2009 TVB Anniversary Awards: Fashion Flair or Fashion Faux Pas?

I do apologize for my lack of updates. What’s worse is that when I actually do get around to updating, they aren’t even timely. This is a fashion post on who I thought the winners and losers were when it came to fashion on the red carpet TVB Anniversary Awards night. I know it’s been way too long ago to even be still thinking about it now but I’ve had this post under drafts for so long that I thought it was high time that I completed and published it. So, here we go… 

Fashion Flair or Fashion Faux Pas? 

Here in this fashion feature, we have five categories. The Honourable Mentions who all came out in their A-game, ready to razzle and dazzle up the Awards with their clever fashion choices. Then we have the Neither Here Nor Theres who aimed high but ended up falling somewhere in the middle of the crowd, vowing to do must better next year. Then, coming in after that part of the pack, are the The I’m-Not-Gonna-Win-So-This-Is-Really-Boring group. They didn’t think they’d get any recognition this year but as to not offend TVB, attendance was compulsary. Hence, they just threw on something they had and showed up. Next, there’s the OTT Award winners; they just don’t seem to get that less is more. And last but not least, we have the very special Heidi Montag award. Heidi Montag, for those of you who aren’t familiar with the name, is an American reality TV star who seemingly does a lot for attention. You get my drift.

The Honorable Mentions:

Tavia Yeung
 

 

My favourite dress of the night has to be what Tavia wore. The design and fit is absolutely perfect. The various shades of lovely blue in layers of chiffon gracefully panned out around her when she walked. I adore the tube bodice with the embedded silver bits, just to throw in a little more glamour to the otherwise ethereal Grecian-like dress. The dress (coupled with the elation she was undoubtedly feeling that night) made her look so radiant. I would love to own something like this. A brilliant fashion choice.

Sheren Tang

This dress is truly something different and I’m a fan. Showing off a single bare shoulder with a toga-inspired dress makes things slightly flirty. The silver adornment on her right shoulder and the silver neckline balances out the fun and playful tuile A-line bottom with a bit of glamour. I like how the black sash and the black peeptoe heels complete the whole look. Nice play with the three colours and a well-deserved win!

Nancy Wu 

 

Ooh, I love the vintage feel of this gorgeous chiffon-looking dress (I wish I could reach out and touch that material) and the way it tapers inwards, giving her a bit of an ethereal mermaid look. She’s got the whole classy vintage thing going on; from the side-sweep of that hair-do to the fire engine red lipstick. May not be a favourite, but I think it’s lovely. A more mature look as compared to last year’s Most Improved Actress winning dress. 

Derek Kwok

Not an honourable mention but since he’s here… I love Derek, but ugh. Is that velvet he’s donning? At least his bow matches her lips.

Kara Hui 

First up, let me just say that I think Kara‘s extremely gorgeous and classy. This dress is sleek and simple, and age-appropriate for her. I think the chandelier earrings and bangle match it perfectly. Can’t quite figure out if the ruby adornment on the front of her dress is a brooch or part of the dress, but either way, it kinda works. This dress looks awfully familiar. Has someone else worn it to any other event before this?

Myolie Wu

There’s something about Myolie that doesn’t quite conform when it comes to fancy evening galas. She’s not your average girly girl and I respect that. She’s had some pretty questionable outfits before but this time I’m gonna come right out and say that I love it. It’s fun, flirty and fresh. The only alarm bell sounded when I realized the shoes were also leopard print. And then, I cringed. Other than that, I think she looks great.

Koni Lui 

Ooh la la, Koni. There’s something about Koni I like. She’s healthy looking, seems to have a fun-loving personality. Girl’s got curves and flaunts it very well in this daring evening dress. The champagne tones of the dress are rare on the TVB carpet and it complements her very nicely. For some reason or other, it looks like something Bernice would don and also very reminiscient of what Tavia wore last year. My only grouse is that I would’ve downplayed the jewellery a little.

Joe Ma

Again, not part of the honourable mentions, but just cause he’s in the picture. Heh. Next to Koni, Joe’s attempt to be hip or cool just pathetically fizzles and dies off. Sigh. I’m awfully attracted to him on screen but off-screen he just doesn’t do it AT ALL. Maybe he should’ve hired Born Rich’s stylist to put him in one of those awesome tailored suits he was born to wear for this awards show.

