[2014.04.06] EKIN CHENG DECLINES TO WORK WITH YOYO MUNG

courtesy of mingpao.com

Dior Cheng Yi Kin is one of the few who values loyalty in the business. He, Kelly Chen Wai Lam and Tony Leung Ka Fai had a chance to reunite on the silver screen years later, as they traveled to Prague for Lee Chi Ngai's new film HORSEPLAY (DOH MA GEI). Despite few exchanges over the years their friendship remained, during the shoot they thoroughly indulged like old friends on vacation; of course to his wife Yoyo Mung Ka Wai he is beyond attentive. Whatever his wife decides he would give his 100% support; even when he sees former colleagues' unknown future with HKTV, he still cares very much as he speaks up on their behalf.

C: Ekin Cheng, R: Reporter

R: HKTV's station opening ran ashore. Your wife Mung Ka Wai's HKTV series TIN MONG (HEAVEN NET)'s production has been halted. Have you helped your wife return to the silver screen?

Why Prevent Others From Improving?

C: Actually she has a lot of work. Before she got into the business she worked behind the scene and in advertising, she had a lot of connections. Basically with her ability no one needs to worry, only this matter disappoints people somewhat; actually it is just an entertainment channel, why make it so complicated? I really don't understand, each business should have positive competition. Yet now it seems to be one sided. People say they want improvement but no one is improving. People want to improve, but they are not permitted to improve. She is my wife, of course she doesn't have to worry. I would take care of her, but some elders and past colleagues are in HKTV, everyone have given a lot of effort. I feel they shouldn't be wasted. I hope to have a space for them to continue to work. As for whether I would support my wife return to the silver screen, we still have to wait for the chance!

Continue To Not Work Together

R: If in the future you really have a chance to work with your wife on a film would you turn it down?

C: We probably won't work together! I am more conservative. Actually we have never worked together before, then we shouldn't work together. We can avoid friction. I hear that others always say a couple should not be in a business together, work together. Since so many elders and seniors have said that I definitely would believe it. Don't mess with it. Now we are so happy, why don't we keep maintaining it? Why do we have to add so many pointless troubles?

HORSEPLAY Productions Like Vacation Fun

R: Anything memorable happened during the HORSEPLAY shoot?

C: Brother Ka Fai's injury. Because he is an elder, I was very worried about his sudden injury. What were we going to do about the shoot, would we just shoot for a day then return to Hong Kong? However he truly was very amazing. After a day's rest he insisted on continuing the shoot. Even if he was in a lot of pain he would rarely mention it. I only had a little pressure. Because of a temporary adjustment, my all English dialogue scene was shot first. I was so nervous that I couldn't sleep the night before; originally the entire production was very perfect. Because of this incident the production process was a little less than perfect. Actually during the promotion I finally remembered I made this movie because it was truly too much fun. I treated it like I went on a vacation.

Remember Receiving Leung Ka Fai's Encouragement

R: Would you be like (Tony) Leung Ka Fai and have a chance at a woman's disguise?

C: A simple one I can, I believe it would be pretty fun. They often said that if I played a woman I should be somewhat pretty. If I have a chance to play a master of disguise character I would consider it. However it would be very tough. Like (Andy) Lau Tak Wa with LOVE ON A DIET (SAU SUN NAM NUI), it looked simple but needed a lot of determination. Actually if I have a chance I really would want to try it once, it doesn't have to be a woman; even a senior disguise I still want to try. Thus I was pretty envious of Brother Ka Fai this time.

R: How did working with Ka Fai feel?

C: Actually Brother Ka Fai and I weren't working together for the first time. When I just started we worked together on ALL OF THE WINNERS (SUN LUNG DOH SING ji KEI HOI DUT SING). He truly watched me getting into the business. I learned a lot from him. He taught me in show business I had to have a dream. The most memorable was he said he bought a home and encouraged me to make that my dream. Finally years later I made the dream come true.

Praising Chen Wai Lam's Effort And Added Maturity

R: The last time you worked with (Kelly) Chen Wai Lam was over 10 years ago in TOKYO RAIDERS (DUNG GAING GUNG LEUK). Working together again this time, she is already a mother. Did it feel any different?

C: No really, instead I feel she is more open than before. She can already accept last minute changes. I particularly admire her effort. I remember when she worked on TOKYO RAIDERS she was constantly mumbling, actually she was practicing Japanese. Then in this film she kept moving, actually she was rehearsing for a show. From then to now she is excessively tense, but this time she obviously has matured a lot.

R: Compared to then, have your topics changed a lot?

C: Back then we talked about dating, now we talk about food and shopping. Because now she likes to shop online very much, on our free time we would exchange online shopping tips. Instead we rarely talked about parenthood. At first she talked about Shrimp Dumpling Kid; but later she just thought it was a lot of fun, feeling like she was on vacation.

R: Did Chen Wai Lam tell you to be a father soon?

C: She didn't really mention it, on the other hand Brother Ka Fai did. However he stressed that he wasn't forcing me, only telling me to consider it myself. I feel that to each its own, I wouldn't absolutely not do it. I just let it come naturally, but I wouldn't say I was very active because at this stage we rather enjoy a world of just us.