focus: "love is not all around"

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I already did an informational post about Love is Not All Around with synopsis, trailer, and what-not, so I won't do it again here.

Brief review
Love was better than I had expected. I was only anticipating and watching for Linda Chung's silver screen debut, but honestly, Love is not a bad movie and is kind of entertaining. There's no doubt that this movie is geared towards the younger generation, but it's not totally teenybopper fluff. There are some nice twists in the plot and it's overall a tad bit interesting. The ending was shocking. Let's just say what Stephy Tang said at the beginning (and repeated at the end in the movie's closing moments) - "Not everything you see is the truth and the truth might be elusive" - is true. I thought it was a very powerful and surprisingly dark ending. The overall tone and meaning of the movie was quite different from what I had expected.

Linda did quite well in her role. She's improving and maturing into such a fine actress. I was shocked to see how broken and vulnerable she looked in all of her crying scenes - very realistic; you can feel what she's feeling when she cries. [Thank you Heart of Greed and Korean dramas for teaching Linda how to cry and act with her eyes!] Her best performance hands-down was the scene when she slapped Stephy. The delivery of her lines and her actions were very, very good. The veins in her neck even popped up! It was very convincing and realistic. I must say I am not pleased with the "bangs" hairstyle, but the results on-screen weren't as bad. In some shots, she looked quite pretty. However, overall, she did not look too good, which is a shame because her performance was good. I loved watching the scenes when her character was being "evil" [I use this term very loosely because overall "Ching Ching" was not a bad person. She just acted out of self-defense. She is genuinely a very good and caring person.]. She has an interesting antagonist look. I cannot wait to see Linda's performance in The Gem of Life. I am dying to see Linda act spoiled, rotten, flirtatious, and conniving.

I really liked watching Stephy. She is pretty and acted adequately. Her scenes with Alex Fong were quite good. I can see now why this pairing is popular; they're compatible and cute. Her friendship chemistry with Linda was quite good. In the 8 days that Linda spent filming the movie, she and Stephy developed quite a bond. Linda even read Stephy's book. The friendship showed up on-screen. I was not impressed with anyone else besides the first and second leading actresses and really, the whole movie is about them anyways.

Love is Not All Around is a pretty decent movie as a whole. At the very least, I did not feel bored out of my mind at all.

Rating:

Traces of Heart of Greed
The movie reminded me of TVB's Heart of Greed. In the movie, "Ching Ching" (Linda) has a cheating "Ching Leung" and a "Dak Dak Dei" who unconditionally loves her and is by her side. What's ironic is that the "Ching Leung" in this movie is the son of a dry goods store rather than "Dak Dak Dei". The bad thing is that the "Ching Leung" in the movie - "Ah Wing" (Sammy) - didn't repent, but "Ching Ching" still forgave him. Throughout the whole movie, he kept saying how much he loved his mistress and was thinking about divorcing his wife for her. I hated how he kept saying that he "loved" "Ching Ching". If he loved her so much, why was he hurting her? He was very happy and proud of his affair. Not once did he admit that the affair was wrong. Yes, he felt bad about cheating, but not bad enough to stop it. It wasn't until his mistress left him that he came back to "Ching Ching". "Honey, I'm sorry. Forgive me." That comes too little and too late. I was really hoping that "Ching Ching" would slap him and tell him off. However, that doesn't happen.

Disappointingly, "Ching Ching" takes him back and pretends nothing ever happened. "I never asked him what happened. ... I never asked him who the third person was. The past is over. As long as he came back, that's enough." Furthermore, she reveals that she's pregnant with his baby. I hated "Ah Wing" - such a despicable character. He is no "Ching Leung" at all. "Ching Leung" repented and made up for hurting "Seung Joi Sum" so much. He deserved her forgiveness... but "Ah Wing" is just scum.

It's the death of her "Dak Dak Dei" - "Siu Mo" (Terry Wu) [how funny it is that the name sounds like Moses Chan's nickname - "Ah Mo"] - that made her forgive "Ah Wing" and "play dumb" about her husband's cheating. She realized that holding grudges and not forgiving doesn't do any good. She learned that she had to appreciate the people beside her. Even though she was hurt deeply, I think she couldn't get over how much she still loved him [although I have no idea why she does]. I didn't like that, but I guess it puts it all together and gives "Ching Ching" a conclusion.

I think it's kind of funny that Linda's character in the movie didn't ask who the "other woman" was. In real life, Linda says that she has to know the whole truth before she will forgive - which is like her character in Heart. She couldn't let things go until "Ching Leung" told her who the "third person" was. I guess this offers another perspective towards the whole cheating thing. Is it better to know or to pretend nothing happened and remain in the dark? Is it better to fool yourself or know the truth?

Irony in the title
The Chinese title is rather ironic. Sup Fan Ngoi (translated as "100% Love") suggests a moving love story. However, it's really not the case with this movie at all. The English title is more fitting. By the end of the movie, "love" is really not "all around"! I think the synopsis was also misleading. The movie isn't mainly about Stephy and Alex's relationship at all. Rather, it is about Stephy and her friendship(s) with Linda and Sammy. I think the main message of this movie is that young people these days make relationships way too complicated and that they have an overrated and exaggerated view of love. It's kind of depressing and pessimistic, but I think in some parts it's true.

Second movie coming soon...
Linda's movie debut in Love impressed a lot of people - from movie goers to industry people. She now has many movie offers. It's only been a few months since her first movie was filmed and released and now she's currently filming her second movie work. The movie's cast includes Shawn Yue Man Lok and Chen Kun [Yes, the actor from TVB's historical grand production with CCTV, The Conquest]. I am very excited about her new project. There is no released title or plot to the movie at this time. It's said that Niki Chow is a part of the cast too. However, at this time, it can be assumed that Linda plays the leading female role for the movie.

spotlight: "heart to heart" by linda chung

Heart to Heart - Linda Chung
(Themesong from TVB series Best Bet)

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English Translation by MetalAZNWarrior
After gambling for seven nights,
your body is weak, but you're still happy
You continue to gamble on 'dai sai'
and hope for lucky stars to shine on you
Do you have good chance or just good fortune;
when the luck comes you will buy land
You and I with great wealth and fortune happily welcome happiness

Chorus
*Hoo ~ The lucky star shines all over the side of your body and mine
Good destiny comes with a joyous tone,
spreading it throughout the skies
Hoo ~ Luck is loving you loving me a little more
You - my heart agreed early on to meet
It's hard to decide on a predetermined relationship
Also for obtaining complete happiness
A good husband and a kind wife are dear to each other
Strong love and affections is called 'heart to heart'*