Queenie Chu

This last pick rounds up my Honourable Mentions list, which I’m sure, may cause a few eyebrows to be raised. This may not be a very popular opinion, but I actually really adore this piece. It’s edgy and kitschy and yet manages to be cute and flirty at the same time. The ruched bust area with the scattering of sequins softens the wild black and silver mod bottom which is complemented very nicely with a peek of an underlying layer of something (Lace? Tuille? Can’t really tell). She’s chosen a perfect frock that accentuates her waist and shows off her mile long legs (Speaking off, I love those black peep toes as well). The whole glam rock music box ballerina look is topped off with her long hair tumbling free. Beautiful.

The Ones That Are Neither Here Nor There:

Sharon Chan

In what should’ve been the best night of her career, I presume Sharon went all out to find a dress that would wow everyone. Unfortunately she didn’t walk away with her deserved Most Improved Actress and sadly to say, I wasn’t wowed by this dress either. It’s the snake-like glittery print that doesn’t do it for me. She’s also got a fabulous body that wasn’t at all flattered by the cut of this dress – the “cut-in sleeves” have always been very hard to pull off because they tend to make your shoulders a little manly. Showing back instead of baring front is always a welcome change in my book, but I don’t fancy the bondage like twists. Perhaps if it were a different colour or made out of a different fabric, I may like the design better.

Joel Chan 

 

Joel exudes retro to me. I like the pinstriped suit where the stripes are slightly wider than usual; it’s a little daring but it works for him. What’s a no-no is stripes with a polka-dot bow tie.

Charmaine Sheh

Don’t get me wrong. I was up on the fence with this one, nearly putting it in Honourable Mentions but something just doesn’t do it for me. I love lace and I don’t think people wear it enough but I don’t fancy it with the black bust and the black flap down the side. Also, if the cut had been more flattering, Charmaine would’ve looked a lot better in it. The whole bodice just looks very “straight down”.

The I’m-Not-Gonna-Win-So-This-Is-Really-Boring:

Aimee Chan 

I’m going to bet that if Aimee Chan knew that she was going to take home the Most Improved Actress award, she would’ve put a little more effort into her dressing that night. Her makeup looked a little bland for an event of this stature. Her dress was plainly boring and looked like it was made for maternity wear. Very bad effort.

Ron Ng

Ron’s looking good. Not sure what that jacket is made out of, but on a whole, he’s looking better compared to some of those poor fashion choices he’s made in his younger lifetime.

Kevin Cheng

Kevin… just looks stoned. He looked stoned during the Anniversary Gala during the ‘My Girl’ performance and throughout the Awards Ceremony, continued to look pretty stoned. Especially in his disheveled white suit and unshaven face. I think he looks pretty strange, especially with that… carrot as a brooch? What on earth is that… thing?

Maggie Siu & Kenny Wong

I think Maggie might be the only TVB (whether this is contractually correct, I have no clue) artist who pulls off a ‘fro. Love the colour of her dress, but the fit is horrible. Kenny doesn’t look too bad. Still staying within my acceptable boundaries of male evening wear.

Fala Chen

I think Fala is exceptionally beautiful. But she always ends up in very sub-par dresses. (The only that I liked recently was the one she appeared during that duet with Steven Ma during the Anniversary Gala in a nice shade of canary yellow.) This one is no exception. The brown is especially unflattering and unforgiving to her body. The material catches light in all the wrong places, even making her look like she has a little bulge. The cream halter-like straps look strangely out of place. The only thing I like is her hairdo and the understated jewellery. An evening out on the red carpet does not mean you need to wear a jewellery shop.

