linda chung - latecomer reaches the shore first

Linda Chung - Latecomer Reaches the Shore First

[Express News Weekly #457]


Unofficial statistics say that the average age of TVB 'fa dan' (leading lady) is 30 years old.

Looking at Gigi Lai Chi, Charmaine Sheh Sze Man, Ada Choi Siu Fan, and Maggie Shiu Mei Kei, they've all already come of age. Even rising stars like Tavia Yeung Yi and Shirley Yeung Sze Kei are no longer 25.

Linda Chung Ka Yan is perhaps the youngest leading lady with the most credentials.

Before we reveal her age, let us first look at the caliber of her co-stars. In the hot series Heart of Greed, she fights with 30 year-old senior Yoyo Mung Ka Wai. In the as-yet-unreleased The Gem of Life, her rival is a woman who must apply heavy make-up before being seen.

Linda's youth makes her a winner
Latecomer first to reach the shore, in 2003 Linda was a pageant queen and last year she won the "Most Improved Actress" award. What's really rare is that she's been out for over three years, but still hasn't been degraded into playing roles of sluts.

Her image is much more precious than her bust-hurling "Miss Chinese International" predecessors such as Bernice Liu Bik Yi and Michelle Ye.

"I want to keep my image, all-together quite 'clean'."

At 23 years old, Linda is truly without additives, so let us hope that she will not end up like Gigi Leung Wing Kei.

Looking at magazine pictures of the modest Linda, she doesn't mind riding the subway and shops in ordinary stores for bargains. Even neighboring girls cannot be like Linda.

"I came from a very poor family. I couldn't afford too luxurious of a life. When I came to Hong Kong to be an actress, I insisted on riding the subway instead of walking."

Entering the entertainment industry for three years, is it possible to still be a white piece of paper? Looking at recent years, Linda has gone from a girl who is not very noticeable to a celebrity in a red bikini at a swimwear show. The names involved [in rumors] with her include Ekin Cheng Yi Gin, Raymond Lam Fung, Moses Chan Ho, and so on.

The most scandalous picture includes the one when Raymond was in the same car as she when he changed pants. The most up-to-date story written about her is that she is trying to steal Bernice's boyfriend, calling Moses to meet her going to work.

Days... are not innocent any more.

'Third eye' has a good judge of people's character
"I've gone through many rumors; Johnny Tang Siu Juen, Ekin, Raymond, Moses, not one is true. I didn't see Raymond change his pants! I didn't have a ride in Moses' car! I haven't had contact with Ekin since filming finished!" Linda was extremely emotional [about this topic].

"I answered reporters' questions. Yes is yes, no is no. If I answer 'No comment,' people will take my silence as an answer." This is experienced by experienced stars and newcomers alike, there's no difference. Look at Charmaine's response to rumors. They will again write about her, but she isn't resentful or angry. Linda, however, is so aroused that she almost wants to raise three fingers up and swear [her innocence].

"Ah! I'm really scared to look at these reports. Furthermore, I'm scared that my mommy will see it and worry." Linda says that many people told her that she'd change after entering the industry. That's why she is extremely watchful of herself.

"I remember that a senior reminded me: You're in Hong Kong without anybody and anything. This makes you appear very fragile. Many boys will take this opportunity to protect you. You have to use your 'third eye' in order to judge people."

Being naive doesn't equal to not having a brain. Linda says that after she entered the industry, there have continuously been people who pursue her; it's just that she hasn't been moved [by them]. "If you invite me out to dinner, I will go and just invite another friend out with me." Suddenly, I come straight to my point and ask if there are many 'siu sang' (leading man) who pursue her. "Hmm... I think there won't be pursuits. Everybody is signed on to be managed by TVB. I don't think they would dare." Linda's answer sounds right, but is pretentious.

When asked of Linda to appraise her rumored boyfriends, she was only willing to discuss one, which was Ekin. "I worked with him as my partner in a series. His character is great. We have no contact privately. In the time when we filmed Always Ready I would talk with him about my problems. What I didn't know, he would teach me." Rumors may not necessarily be true, but looking at Linda's eyes, there's a feeling of gain and loss.

'Cinderella'
Linda was born in Vancouver, Canada. She has an elder brother and sister. Her parents labored vigorously to support the three brother and sisters. "You ask me why I'm so hard-working? It's because when I was little I saw that my parents suffered a lot because of work. They didn't finish their studies. They had plans for me to complete university."

Linda says that their house is near a cemetery. It's an area where poor people reside.

Although the family of five was poor, their lives were very blissful. "Every morning my daddy left to go to work. My mommy went to the restaurant to sell 'dim sum' once she finished seeing me off to school. When I finished school, my mommy would take me to where she had a cleaning job to clean. Afterwards, we would go home to eat dinner. My daddy would then wash the dishes. My mommy would hurry to go off to her second job."

Linda is a real-life 'Cinderella.' When she was at school, there were must-have schoolbags and pretty pencil cases, but she never owned any of these. Her clothes were hand-me-downs from her elder sister. "When I was 16 or 17, my classmates all learned how to apply make-up. They were wearing strappy tops to school, but I always wore a black jacket and some very old-fashioned glasses. No one ever said I was pretty."

After being accepted into Vancouver's UBC University, the 'ugly duckling' finally transformed into a swan. "After my daddy bought contact lenses for me, I finally had boys pursuing me. The most magical was a ball where I changed into a one-piece dress and when the class saw me they were stunned."

The 'turned beautiful' Linda represented Vancouver in the "Miss Chinese International" pageant. However, when talking about beauty, if there's one mountain, there'll always be another mountain that's taller. [This is a Chinese saying that means that there'll always be someone who is better.] Even before the competition, she had already planned to lose. "The 'hot door' candidates were Tsui Ji Yin, Mandy Cho Man Lei, and Hung Hau Ling. Every time we did an activity, the reporters would definitely take pictures of the 'hot doors.' I was a 'big cold door.' The reporters would move pass my side and wouldn't look at me. At that time, I really didn't have any confidence. My 'kind' is very ordinary, how did I expect to be viewed as important?"

From a 'big cold door' to the surprising pageant winner, it turns out that Linda has to thank judge Kelly Chen Wai Lam. "The day before the competition, we went to see the judges. The reporters asked Kelly afterward if she had a favorite. It's because she said the one phrase, 'Linda Chung is very sweet,' the second morning, a number of reporters crowded around waiting for me to appear to take pictures and said I was 'very hot' and must win the competition. It was again very 'magical'."

Magic Time
Coming to Hong Kong for three years, Linda's tears have been even greater than in all of her 18 years in Canada.

"I wasn't happy because no one helped me. If I had a problem, I had to go deal with it myself. A lot of people say that I am lucky because I got leading roles as soon as I entered the industry. The problem was that I simply didn't know how to act. Every day I would ponder how long it would take until I can do well."

Linda's first acting role was as "Hung Bak Lam" in the modern version of Virtues of Harmony. "At the start, I didn't even know a grain of Chinese. I lived in Canada. I could only ask the tea-ladies and hair dressers to help me to add phonetics and then just learn them line by line when I got home. Every day I would learn numerous Chinese words. Every time I filmed a series, it was like a test."

Compared to others of her generation, Linda moved quickly. In her second series, Always Ready, she already played a leading role. Other actresses endure seven or eight years to fight for an opportunity, but Linda just opened her hand and received it.

"My acting was bad," Linda forces a laugh.

Linda is a self-critic. Last year, she depended on Always to win "Most Improved Actress." Compared to her pageant championship, it was an even greater surprise.

"That night, we were celebrating the TVB anniversary. As soon as I sat down, my name was already called to go on stage. It was like a dream. It was only after I got off stage that I cried." Her situation is like Charmaine, who won two awards in one night. Current times create a hero. "It's the first real 'Magic Time'." Her smile is sweeter than sugar.

Look Up

Last year's surprising winner of "Most Improved Actress" Linda worried most about going out and being scolded by people.

"Going out, I really feared that the audience would scold me. I knew that I simply wasn't enough yet. My acting was quite bad. I'm sorry." Her confession is cute.

Recently, Heart of Greed allowed Linda to greatly turn around her situation. From a lot of criticism, she now has many people who praise her.

"Filming Heart, if I wasn't talking lovingly with Raymond, I was arguing. I have very little experience in dating. That's why two weeks before filming, I hid at home and watched Korean series to have a crash course in acting. I examined them on how to argue and how to cry. It turns out that acting requires the usage of your pair of eyes, not your mouth."

In last week's episode of Heart, "Seung Joi Sum" discovered that "Ching Leung" had another woman. The ratings reached 39 points, beating the episode with the death of Lee See Kei's "Dai Kai" by 5 points. Linda finally gained face and can be a person who lifts her head up high.

"When I go out, people call me 'Seung Joi Sum' and praise me for doing a great job."

Linda Chung's story tells us that this world doesn't have "magic" or a lucky life. There's only hard work and making strives.

My thoughts: The first thought running through my mind was, "What? Again?!" She is really getting a lot of media coverage by newspapers and magazines! Thankfully, this article is completely different from her past features. I was very relieved and happy about that. Even if I don't get bored translating the same thing over and over again, other people will get tired reading the same thing. I'm not sure how it compares in length to the other articles, but it is a nice, meaty piece.

Awesome pictures from this interview with Express News Weekly! Thank you for an honest, refreshing, and good interview that revealed even more about Linda.

I think this is the first article in which Linda has addressed the "controversy" over her winning "Most Improved." I think it's great. Even I, as her fan, didn't want her to win because I felt she wasn't good enough for it yet. I'm glad she felt the same way. TVB should have given her the award this year as she has shown improvements by leaps and bounds in Best Bet and Heart of Greed. Honestly, her performances in 2006's series were lacking. After Linda won the award, I got the sense that she wasn't so "happy" winning it. As it turns out, it's true! Linda knows very well her own predicaments and issues. She's a smart girl. She's honest with herself. She knows that people wouldn't be happy with her win, but what could she do? Reject the award? I'm so glad Linda is finally getting her deserved praises from all around now!

Ekin is Linda's idol. She was so happy to work with him as she expressed so herself in the costume fitting of Always. In an interview with Alex Fong a few weeks ago, Linda disclosed that she fell for her co-stars when she first started filming. They were Hawick Lau, Steven Ma, and Ekin. It's clear from how highly she talks about Ekin that she feels fondly towards him, but of course, only in a student and mentor way.

Linda has described "Seung Joi Sum" as being a role similar to those in Korean dramas. I'm really surprised that she took acting tips from Korean series! In any case, it seems to have worked. Heart truly is a turning point in her career. She finally learned how to act, how to cry, and so on and people are much more receptive towards her now. Linda is really happy these days because so many veterans, co-stars, and viewers are praising her. The latest praise she received was from big-time veteran Adam Cheng, who has been watching Heart. Adam says, "Linda Chung - she uses her heart [in acting] and I found that she improved tremendously!" Like the article says, she can finally be proud of her work and lift her head up high.

Like I said, the tide is turning and even this article agrees with it. There's only one way to go from now on and that's up. Congratulations, Linda! I'm so proud of you and your successes.

chapter 164: love and hate

[Shanghai - Suen Family Mansion]

Rose (Kenix Kwok) managed to sneak back into Shanghai with the help of her people. "Daddy?" she calls as she enters through the main doors.

"Miss Suen?" a maid rushes to the door.

"Where's my daddy?"

"Oh, Mr. Suen (Michael Miu) went off on vacation."

"I see." Rose hands the maid her coat. She looks around at the mansion. She hadn't step foot inside it since she left to try and bring back Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) to Shanghai five months before. "This is strange. Why would daddy go on a vacation when the date of my wedding is so soon?" she asks herself. The thought of her now-canceled wedding reignited her burning hatred and bitterness.

She runs up the spiral stairway and enters her room.

[Rose's Bedroom]

The picture frame that held the very first picture that she and Ah Nin took together still stood on the night table beside her bed. She sits down on the king-sized mattress with its silk sheets and looks at the picture. She runs her hand across Ah Nin, remembering what the day was like when they took the picture.

[Flashback]

It was shortly after Ah Nin had finished physical rehabilitation and was functioning close to normal. They decided that a picnic would do Ah Nin's health some good. It was supposed to be a gorgeous, sunny day, but the weather played a trick on them. It started raining in the middle of it.

Rose was very upset because they were just going to take their very first pictures together as a couple. "This day was supposed to be perfect!" she pouts.

"It's just a little rain!" Ah Nin smiles.

"We're all wet! The pictures are going to look awful."

"It doesn't matter. Our inner beauty will shine through." He approaches a random stranger who was running by under an umbrella. "Sir, would you mind taking a picture for us?"

"Are you crazy? It's raining! Get out of here." He runs off.

Ah Nin frowns. "Some people are so rude."

Rose smiles at Ah Nin. His optimism touched her. She nods her head. "You're right." She rests her head on the nook of Ah Nin's neck and shoulder and with one hand on the camera each, they took their first "couple shot". "I love you, Chris."

"How can I not love the woman who stood by me in my worst... when I was going to the bathroom in a bag?" He laughs and then grins widely at her.

The two kiss passionately. The rain continued to pour down hard. They were soaked from head to toe, but Ah Nin and Rose didn't care.

[End of Flashback]

Suddenly, Rose picks up the picture frame and then throws it down on the ground, smashing it. She then continues and breaks every one of the picture frames that she had with Ah Nin. "Everything is broken now. No need for these anymore!" she screams.

After she was done, Rose looks down at the mess that she made. Although the pictures were now behind shattered glass, she could still see them clearly. It made her furious. She reaches for the pictures, cutting herself on some fragments of glass in the process, and tears them up. "It's over between us!"

She stops and takes a look at the torn pieces of incoherent pictures in her hands. She laughs. "It was doomed from the start, wasn't it?"

[Flashback #1]

Rose walked into "F&B" company after coming back from her cruise around the world. "I'm so over falling in love. This is the last time I let another man into my heart. I learned from Bobby (Sunny Chan) not to trust anyone but myself... There's no such thing as love in this world. Damn it!" She mumbles under her breath. She looks up and sees the back of a tall and nicely-built man walk into an office. Her curiosity erupts. She wanted to know who "he" was.

She makes her way to Carrie (Natalie Tong). Carrie gives Rose a big smile and greets her as she pushes up her glasses. "Rose! How was your trip?"

"Just exquisite!" Rose gushes. "I have some souvenirs for you. I'll bring them tomorrow. How has work been without me?"

"Crazy! I don't know why it's so busy these days."

Rose folds her arms. "Now, Carrie, are you trying to curse our business? It's good to be busy! Although I'm hurt that it was busy without me around with my fabulous designs."

Carrie blushes. "Oh no! I didn't mean it like that."

Feigning a cough, Rose asks, "So... any changes around here lately?"

"Why, yes! For starters, I got new glasses!" Carrie points to her glasses proudly. "We got some new plants for the office. Don't you reckon it looks livelier? We also gave the break-room a make-over! It's splendid. You really have to see it. Oh and-"

Rose fakes a laugh. "My, so much happened without me!" In her mind she thinks, "You idiot! Do you think I care about these irrelevant things?"

Carrie smiles, "Yep."

Abruptly, Ah Nin pops out of his office and tells Carrie, "Carrie, I'm going to need these papers copied. Thanks!"

Rose's eyes light up seeing Ah Nin's face. Her heart paces. The saliva built up in her mouth. It was love at first sight. He notices her and gives a small smile before retreating back into his office. Rose gulps. She lowers her head down to Carrie and whispers, "Is this another change you forgot to tell me about?"

Carrie laughs. "Silly me! Your father hired him while you were gone. He's been here all those months you were on a cruise... He blends right in with us. He's so hard-working, smart, and oh-so-good-looking!" She sighs. "He is really a great guy."

"What's his name?"

"Oh! Haha. It's Chris."

"Chris..." Rose smiles. "Chris and Rose... I like the sound of that," she thinks in her head.

"You're going to love him once you get to know him. You don't think someone so pretty can be so nice," Carrie gushes.

"I think I already have."

"What?"

Rose coughs. "I said, 'Aren't I pretty and nice'?"

"Oh, why! Of course you are, Rose. I meant with guys. You know, the handsome ones always turn out to be jerks."

Rose nods her head, "Very true." She pauses before asking, "So, does he have a girlfriend? Surely such a good guy must be taken... unless he's gay. Like they say, all the good ones are taken or gay."

Carrie laughs. "Oh no. He's totally single."

