[2016.04.29] DAYO WONG PLANS TO MAKE A HONG KONG COMEDY

Charmaine Sheh and Dayo Wong worked together on TVB's WE'RE HIRED
courtesy of on.cc

Dayo Wong Tze Wah would work with Fala Chen on a play. At the same time Tze Wah and Stephen Shiu Jr. will work together on a Hong Kong comedy DUNG DUK DUT GUNG (STAND UP SPECIAL AGENT) with his YOU'RE HIRED co-star Charmaine Sheh Si Man. In the film Tze Wah will play a British special agent who was abandoned in Hong Kong after 97, a portrait of Hong Kong people after the 97 Hand Over.

After finishing his play with Fala in July will rest for two months then work on his new film in September. This time he will write and star with a new director, Johnnie To Kei Fung's assistant director Tse Chun. Tze Wah had success on the stage but was known as "box office poison" in film. His directed and starred FIGHTING TO SURVIVE only made HK$ 110,000.

Stephen Shiu Jr. however had other ideas. "I am confident. He hasn't been on television for over a decade, the audience wouldn't mind paying. The kids who grew up watching Tze Wah are grown, they are a new consumer group." He revealed that he really wanted to make a Hong Kong comedy. Only a few domestic comedy actors remained. Ah Sheh demanded to work with Tze Wah by name because earlier when they worked together on HIRED they had great chemistry.

In DUNG Tze Wah originally was a top British special agent, but after the 97 Hand Over he "lost his identity" and became an orphan in Hong Kong. He could only rely on himself and open a private investigation agency. One day a mob boss' wife Sheh Si Man was released from prison and went to Tze Wah for revenge. They later teamed up to investigate the "real emotion drug", which made people show their beastly side. They even discovered the giant conspiracy behind the drug production. The story sounded like the animated film ZOOTOPIA, which Tze Wah provided his voice to.

[2016.04.29] KATE TSUI USES CHEWING GUM ON PROP TEETH

Kate Tsui invests seven figures on her online store

Kate Tsui makes a huge sacrifice to play ugly 

Even King Kong cannot take Kate Tsui's prop teeth
courtesy of on.cc

Former Miss Hong Kong Kate Tsui Tsz Shan in the film BUDDY COPS (YING GAING YING DAI) broke through her pretty girl image as she played a buck tooth ugly woman without any make up. The most outstanding part of her costume were buck teeth that scared off even King Kong. She said, "They were custom made. They were pretty hard to talk with, as I was constantly lisping. However that was another funny part. The most difficult was they often flew out while I was speaking. The team used some denture cream but it had some after taste. I thought of using chewing gum. Although it sounded a little gross, it was better than the after taste." In the film she was paired with King Kong and had a peck on the cheek. However King Kong did not get to enjoy it. She said, "King Kong said that at first when he found out he was paired with me he thought he was getting lucky, when he saw my buck teeth he said they were hardcore! He couldn't take them! Haha!"

[2016.04.28] FOR THE WEEK ENDING APRIL 24 2016

For the week ending April 24 2016

Photos courtesy of Yahoo! Movies Hong Kong

10 MY WIFE IS A SUPERSTAR
  Can : Ngor Lo Por Hai Ming Sing
    d. Shirley Yung Sau Lan
    Annie Liu (Lau Sum Yau), Pakho Chau,
      Alex Lam Tak Shun, Jacky Cai Jie, Jacqueline Ng (Chu Fun),
      Don Li Yat Long, Eric Kwok Wai Leung, Grace Ip Pui Man,
      Alex To Tak Wai, Stephanie Che Yuen Yuen, Bonnie Wong Man Wai,
      Lo Hoi Pang, I Love You Boyz, Bob Lam Sing Bun, Tin Kai Man,
      Jacquelin Chong Si Man, Ram Chiang Chi Kwong,
  Rating : IIB
  Length : 105 mins.
  Opening April 21 2016
  Trailer : https://youtu.be/3qGwcDfuoao

[ THE FILM CATALOGUE ]
    The movie company owner Jeff is preparing a major Chinese-New-Year-themed movie. He has recruited new and beautiful actress Chu Kei as the leading actress to replace the famous actress Ching Yu. But the only condition is Chu Kei must not date anyone. For becoming her dream, she promised Jeff at last. However in actuality, she is married to an unsuccessful reporter Lai Mo.