Because having good fortune makes loving sweet as honey
For the sake of loving me, you bid farewell to 'ha haai yue'
After frustration, still love the feeling of wealth
I will continue to love to find out what will touch me

Repeat Chorus

Pinyin
Doh liu chat man tui yuen sau yuen daan ying si foon hei
Nei jau gai juk maai dai sai mong gat sing jiu hei
Hoh yau sau hei ji yiu fuk hei wan loi yau maai dei
Nei gung ngoh dai foo dai gwai fai lok ying hei hei

Chorus
*Hoo ~ Fuk sing joi jiu pin nei yue ngoh dik san bin
Leung yuen wan loi foon sing heung pin tin
Hoo ~ Hang wan si ngoi nei ngoi ngoh doh yat dim
Nei ngoh sum lui jo yeuk ding seung gin
Naan dak jue ding dik yuen fan
Waan yau hang fuk dak doh moon fan
Leung foo yue yin chai seung chan
Ching yi nung sum sum wooi kiu seung yan*

Yan yau fuk hei yan ngoi dak yu mat tong bei jaan yue
Nei wai ngoi jeuk ngoh jau go bit liu ha haai yue
Ging gwoh sat yi doh ya seung ngoi gam gok gik foo yue
Ngoh yik gai juk ngoi wai faat gwai dung yan chi chue

Repeat Chorus

Opinions
Truth be told, it took me a while to warm up to this song, but once I did, I absolutely loved it. It is a super adorable and cute song. I can't help but smile every time I hear it. Heart to Heart just melts my heart with Linda's sugary vocals and the cheerful melody. I really like the lyrics too. It's cute and fitting to Best Bet. The allusions towards gambling and "Hor Yi" (Michael Tse) are funny in a very cute way. I know, I keep using the word "cute", but there's really no other word to describe this song. It's such an adorable and endearing song. I love the instrumental at the very beginning - the music just sounds so cute!

When I watched the themevideo for Bet for the very first time, I was shocked. I had thought that the themesong was a duet between Michael and Linda, so I found it to be a bit "weird" during the first listen. I kept waiting to hear Michael's vocals... but it was just Linda all the way through - shocking indeed. I also didn't like the background vocals initially as well - they sounded weird. After I got over my shock and listened again, I learned not only to appreciate, but love the song as well.

I just love Heart to Heart! I'm very eager to hear more songs from Linda in the future. Unlike her acting, Linda has a background in singing. She took vocal lessons from ex-Hong Kong diva Lau Fung Ping, who immigrated to Canada after getting married. She actually performed in-concert with her teacher at the Hong Kong Coliseum a few months back. Linda will be performing there for the second time this August with Raymond Lam as special guest performers for Susanna Kwan's concert. With a background in singing and a good voice, it's not surprising that TVB is investing in Linda's singing career. It's very possible that she might have a record deal in the future. If not, I'm more than content hearing her singing for the themesong or subsong for her series.

linda chung acts 'in the heart'

Linda Chung Acts 'In the Heart' (Seung Joi Sum)

[Sing Pao 26/05/07]

Recently, Heart of Greed is the town's hot topic. The storyline has reached a climax. However, the focal point of debates is on "Dai Kai" Lee See Kei and "Sai Kai" Susanna Kwan Guk Ying. The two of them are great promotional forces. In fact, the supporting role "Seung Joi Sum" (Linda Chung Ka Yan) also captures the spotlight, secretly gaining young fans' support!

Regarding the audience's gripping interest in "Dai Kai" and "Sai Kai," Linda happily says it is a good thing. She says it really engages her into the storyline: "Although I'm not related with the Tong family and didn't have any scenes with Sister Sei Kei, I really love watching them argue. The most profound moment was when Sister See Kei was in the hospital and yelled at Tavia Yeung Yi; it was very eye-catching. Linda loves the name "Seung Joi Sum" and when she's out in the streets, people will also call her by that name. This makes her unable to deny that TVB's charm on the audience is really strong.

Linda has entered the entertainment industry for just three years. Her greatest concern isn't about her own appearance, but rather it is the audience's extreme criticism of her acting. Linda says, "I love going on the Internet and reading people's comments because I can see what people really think of me. At first, there were people who said I wasn't pretty, that I was ugly. I wasn't angry. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I won't put too much thought into things that can't be changed. What I mind most is people saying that my performance is not good. That's why I had to prove to everyone that 'they were wrong about me'." Last year, Linda won "Most Improved Actress" and a bunch of negative press along with it. She strongly persevered through it. Now, Linda receives heartfelt praises from the audience for her improved performance in Heart. Linda's smile is really from the heart.

The good news is that Linda hasn't let the mean messages on the Internet strike her down; otherwise we wouldn't be able to see her on the television screen again this year! She laughingly says, "After the pageant, I told myself that I'd give three years time for development in the entertainment industry. Whether or not I was successful, I'd go back to Vancouver to continue my studies... It turns out that right now it's been three years and two months. The day I realized this, I thought, 'Crap! I'm still here?'" Linda cannot deny that her formerly settled 'three years then out' thought has changed in the midst of it all. It's all because she thought the industry is too alluring, so after her heart has played enough, she'd return home. Only after three years did she discover her own surprising talents and interest. The reporter cannot restrain and asks her at this moment how many years she has given herself. With an easy smile, Linda says, "Once again three years! During this time, I might already have married and started a family or I might turn around and become a singer. In the meantime, I'll 'keep' 24 hours and earnestly do my job."

Linda is a very easy girl to get along with. No matter the topic, she can engage in conversation. Being in the industry for some years, her close friends are as follow: Winnie Shum Wing Ting, Shirley Yeung Sze Kei, Tavia... Ah! Unexpectedly, she doesn't even have one male friend. Is it because she's afraid of rumors? She says, "Truthfully speaking, I really don't have any. It's not because I'm scared of the rumors. Unless you have something to hide, if you're out-right and righteous, what's there to be afraid of? I think that boys in the industry are too complicated." She admits that during these short years, there has been a guy who has appeared who has met her affections. However, she says, "Thinking about it, there has to be, but I know that after work, the feeling would be gone. I understand it's not real." There are almost ten male artists that have been linked with Linda in the past. Whether or not it's real, only those involved know. She thinks that "not answering" and "no comment," these kinds of predictable answers are for news reporters to hand in something. In the future, surely, Linda will have the chance to be in even more papers. However, she still finds it annoying because it's all fabricated. She might as well just deny it. "Say no" should be the best answer.

My thoughts: Now that Heart of Greed has concluded its golden run, I think this should be one of the last articles on Linda for awhile. In the past couple of weeks, Linda has had so much coverage and features, with each article being longer than the last. Everything was covered already and there's no need for any more interviews from her reflecting her immense improvements, getting through the 'hard times,' and how she got to where she is.