"Oh? That's surprising."

"Yes... but he's a bit cold. He's so cool! I like that mysterious element."

"Is he?"

"Girls line up outside of his office, but he won't even give them a second glance."

"Really?"

"Yes, even the models we have who appear to take pictures... they all have been keen on him, but he doesn't even look at them."

"Carrie, then he must be gay."

"I really doubt that."

"He can't possibly be asexual or celibate. It's impossible for men."

"I don't know... he's just very cold when it comes to relationships. He's a great colleague though. I really wonder why. Maybe he got his heart broken or has an unrequited love."

"Well, I will find out." Rose smiles. She had set her target on Ah Nin and was determined to get him.

[Ah Nin's Office]

Rose knocks on the door before letting herself in. Ah Nin looks up from his computer.

"Hi, I'm Rose, Mr. Suen's daughter." She extends her hand out for Ah Nin to shake.

"Oh! Miss Suen. How very rude of me just now not to introduce myself. I'm Chris."

"It's okay! It's okay. You didn't know. You can't fault people for not knowing."

"Ah, but ignorance is far from an excuse to commit a crime."

Rose smiles. She liked his wit.

"I can't believe Mr. Suen hid such a pretty daughter away from me for all of those months."

Rose blushes.

"So are you the type of 'Princess' who doesn't like to do any work? You just socialize and look pretty?"

"Do I look like that type?"

"I don't know... I just met you," he glances at his watch, "Thirty seconds ago."

"Let me make it clear that I'm not. Yes, I may be Miss Suen, but I want to be treated like a normal person. I don't want to be seen as a 'Princess'."

What Rose said reminded Ah Nin of Joey (Bernice Liu). Joey had pretended to have no relationship to Wong Sheung (Lau Dan) when she started work at "Ka Yan" when in fact she was his daughter. She didn't want her colleagues to be biased towards her and suck up to her. She wanted to work and show her own capabilities rather than have everyone think she relied on her daddy to get where she was. "Silly girl." Ah Nin shakes his head and smiles. He really missed Joey.

Rose overhears his "Silly girl" comment and blushes, mistaking it to be about her. "I'm actually a fashion designer."

Ah Nin blinks. "What was that? I'm sorry."

"I was just saying how I'm a fashion designer. I'll be working with you."

"Oh? But I already have a fashion designer."

"Are you turning down the boss's daughter?" Rose intended the double-meaning.

"No! I wouldn't dare." Ah Nin laughs. "Okay, we'll see what you've got. Let me just tell you this. I'm very demanding. Let's see if you can keep up with me."

"Oh, I bet I can." Rose winks. "Damn it. I'm falling for him already," she moans to herself, "So much for not letting love back in."

[Flashback #2]

It was a few months after their initial meeting. Ah Nin and Rose had spent more and more time together and worked seamlessly with each other. Rose's fondness for Ah Nin grew, but to her dismay, her flirtations and advances were met with cold, uncomfortable responses. She couldn't understand it. "I'm so attractive... why isn't my beauty doing anything for him?"

They were driving back from a dinner celebration that night.

"Congratulations again, Chris." Rose smiles.

"You deserve some credit too. Your designs are really innovative."

"My designs coupled with your skills... we're unbeatable."

He grins.

"Imagine what the product would be if our genes were combined."

It was a red light. Ah Nin breaks abruptly and looks at Rose.

"Chris, what's wrong?"

"Rose, I think we have to clear something up."

"Huh?" She looked at him with curiosity.

"I know you like me."

Rose blushes. "Chris! You should know better than to confront a girl about her feelings... especially when you're alone with her in a car. I'm shy!"

"We can never be," he answers simply. The light turned green. He pushes on the gas pedal.

"What? What do you mean?"

"I'm sorry, Rose. We're great as friends, so let's not ruin that."

"But why? Surely you've sensed our chemistry! We're so good together. Everyone says it."

"Good as friends. Please, Rose. Just stop."

"Are you gay?" Rose blurts out.

Ah Nin pulls the car to the side of the road and puts on the emergency blinkers. He looks at Rose and answers simply, "No."

"But if you're not, how come you're not the least bit attracted to me... or any girl from what I've seen? It doesn't make any sense. You don't have a girlfriend and you're not married. I don't get it."

"If you don't believe me, then fine, but don't slander my character."

"Chris, I think you owe me an explanation. This is the first time anyone has turned me down." Rose starts to cry.

Ah Nin hands her a tissue. "The truth is..." Ah Nin sighs.

"What is it?"

"I've lost that 'feeling'."

"What feeling?"

"You know, the one when you know you're in love... or at least you feel strongly about someone else."

"So are you asexual?"

He shakes his head. "No. There's only one girl who gives me that feeling."

"She must be really special."

"Oh, she is. You don't know how many times she slapped, misunderstood, and yelled at me."

Rose laughs. "And yet you love her so deeply?"

"She is such a sweet girl, really."

"Who is she?"

"Her name is Joey. She's the daughter of my ex-boss at 'Ka Yan'."

"Oh, well aren't you something? Going after the boss's daughter!"

"I didn't know. None of us knew. She hid her identity. She's really silly, that Joey."

"I don't get it. If you love her so much, why aren't you two together?"

"She doesn't remember me. She lost her memories in a car accident we got into the moment after we got together."

Rose covers her mouth. "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry to hear that."

"Like that, everything we went through was wiped clean. She could only remember how much she hated me. I was devastated. Even more, one of my best friends manipulated her into believing that he was her true love. He used the memories I told him about us... I had to leave Hong Kong. I had to leave it all behind. I wanted a fresh start in Shanghai. I didn't know that feelings are so hard to erase. I can't forget Joey. It will take a car accident coupled with amnesia to do the trick." He laughs. "My heart can only hold her in it, no one else."

Rose sobs. "I'm so sorry Chris."

"Now do you understand? You're a great girl but I'm just unlucky in love."

"Completely."

"All right. Let's get you home."

Rose looked at Ah Nin as he drove. An idea formulated in her head. She gives a conniving smile.

[End of Flashbacks]

"I thought I could make you love me. I thought that we could be so happy together. I thought..." she laughs hysterically. "Oh, I thought so many things..."

Rose throws the pieces of photographs into the air. They fall down to the ground like pieces of confetti. "Kam Nin, there's no more love between us. I won't protect you anymore. I won't let Joey have you either. You'll have to bring our secret to the grave too." She laughs. "This is the price you have to pay for treating me like this. You could have been blessed, but no..."

spotlight: "the price of greed"

I always get excited when my favorite producers [namely Mui Siu Ching and Tsui Yu On] start work on a new series. In the case of The Price of Greed, I was very intrigued by the concept and "feel" of the series since the costume fitting. Everything from the premise of the storyline and characterizations to the title [Cheen Fong Bak Gai means "a thousand lies, a hundred plots"] seemed very interesting to me. I couldn't wait to watch the series. I was apprehensive and doubtful of the female cast, but Price has two capable male leads and a strong supporting cast.

I was disappointed when Price was warehoused because I wanted Producer Tsui to get another shot at having another hit post-Virtues of Harmony after the deservedly mediocre-performing The Biter Bitten [which I disliked aside from a certain cast member's scenes because it has a poor, inconceivable, illogical script]. I was real confident about Price; however, when reviews started coming in that the series was "boring" and "draggy," I was disheartened. Ultimately, this caused me to lose all faith I had in the series as well as with Producer Tsui. However, some people praised Price and many agreed the second half was pretty good. Therefore, I knew I couldn't give the series up. I couldn't deny one of my favorite producers a chance to prove himself.

I reluctantly started watching Price. I wasn't excited about it and had little hopes about the series. My pessimism soon changed once I started watching the series. I was shocked to discover that I was quite enjoying Price. The series was absolutely gorgeous on an aesthetic level, interesting, and charming. By the time I reached the second half of the series, I knew I was in love with Price. Things just got better and better and I was on the edge of my seat dying to watch the next episode. Price is a truly spectacular series with wonderful writing. It is the best series I've seen in a long time (since Forensic Heroes). I am shocked by how much this underrated and low-budget series has impressed and satisfied my thirst for great entertainment.

Strong points about Price...

The storyline is truly great. It's clever, witty, and poignant. It keeps you guessing. You never know what the "truth" really is and what's a "lie." It's exciting and really engages the viewer.

The relationship and chemistry among "To" (Bosco Wong - his performance was likable enough, but uninspiring and rather bland [possibly because Bosco himself for whatever reason is not fond of Price] and his hair looked really weird and out-of-place for the time period), "Mooi" (Shirley Yeung), and "Lo Leung" (the incredible and under-used and under-rated Kingdom Yuen) was charming, touching, humorous, and incredibly sweet! I loved watching their interactions. It provided a nice contrast to the dark drama that was happening with the con-artists and the Lam family.

There are lots of breath-taking scenes that are well-shot and memorable. Seriously, there are some very nice, innovative scenes in this series. For example, I loved the scene of how "Ping" (Kate Tsui) and "Fung" (Sammul Chan - I've really warmed up to Sammul as his acting has improved a lot and he did justice to his role) met again; the whole "candle lighting" and "Christmas" theme was really pretty. I must say the costumes adorned by the cast give the series a very "glamorous" feel.

The insights on conning are fascinating. You will learn quite a bit!

The way the series is executed, filmed, and paced is so good (particularly in the second half). The way Price managed to make the series so suspenseful and exciting up until the very end was really commendable. I was literally at the edge of my seat for the last few episodes.

The ending was good. Unlike most other TVB endings these days, it wasn't rushed. Everything was solved and it was logical and suitable. It was a wonderful ending to match a great series.

Weak points about Price...

In the first 7 episodes with "Ping" going crazy, they kept showing her nightmare over and over again. Not only does the nightmare make "Ping" go crazy, it makes the viewer go crazy too seeing the repetitive scenes over and over again. Although her nightmare was symbolic, it was too excessive.

Overall, there were too many unnecessary flashbacks. I always hate watching flashbacks (except for when they are actually important). Price overdid it on the flashbacks. They kept showing "Ping" thinking back on her fond, "loving" memories with "Fung" [I mean, I understand their point in showing her reflect on her memories because she truly loved "Fung" and had difficulty accepting that he lied to her the whole time... but come on!]. They also practically replayed every single encounter of "Fung" and Vivien Yeo's character in that one flashback when they got together. I was a bit bored seeing all of the flashbacks, especially when the current happenings in the plot were so exciting.

Last, but not least, the acting is weak on the female side. With stronger actresses, I think Price would have been more convincing and even better. Shirley, Kate, and Vivien did "acceptable" [I use this term loosely] jobs in their roles. I commend Shirley for learning sign language and the violin. She still over-acted and her acting was somehow the same as other series, but I have to say that she is really adorable in this series. You can't help but like her because of her character. Kate was stunningly pretty! I think it was all of her lovely costumes, but in any case, she looked really radiant and glamorous. Her acting wasn't convincing for such a challenging role, but Kate did put in her efforts. Vivien is cute, but I am still not a fan of her acting. She acts the same as she did in her debut in Sunshine Heartbeat - shy, reserved, and almost afraid to speak. I know she's working hard on learning/perfecting her Cantonese, but the language barrier really affects her performance. It was just too unnatural and fake. Luckily, her scenes were limited.

Final thoughts
I highly recommend The Price of Greed. I enjoyed every minute of it. It is a strong show. You must have patience with the series and be observant in order to appreciate it. Don't let the seemingly "slow" beginning discourage you [I didn't think it was "slow" nor "boring," but I can understand those people who thought it was]. Price is a rewarding series and a truly a gem.

It is a fantastic series worthy of a viewing! It far exceeded my expectations and really has won a place as one of my favorite series. Price is a commendable effort from Producer Tsui and has made me confident in his story-telling capability again. Price may not have breath-taking foreign scenes or big A-list stars, but it has what most TVB series of recent times lack - which is heart and it managed to hook me into the storyline. It doesn't need all of those "flashy" things to distract viewers and hide a lack of storyline because Price has a strong script with a point to tell and it is genuine and meaningful. It is really satisfying through and through - I love this series!

Rating:

off-stage drama #1

Off-Stage Drama is a new on-going feature that tells the stories of drama that goes on behind-the-scenes. Stars are people and with people involved, there's bound to be jealousy, rivalries, and clashing personalities. The press feeds on these conflicts. [Please note that this feature is not 100% factual. They are based on rumors as reported by the media.]




Nancy Sit versus Lee See Kei

Rumors of disharmony between these two veterans date back to their collaboration on TVB's longest running production and only true soap opera, A Kindred Spirit. For whatever reason, the media reported that they didn't get along. Perhaps a rivalry of some sort existed between the two. I'm not clear as this is dating back to ten years ago. Kindred came to an end mainly because Lee See Kei, who played the main mother on the show, was diagnosed with cancer. Aside from that, ratings were becoming stale and TVB wanted the show to go out with a bang. It's also said that Nancy and Lee See Kei's conflicts led to Kindred's end.



After the series concluded, Nancy directed a stage show for Kindred, focusing on real-life issues and untold stories of the cast members. The storyline takes place years later and it's reported that the story revolved around Lee See Kei and Nancy coming to terms with their issues and making peace. I'm not sure if the storyline is about their characters in Kindred or their real life drama. In any case, the disharmony between the two of them finally came to an end and they made nice. [As it should, cancer trumps everything else.]

Now, seven years later, new bitter seeds have been planted again...

The role of "Dai Kai"
The grand production Heart of Greed is currently the hot topic of Hong Kong with high ratings and rave reviews. It is red hot in Hong Kong and overseas, with much discussion. Everyone in the cast is seeing a boost in their popularity. In particular, Lee See Kei, who makes her comeback to the entertainment industry after defeating cancer, is being most well-received. She hasn't appeared in a series since Kindred, so people are happy to see her back. People rave at her performance and love her character. Indeed, "Dai Kai" is a special role and touched many hearts and left a solid impression for Lee See Kei. Lee See Kei also has the 80-episode blockbuster The Gem of Life to even further her popularity. Things are looking very bright for this comeback star.

However, it turns out that Lee See Kei wasn't the first choice for the role.

In fact, "Dai Kai" was originally given to Nancy! It was reported recently in a Canadian newspaper (when Nancy was there to do some promotion) that TVB gave the role of "Dai Kai" to Nancy in the beginning. However, Nancy had to go do a health promotion and needed to take a few days off. It is directly because of these "few days" that TVB re-casted "Dai Kai" and gave it to Lee See Kei. Consequently, Nancy lost the chance to play "Dai Kai" - a role TVB had promised to her but ultimately took away.

Nancy says she is happy for Lee See Kei, but you can tell she is upset. Aside from her radio show The World's Family ("Ga Tin Ha"), Nancy has faded away from the limelight after ending her beloved role as "Yau Nim Chi" in Virtues of Harmony. She has filmed one series since then, but Heavenly In-Laws was upsettingly warehoused. Nancy has been with TVB for many years, but doesn't have the "big sister" position as do Liza Wang, Dodo Cheng, and even Lee See Kei. It's a wonder when Nancy will make her comeback at TVB. [On a side note, she doesn't want to film that much since filming series is hard work.]

It is a shame that Nancy lost the chance to play "Dai Kai" and reap all of the benefits of such a portrayal. You really cannot blame her for being bitter or upset over such a loss.

And such... is the off-stage drama between Nancy and Lee See Kei.

You Speak!
Was it wrong of TVB to just recast "Dai Kai" like that because Nancy Sit had other arrangements to attend to? Who would you rather have play "Dai Kai?"

behind linda chung's glamour

Transforming in her growth, Linda Chung unceasingly makes every effort to improve in her bright future

Behind Linda Chung's Glamour - Depression Becomes Crazy

[Mingpao 24/05/07]


In other people's eyes, 23 year-old Linda Chung Ka Yan is a lucky girl. The 2004 "Miss Chinese International" pageant winner entered the entertainment industry and in three short years has filmed over 10 series, with a significant part in each series. She quickly became one of TVB's new 'fa dan' (leading lady) with a bright future. This causes people to be envious. However, behind the glamour, it turns out that Linda, who left Vancouver alone in order to develop in Hong Kong, experienced a time when she felt so helpless that she was depressed and ill! Luckily, everything smoothly passed and today Linda happily enjoys the success after the suffering.