Edit: TkN, mango/taecnyy (Did I get the spelling right? :-S) & Rachel kindly pointed out to me in the comments that Fala initially showed up in the same gorgeous blue dress that Tavia did. The brown dress she’s wearing which I don’t like is actually a back-up dress that TVB had. I had no idea. I personally think that’s very commendable and a very classy selfless move on her part (smart on TVB’s part too, but horrible taste) So I applaud Fala, for being so beautiful both in and out. I do apologize if I’ve hurt any of Fala’s fans; sorry for being so outdated with TVB news. 🙂

Michael Tse

Or should I say Laughing Gor, formerly known as Michael Tse? Heh. Okay, he doesn’t really belong in this category since he was pretty much a shoo-in for his award. But he partnered Fala, which is how he ended up in his division. Michael has always had a rather campy style, being rather metrosexual himself. But honestly, what is with the plunging neckline? Plunging necklines (Bosco, you may need to pay attention here too) are only for ladies in my book. Michael may beg to differ albeit this being a terrible look for him. The dress pants look like he stole them from Jay-Z’s closet. I know harem pants are in, but again they’re for ladies (And neither am I a fan of them).

Christine Ng

Surely it must be illegal to be that age and still look ten years younger? Christine Ng seems to pull off every pretty evening gown she dons. This one is no exception. The horizontal gathers along the length of the dress are difficult to pull off because lines of that nature make you seem wider than you actually are. However, besides wearing it well, nothing’s very special about the dress. Very Barbie and very plain.

The OTT Awards:

Mary Hon Ma Lei

 

Sigh Mary, I love you so. I really do. But why did you have to wear Michelle Yim‘s wig from Moonlight Resonance and give it a perm?

 

Roger Kwok

Dapper as always. But, this is not about him.

Liza Wang

Gosh. It’s painful to look at this one. I cringed when she stood up to do a twirl during the Awards. It looks like she cut out holes in a drinks carton, splashed some metallic pink paint over it and then got someone to draw a peacock on. She is fast becoming the Asian version of Bjork.

 

Michelle Yim

Michelle! Why’d you have to do this to me? You always look so amazing in all your choices of evening gowns. This one, however, is just really OTT. Very much so like how her Beyond‘s Chung Siu Ha is. Purple’s my favourite colour but this shade is painful on the eyes. To top things off, those dirty yellow lace-trimmings completely clash with the purple.

Ram Tseung 

On another note, Ram Tseung looks very nice. Don’t think I’ve ever seen him at one of these awards!

Louise Lee

I’ve never once liked what Louise Lee wore to an awards ceremony and surprise surprise, this year isn’t any different. Overly glitzy. I know it’s not easy finding something that fits your age once you’re above a certain number, but I’m sure something’s out there.

Susanna Kwan

I love Susanna‘s spiky do. She pulls off spiky way better than the up and coming male stars and looks hotter to boot. Heh. The red is nice but the dress a little boring, I guess. She belongs in the Neither Here nor There category but the fur just pushes her over the edge into OTT-land.

The Heidi-Montag Award:

Linda Chung 

Why a treasured TVB fadan would come dressed to the most important event of the year dressed like a Z-list “celebrity” is really beyond me. The coiffed do, the alienesque wings, and a pole dancer’s sequinned corset? I mean, really? Someone fire whoever it was that thought the entire getup was a good idea.

Oh, and poor Kenneth. Those shoulder pads must’ve hit him quite a few times.

* 

Liked the same ones I did or complete disagreed with my fashion choices? Feel free to compliment, comment, vent or rant at all their fashion flairs & faux pas-es. 🙂

The Tangled Web of TVB; #2.

“The Tangled Web of TVB will be an
ongoing feature in this blog featuring the
many different relationships between
artistes and/or characters that occur,
be it through coincidence, things they
could have in common, mutual friends
or just an interesting little tidbit
that I have to share about these artistes.”

The Tangled Web of TVB #2: It’s All in the Name

Ella Koon Yan Na, Sonija Kwok Sin Nei & Linda Chung Ka Yan

After being a subscriber to Astro on Demand since the beginning of the year, I’ve had the pleasure of watching every single TVB show that has been broadcast in Hong Kong, simultaneously. And throughout this luxury, I’ve noticed a running pattern.

Nancy Wu Ting Yan, Idy Chan Yuk Lin & Kate Tsui Tsz San

What could beauty queens Sonija Kwok, Linda Chung and Kate Tsui have in common with recent Strictly Come Dancing TVB representative Nancy Wu, songstress Ella Koon and veteran Idy Chan?