This was another good little article. I liked that it was short and to-the-point and that it allowed Linda to express her thoughts on Heart and also open up a little more, giving us a window into her thoughts.

Truthfully speaking, I was petrified over Heart's release. I was really scared that Linda didn't do as good of a job because of three reports of her causing repeated re-takes. It didn't help that sources from all over were saying that she is the true female lead and has the most screentime. It is a heavy role and in a big, grand production, surely to be watched by a lot of people, so Linda's future rested on it. The situation looked bad from the start for Linda simply because she was casted as "Seung Joi Sum." Heart was going to be a "make" or "break" deal for Linda. It was the last chance she had to prove to people that she is a talented actress and has potential. If she did bad, people would criticize her even more and not give her any more chances (although some people refuse to even give her a chance to begin with). If she did well, she could turn the situation around and make people change their minds about her.

I didn't know which way Heart would tip the boat... and I was scared. Thankfully, the outcome has far exceeded what I thought would happen. I'm amazed and super impressed by Linda in Heart. I cannot believe she did so well and improved so much. Linda said it herself in her Heart chat that when she watched the series, she was really surprised at the outcome. Prior to its release, she wasn't sure how she did. Now that she's seen the final result of her performance, Linda finds it hard to believe it's her acting; Heart is the first performance she is satisfied with. She must be so ecstatic to hear all of the praises showered on her these days by viewers, fans, veterans, co-stars, and people in the industry. All it took was a little thing called Heart - now she has so much more confidence in herself.

All I can say at this point is that I am really happy and super relieved.

TVB Executive Catherine Tsang explains why
It amuses me how haters go so far to downplay things, corrupt and suspect some, exaggerate others, and then twist and make up "truths".

If someone is "over-promoted," they'll say, "It's that evil Miss Lok! She won't stop promoting him/her and keeps putting him/her in every series! He/she is sucking up to her." If someone is getting "too much" exposure in the news, they'll cry, "TVB is bribing the press to put him/her in the news! TVB is paying them to write good things." The list just goes on. It's really ridiculous and nonsensical.

No, she doesn't have "connections" nor does she "suck up" to executives. No one at TVB specifically says "Linda must be promoted!" Perhaps the most convincing words on Linda's promotion by TVB is best told by an insider...

TVB executive producer Catherine Tsang was on the radio recently talking about who TVB was promoting. Linda's name naturally came up. Catherine was very positive about Linda, saying how much she improved and how she's so hard-working. She revealed that Linda always memorizes the script and will ask questions until she's clear (about whatever matter/issue she has). Even more, Linda will always ask what she's working on next even before she's finished filming a series and will never ask for a vacation or a break; she can endure a lot.

Those very words best reveal why Linda is "so promoted."

She's hard-working and has a positive attitude. Who doesn't love a good employee? TVB is, above anything else, an employer. Linda does her job and doesn't make any trouble for them. She tries very hard and comes to work prepared and ready to work. She doesn't waste time or mess around. Linda is very serious about her career. People who have worked with her say she is easy to get along with. TVB executive Virginia Lok has said that producers love to cast her - this is true. Producers Tsui Yu On and Lee Tim Sing have both casted her twice in leading roles. TVB doesn't dictate who is in what series. Producers choose their cast (at least for the major characters). It is not Linda's fault that she gets casted in series-after-series. She's just doing her job as an employee.

There are probably other reasons why Linda has been so favored at TVB from the start, but we as outsiders really don't know what goes on inside TVB, so it's not right to judge or make faulty accusations. It's business. There'll always be those who have more promotion, more successes, etc. In the real world, not everything is about seniority or "being fair". It's about making gains and TVB must have their reasons for investing so much time, opportunities, and money into Linda.

Let the results speak for themselves.

Recap of recent professional acclaim for Linda

Although "Dai Kai" Lee See Kei had no scenes with Linda in Heart, she praised Linda as one of the young actresses she finds to have a lot of potential after watching her in Best Bet, to which Lee See Kei kept saying she gave an "excellent performance"; Furthermore, she has also said that Linda is able to understand her role(s) and knows how to get into character

The Gem of Life co-star and Linda's idol Ada Choi said that Linda "puts her heart into acting and has full potential and professionalism"

Heart co-star and veteran Ha Yu complimented Linda for "immense improvements"

Love Is Not All Around movie executive Paco explained the casting of Linda for his highly anticipated movie, "This time, we chose Linda Chung to act because of the strong recommendations by Yip Nim Sam [the movie's director]. To some extent, everyone is attracted by Linda's docile appearance. Furthermore, she is well-trained by TVB. Her performing skills are something to behold. Her crying really moves every part of the heart."

Movie director of the successful box office hit Love Is Not All Around Yip Nim Sam was full of praises for Linda's performance: "Her performance is excellent. She was very immersed [into character] when she acted out her emotions. Her acting is very exquisite. When she cries, everyone is able to feel her pain. It's very touching."

Fellow co-stars Raymond Lam, Bosco Wong [who, along with Niki Chow and Steven Ma, supported Linda to win "Most Improved Actress" at last year's anniversary], and Tavia Yeung have all said Linda improved a lot; Moses Chan says Linda is very hard-working and Yoyo Mung says she has star potential

Highly respected and big-time veteran Adam Cheng has been watching Heart and says the following: "Linda Chung - she uses her heart [in acting] and I found that she improved tremendously!"

Legendary singer Alan Tam praised Linda for her acting and crying scenes

TVB executive Virginia Lok says Linda learns fast and that producers love to cast her

TVB executive producer Catherine Tsang spoke highly of Linda on a recent radio interview, saying she improved a lot, especially in Heart, and is very hard-working

These words from people in the industry, who have plenty of experience and credibility, show how evident it is that TVB clearly doesn't think it was a mistake on their part to invest in Linda. I think they'll continue to support her so that they can bring her up into a big star. I don't see anything wrong with developing new talents. Flowers will bloom, flowers will wilt - that's just how the industry works. Linda has worked really hard, never stopped trying her best, and has now greatly polished up to become a very promising actress and deserves what she has.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

"love is not all around" promotion

Synopsis:
"Sequel" to 2006's Marriage With A Fool...

Ga Bo (Stephy Tang Lai Yan, Ching Ching (Linda Chung Ka Yan), and Chi Wing (Sammy Sam Mei) were friends from childhood. Ga Bo found out that Ching Ching's newly-wed husband, Chi Wing, was having an affair with Bik Lin. Chi Wing found Ga Bo and discussed the love triangle problem with her. Soft-hearted Ga Bo promised to keep the secret for Chi Wing; she only told her housemate, Ah Mun (Miki Yeung Ngoi Gun), who had nothing to do with the two.