In 'Best Bet'

Michael Tse Tin Wah describes Linda as an 'Iron Woman.' Soon after being crowned "Miss Chinese International," Linda received strong support to join Virtues of Harmony II and act as "Hung Bak Lam." In the next three years, she filmed series after series. She knows that opportunities aren't easy to come by. However, the Vancouver-raised, simple-minded girl said there was a time when she found it hard to handle the immense stress.

Enduring suffering makes success sweeter
"At that time, I was alone in Hong Kong. Every day, after work, I'd come home and there'd be no one to talk to. I'd start thinking too much. It was painful and really useless! I'd open the refrigerator and it was empty. There was nothing to eat! Crap! In the early morning at 6 AM, I'd have to go to work all over again. I still didn't have a chance to wash my clothes yet! After I returned home, I'd try yelling loudly, 'I'm about to blow! Someone kill me!' At that point, I was really nearing depression. There are many artists who have similar experiences. They could go out drinking to loosen up. At that time, I was buried in work. The more changes that came, the unhappier I got. However, looking back now in the present, there's no doubt that it was painful, but actually, I should be happy because of my luck. Besides my many opportunities, my pairings were all good. From the start, no one suited or bothered me. There weren't any problems at work. Why should I be unhappy? However, if it wasn't for those days, perhaps right now I would be very haughty! I really appreciate and enjoy my accomplishments."



Self-watched to be a 'good' girl
In the course of 3 years of acting, at first, people criticized Linda's acting as bad and that she had a 'chicken' voice. She gradually improved and gained the audience's approval. Every time she hears praises, Linda feels it is the greatest reward. "Right now the audience gradually thinks that I am improving. I am not too exaggerated or stiff. I hope I can be even more natural in my acting. I know my own issues. Presently I'm only at my progressing stage. I still have to work even harder." In the future, Linda hopes to have the opportunities to try out more different roles in movies and sing.

Linda is recognized as the entertainment industry's "good" girl with a pure nature. She hasn't had negative press to destroy her image. "I always watch over myself. I frequently chat online with my parents and will keep my roots. They don't like me drinking, going out late, or making weird friends. I listen to them. A stable person can make things more beautiful."

Hard to forget family of five
Linda frankly says that her attachment to her family is great. Although her family's circumstances were impoverished in her childhood, the family's warmth was gathered in the same place. In her life, Linda will never forget her happy childhood. "I was born after my parents immigrated to Vancouver. At that time, we were very poor. With my older sister and brother, our family of five rented a very small room. We didn't have luxuries. The whole family slept in the same place, the feeling was so warm. Nothing materialistic could compare to it. My parents worked painstakingly to earn money to provide the best environment for my brother, sister, and I to grow up and study. I think it's already enough if us five have good health."


In 'Virtues of Harmony II'

It's dumb not to bargain buying fresh produce
Her upbringing influences her, so Linda understands that it's very difficult to earn money. That's why she doesn't spend frivolously. She currently rides the subway and bargains when she shops, but she emphasizes that she only gets what is necessary. Newspapers have called her a "Thrift Sister" because she only spends $24 HK a day. "Sometimes I will take a taxi to work and buy a lunch box! Sometimes I will buy drinks, fresh fruits, and order a small plate to watch how other people act. However, I won't carelessly buy very expensive necklaces or garments. Unless it is practical, then I will consider it. Actually, I am very thick-skinned. I don't mind bargaining. It's like buying fruits, if you don't bargain, it's dumb! Being an artist is still a person, there's no need to make a division. People who understand clearest are inside the industry. There isn't a reporter who doesn't bargain!" Linda believes that being ordinary is happiness.


Simple-minded and genuine 'Dak Dak Dei' gives people a feeling of security

Liking "Dak Dak Dei"
One is a pure and sympathetic "Dak Dak Dei" (Moses Chan Ho) and one is "Ching Leung" (Raymond Lam Fung), who has deep feelings, but actually endures arguments. If you were Heart of Greed's "Seung Joi Sum," who would you choose? In real life, Linda would pick "Dak Dak Dei" because she is a girl who strongly needs a sense of security. She hopes there is a man who allows her to be at ease and she can rely on.

Doesn't seek fame and fortune, doesn't need luxury
"I am quite passive, so I need someone who can push me and take care of me. It's not important whether or not he has money, in my eyes it's all the same. I don't need fame, fortune, or luxuries. The most important thing is that he has to care about me. 'Ching Leung' can easily touch his girlfriend with sweet actions. However, there are times when he is very cold. I don't want someone who is so cold. 'Dak Dak Dei' always appears in times when I most need him. He's quite good."


'Shui Mak Mak' offered herself up to 'Ching Leung' and annoyed the audience and was criticized as a slut

Before, the plot talked about Yoyo Mung Ka Wai's "Shui Mak Mak" becoming a third person by invading the relationship of "Ching Leung" and "Seung Joi Sum." Carrying on, the villainous "Sai Kai" Susanna Kwan Guk Ying is cursed angrily by audiences as a vixen. Linda says, "It's acting! If it were me who experienced this kind of thing [as my character], I would be very upset. I would break up. However, if I know that he feels remorse, then perhaps I will give him another chance. If it happens a second time, I won't."


'Ching Leung' and 'Seung Joi Sum' always argue, causing people to feel fed up

"Seung Joi Sum" has once been criticized as being very annoying, cries whether or not she's moved, and being too obsessive. Linda takes "Seung Joi Sum"'s defense: "In fact, 'Seung Joi Sum' represents very much many girls' experiences. Once they've invested in a relationship, they will lose logic. For no reason at all they are angry and unreasonable. Furthermore, if they find out there's another party, [you expect that] they won't cry? I've had a number of girlfriends who became so thin after they've been heart-broken. It turns out that the pain of losing love is very big! For the time being, Linda has only experienced love once in Vancouver. She still hasn't really understood the strong grip of love's charm.


In 'Always Ready'

Carefully selecting a boyfriend, scared to wrongly choose
Linda frankly says that she longs for marriage. It is her goal in the future to have a happy family that is her propelling force. "I understand that 'fate' can be met, but not pursued. Although I really want to quickly have a boyfriend, but being anxious won't work. I don't want to choose wrongly, so I have to be careful in selecting." Usually, when she meets a gentleman who she has feelings for, she will observe him for quite some time. After understanding his character, she will then consider again.


"Miss Chinese International" 2004 Linda is a success story

Pageant winner, progressing in rank quickly
Linda was born on April 9, 1984 in Vancouver and was a 2nd year student at UBC. She went from a "Cover Girl" to the pageant winner of "Miss Vancouver." In 2004, she represented Vancouver in the "Miss Chinese International" pageant and won. This was her path to becoming an actress. Her first series was Virtues of Harmony II acting as "Hung Bak Lam." She received great support and had a part to act in series which include Always Ready, Forensic Heroes, Heart of Greed, The Gem of Life, and many other major series. In 2006, Linda was branded as "Queen of Newcomers." In that same year, she won "Most Improved Actress" at the TVB Anniversary. Her future is full of endless potential. In terms of her love life, she was once rumored with Ekin Cheng Yi Gin, Moses Chan, Raymond Lam, and so on by the press. Linda says that none of it is true. Her love life is still a white, empty sheet.


Linda hasn't let the entertainment industry corrupt her

My thoughts: I never imagined that Linda would have another full-length interview/article so soon. I have to say that these long articles don't scare me anymore. In fact, I find translating them easier the more I do them. It's all worth it for Linda's sake. Heart of Greed is really doing wonders for her career and is boosting her popularity and credibility in many different areas - and I'm loving it! She's starting to see the harvest of all of her hard work.

This was another good article. It's again quite positive and representative of her career thus far. However, I am getting a bit tired of how all of the articles on her so far are so similar. It's like rehashing and repetitive. Still, it's a nice piece regardless because there are some pieces of new information. Besides, you can never complain about 'too much' good press. I love the interview pictures that Mingpao shot of Linda for this interview. She looks really good. The one thing that I like about this article that sets it apart is that it truly does expose what's behind the "glamour" of being a star (in this case, with Linda). People think that celebrities have it so easy, but from Linda's recounts, it is a difficult job. To stay in this business, you have to be at the top of your game at all times because very little people are "irreplaceable."

Linda surely has a good head on her shoulders. She hasn't changed one bit since entering the industry three years ago. She's still so sweet to us fans. She is truly a humble girl and it shows in all of her interviews. She isn't haughty and continues to work hard to perfect her craft. I eagerly wait what the future has to hold for her.

P.S. - Linda, if you don't mind a brother/sister relationship, hit me up. I fit your descriptions of your 'dream boy' exactly... well besides the height thing. But that's okay because we can work things out. Haha I'm just kidding! I feel content enough having the chance to 'know' you by being your fan.

chapter 163: the morning after

[Kam Family Apartment]

It was the morning after the "big night." Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) was still asleep. For the first time in years, Nim Chi (Nancy Sit) didn't have the spirit in her to go out for her morning exercise. After she returned home last night, the family told her everything. She was busy in the kitchen that morning, cooking all of Ah Nin's favorite breakfast food. She quietly sobbed as she poured the oil into the wok. Her tears hit the hot wok and exploded upon contact, splashing her face. "Ouch!"

She goes over to the sink and washes her face, dabbing it dry with a paper towel. "I can't be like this. I've cried all of last night. I have to be strong... for Ah Nin's sake."

It was around 7:30 AM when everyone was gathered around for breakfast. Ah Nin was still in bed.

"Do you want me to go wake up big brother?" Ah Yuet (Michael Tse) asks.

"No. Let him rest," Nim Chi shakes her head.

"We have work in less than two hours..." Ying Gei (Yvonne Lam) comments.

"Which is why you shouldn't drink during the weekday, isn't that right?" Gam (Louis Yuen) laughs.

Nim Chi gives him a stern look.

Gam coughs, "But of course, there are exceptions, such as finding out your fiancé is a murderer and brainwashed you into loving her."

Ah Yat (Joyce Chen) sighs. "I hope big brother can make it through this."

"He will," Nim Chi says confidently. She looks around and notices Ah Sing (Hawick Lau) is missing from the table. "Ah Sing hasn't come down yet?"

"No and big big brother didn't have dinner with us last night either," Ah Yat answers.

Ying Gei sighs, "The two eldest sons are both suffering from depression."

"They have bad taste in women," Ah Lo (Bondy Chiu) retorts. "One chose a nut and the other chose a psycho."

"Ah Lo!" Nim Chi hisses.

"You're so low-class, second sister-in-law. It's much too soon right now to be making jokes. The situation is still tender," Ah Yat says.

They heard a sound coming from the bedrooms. Ah Nin was awake. He scratches his head as he emerges from his bedroom. "Oh, is everyone up already?" he yawns as he peaks his head into the dining room.

"Ah Nin." Nim Chi smiles. Everyone else also greet him.

"Wow! I'm so popular?"

"Yep. Hurry up and take a shower and come have breakfast. Ma Chi made all of your favorites today," Ah Yat grins.

"All right." Ah Nin walks towards the bathroom and closes the door.

"I can't believe he's going to work today," Ah Lo whispers.

"Why?"

"Well, if I were him, I'd take at least a few days off! I mean, after such an event, you can't help but be mentally unstable and unfit for work!" Ah Lo answers.

"You're so lazy second sister-in-law," Ah Yat shakes her head.

"Ah Nin is hard-working," Gam retorts.

Suddenly, the doorbell rings.

"Oh geez. Who is here now at this hour?" Ah Lo asks.

"Don't tell me we're going to take forever to open the door again," Gam rolls his eyes.

"Yes, this is why you need to open it right now!" Ah Lo urges.

"I opened it last night!" Gam yells.

Nim Chi stands up in disgust. "How many times are we going to have this discussion? There are how many people in this house? Let this old woman open the door then!"

A "DHL" employee waited with a big package on the other side of the door. "I'm looking for Rose Suen Seung Sum," he says.

The apartment grows silent upon the mention of Rose's (Kenix Kwok) name.

"Is she here?"

Nim Chi nervously signs for the package and says "Thanks." She carries the box inside and puts it on the coffee table.

"Ma Chi, why did you sign for it?" Ah Yuet asks.

"I didn't know what to do. Maybe it's something important for Rose."

"You could have sent it back. We have no more relationship with her," Gam insists.

"Let's open it!" Ah Lo suggests.

"It's not ours! We shouldn't touch it," Nim Chi urges.

"She's never stepping foot back into this house again. Who cares?" Ah Lo gets up and starts opening up the box.

"Second sister-in-law, you continue to prove you are so low-class."

"Oh my god! They're dresses!" Ah Lo exclaims when she manages to open the box.

Upon the mention of beautiful dresses, Ying Gei and Ah Yat rush over.

"Ah! I remember." Ah Yat snaps her fingers. "Rose told us she had some couture dresses coming in the mail for us."

"Oh, that's right! They're fabulous!" Ying Gei puts a lavender dress up against her body and twirls around.

"That's mine!" Ah Yat pulls a baby blue dress from Ah Lo's hand. "Rose knows you're not busty enough for this dress. It's embarrassing if you have to stuff your dress just to wear it."

"I didn't like it anyways! It's too 'low-class' for me! It suits you, who have played nobody hookers in past series."

"Even if I was a hooker, I'd earn a lot more money than you. Who wants to sleep with a 'woman' with the body of a 12-year-old boy?" Ah Yat snickers.

"That's enough!" Nim Chi intervenes. "We should return these dresses. It's not right to keep them."

Ying Gei, Ah Lo, and Ah Yat hold on tightly to their dresses. "No way! We deserve some compensation for all of the trouble she has caused our family."

["Ka Yan" Company]

Lily (Rain Lau), Sugar (Yau Ching), and GiGi (Josephine Shum) crowd around Ah Yuet, Ah Lo, Gam, and Ying Gei as they gossiped about Rose.

Lily shudders, "This is why I say that beautiful women can't be trusted!"

"'Yan Soh Soh' was so right when she said the more beautiful the woman, the deadlier she is." Sugar sighs. "Good thing I'm beautiful, but slow!"

GiGi sighs, "I feel so sorry for Chris. I can't believe he came to work today."

"Maybe Joey (Bernice Liu) can be with Chris now!" Sugar says.

"He just had his heart broken! He needs time to heal first," Lily insists.

"But we all know that Joey and Chris loved each other so much. They'll get back together in time," Sugar urges.

GiGi shrugs. "Chris was brainwashed by Rose and he can't remember Joey."

"This is so much like a TVB drama," Ying Gei comments.

"If life was a TVB drama, then things won't be as complicated as they are right now. Fiona would return to normal, Ah Nin would get over Rose like that and be with Joey... life could be resolved and happy again within a few episodes, isn't that right?" Gam asks.

"I'm disappointed we can't go to Shanghai now that the wedding's off..." Lily sighs.

Man Gwai Fei (Stephanie Che) fakes a cough and taps her high-heels on the floor. "What the hell is going on here? Are we paying you people to crowd around and gossip? Look at Ah Sing! Now he's an example of what you should all be doing... working! Now get to work!" she screams. She notices the empty chair in front of her. "Where is Rose?"

Ah Lo replies, "She's not coming back."

"What?!" Gwai Fei shrieks. "I have a million orders to work on!"

"You wish." Gam rolls his eyes.

"What was that? Lily, type Lau Gam here a warning letter!"

"Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean it."

"Too late! So where the hell is Rose?" Gwai Fei asks again.

Ah Lo shrugs her shoulders. "Running away from the law perhaps? She did murder someone a couple of days ago and she attempted to kill someone else last night."

"Oh my god! Spill the beans!" Gwai Fei pulls up a chair as she walks next to Ah Lo.

Ah Lo told her about Rose's murder of Ah Hoi and how she tried to kill Joey last night. Gwai Fei laughs in satisfaction hearing the juicy gossip. "I knew it! I always hated that wench. She is a real slime. How conniving and evil! Ha, ha, ha!" She claps her hands. "And you people dare to say I'm evil? I am a saint!"

"Yes, of course, Miss Man!" the "Ka Yan" employees say in unison.

"Damn right! Get to work!" Gwai Fei laughs as she makes her way back into her office to munch on a chicken leg.

a "maiden's" choice

I recently finished Maidens' Vow. As seems to be the case with most endings these days, the ending left viewers with an "open-ended" ending. Did Dai Sze Ga (Charmaine Sheh) ultimately choose to marry Fong Ga On (Joe Ma), who was waiting for her at the chapel confident she would come, or not?

Before I discuss my interpretation on the ending, I want to first reflect on Maidens' portrayal of marriage for women through the last century.