    Since Ching Yu suspected that Chu Kei is married, she tells Lai Mo's boss Uncle Tat the news. And then, Uncle Tat appoints Lai Mo to look for evidence and promises him to get promotion if he did well. Lai Mo is in a dilemma choosing between career and marriage. Will Chu Kei’s married status be recognized by the public in eventually? Could Lai Mo fulfill the job and get promotion?

 9 ROBBERY
  Can : Lo Lup Bin Lei Dim
  Lit : Stick Up Convenience Store
    d. Fire Lee (Han Huo Huo)
    Derek Tsang Kwok Cheung, J.Arie (Rachel Lui Sum Yu)
      Lam Suet, Stanley Fung Shui Fan, Philip Keung Ho Man
      Anita Chui Bik Ka, Eric Kwok Wai Leung,
      Aaron Chow Chi Kwan, Edward Ma Chi Wai, Ken Low Wai Kwong,
  Rating : III
  Length : 902 mins.
  Opening July 5 2015 at the New York Asian Film Festival
  Opening March 29 2016 at the Hong Kong International Film Festival
  Opening April 14 2016
  Site : http://www.filmlinc.com/films/on-sale/robbery
  Trailer: https://www.facebook.com/1035273713206536/videos/vb.1035273713206536/1046372912096616/?type=2&theater

[ NEW YORK ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL ]
  An absurdist blood-soaked Grand Guignol with attitude to burn, Fire Lee’s indie black comedy about an overnight shift in a convenience store starts with a simple robbery, then moves on to mass murder, terrorist bombings, police shoot-outs, and even the afterlife.

[ HONG KONG MOVIE 6 ]
  A young guy named Ping gets a job working as a cashier in the Exceed convenience store. At midnight, Grandpa goes into the store to buy bargain priced breads. Annoyed and offended by the store manager Fat Boss’ sarcasm and contempt, Grandpa stabs a pair of scissors into Fat Boss’ neck. All the people in the store–Yan who is just a passerby borrowing the toilet, Anita who is buying some condoms, Fat Boss, Ping and his co-worker Mabel are suddenly taken hostage by Grandpa in this bizarre incident......

 8 HARECORE HENRY
    d. Ilya Naishuller
    Sharlto Copley, Tim Roth, Haley Bennett, Danila Kozlovsky

 7 BATMAN VS. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE
    d. Zack Snyder
    Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jessie Eisenberg

 6 PORT OF CALL
  Can : Dap Huet Chum Mui
  Lit : Step Into Blood In Search of Plum
    d. Philip Yung Chi Kwong
    Aaron Kwok Fu Sing, Elaine Jin (Kam Yin Ling),
      Patrick Tam Yiu Man, Maggie Shiu Mei Kei
  Rating : III
  Length : 120 mins.
  Opening April 6 2015 at the Hong Kong International Film Festival
  Opening December 3 2015
  Trailer: http://youtu.be/8WlHzaSeTus

  [ HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ]
    A teenage prostitute is murdered; her body cut up and flushed down the toilet, and her severed head thrown into Victoria Harbor. Director Philip Yung chooses to focus not on the crime or the investigation, but on the dead girl and her family, the cop and his family, and the killer who is without a family. The result is a genre-bender that progresses as it digresses, an atmospheric mosaic of human lives and actions that invariably get complicated, out of order and beyond reason, and with the characters firmly grounded in gritty and unforgiving reality.

[ THE FILM CATALOGUE ]
    Jiamei Wang has moved to Hong Kong from Dongguan, China two years ago. Desperate to become financially independent from her mother and step-father, she ends up becoming a “compensated date”. Chi-chung Ting, a truck driver who had just been brutally dumped, finds Jiamei online. They communicate with each other via text message and become friends right away. They share their background stories, and talk about everything from love to hate, from life to death.

    On the day of the murder, Jiamei and Chi-chung finally meet in person. In the room, they play, indulge in ketamine and really enjoy themselves. Finally, they go to the bed. During sex, Jiamei tells Chi-chung she wants to die. Chi-chung squeezes her neck until she passes away.