As Ga Bo troubled herself over her best friend's problem, she met her ex-boyfriend, Dai Lik (Alex Fong Lik Sun), whom she parted with unhappily. Three years ago, after Ga Bo used Dai Lik to meet Mun Soun, she received a series of revenge acts from Dai Lik. After re-meeting Dai Lik, a series of revenge actions similar to what had happened three years ago occurred again, leading her unable to not believe it is Dai Lik who is doing this. Afterwards she realized it was all a misunderstanding and that Dai Lik still loved her. During an accident, Ga Bo met Doctor Joe (Hins Cheung Ging Hin) in the emergency department of the hospital. Joe started to court her. Unfortunately, they meet Dai Lik during one of their dates, making Ga Bo feel extremely awkward and embarrassed between the two.

Unexpectedly, the person to hurt her was Ching Ching. Ching Ching mistook Ga Bo as the third party in her relationship, causing Ga Bo to tell her everything. With the help of Ah Mun, they made a plan to expose Chi Wing's lie. In the end, they found that Bik Lin was innocent. Ga Bo unpredictably saw Joe with his ex-girlfriend; thinking he had a girlfriend, Ga Bo felt very sad. They forever lost the chance to be together due to this misunderstanding. The depressed Ga Bo went to find Dai Lik, only to see him with a young girl. She lost all the courage to reveal anymore truths and chose to leave Hong Kong for a job in Shanghai. A year later, she returned to Hong Kong for Ah Mun’s wedding. She found that over time, Ching Ching and Chi Wing are together once again. Dai Lik met his beloved Ga Bo at the wedding and sincerely pleads for Ga Bo to listen to his explanation… but can he really get rid Ga Bo’s doubt in love? Where will true love actually land? Keep up to date with Love Is Not All Around.

Credits: truth_angel @ AsianFanatics Forum





Cast: Stephy Tang, Alex Fong, Linda Chung, Sam Mei, etc.

Official Website: www.loveisnotallaround.com

Release Date: April 19, 2007

Focusing on Linda Chung...



Exclusive: Interview with the movie's director

Linda Chung's performance causes people to open their eyes and watch



Paco [Executive of the movie's company]: This time, we chose Linda Chung to act because of the strong recommendations by Yip Nim Sam [the movie's director]. To some extent, everyone is attracted by Linda's docile appearance. Furthermore, she is well-trained by TVB. Her performing skills are something to behold. Her crying really moves every part of the heart.

Yip Nim Sam: I think that Linda really exuberates the "girl-next-door" feeling. Therefore, I recommended her to my boss to play "Ching Ching." Her performance is excellent. She was very immersed [into character] when she acted out her emotions. Her acting is very exquisite. When she cries, everyone is able to feel her pain. It's very touching.

Linda Chung: I really have to thank the company and the director for giving me this opportunity. This time, the acting process went very well. Perhaps it's because Stephy [Tang] and I are the same age, so we worked really well together. The director encouraged me to be braver. There was one scene where I had to become very heartless because I had to slap Stephy. At that time, it felt like a ghost had invaded my body. I was very emotional as I told Stephy that we can't be friends anymore. I can remember the rage that I felt when I transformed into a terrifying person. It makes me really want to cry.

Linda Chung wants to marry and have kids in five years



Paco: As a manager, I want to raise a point. As long as it doesn't effect their career from advancing, I fully support my artists to date. I think that love and bread-winning should work together. Towards her newly blossoming career, Linda has said that love still can't be passed on.

Linda Chung: Before entering the industry, I definitely would choose love. However, I've realized now that a career is also very important. Nevertheless, you still need to have love so that you can achieve "balance." You can't just have a career; it will make you go crazy! In any case, I will definitely marry and have children in the future and be a homemaker. However, this is something for five years later.



My opinions: I am not into "teenybopper" or "idol" flicks. Heck, I don't even watch the American ones. However, for Linda's sake, I will watch this movie. This will be the first Hong Kong movie that I watch. I hope it's good. The trailer and all of the praises that the director is flowering Linda with makes me really excited for Love Is Not All Around. This movie is Linda's most recent acting stint as well as her first movie. Her role sounds interesting. The trailer termed her as a "good wife," but the synopsis and Linda's interview paints "Ching Ching" as a semi-villain. I am very excited about that because I've always wanted to see an "evil" Linda. Her innocent look would work wonderfully as a villain as no one would expect her to be conniving. I've always loved Linda's crying, so I can't want to see all of the heart-aching and emotional scenes that she has.

I hope Love Is Not All Around does well in the box office and that it garners good reviews.

I'm a bit displeased about Linda's chosen "look" for the role - it's unflattering. I'm not happy that she has decided to have this look for the 80-episode TVB blockbuster The Gem of Life as well. However, I'm hopeful that she will change her look as Gem progresses. Nevertheless, I'm sure her performances will make up for it.

So many veterans are praising Linda these days from Ada Choi ("puts her heart into acting and has full potential and professionalism") to Lee See Kei (had nothing but praises for her Best Bet performance and kept saying her performance is "excellent") to Ha Yu ("immense improvements") and now this movie director. "Seung Joi Sum" is also being well-received with the Heart of Greed audience. It looks like Linda's birthday wish for her performances to have a breakthrough and be well-received is coming true! I am so happy for her and really proud of my girl! Keep it up and continue working hard and improving like always!

valentine's day 2007 clip

TVB 2007 Valentine's Day Clip
featuring Bosco Wong & Linda Chung


Credits: stickybutt06 & LoveBosco.com & popcorn


Interesting clip - TVB fast-forwarded life to the 22nd century. Haha. I think it's nicely filmed, acted, and put together. In this clip, Linda gets to be a modern "hot granny." LOL. It's nice that this clip gave us a preview of how Linda and Bosco would be acting as a couple in the 80 episode series and I like what I see. I can't wait to watch it!

2007 countdown: clips

Originally, I wasn't going to watch TVB's 2007 Countdown show because I don't have much interest in TVB's variety shows. However, after knowing that Linda Chung had a part in it, I just had to check it out. I didn't watch the whole show, though. Heck, I didn't even watch any of the countdown shows when they were live on TV. However, I have to say that the performances were pretty nicely put together and the overall show wasn't bad. I've selected 6 performances to share with you guys. Obviously, since I only watched the show for Linda, all of the clips feature her. Nevertheless, in my opinion, these 6 clips were the best parts of the show anyways. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy them!

Clip #1: "Sweet Honey Honey" - Linda Chung

Linda has really improved on her singing! I was so impressed with her singing throughout the night, but especially with her solo. I was disappointed that the song was in Mandarin, but Linda's voice sounded so good that I didn't care. It's a sweet song and Linda looked really cute singing it. I really cannot wait to hear more studio releases from Linda. She really brushed up on her live singing.