Yes, they’ve all had TVB series that has broadcasted this year (with the exception of Kate Tsui, whose series broadcasts tomorrow). That’s just only half of the coincidence. Another running theme that they all of them have participated in thus far? They’ve all played characters with… here, I’ll let the pictures do the talking for me.

Lei Lei, Jing Jing, Ka Ka

The year first kicked off with flamboyant lawyer Suen Lei Lei, also known as Lily, by Ella Koon in Survivor’s Law II. Starting a trend of sorts, it was followed with the prominent Jing Jing, Sonija Kwok‘s Madam Ying in D.I.E., with rough-talking Ka Ka by Linda Chung simultaneously airing in A Journey Called Life.

Fei Fei, Yung Yung, Tong Tong

Right after that, the trend continued in Catch Me Now‘s Bao Yung Yung (even called “Ku Ku” sometimes!) by Idy Chan. Nancy Wu, who played Pui Pui in D.I.E. earlier in the year, followed up with her Fei Fei in The Silver Chamber of Sorrows while after that, Linda Chung did it once again by reprising her role in Forensic Heroes II as the tragically dead Lam Ding Ding. And now, the pattern is soon to follow with Kate Tsui’s hearing impaired Tong Tong in The Speech of Silence.

Ding Ding, Pui Pui, Sa Sa

Long Long, CC, Coco

Of course let’s not forget the repeating syllables in “English names” like Joyce Tang‘s fabulously played Coco, Ko Ka Po in War of In-Laws II and the feisty Sasa, Wong Chi Kwan in The Seventh Day, as played by Natalie Tong.

And you know, if I were to really nitpick, there’s also been the hilariously camp CC by Derek Kwok in War of In-Laws II, Roger Kwok‘s Yu Chi Long nicknamed Long Long by his ghost fanatic, as well as little Lok Lok who’s Toby Leung‘s son in Money Maker Recipe and the adorable twin treasures Hei Hei and Lam Lam in WOIL II, to name a few. I’m sure there were more kids with names like these ones throughout the year so far.

(Which by the way, if TVB is a real representation of Hong Kong, there must be at least 21387 boys there named Lok Lok. Can we have some variety, already?)

I just thought it was too much of a running pattern. Seriously, what is up with that? All the bit characters aside, that’s five main female characters (yes, five, count ’em – Survivor’s Law II, D.I.E., A Journey Called Life, Catch Me Now and now The Speech of Silence) with single-repeating-syllables as names. Is this the new trend in TVB? Is it now hip to repeat something twice? Is this Hong Kong’s answer to funky Western names like Romeo Beckham’s, Shiloh Nouvel Jolie-Pitt’s and Apple Martin’s?

I wonder if the trend’ll continue throughout the year. Guess only time will tell.

Fashion Faceoff; #2.

(And your friendly blog-owner is back from soul-sapping, energy-depleting finals! *throws confetti*)

Previously, most, if not all of you, said that TVB leading lady Charmaine Sheh wore the same white satin dress better than pop starlet Christina Aguilera here.

Let’s see what happens in the next style showdown when we pit yet another TVB leading actress against not one, but this time two people wearing the exact similar dress.

In November last year when it was TVB’s award season, the lovely Tavia Yeung graced one of the pre-anniversary functions in this many-shaded BCBG MaxAzria creation. With dramatic eye-makeup and deep red polished fingernails, she teamed this flowing chiffon dress with a stunning diamond necklace and an up-do, complete with side-swept crimped bangs.

A month later, in early December, actress-model Molly Sims (of Las Vegas fame, lucky girl who gets to act opposite Josh Duhamel every day) walked the green carpet and the Movies Rock show. With flowing curls, she wore this empire waist dress with gold jewellery, giving it a rather bohemian chic feel.

A mere few days later, Hollywood socialite Paris Hilton doned the very same dress to launch a perfume from her fragrance line. Surprising against her nature, the famous blonde dressed down and went simple, accessorising with only a cross pendant and a sleek bob hairstyle.

Personally, I’m really not that great a fan of this dress. Waist up, it’s interesting, but the chocolate waves at the bottom are something that I could have done without. It also doesn’t work wonders for the female form. It could very well have been a maternity dress, actually.