In the 1900's, women were forced into marriage. Marriage was the only way they could survive. Being unmarried or married at a late age was a shameful thing and most unmarried women suffered a hard life. They were viewed as incapable of making their own living; they had to rely on their husband to live and their only duty was to raise a family. With the fall of the monarchy in China and the invasion of Western culture, new ideas started to emerge, especially in terms of love and women's rights. The shocking thought of "free love" was sought after by young girls. They wanted to marry the person they chose, much to the displeasure of the older generation. In the 1960's, arranged marriages were gone and free marriage was the only way to go. Women were still expected to be a good housewife, but they began to have itches. Housework bored them and they hated being captured in their house, so they longed to go into the workplace and have a "life" other than being a wife. This idea strained some marriages because for his woman to work, this means the man was incapable of providing for her - a thought husbands wouldn't have. In current times, marriages come and go. Divorce rates are high and the value of "marriage" seems to have lost a lot of meaning. Nevertheless, most people still want to get married.

Sze Ga lost faith in "marriage" and thought that only "idiots" would get married. Of course, this isn't mean to say she doesn't believe in "love"; Sze Ga is a passionate romantic. She loves being in love. She fatefully got to know Ga On and fell deeply in love with him, spending several months happily "living together." "Cohabitation" is a new concept that emerged with modern times. Couples would live together just as any other married couple would do... without the marriage. It's a revolutionary concept and serves as a way for some couples to test whether or not they can stand being "married." However, statistics show that cohabitation prior to marriage has a significantly higher rate of that marriage ending in divorce. Sze Ga and Ga On began to have problems resulting from misunderstandings, so they broke up and Sze Ga moved out.

Their "fate" didn't end there though; Sze Ga discovered she was pregnant. At first, she was going to abort, but the thought of losing her child made her change her mind. She was going to a single mom. The "single mom" is also a new idea that came out in modern times. It is a bold move for a woman to raise a child on her own, especially with all of the financial implications of raising a child these days. However, as more modern women lose faith in men, but still love children, they opt to be a "single mom" instead. Some women even go so far as having a child on their own - a radical "self-fertilization." Sze Ga happily raised her child, but as the heavens decided (or rather the TVB writers) that Ga On came back and learned that he was the father of the baby. She slowly lets him back into her life.

Finally, their misunderstandings are cleared and Sze Ga and Ga On reignite their love. The family of three spends blissful days together - still without a marriage certificate. Ironically, the roles are reversed for this modern couple. It is the guy who wants marriage and it is the girl who refuses. Ga On has always wanted to be married because it gives him the security of being a "family" - something he desires. Ga On knows that there is no other lady than Sze Ga for him. He persistently suggests that she marry him, but in vain. Finally, he makes one last request and tells her that he'll meet her at the chapel, where it will be an unelaborated ceremony. He knows she doesn't like to be flashy, so he wants the ceremony to just be between the two of them.

He waits for her at the chapel. The priest grows impatient and asks if she's going to come. He answers confidently that she would. However, Sze Ga is nowhere near the chapel. Instead, she's at The Phoenix, feeling carefree and happy, reflecting on her ancestors and their trials and tribulations with marriage. Abruptly, she seems a rainbow. In a previous episode, her great-great-grandmother, Ngai Ju Fung, told her that whenever a "rainbow" appears, it means that it's the right decision. Then, she turns around and sees a bright white light and a phoenix coming out of the elevator. She smiles self-assuredly and the ending credits roll.

So what happened next? It's up to each individual viewer to decide.

I believe that Ga On - her true happiness - comes out of the elevator. He accepts her decision not to marry. After all, like she said, if the only difference that would happen to their relationship once they were "married" was a marriage license, then what was the point? She felt that marriage was too "binding" and "suffocating" and she feared that their good relationship might be strained or ruined consequently. Therefore, I believe that Sze Ga will not marry Ga On. Instead, the two will embody everything that marriage symbolizes without the marriage license. Ironically, these two probably show how marriage is supposed to be better than "married" couples. They trust and love each other unconditionally... and what could be better?

Furthermore, the [corny] "rainbow" confirmed her decision. It made her assured that she made the right choice in not going to the chapel to get married because the decision was made from her heart. It's a happy ending and also the best way to conclude the series. As Sze Ga always says, the only thing that matters is happiness in love and this maiden's happiness in this case comes from not choosing marriage.

My opinion: I thought that Maidens' did a passable job at portraying the concept of "marriage" through the ages. The highlight of this series is without a doubt the entire 4th generation. The writing was snappy and fast-paced and it was realistic and meaningful. I felt that the first two eras were too pretentious, shallow, and sickeningly clichéd. A major flaw of the 2nd generation is that they lose the characterization of Wong Jee Gwan after she elopes with Li Gat Cheung. Suddenly, Jee Gwan becomes so soft. It was like they were two different people. However, Charmaine looked absolutely stunning in the 2nd half of the 2nd generation. The 3rd generation was way too silly for me. Although there were some cute and funny moments, that generation was too draggy. The final quarter of the series redeems Maidens' and takes it home for the team.

The cast acted the best in this era and it was ingenious. For the first time in a long time, Charmaine's acting was impressive because the role was different and she was very convincing. I have to say she looked so pretty after her make-over. Joe was disappointing. After his breakthrough in The Conquest, I expected so much more... Perhaps it was due to bad characterizations, but Joe retreated from commanding the screen to more mediocre and rather bland performances.

Going back to the plot, the 4th generation shocked me with how provocatively sexual it was (however, if it wasn't, it wouldn't be as representative of modern times). Overall Maidens' is a relatively mediocre to underperforming series. The 4th generation is Maidens' saving grace because it is fantastic story-telling with multi-facet characters and it ties the series together wonderfully; I just didn't care for the first 23 episodes. Watching the 4th generation only would suffice. The first three are the same old, same old with very little surprises and delights. Maidens' had the potential to be an amazing series because the concept of the "four generations" is innovative, but its execution ultimately causes the series to falter because of clichéd writing and poor characterizations (besides the last generation).

Rating:

linda chung's new role tests her acting

Linda Chung's New Role Tests Her Acting

[Ta Kung Pao 22/05/07]

In Linda Chung Ka Yan's new series Golden Destiny ("Kam Sek Leung Yuen"), she plays a very rude and vulgar Mongkok girl. Yesterday, she wore a very short skirt and revealed a fake tattoo on her waist.

Linda says that her role this time is also a breakthrough. Although she recently filmed the new series The Gem of Life in which she also acted as a spoiled and cunning woman, that role had a little bit of class in her badness. However, this role is very vulgar. She frankly says that usually she herself is very refined, so for her to act so vulgarly, she isn't used to it. She specifically went to Mongkok to understand how the girls there are.

When asked if she would get a tattoo in reality, Linda says she wouldn't because she's afraid of pain and she also knows that once you get a tattoo, it's very difficult to remove. In the series, she has to wear a bellybutton ring. In the past, Linda had wanted to wear a bellybutton ring, but ultimately gave up the thought. Her bellybutton ring is a paste-on.

Yesterday, Fala Chen Faat Lai appeared as a pregnant woman. She explains that in the series her character is a greedy and vain woman. She often relies on her looks and hopes to marry into a rich family. Finally, she loses her baby and will commit suicide. Fala thinks that this role is a great challenge for her. Recently, she asked her mommy for her opinion to understand how to act as a pregnant woman.

There are reports that TVB wants to use this series to strengthen Fala. Fala says that TVB really cares about her and gives her a lot of opportunities and that she will do her best. There are reports that her performance in Heart of Greed is too exaggerated, so her work was cut back. When asked how she'd act this time, Fala says that this role is different and she has a lot more parts [to act], so she will spend a lot of time to prepare before acting.

The cast also includes Steven Ma Chun Wai, Kent Cheng Jut Si, Elaine Yiu Chi Ling, Raymond Cho Wing Lim, etc.

Additional pictures

growing up; choices... (2)

[A continuation from part 1...]

The love triangle must end
Last summer, I entertained you guys with my witty love square. My "relationships" problem came to a surprising conclusion when I announced that I'd continue to cheat and be with both #1 and #2.

For the past year, I've stayed true to my decision and spread my time with #1 and #2. However, as time went by, my feelings really started to change. #2 continues to surprise me and I find that my feelings for her grow stronger and fonder. The more time I spend with her, the worse I feel about treating her like a "mistress" and keeping our relationship in the dark. She is willing to do so much for me and I've been with her most of the time since I've called a "break" with #1.

My feelings for #1 continue to die with each passing month. My disappointment grows and my displeasure being with her continues to pile. It is more than a chore now. The delights of our relationship have long passed. It's a dying cause with no hopes of a "comeback". In February 2007, I called for us to have "break" indefinitely. I really wanted to withdraw myself from this unhealthy relationship, but a part of me still nonsensically believes that perhaps "hope" still remains and that things can get better.

Summer is the time for love and now that I'm out of school, I find the big "love triangle" staring at me in the face.

Because I feel so strongly for #2 now, I should go back to her, right? Well... Being the indecisive and immature person that I am, I didn't.

I called #1 up and said that I felt it was "time" to get back together. She was thrilled. She had gotten a "make-over" and our future seemed really promising with plans that would come with her "make-over". I thought there was going to be major changes and that I'd be happy with her again... that we could have a future. I decided that I'd be faithful with #1 and see where things led. I didn't tell #2 that I had come back home.

As life would have it, I have to pass by #2's house every time I go to see #1. There's no way to bypass it. Every time I go to be with #1, I am absorbed with feelings of guilt and betrayal. I feel like I'm sneaking around. I feel like trash. She is so good to me, and yet I treat her so badly? My heart paces whenever I suspect that she might see me. It's as if #1 and #2 have reversed roles. #2 is now the "wife" and #1 is the "mistress" that I'm sneaking off to go be with. The only difference is that #2 knows about #1... only I lied and said that I had ended things with #1 to her (technically, I did end things... only it was a "break" and not a permanent break-up). I feel really cheap and horrible.

After a week of just being with #1, my unhappiness resurfaced almost instantly. Nothing changed. She still treats me poorly and I am getting fed up. She always lies and abuses me with false promises. I missed #2, but I was stuck with #1 for the time being. I made up my mind that I'd give #1 until June to see if there was any progress. If things remained bad, then that would be the final shot. I would end things and be faithful to #2. My plan didn't work out that way.

A few days ago, I ran into a "friend" of #2's. I knew that I would be screwed consequently because #2 would find out that I had come back... and not contacted her. My plan was ruined. Sure enough, #2 called me later that day, but I wasn't home - I was out with #1. It was at that point that I felt the strain and pressure of the love triangle. I had to make a decision. There would be no more time. The rules of the game had caught up to me. I couldn't continue stepping a foot on two boats.

When watching series, sometimes I get really annoyed with love triangles and how they seemingly drag on and on until the very last episode when there's finally a resolution. Now that I've been in one, I realize that it's not so easy to come to a conclusion. Regardless of the decision, at least one party is guaranteed to be hurt. It's difficult to decide who gets hurt.

Finally, last night, while thinking about #2's call, I came up with a decision.

I'm leaving #1. I'm tired of her games. Things are never going to change. The feelings have truly died long ago. I'm going to be faithful to #2 from now on. I really have to appreciate her for all that she's done for me and how well she has treated me. I am so grateful. #2 doesn't deserve to be treated like a mistress. I want to be out and open with her.

Today, I told #1 the news. I told her about #2. She was shocked as expected, but not as devastated or hurt as I had thought. Perhaps, I had overestimated her need of me all along. I'm going to get back together with #2. I'm done with the sneaking around. I'm done with the two-timing. It's all too stressful and painful.

My "love triangle" finally has an ending. It took me a whole year of being undecided, but I finally made a choice. This situation has made me realize that indecisiveness is a very immature and unprofessional thing. I should have made a decision much sooner rather than dragging the thing out. Communication and thinking must be clear and not ambiguous. I have to learn how to be a better decider and take risks, instead of playing it safe. You can't always have everything that you want and some people are just bound to get hurt regardless.

Just walk away
[This part is purposely vague. Only my close friends will know what it is talking about. If you want to know, ask me privately.]

It's a black hole
Negativity collects
Don't get sucked in
You already know
Just let it go
And walk away

I've decided. From today on, I won't fall back into the negativity. It's unnecessary pain and stress. I won't visit again. I will stay in euphoria. It's not denial because I know. I don't have to see it. I won't let negativity bring things down. Light will shine through and in the end, it won't matter. Let the black hole suck the negativity all up.

Epilogue: Choices, choices, choices
I suck at making choices. I absolutely hate it when the time comes for me to make my schedule for the next semester. I hate picking classes and times. I just hate it. It's so stressful and annoying, especially when I don't get the courses that I want, so my schedule is screwed up. When I'm at a restaurant, I'm usually one of the last people to order because I can't make up on my mind on what I want. I spend hours when shopping because I want to browse through everything. Truly, when presented with choices, I just take so long!

It's so easy to run away from problems rather than facing them head-on. Letting "time" heal situations is a coward's way of solving things. Sometimes, you really have to take matters into your own hands and be proactive about them. I've done a lot of running and prolonging, but now I think it's time for me to grow up.

However, I really am someone who is indecisive by nature. I can't make up my mind. Sometimes I just want it all so I can try a bit of everything. However, I know life doesn't work that way. Sometimes choices have to be clear and you can only have one thing. However, I am learning how to be more decisive instead of being so wishy-washy... and that's a choice that I've made.

growing up; choices... (1)

[I'm doing some introspective thinking, so the next two days will be personal posts. These are honest, raw confessions.]

Growth happens primitively, but maturing is an on-going process that requires thought and input. These days, I started to realize that perhaps I am not as "mature" as I thought. In three months, I will be twenty, but lately I've been acting like a kid. I failed to make decisions or made the wrong choices. I realize that I like to wallow in indecisiveness to keep things "the same", without realizing that nothing ever remains static...

Feeling ashamed; I think I can't, I think I can't
It's no secret that I've been struggling with Physics since the Fall 2006 semester. It was [is] my most feared and hated course. I didn't have any exposure to it in high school because I chose to take AP Chemistry and AP Biology instead. Okay, that's a lie. I took AP Physics for a month in high school and the experience was not good. I didn't understand it at all and the teacher was moving so fast and I had like a D in the class. I dropped it and switched to AP Biology where I did extremely well. However, that experience scarred me and my view of Physics has never been positive since.

From the beginning of the course, my attitude towards it has been negative and pessimistic. At first, I tried and paid attention in class. However, as the weeks passed and my grades kept getting lower, I started to feel helpless and put out less and less effort. I didn't do any of the practice problems. I didn't read the book. I "wanted" to, but I fell asleep every time I tried and felt that my time would be more beneficial dedicated to other classes. Furthermore, my apathy for the class started to grow dangerously. "Goody-two-shoes" me, for the first time in my academic life, skipped a few classes simply because I wanted to do other work or "felt tired". It was bad. However, after finishing up the first semester, I realized that Physics wasn't "so bad" and regretted not putting more effort towards it.

I made a declaration (on this blog as well) that I'd actually try and do much better in the second semester.

Spring 2007 semester came around. After the first week, my hate and disinterest for Physics came back and became even worse. There was a period of time where I didn't pay attention in lecture at all. I stopped taking notes at one point because I had no idea what was going on. I studied the night before the exams (I did this last semester too, but I still knew "some" stuff) which was very bad considering how I had no grasp on any of the material. There was a period where I would skip at least one class a week. I just...

I didn't feel like going because I was so lost. I didn't feel like trying anymore (not that I ever did) because I was doing so bad. It was hopeless I felt. "I think I can't, I think I can't" and so... I couldn't. I was willingly letting myself drown in a sea of doom and helplessness.

Finals' week arrived and the hard truth hit me that I was going into the final with a 55 exam average. The possibility that I would fail the class was high. I was scared. I went to my academic advisor (whom I am close with) and chatted with her about it... I totally broke down because she suggested that if I indeed did fail Physics, I would be kicked out of the Pharmacy program... It was the most ridiculous thing ever. There I was, someone who graduated in the top percentage of his class, was a consecutive Dean's list student, and with "practically" A's in all of his other courses... at the risk of expulsion?!

She asked me some things that were hard to hear... because it made me realize even further how much my predicament was a direct result of my own doing. Saying "Physics sucks, it hates me, the teacher is too hard, I don't understand, I don't get it," were all useless and childish excuses.