    Ching Sir, in charge of investigating the case, is a quirky police officer. When he investigates a case, he often ignores the details of the case itself but rather researches extensively on the personality of the people involved. Although he already has enough evidence to charge Chi-chung Ting, he wants to get to know Ting and Jiamei Wang better. He wants to look at our times with his heart. What exactly happened? He wishes to find out the real reason behind the incident, to prove that human nature is not evil, to shine a light onto the darkness.

 5 THE BOY
    d. William Brent Bell
    Lauren Cohan, Rupert Evans, James Russell, Jim Norton

 4 THE HUNTSMAN: WINTER'S WAR
    d. Cedric Nicolas-Troyan
    Sam Claflin, Chris Hemsworth,
      Emily Blunt, Jessica Chastain, Charlize Theron,

 3 TRIVISA
  Can : Shu Dai Jiu Fung
  Lit : Big Trees Attract Wind
    d. Frank Hui Hok Man, Vicky Wong Wai Kit, Jevons Au Man Kit
    Gordon Lam Ka Tung, Richie Jen (Yam Yin Chai), Jordan Chan Siu Chun,
      Tommy Wong Kwong Leung
  Length : 97 mins.
  Opening February 12 2016 at the Berlin Film Festival
  Opening April 7 2016
  Trailer : https://youtu.be/ZsE97uwjkEo

[ BERLIN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL ]
    Hong Kong, summer 1997: while preparations are underway for the handover of the British Crown Colony to China, the underworld finds that it too must adapt to profound changes. With the opening of the border to China, new codes and mores make their way into the world of the triads – and those who don’t adjust their business models have already lost.


    A genre film from Hong Kong that chooses to set its story during those years of turmoil is tantamount to a double swan song. For these political changes also effectively spelled the end of an independent Hong Kong cinema that was admired across Asia. One of the few directors who has continued to defend and develop the genre is Johnnie To. By producing TRIVISA, To is flying the flag for three up-and-coming directors who tell the stories of three legendary gangsters of the period. This is not an anthology film, but rather an overlapping story of men who become victims of their own legends. As chance brings them all together one day in the same restaurant on the Chinese side of the border, rumours swirl that the three are planning a joint coup. In elegant fashion, hype and hubris lead to their downfall. (Christoph Terhechte)

 2 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE
    d. Dan Trachtenberg
    Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman, John Gallagher Jr.

 1 ZOOTOPIA
    d. Byron Howard, Rich Moore, Jared Bush
    Disney Animation
    English Voices: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba
    Cantonese Voices: Dayo Wang Tze Wah, Joey Yung Cho Yi

[2016.04.28] A ROMANCE OF ABSTINENCE FOR TANG WEI

courtesy of on.cc

courtesy of singtao.com

Tang Wei's due date will be in August or September

Mainland television Best Actor Wu Xiubo is happy to work with Tang Wei again after 3 years

Wu Xiubo jokes that Tang Wei likes to talk even more after her pregnancy

In BOOK OF LOVE Tang Wei and Wu Xiubo fall in love over a book
courtesy of mingpao.com

Three years ago new female director Xue Xiaolu with Tang Wei and Wu Xiubo crated a box office and word of mouth hit FINDING MR. RIGHT. Now the original team reunited for BOOK OF LOVE. This time the story was drastically different from the last, as a love letter spread a relationship to Macau, Hong Kong, Beijing, Chongqing, Vancouver, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and London. The film only passed by Seattle. Tang Wei pointed out that this time she and Wu Xiubo basically did not have any scene together. The most intimate scene was just a hug. Wu Xiubo joked that this was a romance of abstinence.

Already Tang Wei is already over five months pregnant, she has not stopped working since she learned about her pregnancy as she continued to promote. In addition she was energetic and agile, not as clumsy as the average pregnant ladies. Speaking of the production, Wu Xiubo said a female screen writer and director from a female perspective and angle told the difference of a home in this story. Last time he played a divorced doctor, this time he worked as a real estate agent in Los Angeles. Tang Wei was no longer a pregnant woman but a casino public relations worker. A love letter connected their two different worlds together.