Clip #2: "Big Day" - Linda Chung, Joel Chan San Chung, Vivien Yeo, Lau Ka Chung, Leanne Li, Suki Tsui




This is the first performance that Linda had of the night. It had a lot of energy and was a nice way to start the night.

Clip #3: "Little Tease" - Linda Chung, Vivien Yeo, Sharon Luk




Wow! This performance was super sweet. Linda, Vivien, and Sharon all sounded really good and the dance routine was lovely put together. The beginning part of the performance was great [when they had their individual verses to sing], but when it came time for the "chorus" and they sang together, the voices didn't blend as nicely. However, the overall performance was still really good; it was very "heartfelt."

Clip #4: "Faithful for You" - Vincent Wong




Aside from Linda's solo, this is probably my most favorite performance of the night. Linda danced beautifully and the song is very sweet. I don't know who this Vincent Wong is, but he sang really well. I'm assuming he's a real singer since his voice is so good. Linda was a little too "intimate" with this guy though! Still, the performance was wonderful.

Clip #5: "Fear of Your Wife Will Lead to Wealth" - Vincent Wong, Sharon Luk




This performance was so cute! The dance routines that the three "couples" did were really funny and cute. I can't say I like the song much though. I thought it was messed up that they made Sharon's original "partner" dance alone in a song about fearing wives. Seriously, they should have just took him off the stage instead of having him dance alone. Overall, a very quirky and amusing performance. Linda looked absolutely adorable doing her routines. Hopefully she can act as a "barbaric wife" in an upcoming series.

Clip #6: "Everyone Is Happy"




I was so happy to hear Virtues of Harmony's infamous themesong sung! The Virtues cast actually hosted the 2004 Countdown in Macau. The song is just so catchy and festive. I don't like how Joel Chan sang so loudly as if he was trying to "take over." I mean I'm sure he was "pumped" for the new year and all, but it kind of ruined the overall performance since it seemed like he was trying to hog the spotlight. They changed the lyrics a bit at the end. It was just really nice to have Virtues included in the 2007 countdown. Hopefully this will mean that 2007 will have something to do with Virtues... I can only hope!

'chicken' linda chung transforms into a phoenix

'Chicken' Linda Chung transforms into a phoenix

[Tai Yeung Pao 01/01/07]

Linda Chung is recognized as a good girl. When she first entered the industry, she was criticized for having a 'chicken' voice and poor acting skills. Furthermore, because her nature is so pure, looking at her is deadly. Linda, however, isn't discouraged by this. Instead, she is grateful for the criticism because she deeply believes that no good grows out of silence. It's no wonder that in three short years, she has been able to escalate into the ranks of status.



In four more months, Linda will have entered the industry for three years. In these past years, she hasn't had a true vacation. She works every day, immersing herself into her work. Yet, Linda still hasn't had a breakthrough performance. She says, "In my past series, Always Ready, Forensic Heroes, and Virtues of Harmony II, I am not fully satisfied [with my performance]. I really had a 'chicken' voice! I remember when I first entered the industry, people told me that if I kept being like this, I would be at a great disadvantage. When I listened to the playback, I also thought that my voice was hard to listen to, the sound could kill!"



But Linda didn't retreat. She had to face things with a positive attitude. Relying on luck alone wouldn't lead to accomplishment. Linda sees her initial performances as being similar to 'chicken voice' Charmaine Sheh. Charmaine worked really hard and became a "TV Queen." Linda also faces this goal to show great improvements. "I'm not a confident person. Every time I do something, I am very nervous. My voice escalates 8 degrees! Looking back at a tape of my "Miss Vancouver" pageant, my nervousness was so high that my voice pitched at 16 degrees. Because I had to correct my problem, I read the newspaper aloud every day. At first, I couldn't read Chinese and had to rely on my family for help. I know that hard work won't be in vain, just look at Charmaine. I really owe my family for everything. I hope that one day I can be successful!"

Linda's voice has improved, causing her performances, compared to before, to be more competent. However, her personality from before to now has never changed. She is still pure and has simple and innocent thoughts. "Everyone says that I'm a 'dead stem,' saying I don't take risks, am not ambitious, and that I certainly won't have a status [at TVB]. It's possible that everyone thinks that I'm silly. Therefore, every time that I act, my co-stars would good heartedly remind me. Ekin Cheng, Nancy Sit, and Michael Tse all told me to be careful because I very easily trust people. I've experienced betrayal before and it is really upsetting!" Linda has tried to reform herself, but what a pity that in the end she was not successful, so she has decided to return to being herself.



After being crowned the winner of the "Miss Chinese International" pageant, Linda's life has changed. At 22 years-old, she has her own home. Although in name she has a lot, but, with gains, there must be loses. Linda has lost her place to love. "I really want to be friends with a boy, but the newspapers will cause trouble [with their reports], then I'll be unhappy." Linda once had rumors with Ekin, Raymond Lam, and so on, but she frankly says that they are all fabrication. "The reports are fake and exaggerated! Actually, I also want to date, having someone there would be blissful! (Would you publicize when you date?) I think I won't mind [that]! I tried to lie before, but my facial expressions would start to be stiff and my heart paces. After a second, people see through my lie."

Recently, Cathy Tsui and Lee Ka Sing married, causing everyone to be full of admiration. However, Linda unexpectedly feels oppositely. She doesn't hope to marry into a rich family. "I'm worried I can't adapt! Because I didn't come from an elite background, I don't know how to act in their homes. Every time you're eating, you also have to appear gracious. Marrying into a rich family is really too much pressure!" When Linda speaks, her eyes open widely, it's so innocent that it's cute!

Epilogue: Thriftness makes sense

According to [my] knowledge, every day, Linda only uses $20 HK. More than once, Linda's mom has brought her lunch to television city. When the word "thrift" was mentioned, Linda responded in a big way. "Actually, I'm not that cheap. I only spend as I need to! Although I don't buy name brand bags, if I see a really beautiful name-brand item and after thinking it through and not stopping once, I would buy it!"

My thoughts: I came across this wonderful interview while I was surfing Linda Garden. I was hoping that Em or Jayne would translate it, but I knew the chance was slim because the article is quite lengthy. Therefore, instead of relying on chance, I decided to translate it myself. It is the longest piece I've ever translated and I must admit it was quite challenging. However, no matter how difficult, I had to press on for Linda's sake. There were several parts that I didn't understand because of Cantonese colloquial, but for the most part, I got the main essence of the article and hope you guys enjoy this interview. I really liked how it covered a variety of subjects. It was interesting and provided nice insights on Linda.