"I told you repeatedly to get help, why didn't you?"

I know this is a bad thing, but I have to admit that I am someone who doesn't like to ask others for help. I'd willingly help others, but I feel shameful to ask others. I hold high standards for myself. I like to believe that I can do anything that I put my heart behind. Getting a tutor would mean that I admit defeat. Yes, I am "proud" but I am not snobby or arrogant. The truth is, not only did my pride get in the way of me seeking a tutor for Physics, but also, I really had no interest to put effort into the course; I was stubborn and dumb.

"Why didn't you ask the professor for help if you were struggling so much?"

I was [am] ashamed. I never gave his class the time of day. I BS'ed and cheated on the online "pre-class" questions that he posted. [They only counted as participation points.] I stopped caring. I didn't listen to him in class. There was a point where I'd chat and joke around (which is rude). I made up all of my answers on exams, hoping that he'd give "pity points" because I had absolutely no idea how to do any of the problems. I couldn't face him. I felt so nervous and shameful whenever he passed out things to us individually. I felt bad... and rightfully so.

If I was him, I'd hate me too.

I didn't want to be expelled. I didn't want to leave the Pharmacy program because of a course that doesn't even pertain to my major. Part of the reason why I didn't put any effort into Physics was because it doesn't have anything to do with my future career.

I could go on and on about "reasons" why I didn't care about Physics, but the fact of the matter was that I was going into the final with an F. I had to pass the final to get at least a D- so I could stay in school...

The situation didn't look good. I hadn't "learned" a thing all semester. I floated through the course making things up and not paying attention. I knew that his final would contain mostly questions from this website and back tests, so I studied the night before (again) and tried to memorize answers. I knew it'd be impossible for me to "learn" a whole semester's worth of material, so I didn't even try to read my notes or "study"; it was too late.

The final was impossible. The questions looked familiar, but I had no idea how to answer them. For some of the questions, I had "glossed" over them when I was memorizing because there were simply too many questions on the website to "learn." I felt so angry. After going through the entire test, I was confident that I got at least a 30%... which wasn't good at all. I needed to pass it! Time was ticking...

Pretty soon, I gave up and just started guessing because I had no idea. I knew I was doomed. I had another final to study for the next day. I couldn't worry about it. What would happen would happen. It was not in my control. Like that, "fate" was in the hand of others. It was a dangerous thing and I felt so vulnerable. I want to hold my life within my own palm.

I had no one else to blame but myself. I made the decision not to try. I made the choice to give up. It was I who didn't care and I had to take responsibility and accept the consequences of my actions.

It took about a week until my Physics grade was out. [In the first semester, I managed to get a B-.] Those days were bad. I couldn't rest at ease even though school was out. I didn't know if I could come back to school. I could very well have failed because I know I did poorly on the final. I was scared out of my mind, but I couldn't tell anyone. I told my friends, but they all said I was overreacting and that I "had" to stay in because if I got kicked out, how could they stay in the program? No one understood the seriousness of my predicament (besides my advisor).

Finally, my grade was up.

I couldn't believe it... it was a C! Yes, I was shocked! This was beyond my wildest hopes (which, when dealing with Physics, was none). I was curious as to how I got the grade because I thought I did horrible on the final. I went to check what the grade on my final was, thinking that I must have done really well and guessed right to get a C... I couldn't have been more wrong. I got a 44 on my final. Yep... a 44 on my final and a 55 in exam average and I still got a C! I rejoiced. What was weird was that the professor didn't put a numerical value of my C. It was just a C. I don't care though. All I know is that I'm staying in the Pharmacy program! I didn't fail out. [All of my friends, who were doing as horribly as I was also got C's, which leads me to believe that there was a huge curve... or he felt bad and gave everyone C's. In any case, bless him and his kind heart! Thank you for having pity on us.]

I know it's not anything to be proud or happy about though because I don't "deserve" to pass. I practically failed the course based on my examinations and didn't learn a thing and put zero effort into it. Nevertheless, I am pretty darn happy that I don't have to ever see Physics again!

It was a very close call. I am very "lucky" as my name suggests.

Truly, self-confidence and belief makes a big difference. The adage "I think I can, I think I can" really does work. Because I believed I couldn't do Physics, my mindset was set on that and thus I didn't try nor devote any ounce of attention or care towards it.

Bad choices can really lead you down a dark and scary path. Sometimes, it's impossible to return. In my case, I kept falling deeper and deeper into an apathetic and pessimistic trap and found myself at a dead-end, with my fate at the mercy of "chance".

Continue and read part 2...

a "dicey" conspiracy?

What I'm about to say seems crazy, but after finishing Dicey Business, I can't help but think that a conspiracy occurred. What nonsense am I talking about? I believe that the supposed child of Bosco Wong ("Fu") and Tavia Yeung's ("Mei") character - "Fu Gwai jai" - is actually the child of Jessica Hsuan ("Wan") and Michael Miu's ("Choh") characters.

I know that sounds crazy, but I have my reasons for suspecting so.

Reason #1: There were hints that "Wan" was pregnant
"Wan" vomited the last time she gambled, which was shortly after she slept with "Choh" for the last time. "Vomiting" for no reason at all usually signals pregnancy in TVB series.

Reason #2: "Mei" never confirmed whether or not she was pregnant to "Fu"
"Fu" assumed "Mei" was pregnant because she asked one of Onisac's employees who had been on maternity leave her concerns regarding pregnancy. When confronted by "Fu," "Mei" said that the issue didn't concern him and that she didn't want to get back with him simply because of their "baby"; she acted strangely.

Reason #3: "Wan" went away without really saying why
In her final conversation with "Cheung" (Bobby Au-Yeung), "Wan" made it very clear that she had plans to go on a term-less vacation. She didn't say where she was going nor did she tell him why. She just said she had to go away for "awhile," which is very peculiar and suspicious indeed.

Reason #4: "Fu" wasn't there to witness "Mei" give birth
In the last few minutes, "Fu" lets us know that "Mei" was alone when she gave "birth" to "their" son.

Reason #5: "Fu Gwai jai" recognized "Wan"
Just before "Cheung" starts to hallucinate that he sees "Wan" again, "Fu Gwai jai" calls out "Wan." "Cheung" assumes that he's talking about the clouds ("wan" means "cloud") in the sky. However, at the very end, we see what appears to be "Wan" in the same dress that "Cheung" imagined when he "saw" her. The woman is approaching "Cheung" and the child and then the ending credits roll.

Conclusion: I strong believe that "Wan" went away in order to give birth and then secretly came back with her baby. I think that "Mei" was pretending to be pregnant in order to keep the secret for "Wan." I don't think she was ever pregnant at all. "Wan" confided to "Mei" that she was pregnant because she was the only person she could confide to. She couldn't tell her family members because they are too nosy. She didn't want to tell "Choh". She didn't want to let "Cheung" know she was pregnant with "Choh"'s baby because she knew it would crush him even more. She wanted to keep it from him in order to protect him because she hurt him too many times before. Consequently, she and "Mei" devised a plan so that "Mei" would feign a pregnancy and give "birth" for "Wan" and then take care of her baby as her own until "Wan" was ready to face the truth and come clean with everyone.

Those suspicious points above and the overall "feel" of the ending causes me to think that "Fu Gwai jai" is actually "Wan"'s baby with "Choh." It took "Wan" two years to come to terms with her actions and realize that she had to tell the truth. It wasn't fair to her baby, "Cheung," nor herself to keep deceiving everyone. I believe it is truly "Wan" who comes back in the end to reclaim her baby and tell "Cheung" the truth. Relationships are based on truth, so before the two of them can even consider getting back together, the truth must be out there and lucid. This is my take on the ending and it makes sense to me.

But what about...
In the grand finale, "Choh" tied "Wan" up and she fell... wouldn't that have caused her to miscarry the baby? In classic TVB scenario, pregnancies are miscarried when the woman falls and lands hard on the ground. In the case of "Wan," she fell on a mattress. I think that broke her fall and saved her pregnancy from being miscarried. Also, not every single fall causes a miscarriage.

Didn't "Cheung" confirm to "Fu" that "Mei" was pregnant with his child? There was a scene in which "Cheung" let "Fu" know that "Mei" had decided to raise her baby independently and didn't want "Fu" to be involved. Fu asks, "You know already?" Doesn't this negate my point that "Mei" never "confirmed" she was pregnant? Not really. "Mei" could have lied to "Cheung".

Why would she do that?
What mother would just abandon her child for two years? I think "Wan" felt so guilty over hurting "Cheung" over and over again that she knew a baby with "Choh" would be a final blow that would crush him. Therefore, she devised this plan to protect him from knowing the truth. Besides, TVB likes to do these over-the-top, soap opera'ish cases. I mean, come on, "Wing" (Benz Hui) wanted "Wan" to get back with "Choh" so that "Choh" would be happy and let go of "Fu" so "Cheung" and "Fu" could be reunited; thus, everyone is "happy". Who says that?

So... for those of you who've seen Dicey, what do you have to say about my theory? Am I just looking too much into things? Am I making things more complicated than they really are? Or... does my crazy theory somehow make sense to you as well?

My thoughts on Dicey Business...
I'm not going to do a full-out review for Dicey because frankly I am unimpressed by it, so I don't want to spend any more time on it. Before people think I'm being too critical or harsh, I want to say that I absolutely do not think Dicey is a horrible series. It is an "enjoyable" series, but I just didn't "like" it. Yes, the acting was amazing and yes, the storyline was meaningful and entertaining (at times). However, I honestly couldn't get immersed into the series. It failed to captivate me enough. Don't get me wrong, I loved watching Bobby's fantastic performance and all of his storylines were touching, humorous, and sad. I just feel that Dicey is too long. I fell asleep towards the ending episodes. It was just really draggy I felt. Most of the time, I was watching just to watch so I could finish, not because I was genuinely interesting in seeing what would happen next.

For the first time ever since I started watching series, I used the "fast forward" button. No matter how bad a series was in the past, I never used that button because I feel that it makes watching rather meaningless since I'm not watching every scene. However, for Dicey, I felt no remorse. I could care less about all of the lengthy gambling scenes/competition. All I needed to know was who won and what the aftermath was. I don't care about "how" they reached that point because I'm not a gambler so I really didn't understand how those card games worked. At first, they were interesting, but after awhile, I just wanted to get Dicey over and done with, so I "fast forward" since I didn't care for them. I know, I'm totally wasting the "point" of Dicey being a gambling series by not watching the gambling competitions... but honestly, so what? Characters, their relationships [with one another], and plot are the reasons why I watch series and I still got the essence of Dicey without it. I just wasn't interested in the gambling scenes.

The scenes that I enjoyed most are those of Bosco (only in the first half when he was gaining self-confidence), Tavia, and Bobby's. Tavia looked so sexy in Dicey! I don't know if it was those fake "D" cups or her gorgeous tan or that she reeked with self-confidence and sex appeal, but Tavia was really captivating. I loved watching her scenes (although limited); she gave a relatively nice performance. Bosco's performance in Dicey was really good. He has improved a lot. I think he was wonderful in the first half as the shy, unconfident, and autistic kid. I didn't like him too much when "Choh" had him wrapped around his fingers because "Fu" transformed into a clone of "Choh". Nevertheless, Bosco's performance was solid throughout. There's no question about Bobby giving spectacular performances. He cried so much! His emotional scenes were well done. I liked his character a lot. He was strong, admirable, caring, and forgiving, but not to the point where it was unrealistic.

I didn't like Jessica at all at the beginning, but "Wan" grew on me as I continued to watch and I found her funny and rather cute. I loved her interactions with "Cheung" - so humorous and charming! I've never found Jessica's acting impressive nor understood the hype about her, but I'm glad she had a "different" role here and her acting wasn't bad. Michael really annoyed me, but his performance was good (although lacking and over-the-top at times). I loved him in The Academy (he's one of the reason why I loved that series so much) but I found him irritating in this series because of his character. He just didn't get it; he had so many chances to redeem himself and get "back on track" but he just refused to do it. His name suits him - he's definitely "choh" (his name sounds like the word that means "wrong") all right with his repeated mistakes and excuses. I liked his scenes with his mom most - they were touching and symbolic. Benz Hui was great (but his character was a little tedious and ridiculous at times, but very admirable no doubt) and Florence Kwok was awesome as usual.

The great acting in Dicey was a saving point for it and I believe that is the main reason why so many people were "impressed" by it and raved over it. I, for one, wasn't.

I don't understand why Dicey was so raved by many fans because to me, the storyline is typical (a bit "over the top" at points) and draggy, albeit several moving points. I don't know, but for me, this series is too overrated. I'm really not a fan of those "big", modern, over-hyped, grand productions. I just didn't get "into" the series, so I didn't like it. However, Dicey is far from a bad series. I will say it is much better than the even more overrated Revolving Doors of Vengeance with its shallow, trying-too-hard-to-be-smart, and convoluted plot.

In summary, to me, Dicey just isn't very memorable and pretty much mediocre and draggy with only random, small moments of goodness and great acting. I don't care for it. The only thing that will stick with me about it is its amazing themesong.

Rating:

Screenshot credits: K for TVB

wild; linda chung begins to ripen

Wild; Linda Chung Begins to Ripen

[The Sun 28/04/07]

Linda Chung Ka Yan only spent three years to break into TVB. She is deeply loved by the executives and the audience is charmed by her. Her seeming ease at success causes people to be envious! In the past, Linda was a good girl; today, Linda's wild nature begins to ripen. In the midst of a transformation, there will be confusion, depression, and introspection.

Thought...

"If I don't think about it, I don't realize that it's been three years since I've entered the industry. Initially, I only allowed myself three years to try to make it in the industry; then, I would return to Canada to continue my studies. I thought that three years would be a long time. I thought that I could do a lot in one year. I could have a lot of accomplishments and become a 'fa dan' (leading lady). I also thought that filming a series won't take that long and that doing an interview could be completed within an hour. I thought... there were a lot of thoughts.

"After going through it, only then did I realize that three years is a very short time. At the time when I signed my contract, the executive said to me that it takes at least six years before an artist sees any success. In truth, my career still isn't enough to be called 'stable'."

Suffering...

"I'm very grateful to the company for unceasingly giving me opportunities in order to cultivate me. Last year, because I couldn't handle the stress, I considered giving up and quitting. Furthermore, I couldn't have predicted that I'd film five series in one year. My body couldn't take it and my health declined. Even more, I didn't want to disappoint the people who gave me the opportunities. Unnecessary pressure was created from this. At that time, my mentality was very bad and I'd always cry. When people thought I couldn't cope, I really appreciate veterans Al Wai and Chan Hung Lit for comforting me. It made me, who has never experienced suffering, realize that the hardest part about working from the bottom is waiting for opportunities. I admire them for their persistence and passion towards acting. They also reminded me not to be haughty. 'Fate' between people must be good."

Process...

"I am someone who reflects on the past and then thinks about myself introspectively. It turns out that as long as you get through the suffering, you will become stronger. Looking back, it's all just a part of the process!

"Some day I will continue and complete my studies. To me, a UBS degree gives a safe feeling. The entertainment industry is like a wave. Perhaps it's because of a single gossip or one series, but it's easy to rise and just as easy to fall. I need the feeling of security.

"I've become a 'fa dan' in three years. I think it's already too fast!"

Growing up... pain is also sweet
During the time Linda was a child, her family's situation was poor. The family of five in Canada was living in a very small room. Linda and her siblings had to fight for a place to sleep. Although life was hard and they had no luxuries, Linda's parents gave their children the most valuable gift of all - "time and love." Linda says, "My parents used all of their efforts to raise me the best they could. I received real love from my family members. It inspired the way I communicate with others, from love and honesty." She endured hardships along with her parents and stored her savings. When Linda was nine years old her life finally improved. "At least at that time, I was living in a house that we mortgaged. It wasn't until I was thirteen years old that we moved into a big house. From being poor, we became a middle class family."

My thoughts: At first glance, I thought this article was going to address Linda becoming "wild" for her role in The Gem of Life. After reading it though, I realize that the word "wild" in the context of this article means "unrefined." Basically, it's talking about the "wild" Linda (the one before she entered the industry and at the start of her career) and how she is "ripening" (maturing) now. Linda has made great growths and tremendous strives and improvements in her three years in Hong Kong. It's really amazing that it's only been three years and yet she's done so much already. Yes, you can say she is lucky for endlessly being showered with opportunities, but if she didn't work so hard, she wouldn't have made it so far. 'Luck' can only go so far. There's no downsizing or minimizing her efforts.