Tang Wei said that in the seven month long production she and Wu Xiubo basically had no scene together. They almost did not see each other at all. Because in the film they began to write over a book, they had to keep the communication from the beginning to the end and truly felt very wonderful. Tang Wei said that she still maintained the letter writing habit despite the modern advanced communication age. Now she still would rely to fan letters. She said, "I really thank them for trusting me, talking to me from the bottom of their hearts and opening my eyes. I would share with them as well, I would rely to them about my own experience and feeling!" Tang Wei also admitted that she has written love letters because she liked to write. Wu Xiubo joked, "I have never even written a letter!"

Wu Xiubo and Tang Wei worked together on the final London encounter scene. They appeared in each other's imagination and thus went to shoot at many locations. They did not share the stage. Would they have any intimate scene in the film? Wu Xiubo joked, "We made some, but I don't know if they were useful or not because in the past the director cut some physical contact. We always held hands, an embrace was already very serious. Ours was a romance of abstinence."

Tang Wei revealed that after making THE GOLDEN ERA she was beyond exhausted and she kept working, she still held out to work on BOOK. When she worked on location in Macau, in order to accommodate the casino's hours of operation everyone went "crazy". She was so exhausted that she fell twice in Macau and London. She injured her right leg and had to be wheel chair bound. She chuckled, "I have sprained my leg nine times, each time I returned to work before I recovered. I really haven't taken a day off in ten years, this was like warning to my body to properly rest. However I couldn't stop. I decided that after making this film I would have a child so I would truly be able to stop!"

[2016.04.28] PHILIP KEUNG GETS IN SHAPE TO PAIR WITH ANDY LAU

courtesy of on.cc

Ronald Cheng and Sammie Yu enjoy a rare date

Philip Keung's wife wants a superhero husband
courtesy of mingpao.com

Ronald Cheng Chung Kei and his wife Sammie Yu Sze Man attended the film CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR's Hong Kong premiere, as did Philip Keung Ho Man and his wife Kam Wai Ying. Earlier Keung Ho Man got into shape for his new film SHOCK WAVE (CHAK DAN JUEN GA) with Andy Lau Tak Wa. He kept training so he would not pale in comparison but he kept his diet normal.