I think Linda is too harsh on herself. Her 'chicken voice' isn't so "bad" that it could scare people to death. I personally think her voice is cute and girly. She has worked really hard to make her voice better. If you compare her voice from the pageant and her early Virtues episodes to the later ones and her more recent series, her voice is stronger, clearer, and deeper. I am proud of Linda for working so hard to improve herself. She knows that some people have a problem with 'chicken' voices. It's not surprising to me that she holds Charmaine as an idol. Charmaine faced pretty much the same criticism as Linda in her early years [i.e. 'chicken' voice, 'poor' acting, overpromotion, etc.]. However, like Charmaine, I'm sure Linda can overcome it all and eventually mature into a great actress. If she keeps working hard and giving it all like she does, she will well be on her way. I was very impressed with how much potential she had so early on and she is doing quite well for a newcomer.

It was hilarious when Linda was talking about "rich" people, how she responded to the comment that she's "cheap," and how she says she doesn't know how to lie. She is so cute. It's sweet that her mom brings her lunch. It may be "embarrassing," but nothing beats a meal prepared from home. It's quite "shocking" that someone like her wouldn't prefer name brands. However, it's consistent with her humble background. I don't think she's thrift. She just knows how to spend her money wisely and keep her goals straight. This is the second time that Linda has talked about "betrayal." In a past interview, she said she keeps her distance because she's afraid of being hurt "again" since she trusts people easily. Linda actually hopes to find love in 2007. However, with her being so busy, I doubt that it will be possible. Still, Linda says she wants 4 kids [ideally 2 boys and 2 girls] by age 30 - which means she has to be married by age 26 - that's in 3 years. I don't want to see Linda retire from the entertainment industry, but I know that her biggest dream is to have a family and lead a modest and blissful life; I'll support any decision she makes.

Anyways, I can't wait to see Linda's 2007 releases. I wish her the best of luck and look forward to seeing more growth from her.

news brief

Exclusive news concerning Jewel's Splendor, Best Bet, and Heart of Greed straight from Linda Chung herself! This is the reason why I love Linda. No matter how hard she works or how busy she is, she will find a way to get in touch with her fans. She just sent a 3 page letter to Linda's Cottage to update us on what she's been doing and what's coming up. The letter is in English and hand-written from Linda herself, so do visit the site to read her entire message.

About her series...

Filming for Jewel's Splendor begins in mid-January. It's an 80 episode series about diamonds. Linda says, "I play a super rich girl that's very spoiled. I have to always court men too... that's funny... I don't even know how to do that." Haha. Linda is so funny. She is such a modest and reserved girl that it will be very refreshing and interesting to watch her be flirtatious. She has never had a true boyfriend and is quite shy in real life, so she is truly pure and innocent as her image makes her out to be. I knew her character was going to be spoiled - I just knew it. It was inevitable considering her age. I think the role will be challenging and fresh for Linda. I can't wait to see her image for it and to watch it in 2008. Spoiled and flirty Linda sounds fun!

Heart of Greed is said to release in March 2007. However, things may change, so don't quote Linda on that. [After all, she told us that she and Moses Chan were going to have a romance in Greed and that the series was going to release in October (of 2006), but the script changed and the series didn't even wrap up production until November.]

Best Bet has finished filming [at least for Linda's scenes anyways] and is in post-production. It will release on February 12, 2007. I absolutely cannot wait to watch that series. Linda looks so adorable in it and it seems really funny and cute. I hate to see her get pawned because of her gambling husband, but it's a hilarious concept and should be an excellent series.

About her singing...

"I have 2 new songs coming out too... both are duets and songs for the 2 series I've been in," announces Linda. Hmm... what two series could they be? I'm certain that one of them is Best Bet - after all, she and Michael Tse are the leads in that series. Michael's singing is very good. He used to be in a band and if you watched La Femme Desperado or heard Virtues of Harmony's CD, you will know that his voice is nice. I am so excited to hear new songs from Linda. Swear has been played so many times now that I've lost count. I've been dying to hear Linda sing again since hearing her debut in Lady In Red. I don't know what the other series is, but I am anxious to find out.

Finally, news on Linda! I just love reading her messages. Her handwriting is so cute. I am happy and excited about TVB again. Obviously, all it took was a little Linda to rain and saturate TVB's dry spell for me. 2007 is looking better and better. There are so many things that I look forward to - including ending my "teen" years. Yep, the big 2-0 is coming up next year for me.

xmas treat

It's time for a little Christmas cheer!

The current holiday layout was based on a holiday commercial that TVB filmed last year. Linda Chung and Fala Chen were given the task of being center stage for the commercial. They did a remake of Britney Spears' classic holiday song My Only Wish (This Year).





And here's the original song sung by Britney.





Hope you guys enjoy these!

I think Linda and Fala did okay. Their voices don't match all that well and I personally wish that Linda could have sung it on her own instead. I noticed that they made a little mistake in their remake. They sing "Tell me my true love is near," but the actual lyric goes "Tell me my true love is here." Compared to original, of course Britney's version is much better. I always hear it during the holiday season. It's a great song, very sweet and festive-sounding.

I think the commercial is nice. It's festive and it's always good to see the stars together. Too bad TVB doesn't seem to be doing one like this this year.

hot grannies

It seems like Linda Chung and Bernice Liu are having more and more things in common every day. Let's name everything that they share in common...

Both are from Canada and attended the same university (UBC)

Both hold Miss Vancouver and Miss Chinese International titles

Both had weak Cantonese at the start of their career, but worked hard to improve

Both bravely went to Hong Kong to pursue their dreams

Both are Virtues of Harmony beauties, gracing the screen & winning audience's hearts

Both have paired with Frankie Lam & Steven Ma (in Virtues & off)

Both have seldom been paired with younger actors (aka their ages)

Both are advertisement and function queens, catching the eyes of many sponsors

Both are beautiful & talented

Now, if those points weren't enough, they now share another thing. Bernice and Linda are both transforming into old ladies for their upcoming series. Yup, they're bidding farewell to their youth and beauty for the sake of successfully acting out their challenging new roles.

Transforming into a "hot granny"

Legend of the Demigods is a mythical series about gods and demons. Naturally, there will be magic, spells, and things of that nature. Linda's character turns into a 70-year-old woman because of an evil spell. It takes at least two hours to complete Linda's "hot granny" look with a whole bunch of glue and make-up added to her face. Even her palms were done to complete the look!

Bernice's new series The Slicing of the Demon is a costume drama that has a lot of fantasy in it. The series deals with curses, spells, murders, and executioners. Everyone in the series has a "unique" look, so leading lady Bernice cannot escape the fate either. For an unknown reason, Bernice's character has a "hot granny" look that also takes quite a long time to complete!

