[2013.01.01] TAIWAN ENTERTAINMENT TYCOON YANG DENG-KUI PASSES AWAY

Richie Jen, Carina Lau, Yang Deng-Kui, Shu Qi, and Dicky Cheung at the Polyface Entertainment Group opening
courtesy of on.cc

Famous Taiwan film and television tycoon Yang Deng Kui last month due to a stroke was hospitalized and passed away yesterday around 5AM. Yang Deng Kui's film company yesterday issued a statement that despite the treatments during his hospitalization, group chief Yang Deng Kui's condition did not improve. On the 30th Yang Deng Kui's condition suddenly deteriorated, finally on the morning of the 31st around 5PM he passed away in Taipei. Before his passing, his family including his son Yang Tsung-Hsien and many friends were by his side. His film company reportedly will construct a Yang Deng Kui memorial hall and a farewell concert that will be confirmed later.

Yang Deng Kui has made many Hong Kong and Taiwan film stars. When he released the FONG SAI YUK film series he successfully made Jet Li (Lee Nin Kit) into an international superstar. Reportedly he did not try to lower the rate because they were friends, instead he paid the full market rate, almost HK$20 million, to Lee Nin Kit.

Hou Hsiao-Hsien expressed sorrow over losing a good friend and revealed that when he made CITY OF SADNESS he ran into some obstacles. Later because Yang Deng Kui joined the project the film was successfully completed. Hong Kong director Andrew Lau Wai Keung revealed that on the 3rd he will head to Taiwan to pay his respect and said that Yang's passion for film moved him the most. Lau also pointed out that he called Jacky Cheung Hok Yau, Shu Qi and others and that many film industry friends will head to Taiwan to mourn this legendary figure.

Once the Golden Horse Award chair, Yang Deng Kui has created film companies and television station. His life was full of legendary colors. Sentenced to prison in his youth, Yang Deng Kui in 1988 after his release invested on the film CITY OF SADNESS the year after. The film won the Venice Film Festival Gold Lion prize and changed his image, as he even received a honor from the Taiwan News Agency. In 1990, Yang Deng Kui was the top Kaohsiung criminal organization chief. Due to a government anti gang sweep he was arrested again. At the time 5 Golden Horse award winners including Hou Hsiao-Hsien pleaded with the government on his behalf.

Later Yang Deng Kui invested in THE PUPPETMASTER, which also caught international attention. In 1997 Yang created the Gala Television Corporation and worked with TVB on the Dicky Cheung Wai Kin starred THE DUKE OF MOUNT DEER 2000 and THE MONKEY KING: QUEST FOR THE SUTRA. In 2011 he created the film company Polyface Entertainment Media Group.