[2016.04.27] FOR THE WEEK STARTING APRIL 23 2016

GLOBAL CHINESE MUSIC CHART

For the week starting April 23 2016

15 A PAIR OF HANDS
  Can : Yut Seung Sau
  Phil Lam Yik Hong

https://youtu.be/pR6C3yTiSbQ

14 PERFECT
  Can : Yuen Mei
  The Grasshoppers

https://youtu.be/JFsEdKNo0QI

13 EMOJI
  Twins

https://youtu.be/s8AGDGamOXQ

12 KEEP ON FIGHT ON
  Jay Fung Wing Him featuring MastaMic

https://youtu.be/gc5t5nHA1IE

11 MAKE IT BIG
  Jane Zhang Liangying

https://youtu.be/Sbw9ta5E8dU

10 LIGHT
  Can : Dung Guong
  Eli Hsieh (Tse Ting Yin)

https://youtu.be/upUjlErMmO4

 9 INTIMATE
  Can : Chun Yit
  Stephanie Cheng Yung

https://youtu.be/d16IC-taf20

 8 SINGLE
  Can : Yut Gor Yun
  William Wei (Wai Lai On)

https://youtu.be/RjSNrLmcTrU

 7 TELL THE TRUTH
  Can : Suet Sut Wa
  Nana Lee (Lee Chin Na)

https://youtu.be/NiKzHzL2ois

 6 FORGIVE ME
  Can : Yuen Leung Ngor
  Andy Lau Tak Wa

https://youtu.be/2qPuI8LS9Pc

 5 LOVE MYSELF MORE
  Can : Ji Si But Gau Oi Ji Gei
  Della Ding Dong

https://youtu.be/d3IQo9NgTtI

 4 DEAR CHILDREN
  Can : Chun Oi Dik Siu Hai
  Jeffrey Chang (Cheung Shun Jit)

https://youtu.be/cTjN6p0InfM

 3 A FRIEND
  Can : Ngor Moon Si Pung Yau
  Gary Chaw (Cho Gat)

https://youtu.be/KSoquw6Anfk

 2 HERO
  Can : Ying Hung
  Jay Chou (Chow Kit Lun)

https://youtu.be/ROaovSly7Wc

 1 POPULAR SONGS
  Can : Lau Hung Gor Kuk
  Li Ronghao

https://youtu.be/AOkFpYLJh2I

[2016.04.27] WONG HEI AVOIDS TALKING ABOUT AARON KWOK

courtesy of singtao.com

courtesy of mingpao.com

Aaron Kwok Fu Sing, Lam Suet, Gallen Lo (Law Ka Leung), Tiffany Tang Yan, Yao Chen, and Wong Hei starred, the Korean series MY LOVE FROM THE STAR director Jang Tae-Yoo directed new film MBA PARTNERS will open in the Mainland on the 29th and in Hong Kong on May 12th. Wong Hei yesterday promoted on DBC digital radio. He revealed, "MBA has the participation of a Korean team. They are all about the details. I am the least used to them checking finger nails on the first day of work. When they felt they failed they would immediately fixed them. My nails didn't pass and had to be trimmed. The team was all about the details and pursued perfection. Thus the more we shot the less them I spent on skin care, because everyday they took care of it."

Wong Hei revealed that after working with Sing Sing in 2003 they worked together again. Did Sing Sing's girlfriend visit the set? Wong Hei smartly changed the subject. "Sing Sing after 12 years was still very handsome. It would be great if I don't change like him. (Was Sing Sing always on his phone sending text messages?) He was very professional, burying his head in the script. His Putonghua was very well grasped." Reporters joked that Sing Sing's girlfriend came from the Mainland, of course his Putonghua was great. Wong Hei again took a detour. "The team treated us very well, aside from Chinese, we also had Korean cuisine."

In the film Yao Chen, Tang Yan and Hao Lei became "partners" and created an online business. Off screen Yao Chen revealed that she was already pregnant and will give birth to a new companion for her son in November. Tang Yan continued to keep her distance from the media because of their focus on her rumors. On the stage she only happily interacted with fans.

When fans asked about playing business founders, Tang Yan and Hao Lei yesterday shared how they started their business. Tang Yan said, "We have to have a heart that dares to try, eat, drink, play and pleasure are all good directions for starting a business." Called a standing and walking "coat rack", Tang Yan smiled and felt that she was the product being packaged. Then she would work hard for market recognition. Many show business stars and artists started side businesses. Tang Yan said if she truly considered starting a business, she would set her sight on the food industry. Hao Lei grabbed the microphone and joked, "With my figure I can't be in the food business!" Hao Lei revealed that she liked accessories and gave a little plug for her online store.

[2016.04.26] JET LI LAUNCHES ONLINE PRESENCE ON HIS BIRTHDAY

courtesy of mingpao.com

Today is Jet Li (Lee Nin Kit)'s 53rd birthday. This year his birthday was rather special because he chose on this day to establish his "Jet Li" public weixin account, which was also one of his birthday wishes. Lee Nin Kit said, "After over 50 years, my birthday wish is to establish this 'Lee Nin Kit" public weixin account in hopes of promoting some meaningful events like charity work and future directions!"

Because Lee Nin Kit was in Beijing he was unable to celebrate his birthday with his family. Fortunately his wife Nina Li Chi and their daughters have always been understanding of his work and never minded. He felt that he did not have to have dinner with his family on his birthday. The most important was to cherish their time together normally, which was already a joy. Lee Nin Kit said that his birthday wish was world peace and less dispute. He chose to establish this public account on April 26th because he wanted everyone to understand the current Lee Nint Kit, the past Lee Nin Kit and the future Lee Nin Kit. He hoped that everyone would follow the account. In order to thank everyone for their support, since yesterday for 10 days in a row 10 would be chosen from those who followed the public account and joined the "Lee Nin Kit Hero Camp" official fan club to receive a personally autographed tee shirt.

[2016.04.26] NICHOLAS TSE DENIES WEDDING RUMORS

courtesy of singtao.com

Tang Yan

Mani Fok is the producer

Jung Yong-Hwa is a stranger to incense sticks

Jung Yong-Hwa, Ge You, and Nicholas Tse

Ting Fung becomes "flavor king" Ge You's student

Jung Yong-Hwa and Bai Bing are at the center of the media attention
courtesy of mingpao.com