I liked how this article was written. It feels very personal, as if Linda is talking to the reader and opening up.

I felt so sorry for her translating the "suffering" section. TVB rushes all of their productions, so their artists lack sleep and after awhile, it takes its tow on the artists... I never knew she had such a sad childhood, but you know, even amidst the poverty, Linda and her siblings had something far richer - their parents' time and affections. Her up-bringing certainly explains her thriftiness and why she's so humble. Her relationship with her family is great and it's really touching how much they support and love her.

Note to Linda - please get rid of the horrendous "bangs" hairstyle you have right now! It's really unflattering.

chapter 162: beautifully broken

[House]

Rose (Kenix Kwok) begins to shake. She felt her world come crashing down. Her body suddenly collapses and she falls off of the recliner. She lies sprawled on the floor, broken. For the first time in awhile, Rose cries from her heart. "It's all over... I've lost it all." She was furious at herself. "One mistake..."

Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) is stunned. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. He had never seen this side of Rose. The image of her holding a gun so viciously pointed at Joey was imprinted in his mind; this scared him. "Where is the Rose that I love? This isn't her... She would never do this." He looks at Joey (Bernice Liu), who was still shaking, but looked relieved and satisfied. "Could it be that Joey was right all along? Were my family right as well in doubting her? She must really have killed Ah Hoi..." He edges slowly towards Rose.

Joey motions for Ah Biu (Raymond Lam) to put down his gun. He reluctantly agrees, but still keeps a close grip on it in case Rose tried anything funny.

Ah Nin gets down on his knees and asks Rose in a whisper-like voice, "Is this the real you?" His eyes are red. He doesn't want to hear the answer, but he knows what he's about to hear.

Rose looks up at Ah Nin. Her perfect make-up was smeared. She was flawed and vulnerable to the world. She shakes her head. "No! No... this isn't real. It's all a lie, a trap!" She desperately tries to grab onto Ah Nin. "Chris, don't you believe me?"

"How can I?" he asks in-between sobs. "You just tried to kill Joey. You had a gun in your hand. You killed Ah Hoi. You ran me over to erase my memories so you could manipulate me into loving you! Who knows what else you might have done? I don't know you anymore."

"Chris... I love you." Rose pleads.

"I know." He takes her hand off of him and gets up. He shakes his head as he walks backwards in disbelief. "But this scares the hell out of me."

"Don't do this. We love each other so much."

Ah Nin looks at the ring finger on his right hand, which wore his engagement ring. He slowly takes it off. Then, he holds it in between his thumb and index fingers, examining it. "It was all a lie..." He then throws it hard at the ground in front of Rose. "It's over between us. Get out!"

The gold ring circles in front of her face until it landed with a clang. Rose picks herself up and stares at Ah Nin. She was shaking. "You want to throw our whole relationship away because... because of her?" Rose points her finger at Joey. She shakes her head. "Please... don't do this. I looked after you all those months you were in a coma. I helped you get back on your feet. W-w-we're getting married so soon!" She runs towards Ah Nin. "Please. I love you."

He pushes her away. "You disgust me. Leave!"

Fighting back any more tears from coming out of her eyes, she holds her head up high and shouts, "All right. Mark my words, Kam Nin, you will regret this!" She runs out of the door.

Ah Biu was about to run after Rose when Joey stops him. "The heavens and the law will catch up to her eventually," she says.

Suddenly, Ah Nin also runs outside. Joey runs after him. "Chris! Wait."

[Taxi]

Rose was fuming with anger. "One mistake... and it's all gone. That vicious, evil little Joey! I should have known better. I let my impulses get the better of me. I'll make them both pay for humiliating me. Kam Nin, it's over between us." She fights back her urge to cry. "I'm not a weak little girl like Joey. I will stand back stronger than ever. I won't have this. No, they will pay."

The taxi driver looks into his rear-view mirror, concerned at the broken Rose. "Miss, is everything okay?"

Rose barks at him, "It's none of your business. Just shut up and drive."

"What a bitch," he mumbles under his breath.

Rose quickly opens her phone and makes a call. "This is Miss Suen. I need to go back to Shanghai. Now!"

[Park]

Joey is out of breath by the time she catches up with Ah Nin, who had made his way to the park and was sitting on a bench, solemn.

"Chris! There you are." Joey smiles, relieved. She sits down next to him, unsure of what to say.

Ah Nin sighs heavily. "You were right."

Joey just nods her head.

"You could have died tonight. Why were you so willing to take such a risk?"

"Like I said, I didn't want you to be deceived anymore. It's not fair to you. From the beginning, Rose has manipulated you. That's not love. I wanted you to know the truth."

Abruptly, Ah Nin lets out a laugh.

Joey is confused. "What's so funny?"

"The truth is out now... and yet everything is broken."

Joey takes a hold of Ah Nin's hands and smiles. "Broken, yes, but beautifully broken."

Ah Nin looks up at the stars. "Just last night, I was so happily in love with Rose. We were going to get married. We were going to have a family. Everything was great. I had the world and couldn't be happier. Now... I have nothing. Maybe it was better for me to live in a lie."

"Chris, how can you say that?"

"Because it's true. My life sucks now. I don't even know what to think anymore. I don't know what's real and what's fake."

Joey's heart softens at the confused and sad look on Ah Nin's face. "Your family's love for you is true and my love for you... is also genuine."

Ah Nin looks at Joey, surprised. "You really have feelings for me?"

"I know you don't remember 'us' and I know you feel like the world has crashed, but we will get through this together. We can rebuild your life... based on trust, love, and truth."

"The first moment I met you, you held onto me so tightly. You told me how you were so happy to have found me. Then, you kept saying how we had a relationship in the past... you said it was 'true love'. But I can't remember any of that. I don't have any memories of you aside from the ones I've built since the moment I met you in Shanghai."

"I know," Joey says quietly. "We can continue to build memories... together and form a new 'us'." She points to his watch. "Do you remember how I told you that I got you this watch and you told me how much you value it without really knowing why?"

He nods his head slowly.

She rolls her the sleeves of her blouse and shows him her watch. She places it side-by-side by his. "You got this watch for me. They're a set. It's 'fate'."

Ah Nin smiles at Joey. "Thank you."

Joey's cheeks blush.

"You know, you think you know someone so well, and then, you find out it was all a lie." He shakes his head and scoffs.

Although Rose was gone, in that moment, Joey knew that Rose still had a grip on Ah Nin. His heart was broken and it was going to take time to mend it. She strokes his right arm. "It's okay."

[Kam Family Apartment]

Everyone was gathered around the television to watch "Gai Dai Foon Siu" when the doorbell rang.

"Go to hell!" Gam (Louis Yuen) shouts. "We're watching 'Gai Dai Foon Siu' along with the rest of Hong Kong."

"Gam Gam, don't be so rude!" Ying Gei (Yvonne Lam) urges.

"Sister OK, why don't you go open the door then?" Ah Lo (Bondy Chiu) asks.

"No way! Tonight is a good episode."

"They're all good," Ah Yat (Joyce Chen) says.

The doorbell rang again.

"Is anyone going to open the door at all?" Ah Yuet (Michael Tse) asks.

"It's 'Gai Dai Foon Siu.' Of course we're not."

"If only Ma Chi was home..." Ah Yuet sighs.

"If only Foon Foon and Hei Hei were taller... they could open the door," Ah Lo sighs.

"Maybe they'll go away if we ignore them," Ah Yuet suggests.

The doorbell rang once more.

Gam grows frustrated and says, "Fine! I'll open it, but you guys better turn up the volume." He hops off of the couch and runs to open the door. "What do you want?" he asks. He's surprised to see Ah Nin and Joey standing behind the metal door. He quickly lets them in.

"All these people in the living room and yet it takes you guys an hour to open the door?" Joey asks exasperated. She was supporting Ah Nin, who was clearly drunk.

"Big brother, what's wrong?" Ah Yat asks.

"I told him to stop, but he wouldn't. He kept drinking," Joey says. She hands him off to Gam. "Take him to his room."

"B-b-b-b-but 'Gai Dai Foon Siu' is on!" Gam retorts.

"Gam Gam, just hurry and do it before you miss any more scenes," Ying Gei says.

Gam sighs, "Fine."

"I'm not drunk!" Ah Nin laughs. "I can drink more!" He pushes Gam away.

"Chris, come on, don't be like this," Joey says.

"I'm happy! Let me drink. Rose is gone." He laughs.

Ah Yuet asks, "Isn't Ma Chi supposed to be with you, big brother?"

Joey shakes her head. "Auntie Chi went off somewhere on her own. She'll be back later tonight."

"But on the phone, she said-" Ah Lo begins to say.

"It's all a lie!" Ah Nin cuts Ah Lo off and laughs. "My whole life is a lie. Isn't that great?"

Everyone in the room grows concerned.

Ah Yat asks, "Joey, what happened?"

"Chris is tired. He needs to rest."

After Ah Nin was put to bed, everyone gathered around in the living room. Joey sat on the massaging recliner.

"Where's Rose? How come big brother is so drunk? Where's Ma Chi?" Ah Yuet asks. "Rose told us she went to buy something at the convenience store, but we haven't seen her for hours."

Very calmly, Joey explains everything to them, from the truth about Rose to Ah Nin and Rose's break up.

The Kams are horrified by the revelations once Joey was finished.

Ah Lo smiles triumphantly, "I knew it! See, I told you Rose was evil!"

Gam shakes his head in disgust. "'High-quality heart' (seung sum)? More like 'low-quality heart' (ha sum)! That Rose is scum."

"Well, she was certainly 'careful' (seung sum) about everything," Ah Hong (Johnny Tang) observes.

"She is so 'calculating' (suen)," Ying Gei says.

"Suen Seung Sum, Suen Seung Sum... her parents weren't wrong in naming her that," Ah Yuet comments.

"We were all fooled," Ah Hong says.

"Yeah, her acting is much better than your wife's, isn't that right, Ah Yat?" Ah Lo snickers.

"Second sister-in-law, I'm disgusted with you. Such a thing happened and you're still in the mood to bicker?" Ah Yat asks.

"Of course."

"Well, I'm not."

"Where is Rose now?" Ying Gei asks.

"Who cares? The law will catch up to her. Just be glad we don't have a murderer in our home anymore," Ah Lo says.

"Poor big brother," Ah Yat sighs. "He must be so heart-broken."

"I can't imagine what it must be like to be him. To think, he was lying in bed with such an evil woman for all those months... Heck, they might have even gotten married and had kids," Ah Yuet shudders at the thought.

"Oh, second brother, who are we kidding? You've dated, married, slept with, and have four kids with the meanest, bitchiest woman ever," Ah Yat says.

"I thought you were stopping tonight?" Ah Lo rolls her eyes.

"I couldn't let such a good one pass."

Ah Lo makes a face at Ah Yat.

"At least the truth is out now and things can slowly be right again," Joey smiles.

"Thanks, Joey, for finding out the truth," Ah Hong says.

She grins.

"If only time can turn back to three years ago. Without that car accident, you and Ah Nin would be together right now. Who knows how many kids you two would have had already, isn't that right?" Gam laughs.

Joey blushes.

"It's true! He loved you so much. Now you two can be together again," Ah Yat nods her head.

"I hope so," Joey says. Her eyes gaze towards Ah Nin's bedroom.

series 411: "the family link"

Title: The Family Link (See Lai Bing Tuen)
Casts: Sheren Tang, Kiki Sheung, Cecilia Yip, Michael Tse, etc.
Length: 21 episodes (Cantonese) // 15 tapes (Vietnamese)
Release Date: May 2007 (Canto) // July 2007 (Viet)
Genre: Modern Drama/Family/Women/Comedy

Note: Please credit "MetalAZNWarrior" and/or this site if you should use my translation of the series' plot! I worked hard to translate it, so please don't just steal or use it for another site without my permission and/or credit. Thank you!

Synopsis:
Unafraid of the heavens,
Unafraid of the earth,
Supporting the entire family

Are housewives idle with restless lives? Mung Ga Ga (Sheren Tang Shui Man), Ding Mooi Heung (Cecilia Yip Tung), and Cho Mei Ngoh (Kiki Sheung Tin Ngoh) will tell you that the life of housewives is actually very much like a battle ground. Besides endless housework which they must do, they also have to attend to every minute happenings in the family. It requires them to be vigilant at all times.

For instance, because Ga suspected that her husband, Fong Yin Jo (Michael Tse Tin Wah), likes to dress up in drag, she suffers from chronic anxiety. Heung acquired a sexually transmitted disease from her husband. For the sake of her husband, Ngoh fakes a divorce, but who could have imagined that he actually has another woman outside? Being a widow isn't easy, just as being a widower isn't as well. Neighbor Ko Wing Kuen (John Chiang Dai Wai) became a widower after his wife died early, causing him to be unbearably distressed.

On the other hand, the wife of tea house owner Gam Sing Chun (Kenneth Ma Kwok Ming) commits suicide. Her good friend Su Siu Man (Leila Tong Ning) determines that several housewives all said hurtful things to her and so she decides to seek revenge...

My thoughts: The Family Link is being marketed as TVB's version of America's monster hit Desperate Housewives. With a strong central focus on the lives of a circle of housewife friends as well as a main suicide mystery, it seems that TVB has the recipe of Housewives down, but how will the final product turn out? I think Link will be more realistic and dramatic and not a mix of campy, hysterically outrageous comedy and poignant drama with an overtone of satire and over-the-top soap opera plots like the American version.

The poster is very creative and if it is well-received and produced, I think Link will do for Hong Kong wives what Housewives did for American wives - paint them as colorful people with feelings, desires, and passions... exposing the "secret" lives of housewives. Many people think that the lives of housewives are boring because all they do are housework and cater their families, so they don't really have "lives" of their own. On the contrary, this is but a faulty misconception. A housewife is as real of a person as anyone else.

I'm looking forward to watching this series because the plot seems different and creative and I'm a Housewives fan, so I want to see how this series fares. I just hope it will not be an embarrassment as TVB's proclaimed Sex and the City was. Sheren is extraordinary and Michael and Sheren make such a compatible pairing, so I'm sure it won't be too bad.

tvb: bold and beautiful

S.e.x. - there I've said it. In our eastern culture, "sex" is regarded as a taboo subject. It exists [If it didn't, why would China have the largest population of any country in the world?], but we don't like to talk about it. Although modern times have made us more open to the subject, compared to western culture, we're still pretty modest about it. I mean, can you imagine Asian parents talking to their kids about sex like American parents do? Perhaps I'm too conservative, but I really cannot fathom that.

TVB has become a lot bolder in terms of sexuality, especially in 2006 and maybe more so in the years to come.

Pushing the limits
La Femme Desperado was very provocative and daring in terms of female sexuality.

The first episode talked about bras and how to find the right "fit." An episode later on dealt with tampons. Femme also vaguely talks about menstruation at several points. Never had feminine products, hygiene, and health been talked about so openly in a TVB series.

In another episode, Sheren Tang's character ("Hilda") actually barges into the men's bathroom to find Michael Tse's character ("Man"). She basically shows him that she was a force to be reckon with. To add emphasis, she even daringly rips off his towel to expose him! In the scene right after that, Michael puts on suntan lotion for her suggestively while she's in a bathing suit.

Sheren basically plots to "rape" Raymond Lam's character ("Chai Foon") in Femme in order to have a baby. The first time, she drugged him too much, so he was useless to her since the part she needed was depressed along with the rest of his body. The second time, they go so far as to even kiss, but the "rape" is stopped by "Ko Ling" (Melissa Ng)...

In an attempt to lure Raymond to test if he's really a faithful and respectable man, Melissa's character becomes very flirty and sexy. She unbuttons his shirt and runs her hands on his body and practically offers herself up while she pretends to be "drunk" in a hotel. These scenes were hilarious and ultimately no sex scene resulted, but the tone and atmosphere was very sensual for TVB's standards.

Let's talk about sex
The fourth generation of Maidens' Vow was shocking in how much the storyline revolved around sex and its usage of sexually explicit scenes and dialogue. I lost count of how many times "Sze Ga" (Charmaine Sheh) and "Ga On" (Joe Ma) kissed passionately. In one scene, "Ching Ching" (Sherming Yiu) was helping "Sze Ga" spice up her relationship. She took her to a sexy lingerie store and helped her to pick out some items sure to please "Ga On." She then suggested that "Sze Ga" turn herself into a "human dessert" by covering herself with some food items (whipped cream and chocolate syrup). The two of them were very free in discussing sexual matters.

