships. She smiles: "I am thankful for TVB to 'marry me off' so smoothly. Miss Lok (Yee Ling) is great, so I hope she has a good marriage too."
Ta Kung Pao 19/06/05
MHK arrives in Sri Lanka
The twenty Miss Hong Kong contestants have arrived in Sri Lanka for the second leg of their location filming and met up with their male star Kenneth Ma, who had just flown in, before shooting at a 1750 year old ancient village. Wearing strappy tops and short dresses, they displayed some distress under the blistering heat.
As it was Mak Nga Chi's birthday, the crew arranged a small celebration for her in the evening, with cake and a card. As the other girls presented her with small gifts, she was moved to tears. Kenneth Ma was then persuaded to give her a birthday kiss. 24-year old Nga Chi says that this is her most memorable birthday and it was kept so secret that even her room-mate Man Kin Yee had not said anything. Asked if her boyfriend would be jealous about Kenneth's kiss, she says that she is currently single, so she is not worried. She does not find the hot weather hard to bear because the crew are working even harder and to be able to work with over a hundred people is a privelege and she is glad to be a part of it.
Kenneth says that he has only noticed reports about Lee Sze Nga and Tang Sheung Man in the papers, but after meeting the girls, he finds Mak Chui Chui, Yuen Nei Ming and Lam Lee are the most outstanding. Asked why he was so embarrassed about kissing Nga Chi, he says: "This was the first time I had met and I don't know her, so it was rather embarrassing. If it was my birthday and a girl I didn't know gave me a kiss, I would not be so embarrassed though!" After the birthday party, he has been left with a rather deep impression of Mak Nga Chi!
Ta Kung Pao 19/06/05
Liu Kai Chi weeps for son
For Fathers Day, most fathers should be happy, but for Liu Kai Chi, with the news of his son's leukaemia making a return, this is the worst news he could have received. Talking on a radio interview, Uncle Chi shared sentiments with another father of a cancer patient Cheung Chi Pang.
Talking of his son's condition, Uncle Chi's eyes welled up with tears and said candidly that it was very hard to accept to start with, but luckily he was able to pull himself together. He feels that this is all the will of God and his son needs another year of treatment. The family have all had their bone marrow tested, but there is not a match suitable for him, so they will have to continue with chemotherapy before seeing if a transplant is viable.
Uncle Chi says he just wishes for his son to be happy and have as little pain as possible. He says his son is very afraid of people in uniform and feels frightened and tired every day. During the broadcast, Uncle Chi played a tune on the harmonica for his wife and all parents suffering pain. He wanted to encourage his wife and thank her for all the care she has given to his son and the overflowing love for the family. At this point, Uncle Chi became very emotional as he said that his wife is 101%, but he is just a 90%, because he can be impatient and finds it hard to control his emotions. However in the last two years, he has matured a lot and knows how to handle things better.
Ta Kung Pao 19/06/05
Bernice's Father's Day Offerings
Bernice Liu prepared some Father's Day snacks for her dad earlier and her experience in the kitchen was quite mature, to which she laughs: "Apart from making him some nice things to eat, I have also prepared a present for him, but it is a secret, so I won't tell you what it is!"
Bernice has always been the apple of her father's eye and after entering showbiz, he has volunteered himself has her chauffeur, driving her around no matter how hard it is. She says with much gratitude: "My dad is afraid of the danger of a girl out on her own, so he would rather drive me around at all hours of the day and in order to look after me, he has been apart from my mother for long periods of time. He is the best father ever, so I have to thank him for Father's Day."
The Sun 17/06/05
Joyce on Beauty and Health
Female artistes of today value beauty over their own lives, but as a member of the 'lazy tribe', Joyce Tang has revealed that she does not really have much experience of beauty techniques, so she has someone to do her hair and make up for her to reach the desired effects. However, Joyce is a keen sports fanatic, so she plays badminton all year round, playing one or two sessions a week, so little wonder she has managed to keep so fit, much to the envy of others!
In order to help her acne condition, Joyce decided to learn about skincare regimes and has been heading to the beauty salon for facials, thus her condition has improved a lot. She has also received sponsorship and often goes for milk facials - keeping her skin in great form in just three minutes.
The Sun 17/06/05
Miu says No to Jamie in Ads
Offers of ad work for Michael Miu has been flooding in recently and since the ending of his series "The Academy", there have been a lot of complaints about the death of his character in the show. Michael says that they are making up for it in real life with all the offers of work that are coming in, ranging from health products to sports equipment. His wife Jamie Chik has also been approached by slimming companies, but Michael says he has put a stop to this because he does not want her wearing skimpy swimwear, but adds that his wife is still undecided because of the pressure.
The Sun 17/06/05
News sources: The Sun & Ta Kung Pao
Translations: Em & Tammy