Nicholas Tse jokes that all his guests on his program are his lab rats

Ge You leads the roast pig cutting ceremony, the cake resembles the real thing

Michelle Wai is excited about working with all the veterans

Nicholas Tse and a famous chef's cooking contest draws a crowd

Jung Yong-Hwa says "the heat is killing Baby"
courtesy of on.cc

The Emperor Motion Pictures' 250 million RMB first 4D cuisine Chinese film COOK UP A STORM (Fung Mei Gong Wu ji Kuet Jin Sik Sun) yesterday held its production start ceremony at the National Art Film and Television Studio in Foshan. Director Raymond Yip Wai Man with Ge You, Nicholas Tse Ting Fung, Korean band CNBLUE member Jung Yong-Hwa, Tiffany Tang Yan, Michelle Bai Bing and others attended. Emperor Group chief Dr. Albert Yeung Sau Sing also showed his support with almost 100 Mainland and Hong Kong media outlets on hand.

Before the ceremony, a shower suddenly passed by. When it officially began it cleared up. Yeung Sau Sing led the team in presenting incense sticks, but Jung Yong-Hwa did not really know how to place it. Ting Fung and the director had to lend a hand. He too was no match for the heat as he kept wiping his sweat and fixing his make up; Ge You also often removed his hat and wiped his head. Ge You worked on his first cuisine film and revealed that he would eat everything. Spicy food was his favorite. The host and actor Du Haitao revealed that Ting Fung was also the cuisine consultant, all the food on and off screen had to have his approval. Ting Fung also revealed that he wanted to explore street stall dishes, which was a huge challenge. Playing the head chiefs in the film, Ting Fung and Yong-Hwa tried fish maw dishes. Yong-Hwa said in Putonghua and Cantonese, "very delicious" and "very sharp". Ting Fung immediately revealed that when he had dinner with Yong-Hwa earlier Yong-Hwa often said "good good good". Later they presented "roast pig cake" to on screen "flavor king" Ge You to become his disciples. Ge You immediately had a taste and said it was top notch.

Ting Fung said that he suggested the "roast pig cake" but he did not make it personally. He left it in the hands of bakers. As the food consultant, he pointed out that he explored all the dishes in the film. He stated, "Everyone became my lab rats." Would he still be chok when he played a street stall chef? He said, "I don't know, you will know when you watch the movie. (Street stall chefs don't like to cook with clothes on) I wouldn't, the most important was hygiene." Michelle Wai Si Nga revealed that when she tried Ting Fung's cooking she would learn in secret , so everyday she would run at the hotel to stay in shape. She also praised Ting Fung's arm strength as he was able to toss the wok with one hand. She would not do it with both hands.

Ting Fung was asked if he has seen his children lately. He smiled and replied, "You know I won't answer." Was he worried that Cecilia Cheung Pak Chi's debt collector would affect his children? He continued to say he would not answer. When asked if he has heard Dou Ching Tung's new record, Ting Fung at first said that he would not answer but later said that he did. Was she better than him? He joked, "How hard would it be to be better than me?" Finally he was asked about wedding news with Faye Wong. He said with certainty, "No, this one I have to answer. (Have you thought about getting married?) I won't answer."

Yong-Hwa said that he could not cook. Because in the film he played a famous three star chef he had to put a lot of effort into learning the technique. He revealed that he did not know how to use a knife before and would use a pair of scissors instead. Now he practiced with the knife more and curry was his best dish. Has he tried Ting Fung's cooking? He stated, "Not yet, last time when we met the timing wasn't right." He said that he liked to eat anything and everything, he would eat whatever Ting Fung would cook but he would like to try sweet and sour pork the most.

Aside from Foshan, the film will shoot on location in Macau in June. Next month the film will have open auctions for fans to work with their idols.

Jung Yong-Hwa was asked he was used to the Mainland climate. He asked Bai Bing in Putonghua, "Hot?" Bai Bing nodded and he said in Putonghua, "The heat is killing Baby!" He praised Bai Bing for really taking care of him. Each time he was working she would teach him Mandarin. Bai Bing also praised Yong-Hwa as smart, he already learned something individual words after hearing it once. She also said that Yong-Hwa was already her student. This time would be Yong-Hwa's first film, when asked if it was any different from working on a series in Korea he said that at first he was very worried. After arriving he realized that it was exactly the same as a Korean production. The most special was that the Mainland sets were already built and he was able to focus more. They played a couple in the film. Bai Bing revealed that because of Yong-Hwa's fans she felt the pressure. They would have a kiss scene but it has not been shot yet. Was Yong-Hwa looking forward to the kiss scene? He joked, "I am faithful to the character."