Sherming's character is sexually free. She loves dating multiple men and has a lot of experience in the sexual department. She's not shy about admitting her promiscuous nature. Once, she even suspected that she contracted HIV.

In Men in Pain, Rebecca Chan and Florence Kwok's characters question Louisa So's character about the status of her sex life. They are shocked to discover that she and Damien Lau's characters haven't had sex in half-a-year. They suspect Damien of having an affair consequently because it's unlike men not to want sex. They also suggest that problems in bed best indicate problems in a relationship. Louisa's character tries repeatedly to get Damien's character to sleep with her, totally unaware he has one big "problem" (discussed below).

The word "condom" has been used before in past series, but Maidens' was the first time that I saw actual condoms on-screen. Whether it was "Pang" (Wong Hap Hei) rushing to buy condoms in the midst of a hot and steamy make-out session with "Ching Ching" or "Ching Ching" hiding condoms in convenient places all over her house, condoms were everywhere. In the scene after "Ching Ching" decides she wants to have a baby and be with "Pang," they are about to have sex and he stops to get "something important." She smiles and asks "Aren't I most important?" and they have sex without that "something" for the first time.

More action, less symbolism
Before, TVB opted to imply when sex happened. These days, TVB has less qualms about filming bed scenes. They will film passionate kissing scenes before doing the typical "fading away" to hint that sex happened afterwards. Not only that, sometimes TVB will go further and film some suggestive scenes on the bed (or wherever the characters decide to "do it"). I've read news that Myolie Wu and Raymond Lam filmed a bed scene for upcoming 2007 release The Master of Tai Chi. Men received complaints from viewers because of a bed scene between Damien Lau and Louisa So. In the scene in question, Louisa was sitting on top of Damien, trying to strip his clothes off so they could have sex since she was "hot" and "heavy" for him as a result of their sexual drought.

I've also noticed that TVB's way of filming kissing scenes has changed. In the past, "kissing" involved the couple pressing their lips together. These days, it's tongue and lip-on-lip action. I wonder if artists have learned how to kiss now? Or is TVB actually requiring them to kiss now? In any case, kissing scenes are a lot more passionate these days.

When it can't go up
Erectile dysfunction was a major issue that Men dealt with. Older men tend to have problems "getting up" - hence, the popularity of drugs like Viagra, Cialis, and so on. Damien's character in Men couldn't have sex with his wife, Louisa So's character, because he was too stressed. The series chronicled his trial of western drugs and eastern herbs in an attempt to fix his downer.

In the last story of Maidens', "Pang" also developed erectile dysfunction after Sherming kicked him "down there." Even at the sight of beautiful girls, he couldn't "get up." Sherming tried to help by giving him porn to watch, but that was also useless. It isn't until he accidentally lands on top of Sherming that the "feeling" returns and his buddy goes up again. He tells Sherming in a rather romantic way that only she gives him the feeling to have an erection. The two then go on to have sex.

Borrowing 'seeds' like borrowing sugar?
You heard it in Femme, Men, and even The Dance of Passion. The concept of "borrowing seeds" was rampantly used last year as a core plot device. The basic idea is that a female character sleeps with a male character solely for the purpose of using his "seeds" to get pregnant and have a baby.

"Hilda" wanted to have a baby - but not a husband - so she went on a quest to borrow the seed of the best man possible. Borrowing seeds was very important for Dance as "Dung Yeung" (Kenny Wong) - the male successor to the "Sung" clan - couldn't get his wife pregnant even after many years. The exact reason for his infertility is unknown. Regardless "Long Yuet" (Maggie Siu) cannot conceive consequently. "Dung Sing" (Moses Chan) suggests that the couple "borrow seeds" in order to have a child and reclaim power. They back out, but it is the concubine of "Dung Yeung" - "Chun Fan" (Charmaine Sheh) who goes on to "borrow" the "seeds" of "Dung Sing", but eventually loses the baby. I didn't watch Men, but I was told that it also had a subplot involving seed borrowing. Men and Femme were produced by the same producer, so it's not surprising that he reused the similar idea of "seed borrowing" as one series focused on male sexuality whereas the other discussed female sexuality.

How much further will TVB go?
I don't think TVB will ever become as sexually open as primetime shows in America. They would receive so many complaints from parents! Unlike primetime series, TVB caters to whole families. Its business and traditional revolves around family viewing. While some series may be more mature than others, for the most part, TVB can be viewed by the young and old alike. Even though younger parents are and will increasingly become more free about sex, I think that there's still a tendency - rooted from eastern morals and customs when they were socialized as children - to be more modest and reserved and keep those matters as intimate privacy. I'm this way and I think a lot of Asians are as well. It's just part of our culture and I think it's nice. It keeps us unique and I don't see anything wrong with being conservative.

I don't know about you guys, but I feel so embarrassed when I watch bed scenes in TVB series. For American TV, I can watch them without any reservation or care really, but when it comes to TVB, it's uncomfortable. Don't get me wrong, I am a sexually-embracing person, but it feels so awkward and embarrassing for me to see it in TVB series. Personally, I like it when TVB keeps the sex scenes symbolic - dimming of the lights, fading away, and so on. It's just so much more romantic than seeing two people pretend to romp around on a bed. When it comes to story-telling, I think sex is depicted much sexier when shown with class instead of being all raw.

I think it's good that eastern culture is becoming more open about sexually-related topics because it's a part of life. It's healthy to talk and know all of the facts rather than just keep the matters private and then end up with a disease that could have been prevented. I thought it was good that Maidens' indirectly (or perhaps intentionally?) promoted the usage of condoms when having sex. Condoms are crucial, especially when having casual sex or even sex in serious relationships. Even if you trust your partner, there's no telling what diseases he/she may unknowingly carry. It's always better to be safe. I also think that with TVB incorporating sex talk and sex scenes into their modern series, it makes them more realistic. Modern people embrace their sexuality like no previous era before them and there's no doubt that sex plays a big role in many people's relationships and life. In this sexually free modern time, it's refreshing to see TVB embrace current times and trends, addressing and incorporating them. There's nothing dirty or wrong about it.

What do you guys think about TVB and sex? Have they gotten bolder with their portrayals? How much further will and can TVB go? What about our culture - will the modesty and reservation that we feel about sex remain for years to come or will our culture become so westernized in the future that we stand to lose it?

chapter 161: bang

[Streets]

After Ah Yuet (Michael Tse) drove everyone back home, Rose (Kenix Kwok) got off and said she needed to go buy some personal items from the convenience store. "I won't be long," she waves at them and runs off.

"God, it took a lot of effort just now for me not to take out my gun and shoot all of those stupid Kams right then and there in the car. They are so annoying!" She smiles. "But no, these bullets are reserved for Joey (Bernice Liu). I even have her name carved on them." She can't help but let out a laugh.

Rose ends up on the main streets and waves her hand for a taxi. "Taxi!"

In her mind, Rose thinks, "Thank god Chris is off with that cow." Rose only had one thought and that was to get rid of Joey. "Bitch picked the wrong person to mess with."

A taxi finally comes. Rose gets in and is off on her way.

[House]

Joey eagerly lets Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) into the house once he arrived. "Quickly! We don't have much time," Joey urges him. As she closes the door behind him, she glances nervously around at the surrounding. She ushers him towards the living room closet. "I've cleaned everything out. There's nothing inside. Whatever you do, don't make any noise."

"Whoa, calm down!" Ah Nin says.

"Rose could be here any minute," Joey frantically says.

"It's okay."

"No, it's not. If she sees you, nothing will change. I will have lost my chance."

"All right, all right, I'm going in." Ah Nin lets himself into the closet and then closes the door.

Joey decides to test the sound and stands at a distant spot. "Can you hear me?"

"Yeah," a mumbled Ah Nin answers.

"Good. You just stay in there. No matter what, don't do a thing. Don't let yourself out. Don't make any noise."

[Closet]

Ah Nin decided to have a seat on the floor. It was dark and still rather crowded, despite Joey having cleared the space. He remembers his cell phone and quickly turns it off. He doesn't want it to ring and he certainly couldn't have Rose calling him. He bites his bottom lip. He felt nervous. He didn't know how the night was going to turn out. Had Joey been right about Rose or was he wrong for doubting Rose? He closes his eyes and prays.

[Living Room]

Joey sat anxiously on the couch. "Oh my god, oh my god," she kept repeating over and over again in her head. "I can't believe this is happening." She had never felt more fear in her life. Rose was a scary person. Joey still couldn't fathom what goes on in Rose's head to make her want to have someone run over Ah Nin and then to kill Ah Hoi.

"This night determines everything... If I lose, my happiness is gone and more importantly, it won't be fair to Chris to live a life that's a lie."

She closes her eyes and prays. Her eyes fill with tears.

[Upstairs]

Although Joey had told him not to, Ah Biu (Raymond Lam) couldn't follow her wishes. He had to be there to protect her if something should happen. He didn't trust Rose. She was a dangerous woman. He had his gun in hand, ready to take action should Joey scream for help. "Please, let this work out... for Joey's sake." He gets down on his knees, closes his eyes, and prays.

[Outside]

Rose slowly approaches the front door after getting out of the taxi. She looks around at the surrounding neighborhood. The entire street was eerily quiet. There were no lights on in the other homes. It was like a ghost town. "This is strange... isn't this a residential neighborhood?" she asks herself. Even though no lights were on, Rose spotted cars parked. "That Joey, what is she up to?"

She holds on tightly to her white leather purse as she climbs up the stairs. She rings the doorbell.

[Living Room]

Joey's heart stops upon hearing the doorbell. It was the moment of truth. She gulps hard before mustering up the courage to get up from the couch and open the door.

[Closet]

Ah Nin's attention is caught by the sound of the doorbell. Rose had arrived. His body feels tense. He opens his ears, anxiously waiting. He had absolutely no idea what he would hear.

[Living Room]

Joey opens the door to find a smiling Rose. Upon seeing Joey, Rose gasps and feigns surprise.

"Joey! What are you doing here?"

"Oh, cut the crap. It's just me and you. You don't have to act. You know why you're here."

Rose lets herself in, gripping her purse tightly to her side. "No, I'm serious. Why are you here?" She looks around at the place. "Wow. It's gorgeous here. Chris and I'd like to live in a place like this... but we already have a mansion waiting for us in Shanghai." She grins at Joey. "Chris told me you weren't feeling well. What are you doing running around?" She tries to feel her forehead.

Joey defensively pushes her hand away, knocking Rose to the ground. "Stop acting! You and I both know why you're here."

Rose begins to cry, still lying on the hardwood floor. "Joey! What's gotten into you?"

Joey bites her lips, nervous that Ah Nin might come out. "Please, Chris... don't do anything," she prays in her head.

Rose's tear-filled eyes look at Joey suspiciously. "Something's up..." She glances around the room.

Joey moves over to the couch and sits down. "Oh, Rose, don't you get tired of playing the 'victim'? Aren't you bored of acting?"

Rose picks herself up and sits down next to Joey. "Joey, I don't understand what this is about."

With glaring eyes, Joey says, "I know the truth about that night."

"What?"

"You murdered Ah Hoi."

"Joey!" Rose laughs. "Don't be silly. Michael admitted to the murder. Ah Hoi tried to rape me." She points to the bandage on her hand. "Look at this wound!"

"Oh, please. Michael works for you."

"Well, yes... Michael works for my daddy. I consider him as the good elder brother I never had. We are honest people. We don't lie."

Joey shakes her head. "You are so full of crap."

"Joey! What's gotten into you?"

"I also know what you did... to Chris. You hired someone to run him over so that his memories would be wiped clean. You plotted so that you could manipulate him to take you as his girlfriend."

Rose laughs. "Are you watching too many TVB dramas? That is the most ridiculous and contrived plot I've ever heard."

[Upstairs]

Ah Biu grows tense. The situation was not looking good. Rose was still putting up an act.

"God, Joey. Don't give up. You don't have another chance," he mumbles under his breath.

[Closet]

Ah Nin listens intently, but nothing that Rose was saying strayed from what she had told him. To him, it sounded like Joey was the one instigating everything.

"Perhaps Joey is wrongly accusing Rose..." he thinks to himself.

[Living Room]

Joey felt nervous. She couldn't believe it. Why wasn't Rose opening up like she wanted? Had Rose suspected something was up and wasn't going to budge? She tries to scan her eyes, but it was useless. Rose looked like an innocent child, totally oblivious to what Joey was saying.

"Joey, are you okay?" Rose has a concerned tone in her voice. "Something must be wrong. It's not normal of you to be making such preposterous statements against me. I mean, really! Tell me, what's wrong?"

Joey snaps and stands up, furious. At the top of her lungs, she screams, "You are the problem! You fake bitch! You killed Ah Hoi. You brainwashed Chris. You are a horrible, vicious person. You are going to rot in hell. You stole Chris from me! Chris and I were meant to be together. If you had won him fair and square, I'd gladly wish you two happiness... but you, you!" Hot tears stream down her face.

Rose looks shocked and hurt. She stands up slowly. Her voice cracks as she asks, "Joey, what have I done to you to make you say these things?" She cries.

[Closet]

Ah Nin wants to get up and rush out of the closet. He felt Rose's pain. He wanted to hug her and let her know it was all right. Her sobbing aches his heart. "This is getting to be too much. I knew Rose was innocent. Joey is such a liar." However, he couldn't budge. For some reason, he felt as if he was glued to the floor. All he could do was sit there and continue to listen.

[Upstairs]

Ah Biu frowns. "No, Joey... you gave in." He knew the situation was doomed now.

[Living Room]

"Joey, please... why are you doing this?" Rose asks while dabbing her eyes with a tissue to stop the tears.

Joey falls down to the floor and sobs. "I've lost. Rose is too smart. I can't win," she mumbles under her breath.

"Dear, I think we need to call the ambulance. I'm afraid you might have some mental issues that need professional help..." Rose says as she opens up her purse.

Joey gets up and stands tall, looking at Rose in anger but swimming in helplessness. "The only crazy psycho around here is you."

Rose frowns. She takes a hold of the gun. "Oh, Joey..." She smiles. "There, there, it's okay. The professionals can help you."

Joey shakes her head in disgust. "I may not be your match, but the heavens will surely get you."

"Joey, since you've become so attached to Ah Hoi... why don't you..." Rose says slowly and sweetly. "Say hello to him for me when you see him..." She takes out her gun and points it at Joey. "... in hell." She grins widely.

Joey's eyes bulge at the sight of the gun. She screams and tries to run away.

"Oh, Joey... sweet, sweet, dear Joey." Rose tries to pull the trigger, but realizes that she hadn't unlocked it yet. She laughs. "Silly me. You know... it's fun to watch you run around so scared. Pick a time you want to die. You know the only way you're going to leave this house tonight is by your corpse being carried away by the morgue. So tell me, Joey, what time would you like me to fire?" Rose sits herself down on the side of a reclining chair. "I'm nice like that."

Joey is horrified. She trembles and shakes. "Why are you doing this? Don't kill me!"

"You and I both know the answer to that question."

Joey runs towards the closet and opens the door. "Chris! See what type of person your fiancé is now?"

Ah Biu runs down the stairs, with his gun in hand and pointing straight at Rose. "I'd put that gun down if I were you," Ah Biu warns.

Ah Nin emerges out of the closet, stunned at the sight of Rose looking so heartless holding her gun. Upon seeing the sight of Ah Nin and Ah Biu, Rose realizes the grave mistake she had just made. Her jaw drops. The gun falls out of her hand. The room suddenly becomes motionless and quiet.

chapter 160: waiting

[House]

Joey (Bernice Liu) walked around, looking at the house that Ah Biu (Raymond Lam) had found for her. It was located in the outskirts of the city. She nods her head in satisfaction. "This place is great. How did you find it?"

"My family owns it."

"Wait. You live here?"

"Oh no. My family owns property all over Hong Kong. We're still looking to sell this one," Ah Biu clarifies.

"Wow. Your family must be well-off."

"We'd be better off if a certain someone were a part of it," Ah Biu winks.

"Ah Biu!"

"I kid," he laughs.

"Hey, can I use your phone?"

"Gee, great transition sentences you have, Joey." Ah Biu shakes his head as he hands her his cell phone. "You better not use up all of my minutes. I'm running low. I have too many girls calling me."