More information about Linda's role

In Legend of the Demigods, Linda's role is very difficult. She has to act out many different ages (20's, 30's, 40's, 50's, and 70's!) in addition to multiple personalities as well. In her "hot granny" episodes, Linda will turn from a young and bright girl into a frail and weak old lady. Aside from having the "look" set, Linda has to hunch her back when she walks and stands as well as transform her voice to make the performance more realistic!

Presenting the "hot grannies"

The future look for a princess & an office lady in their elder years?

Bernice joked that her "hot granny" look helps her to flirt because before, the male actors would ignore her in the make-up room. However, after she became a "hot granny," people such as Ron Ng and Sammul Chan stare at her and compliment her looks! Thus, Bernice calls her "hot granny" look her "flirting look."

Linda was astonished by how convincing her "hot granny" look was. However, she thinks that she looks quite scary and that her skin tone is too gray. She hopes that she won't really look like this when she does age in the future. Nevertheless, she doesn't mind sacrificing her beauty for the role. For the sake of acting, she will do all that she can to give a convincing performance.

How accurate are the "hot granny" looks that TVB has created for Bernice and Linda? Will these beauties truly age the way TVB's make-up artists have transformed them? Hopefully not because their "hot granny" looks are not so hot (and frankly, a bit scary)! Still, it's quite interesting and amusing to see these "hot grannies." However, who can believe that fate will have these beauties age the way TVB has designed?

spotlight: "swear" by linda chung

Swear - Linda Chung
(Subsong from TVB series Legend of the Demigods)

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English Translation by Sandy & MetalAZNWarrior
Swear from now on there'll be no childish games
Letting love follow the heart
Rest of my life loving you
Like being deathly afraid of forgetting. With whom to enter the game?

Never been in dreams before
But I could hide my feelings
Still haven't let myself out of this
Ended up having romantically sad feelings
Is it bad, why can't we repeat
Wanting to nurture them, but the flowers won't bloom
Later, when it has more care, but then don't have the strength to love, but still wanting to

Chorus
*Swear from now on there'll be no childish games
What's making me keep this promise is you
Because this relationship will bid farewell to tomorrow's sorrowful pain
And you love me deeply, no one can compare
Letting love follow the heart
Knowing clearly that I love you
Finally can be again with you, who's the one making this beautiful*

Like coffee that's too bland
Bitter, rough, sweet - willing to try the sadness
Actually, you've already prepared
The feeling was once dead
Never wanted to hide. Even both of your arms
Wanted to spread open and fly high
Made the most until you didn't have the energy, but was still unwilling to hide

Repeat Chorus

Swear from now on there'll be no childish games
What's making me keep this promise is you
Because this relationship will bid farewell to tomorrow's sorrowful pain
And you love me deeply, no one can compare
Letting love follow the heart
Rest of my life loving you
Like being deathly afraid of forgetting. With whom to enter the game?

Pinyin
Faat sai chung chi juet mo yi hei
Yeung ngoi luen chui sam sai mei
Yu sang ngoi jeuk nei
Yu sei pak mong gei gung sui yap hei

Chung mei doh fong gwoh mung noi
Bat gwoh sum see ying hoh jong joi
Waan mei ji san je see ngoi
Woon loi maan tin chan aai
Naan do yau hoi hoh yi bat joi
Chuen yi choi fa ying bat hoi
Ta chiu yeung fan joi doh bat gwoh mo lik ngoi ying yit chit joi kei doi

Chorus
*Faat sai chung chi juet mo yi hei
Ling ngoh gin sau ya chuen si nei
Yan je duen ching go bit ming yat tung bei
Yi nei si ching sam yik mo yan bei
Yeung ngoi luen chui sam sai mei
Ming jee ngoi jeuk nei
Naan dak joi gung nei si sui jo mei*

Yu yeuk ka fe taai fat mei
Foo sap gam yuen seong dak chai mei
Kei sat nei jo yi yue bei
Gam gok chang ging sui sei
Chung mei hip bei lin nei seung bei
Chuen yi jeung hoi loi go fei
Jik si jui hau nei ging chaang doh mo lik hei ying yuen yi moot to bei

Repeat Chorus

Faat sai chung chi juet mo yi hei
Ling ngoh gin sau ya chuen si nei
Yan je duen ching go bit ming yat tung bei
Yi nei si ching sam yik mo yan bei
Yeung ngoi luen chui sam sai mei
Yu sang ngoi jeuk nei
Yu sei pak mong gei gung sui yap hei

Opinions
I fell in love with Linda's voice after hearing her sing at the TVB Extravaganza banquet. I just loved how sweet her voice sounded and how much melody she had singing Sandy Lam's Honesty, so I couldn't wait to hear her song on Lady In Red. The first time I heard Swear was from a clip of Linda's live performance at the Lady In Red concert. It was just a snip of the chorus, but just from that preview, I knew I would love the song.

Swear is easily my favorite song on the Lady In Red album. I can listen to it whenever and wherever and it will put me in a nice, calm mood. I just love the harmony of the melody, Linda's voice, and the lyrics. Everything flows so well and Linda's singing doesn't disappoint. She doesn't have a lot of range, but her singing still sounds nice and very refreshing. Swear is a feel-good and super sweet song.

I love this song so much that I listen to it on a daily basis and have it set as my ringtone! Linda's music video for the song is the best MV out of all the ones included in the bonus Lady In Red DVD that came with the CD. She looks very sweet and beautiful in it and I love the clips from her upcoming series in which the song serves as the subsong.

Linda did a great job in making Swear her own and I look forward to hearing her sing some more in the future.

tvb's goddess of love and justice?

Everyone recognizes the girl with two odangos (aka "meatballs") in her head and long, flowing pigtails as the guardian of love and justice - Sailormoon. From manga to anime, Sailormoon's image is easily recognizable and memorable. It seems that TVB is borrowing this image for the look of Linda Chung's character in Legend of the Demigods. With two odango-like bunches sitting atop the sides of her head with hair following out of them and dangling down on the sides of her body, Linda looks almost like a life-like replica of Sailormoon!

Is TVB's costume department running out of ideas for ancient hairstyles? Or is this imitation intentional? It seems fitting that Linda's image was based on Sailormoon because both have magical powers (Linda's character is/aspiring to be a goddess in the series). I also wonder if TVB is hoping that this role will be Linda's breakthrough into extreme popularity and success because Sailormoon is one of the most popular characters in anime history.

When pictures were released from the costume fitting, I was stunned by how "ugly" Linda's costume was. The clothes weren't nice and Linda's hair looked like a mess. I just hated her look and wondered why and how TVB could have created such a look for their leading lady - especially since this was Linda's first costume drama. However, after seeing her in "action," I was pleasantly surprised. Linda looked absolutely adorable! My opinion on her image changed completely.