[2016.04.26] BEIJING OPERA MASTER MAI BAOJIU PASSED AWAY

Albert Yeung
courtesy of singtao.com

Beijing Opera master Mei Baojiu

Leon Lai remembers "Lord Jiu" online

Mei Baojiu says Leon Lai's performance in FOREVER ENTHRALLED is convincing

Wong Cho Lam brings his wife Leanna Li to Mei Baojiu's performance in Hong Kong.

Li Kui Ming, Mei Baojiu

Mei Baojiu's final photo with the Buddha hand gesture

Hins Cheung met with Mei Baojiu

Beijing Opera master Mei Baojiu yesterday passed away at age 82 in Beijing. Afflicted with asthma, during lunch at the end of March he suffered sudden bronchospasm that cut off oxygen to his brain. He remained in a coma and never gained consciousness. Yesterday he peacefully passed away around 11AM at age 82. A memorial will be held on May 3rd in Beijing.

Born in 1934 in Shanghai, Mei Baojiu was the leader of the Beijing Opera Mei School Artand the chief of the Mei Lanfeng Beijing Opera troupe. His representative work included FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE, THE DRUNKEN CONCUBINE and MU GUIYING TAKES COMMAND. Mei Baojiu at age 10 began to study the art. At age 13 he made his debut. With his sweet voice he resembled his father Mei Lanfeng from his appearance to his voice. Mei Lanfeng often gave him artistic advice. Mei Baojiu also was very highly trained in martial art diva roles and Kun Opera.

Wong Cho Lam earlier brought his wife Leanne Li Yanan to support Mei Baojiu's Hong Kong performance. Yesterday he revealed that he made a connection as early as 2000. He said, "At the time I was still studying at the Performing Art Academy, I went alone to Beijing to study Beijing Opera. When I visited my idol Master Mei Lanfeng's home, I ran into Mr. Mei Baojiu who was working on a special about his father. I asked for a photo like a fan, he agreed without any arrogance at all!" Cho Lam even said that he saw the veteran enjoying a fish filet sandwich, which looked very interesting and very memorable. At the time Mei Boajiu was surprised that a young man would head north to study the Beijing Opera and encouraged him to study well.

Mainland director Chen Kaige directed the film FOREVER ENTHRALLED (MEI LANFENG) in 2007 about the life of Mei Lanfeng. Leon Lai Ming who grew up in Beijing played the middle aged Mei Lanfeng. At the time Mei Baojiu even took the time to rehearse with Lai Ming. Later he praised Lai Ming as a very generous, righteous and very nice guy. He could tell he was playing Mei Lanfeng humbly, which was very similar to his father. He admitted that in the film Lai Ming was completely in character. Mr. Mei also said, "He had the traditional flavor of growing up in Beijing, I am very pleased with him." Lai Ming remembered Mei Baojiu as "Lord Jiu" online, saying that the Mei family art will always remain in his heart!

One of the film's investors Albert Yeung Sau Sing yesterday expressed regret about his passing. He revealed that the last time he saw him was at a Mainland award presentation. At the time Mei Baojiu asked him to dinner in Beijing, but he never had the time. He even said that back then Mei Baojiu contributed a lot to the film and was a great person.

As the "Mei School" successor Mei Baojiu inherited his father Mei Lanfeng's career as China's Beijing Opera master of a generation and the best among the "Four Great Divas". Born in 1894 in Beijing, he started studying opera at age 8 and began to perform at age 10. As a man he specialized in diva roles -- female roles in operas. The Beijing Opera at the end of the Qing Dynasty focused on form and not emotional performance. Lan Meifeng injected emotions into Beijing Opera. His emotional performance developed into the unique "Mei school". His representative work included FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE, MU GUIYING TAKES COMMAND and THE DRUNKEN CONCUBINE. FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE was adapted into Cantonese opera and films, including the late superstar Leslie Cheung Kwok Wing starred film of the same title.

Mei Lanfeng even actively spread Chinese opera culture overseas, visiting Japan, the Soviet Union and the United States. In 1961 he passed away in Beijing at age 66.