Three ladies. One dress. Who do you think wore it the best?

(Special thanks to taviayeung.com for the Tavia picture. Sorry I had to crop your watermark into half! :-S)

Fashion Faceoff, #1.

I spy, with my little eyeeee…

Style showdowns.

Fashion faceoffs.

…okay, here I am starting the umpteeth feature on this blog, simply because I cannot help it. I adore fashion, and loved this feature on Asia‘s blog – the seeing double feature. A big no-no in the world of entertainment; fashion repeats occur. Some don’t matter when they feature two artists in the complete opposite ends of the world, like this one you’re about to see. Some are humiliating, when they feature you and someone else wearing the exact same thing… in the exact same room. Gulp.

In September last year, Christina Aguilera walked down the red carpet at the 2007 Primetime Emmys in this white-satiny Valentino dress with a black bow many said was for hiding her impending baby bump at that time. Put together with red-hot siren lips, a coiffed hairdo and minimal jewellery, it was a throwback tribute to the sexy screen-stresses of the past by the singer.

Two months later, Charmaine Sheh walked down another red carpet halfway around the world at the 40th TVB Anniversary Awards, exactly one year after her Best Actress triumph, in the same white Valentino design, only with longer ends to the black bow. She went for a sleek and elegant hairdo, wore muted yet feminine colours on her face, and was adorned with many, many diamonds on that night.

I prefer Charmaine‘s simple hair-do, but prefer Christina‘s splash of red on her lips and on her nails, adding colour to the traditional colours of black and ivory. The necklace Charmaine has on looks really overdone, especially since the bust of the dress is lace-like and patterned – less really is more sometimes. However, with that being said, I think she probably didn’t have too much of a choice since it was sponsored. As for the dress, I don’t really like it. It’s too wedding or prom-like for me, and not so much red-carpet glam. I have to say it looks better with the shorter bow on Christina‘s dress though.

Two different ladies. Two different looks. One dress. Who wore it better? What do you think?

The Year of the Rat Ahead

So, it’s the Lunar New Year again, this time the year of the rat. And so, a typical question on everybody’s mine is, how will my year be in the year of the rat? chinese.astrology.com has the rundown for the year ahead. For a good bit of fun in the CNY manner, let’s see what happens when we apply those forecasts to our favourite TVB stars.

The Rat in the year of the Rat
Bobby Au-Yeung (1960), Matthew Ko (1984), Linda Chung (1984), Vivien Yeo (1984)

Out of the year ahead, apparently eight months are favourable for the Rat. The year may get off to a slow start for them, but the latter part of the year will hold bigger and better opportunities – patience will be a virtue. Bobby has a new drama which is currently filming which also stars Sheren Tang that could very well lead to many advertising opportunities towards the end of the year. Matthew and Linda also have Man in Charge, and A Journey Called Life and The Gem of Life respectively, ready for release very soon. For the Rat, this year is also the best time for career advancement; both Matthew and Vivien have been given very big opportunities of late – could this be their time to shine? When it comes to love, there is a high possibility that a recent acquaintance or a newly formed friendship could develop into a serious love affair. Maybe those Matthew/Kate Tsui rumours might come true soon.

The Ox in the year of the Rat
Damian Lau (1949), Ada Choi (1973) 

The year of the rat is a win-lose situation for the Ox. According to the experts, the ox will face half a year of difficulty, with the ending half favourable. This will not the time to take risks, especially unnecessary or avoidable risks. Hard work is more the Ox’s style anyway; this is very true for both Damian and Ada whose pure hard work and talent within the entertainment circle over the years is widely known. As for the Ox’s relationships, one bright spot may lay in their family relationships, as they might offer you a measure of unconditional love. This bodes well for the newlywed Ada and her loving husband, Max.