When she started doing some Sailormoon-like movements with her arms and hands in the clip - that was when it hit me. It was at that moment that I realized that Linda's image was so similar to Sailormoon! I then understood why I thought she looked so cute and why her image looked kind of familiar.

The more I look at Linda in her costume, the more I like her image. TVB copies a lot of things these days, so copying a character's look isn't surprising. However, at least, the copying made for a cute look for Linda to debut in for her first ancient series. I have high expectations for this series, especially since the producer has had such excellent productions lately with Safe Guards and The Conqueror's Story. I also like the cast and TVB has not done a mythical series for a long time. Also, Linda has said the role has been very challenging for her (she has to act out many different personalities) and that she feels very blessed to have been picked to act in the series. Besides, this is Linda's first true leading role and she sings the subsong (which sounds so beautifully awesome) - it doesn't get better than this.

《女兒紅》 prelude

In two weeks, TVB will release the long-anticipated Lui Yi Hung CD, a female version to the successful All About Men album released last year. The ten singers on this album are Miriam Yeung, Stephy Tang, Kary Ng, Myolie Wu, Charmaine Sheh, Linda Chung, Bernice Liu, Shirley Yeung, Sharon Chan, and Vivien Yeo.

Of course, the actual singers in this CD can sing, but the big question is... can TVB's actresses (at least the ones they chose for the album) sing? Or should these actresses just stick to acting (or for some of them - improving their acting and actually becoming competant actresses before trying to move on and become a singer)? Let's take a look and sample their singing...

Note: All the clips are located on my server, so just right click and Save Target As! Please do not directly link any downloads should you choose to post it at another site. Thanks!

Bernice Liu
With a few awards already in her belt for singing and making her singing debut 3 years ago with Virtues of Harmony's original soundtrack, Happy Together, Bernice is not as "new" a newcomer in the singing business as most people think. While it might have been Truth (the themesong from Into Thin Air) that launched her career, Bernice certainly has experience with singing. Bernice has two (or was it three?) songs on this CD.

Listen to Bernice's award-winning song in her first music video.

DOWNLOAD THE TRUTH MV

Linda Chung
Linda made her debut performing Sandy Lam's Honesty at TVB Extravaganza a few months ago. She received lots of applauses and shocked people with her singing voice (myself included). Her song for this CD is supposedly the themesong to her new series, 搜神傳 (an ancient mythical series about gods).

DOWNLOAD LINDA'S COVER OF HONESTY

And just for fun... download the actual Honesty song. How does Linda's performance compare to the original?

Charmaine Sheh
Charmaine took a stab at singing three years ago, doing a duet with Steven Ma for the themesong to Perish In The Name of Love. She also lends her voice for the subsong to this year's huge production - Dance of Passion.

DOWNLOAD THE PERISH IN THE NAME OF LOVE THEMESONG

Myolie Wu
Having conquered the acting department and rising and establishing herself much farther than any other young actress, Myolie has come a long way since her subordinate days to Michelle Ye. Is she ready to take on the singing department now? Myolie has recorded a few songs, but most wide-spread is probably her duet with Ron Ng for the themesong of Lost In The Chamber of Love.

DOWNLOAD THE LOST IN THE CHAMBER OF LOVE THEMESONG

Shirley Yeung
Shirley isn't an unfamiliar singer for TVB's programs targetted for kids. Last month was her debut to a much more mature audience as she sang the themesong to The Biter Bitten. Is she cut for seranding us... or is she more suitable to sing lullabies?

DOWNLOAD THE BITER BITTEN THEMESONG

Sharon Chan
Sharon promoted herself heavily at TVB Extravaganza a few months ago. According to her, her talents include acting, singing, and modelling. Quite an impressive resume, but was she exaggerating or does she have the actual talents to back-up her claims?

DOWNLOAD A CLIP OF SHARON SINGING
Credits: Ah Yi

Vivien Yeo
A lot of you probably don't even know who she is. Luckily for those of you who aren't aware of Vivien, there's an excellent site for her here. Vivien came from Miss Chinese International 2004 pageant (she didn't place, but she was a finalist) and has starred in a few series, such as Sunshine Heartbeat, Into Thin Air, and the recent Under the Canopy of Love. Vivien has yet to establish herself as an actress at TVB, but if the executives like you, you'll go a far way.

DOWNLOAD A CLIP OF VIVIEN SINGING
Credits: Agnes @ www.vivien-yeo.com

Personal Comments: I'm so looking forward to hearing this CD! I know a lot of people complain about the people involved with the CD, but personally, as a whole, I'm pleased with the artists involved. My biggest complaint is why was Gigi Lai cut?! How dare they choose someone with a "chicken voice" over her? Haha, Charmaine fans - I'm just kidding! Actually, I just want the full-length version of The Charm Beneath's themesong... I just love that song. Hopefully they will release that soon. Hopefully this will be a good album.

Myolie Wu - Very sweet voice! I hope that her themesong to War and Destiny will sound nice. Myolie has a voice that's suitable for ballads. Didn't like her "singing" in War of In-Laws themesong though. But then again, I didn't like In-Laws much anyways.

Charmaine Sheh - Charmaine's singing is quite good in the Perish themesong and I also liked her cover of Flower World at TVB Extravaganza. However, she seemed to run out of air and went a bit flat in the second verse of the Perish themesong. I'm really looking forward to hearing Charmaine's song though.

Linda Chung - I am eagerly anticipating Linda's song because she sounded very good in her cover of Honesty. Such a sweet voice and I think she sounds a bit like Sandy Lam.

Bernice Liu - Since 2003, I've prayed that Bernice would venture into singing and now, she is! I was impressed with how cute her voice sounded in the Happy Together CD and have liked her singing since then. Her part in the Love Bond subsong was sweet. However, I think she needs to work on singing live a bit more! Can't wait to hear her songs.

Shirley Yeung - The themesong to The Biter Bitten is very catchy and I quite like it. Shirley did okay, but somehow, her voice sounds a bit... childish? She's not bad, but nothing too special.

Sharon Chan - She seemed a bit full of herself and over-the-top during her promo at the TVB Extravaganza. Needless to say, her singing was far from what she advertised. Off-key and flat, Sharon's performance hurt my ears. Maybe she was just trying too hard.

Vivien Yeo - Vivien has a nice voice, but will she be able to sing a Cantonese song as well? Her Cantonese has definitely improved, but will she be able to handle singing a full-length song? Hopefully the melody in her voice will carry over.

What do you think? Can they sing? Whose song are you most looking forward to? Who should be cut and who should have been included in this CD?