"You're such a playboy," Joey shakes her head as she accepts his phone.

"What can I say? The ladies love me!"

Joey moves over to the couch, where she sits down and begins writing a text message. It was going to be sent to Rose (Kenix Kwok). Ah Biu looks over her shoulder in curiosity. "What is it that you're doing?"

"I'm texting Rose."

"Ah, luring the lioness into the den I see."

Joey sends her message once it was complete and then turns to Ah Biu and says, "Well, everything's done now."

"That's great. I'm going to notify my colleagues about this, so don't you worry about being in any danger. We'll surround the place and stop Rose if she decides to do anything."

Joey gasps at Ah Biu's declaration. "No! You can't do that. That would ruin everything. Rose will notice and then she won't open up like I want her to. Please, Ah Biu, don't do anything. I appreciate all that you've done up until now, but please... that's enough. I can't let this plan fall through. It's my only chance."

Ah Biu frowns. "It's too dangerous otherwise... I don't want anything to happen to you!"

Joey smiles. "I know, but don't you worry. The heavens won't let anything happen to me. Please, trust me. Don't do that."

"Oh, all right," Ah Biu reluctantly agrees.

The tracks were all laid now. All Joey had to do now was wait until the train departed.

["Ka Yan" Company]

Rose was working on a sketch when her cell phone notifies her that she just received a new text message. She drops her pencil on the desk and reaches into her purse to fetch her cell phone. She wonders who it could be. "Perhaps it's Chris," she thinks to herself and smiles. She opens the text message and is stunned by its content.

"I know what you did. I'm bringing the secret Ah Hoi took to the grave back to life. I'm going to tell. Let's see if Chris will still marry you once he knows the truth. However, I'm not unreasonable. If the price is right, I'll keep my mouth shut. Meet me at 6:30 PM tonight at..." Rose reads off the screen of her cell phone. She slams it shut upon finishing, fuming with anger.

She gets up out of her chair and heads to the bathroom.

[Bathroom]

Rose splashes her face with cold water. "Damn that Joey," she mumbles under her breath as the water drips down off her face. "Damn it!"

"I should have taken care of her when I had the chance," she thinks to herself, remembering the night of Ah Hoi's (Michael Tong) murder. She stares at her reflection, furious. She takes more water and rubs her face, washing off all of her make-up. She felt stripped... and vulnerable. She did not like it one bit. She quickly dries her face with a paper towel and then reaches into her purse to pull out all of her make-up. As she carefully reapplies the make-up that served to keep her from being bare to the world, she remembers her conversation the other day with Carrie (Natalie Tong). Carrie had told her how Joey had been in Shanghai "investigating." It infuriated her.

Rose smiles at herself in the mirror when she was done. Her make-up was perfect once again. She looked flawless. Her imperfections and vulnerability to the world were sealed and it made her feel much better. Very slowly, she pulls out a gun that had never been used before out of her purse. She looks at it carefully, observing its every detail. She feels the trigger. Her hand holding the gun begins to shake. She quickly puts the other hand over it to stop the shaking. She closes her eyes and breathes in deeply before putting the gun back in her purse.

"I won't have this. No, no one will treat me like this! I won't stand for it. Joey will pay the ultimate price for daring to do this." She smirks as she zips up her purse. The sound of her high heels clicked loudly as she walked out of the bathroom.

[Ah Nin's Office]

Ah Nin (Frankie Lam) was perusing a new contract when he received a call from Joey. He found that he had difficulty concentrating ever since Joey "kidnapped" him and then brought him back to "Ka Yan."

"Hello?"

"Chris, it's Joey."

"I know."

"When work ends today, Auntie Chi is going to call you and tell you to drive her somewhere. You have to make sure everyone is aware of this."

"Ma Chi? What's she got to do with this?"

"I already talked with Auntie Chi just now. Rose will be suspicious if you go off on your own."

"But if Ma Chi is with me..."

"She won't be. The whole thing with you driving Auntie Chi somewhere is a lie. It's just an excuse so that you can get away from everyone without Rose being suspicious."

"Oh."

"Yeah. So anyways, meet me at..." Joey gave the address and directions to the house.

[Outside of Ah Nin's Office]

Five o'clock hit. Ah Nin's heart was pacing and his throat felt dry. He was closing the door to his office when somebody hit his head lightly. He turns around and jumps at the sight of Rose.

"Hi, honey!" she grins.

"You scared me!"

Rose looks at him suspiciously. "You've been acting strange all day. What's wrong?"

"N-n-nothing! You'd be scared too if someone tapped your head out of nowhere."

"I'm surprised."

"Surprised?"

"Yes. I didn't think my big, strong hero had it in him to be scared," she teases.

He laughs nervously and the two walk together towards the main interior of the company.

[Main Interior]

"Finally! The moment of the day everyone waits for is here!" Lau Gam (Louis Yuen) exclaims.

"Yep! We work to go home," Ah Yuet (Michael Tse) nods his head.

"I am so tired!" Ah Lo (Bondy Chiu) groans. "Ah Yuet, rub my shoulders!"

"You need a room for that. Wait until we're home!" Rose teases as she and Ah Nin emerge into the main interior.

The room grows silent and uncomfortable, making Ah Nin's ringtone especially loud when his phone rang a few seconds later. "Oh! I-It's Ma Chi," Ah Nin pretends to be surprised. "I wonder what she wants. I'll put her on speaker."

"Ah Nin?" Nim Chi (Nancy Sit) asks.

Everyone in the company greet her.

"Am I on speaker? This is so embarrassing! I hate being on speaker."

"As big brother, I mustn't be so selfish. This way, we all get to listen to your sweet voice," Ah Nin says.

Nim Chi laughs. "Listen, Ah Nin, I need you to help me go pick something up."

"What is it?"

"If I wasn't on speaker, I could tell you. It's a surprise... for your wedding."

"Oh, won't it spoil it for me then to take you? Why not let Ah Yuet take you?"

"No, it's a surprise for someone else." Nim Chi fakes a cough.

"Oh!" Ah Nin says. "Is it for...?"

"So I take it I can't come, huh?" Rose chimes in.

"Oh, hi, Rose!"

"Auntie Chi, are you planning to steal my man?!" Rose teases.

"Until your wedding day, Ah Nin is still my son first and foremost."

"Oh... all right. You can have him for tonight."

"Rose, you don't mind going home with Ah Yuet and them, right?" Ah Nin asks.

Rose shakes her head, "No, of course not. I can bond more with them, isn't that right?" She tried to copy Gam's signature phrase.

Ah Yuet and the others look at each other, horrified at the thought of spending a car ride home with Rose.

"Ma Chi, are you sure that Rose can't come along?" Ah Yuet asks.

"She certainly cannot come! It will ruin everything. So, Ah Nin, pick me up at..."

After finishing up his conversation with Nim Chi, Ah Nin turns towards Rose, "You okay about this?"

"Chris, don't act like I'm going to die without you. I'm patient. I'm willing to wait for a good 'surprise'." Rose smiles.

linda chung - most improved

Linda Chung - Most Improved

[Wen Wei Po 23/04/07]

Beauty pageant winners of recent years have become actresses. Presently, there are many 'fa dan's (leading ladies) who have come from the beauty pageants, such as Bernice Liu Bik Yi, Myolie Wu Hang Yi, Charmaine Sheh Sze Man, Shirley Yeung Sze Kei, Linda Chung Ka Yan, and so on. They depended on their beauty to enter the entertainment industry and had to get the mass audience to love them. It was crucial for them to be willing to make painstaking efforts and to have their own passion to work hard; their journeys were filled with hope. Linda hailed from the 2004 "Miss Chinese International" pageant. When she first started acting, her acting was heavily criticized. After three years of hard work, not only has she won the "Most Improved Actress" award, but Linda has recently also jumped from the TV screen into the big silver screen by taking part in the movie Love Is Not All Around.

Recently, Linda was at the screening of her first movie. It turns out that Linda was so worried about her first movie work that she couldn't sleep. At the start of the movie, Linda and Stephy Tang Lai Yan were good friends, but because of a misunderstanding, they severed their friendship and Linda even cruel-heartedly gave Stephy a slap. At the mention of this slapping scene, Linda appeared extremely unnerved.

"Much thanks to the director for giving me this opportunity. I never thought that filming could be so fun! It was a really happy experience this time filming. However, when filming started, I became so nervous that I lost sleep for many nights. We filmed for eight days. Stephy and I bonded extremely well together; perhaps it was because we're around the same age. We couldn't stop chatting. I remember the time when we filmed our friendship severing scene. Possibly it was because I'd been with Stephy for the past few days; after I slapped her, my veins started to pop out. I totally became a scary person. I wanted to cry. I had to unceasingly tell myself that I must suppress my tears because I knew that a single tear would cause us to film all over again. Even if Stephy doesn't hurt, my heart aches. Luckily, after three takes, the director was satisfied."

Filming a movie is different from filming a series

Linda is recognized as a good girl. After becoming crowned as the "Miss Chinese International" winner, she very quickly signed on with TVB to become an actress. Before she entered the industry, her innocent nature made her think that the work would be very easy, like dolling up in front of a mirror. It's only after she entered the industry that Linda discovered that filming a series actually requires a lot of hard work and efforts, only then would there be success. She has the loving care of many veterans. They taught her how to immerse herself into her role and this has benefited her a great deal.

"Before entering the industry, I thought that the work was going to be a piece of cake. Who could have guessed that the work is actually very laborious? Behind every scene, actors have to dedicate a lot of time and energy. Filming a series requires a lot of endurance. Not having enough energy is a bad thing. Acting out a role is also not easy. Everything is really much more difficult that I had imagined. There is a lot of work that must be done off-camera. Of course, people outside of the industry don't know this. Luckily, after I perform a role well and it's loved by the audience, I successfully become a 'household-name.' It caused my confidence to greatly increase. This time, I was able to partake in Love Is Not All Around and discovered that there's a big difference between filming a movie and a series. Filming series requires the usage of a lot of exaggerated expressions because it makes the results even better. On the contrary, filming a movie requires feelings that are natural because the camera can pick up every small detail. In the process of filming Love, the director made me understand that I couldn't act [for the movie] using acting techniques for series. He unceasingly suggested that I be natural and needed to relax."

Training voice hard to increase confidence

Looking back at the "Miss Chinese International" pageant, it only took one unknowing person to open the door of Linda's life. At that time, all it took was Kelly Chen Wai Lam's one phrase that caused Linda to become a hot favorite. At the start of her career, Linda was criticized for having a 'chicken' voice and poor acting. However, she isn't discouraged because of this, but rather gladly listens. It's because she deeply believes nothing grows from silence. It's no wonder that in three short years she has been able to become a prominent player in the group of young actresses! In an online poll, Linda was chosen as the #1 most welcomed artist in Heart of Greed. Many people greatly praised her for immense improvements.

Using her cheerful face to become a star

"In 2002, my elder sister had an idea and told me to enter a 'Cover Girl' competition. Who knew that I'd win the competition? In 2003, she was again persistent and helped me to place my name in the 'Miss Vancouver' pageant. Once again, I won, so I went on to represent Vancouver in the 'Miss Chinese International' pageant. Before the competition, the media's focus was certainly not on me. After Kelly said that she felt '#12 Linda Chung Ka Yan' wasn't bad, I became a hot favorite. Looking back at a tape of my first pageant, I was so nervous that my voice pitched at 16 degrees. I had no confidence in my appearance. I admit that [the sound] could kill people. In order to correct my problem, every day I would read the newspaper aloud. At the beginning, I couldn't read a lot of Chinese. Right now, I can read it all. Sometimes at home, I know that my mommy isn't too far away in the kitchen, so I will shout at the top of my lungs, 'Mommy, I want hot soup ah!'; I'd practice it a lot. For me to be able to enter the entertainment industry, I think it's 'fate'."

In her short three years, every time Linda films a series, she has rumors with her co-stars, including Ekin Cheng Yi Gin, Raymond Lam Fung, Joey Leung Wing Chung, and so on. Linda frankly says that when she first encountered those reports, it caused her to become upset, had a negative influence on her mood, and interfered with her work. After her good friend comforted her, it made Linda understand that in the entertainment industry, she has to learn how to relax. If she was worried over every little thing, it would only cause herself to be miserable. In her interview, Linda happily opened up her feelings about what she looks for in a mate.

"When I first had rumors, I felt very embarrassed, but gradually I've grown accustomed to them. I would try to avoid and spend as little time with my male co-stars as possible, but there would still be rumors. I now take them as advertising gimmicks and don't worry too much about them. Towards love, I am extremely conservative. I hope that I can go from dating into marriage. It would be ideal if it could be with the same guy. Before entering the industry, I hoped that I could get married at 25 years old, but presently, it's been postponed. My ideal boyfriend must be taller than me; it would be great if he's a little muscular. When we hug, I can feel comfortable and have a feeling of security. Unfortunately, this 'dream boy' still hasn't appeared. After entering the industry, I had developed feelings towards my co-workers in the past. If I have good feelings for someone, I will smile at him a lot. To me, this gives him a hint [at my feelings]. Even if I date later on, it will be an underground relationship. I will try to keep it as a secret."

Wants parents to retire early

Linda has the nickname of being the new generation's "thrift sister." There have been articles in the past saying that on days when Linda doesn't need to film, she spends at most $24 HK for take out. There are also times where it was $0 HK a day. It's no wonder that in a short period of two years, she is already the owner of a property.

"Ha ha! Calling me a 'thrift sister'? I'm only spending on things that are necessary. I'm not inclined to buy name-brand clothing. The 'Louis Vuitton' bag that I'm carrying was given to me as a gift from my parents. I think that my parents aren't young [anymore]. In Vancouver, they worked from the bottom up. In the past, they had to work multiple jobs every day to support us [three brother & sisters], so I hope that my parents can retire early. I bought a house in Hong Kong because I hope that when they have time, they can come and visit me. Having a place to live makes life much more comfortable. I hope that I can have more jobs so that I can earn a lot of money so that I can quickly buy a multi-level house."

Epilogue: In this world, only mommy is the best

In order to do this interview, Linda had to depart Tsang Kwan O early in the morning at nine o'clock and then headed over to Chung Wan to get her hair and make-up done. However, she didn't feel lonely because Mama Chung was at her side to accompany her through the whole journey, looking after her preciously. Just like Linda said, three years before going to Hong Kong to develop her career, she would never feel lonely because her parents and elder sister will never refuse to take the long and tiring trip from Canada to go to Hong Kong and visit her.

My thoughts: My goodness! Forget about the 'chicken' turning into a phoenix article being the longest thing I ever translated. This article right here trumps everything as officially the longest article I've ever translated. It's nearly twice as long and yes, it was difficult and challenging to translate, but it was well worth it. When I saw this article, I was really excited because Linda has been receiving a lot of "tremendous improvements" praises lately for Heart of Greed and Love Is Not All Around from 'netizens' all around, so it was great to see a newspaper publication finally do an interview and comment on Linda and her career.

This was a great article - it summed up Linda's career thus far nicely and provided some nifty insights! I learned quite a bit about Linda from this interview, so I hope other people will too and gain a clearer perception of who she is as a person. I couldn't help but notice several similarities between this article and the 'chicken' one from three months ago. I suppose that's inevitable since the interviews cover some of the same topics. It's nice that the veterans are so supportive and caring towards Linda! I admire and commend Linda for being so strong and moving to Hong Kong in hopes of pursuing a career. It's not easy living alone in a foreign country, especially one where you don't know anyone and the language isn't familiar. Linda had to learn a lot since she comes from a protective family and she is the "baby" and all. It's great that TVB arranged the Virtues of Harmony family to be her family and protect and guide her during her first year acting and living in Hong Kong.

I think that Linda represents a lot of TVB fans. We've all had desires to act in a TVB series and we think it's so "easy," but in truth, it's not. Linda's misconceptions about the industry are logical and relatable. It's kind of funny how she was in high school when Virtues started and three years later, she ended up being one of the main characters! Now, she's working along with her long-time idol, Ada Choi.

I am loving this girl more and more. From inside and out, she is a pure and kind-hearted girl and she works so hard, is quick to learn, and really never stops improving and giving it her all. She deserves everything she has achieved and I will continue to support and love her and expect more and more great things as she continues to grow, refine, and develop her acting and career in the years to come.

comic tease / issue.4

Issue #4 featuring Maidens' Vow