The Tiger in the year of the Rat
Sonija Kwok (1974), Joyce Tang (1974), Kenneth Ma (1974), Patrick Tang (1974)

42% of the year will apparently be favourable for the tiger in the year of the rat. The Tiger will have to carefully pick their battles, as they probably will not be blessed with many good opportunities. This might not be true for Kenneth as he has a truckload of series due for airing this year. Patrick is also rather favoured by the bosses, and he has the famous Foodie 2 Shoes under his belt. This leaves us with the ladies. Sonija already had a horrible year last year, what with the Michael Tao and third party rumours, so let’s hope this forecast doesn’t come true with a repeat of last year occurring. The Tiger will also gain a lot in friendships and have a fulfilling social life but the only bump in the road may come in their romantic relationships, as their aggressive approach may not find favor in this conservative Earth element year. Hopefully this doesn’t affect Joyce and what seems like a burgeoning relationship with Derek Kwok.

The Rabbit in the year of the Rat
Michael Tao (1963), Alex Fong (1963), Charmaine Sheh (1975), Yoyo Mung (1975)

After a good year last year, the Rabbit is expected to have a slightly more challenging year of the Rat, especially in the middle months of 2008. Career-wise, it could be frustrating as there might be delays and mix-ups in their way. For Charmaine and Yoyo who have upcoming series to film, might that mean delays in filming/production? Relationships with colleagues could also pose a problem, especially if there is involvement in office politics and gossip. Again, both the rumour prone females better take note. That aside, their domestic scene could make up for the trying workfront. Time is best spent with loved ones relaxing like what Alex Fong will likely do with his wife. Love is likely to be in the air for singles like Michael and Charmaine, but things should be taken slowly to avoid disappointment. Rabbits must also beware of conmen this year; however, a bright spot is that long term investments will bring a good return. Maybe it’s time for Yoyo and Ekin Cheng to get a place of their own. 😉

The Dragon in the year of the Rat
Roger Kwok (1964), Derek Kwok (1964), Margaret Chung (1976), Annie Man (1976)

With 11 favourable months and 1 neutral month, the Dragon could be the best off amongst all the other zodiacs. Dragons, while having to avoid risk, will have a good chance of realising a big dream this year. Maybe Margaret will be able to expand her yoga venture this year. The year of the Rat also seems to smile on the career of the Dragon. With creativity, heart and spirit, points could be won with those in authority and advancements in career are highly likely. The star of Roger can only go higher with D.I.E. and thriller Last One Standing, while Derek who did great last year, could stand to gain even more recognition this year. Margaret and Annie should also consider filming for TVB again. I’m sure a lot of viewers would agree with that. Equally lucky in relationships, the Dragon stands to find romance, or even better, his or her soulmate this year as it is a very auspicious year for love – love might soon be in the air for singles like the very eligible Derek (Joyce Tang anyone?), Margaret and Annie. The earth element of 2008 also favors family and heart-felt gestures, perfect for Roger and his wife Cindy Au, who will be happy parents very soon!

The Snake in the year of the Rat
Bowie Lam (1965), Jack Wu (1977), Maggie Siu (1965)

With one less favourable month as compared to the Dragon, the year of the Rat will be a better one for the Snake than last year. Almost every month will present a new opportunity to the snake, although they might want to take a break straight after the Lunar New Year. With the mega-production of The Gem of Life looming ahead for both Bowie and Maggie, the year is bound to be bountiful, and after filming it for many long months last year, a break after the new year is in store for the two. Also, the fast paced energy given off by the Rat creates a dynamic career environment which could inspire the Snake with new ideas resulting in many opportunities which requires quick and decisive actions. If the Snake is bored with their present work situation, this is a good time to seek greener pastures. Could this be a hint to Jack to leave the hosting behind and to continue to carve a name for himself in the acting industry? Single Snakes have a wonderful chance to find love and romance, or maybe just one great fling. All three of them should take note!

The Horse in the year of the Rat
Sammul Chan (1978), Stephen Huynh (1978), Bernice Liu (1979), Shirley Yeung (1978)

With only three neutral months and the remaining months being unfavourable, it looks to be a tough year ahead for the Horse. A quick start to the year will be important as the latter months of the year could be very challenging indeed. Might that mean awards at the end of the year will once again elude Sammul and Bernice? Projects will become a bit more difficult and delays could be the norm. Hopefully this does not affect Bernice who’s currently filming The Legendary Ren Jie and Sammul, who will soon begin filming The Academy III, or cause Shirley‘s Silver Mansion Golden Dust to be warehoused. While they may experience some bumps in the road, there will be have many opportunities to learn and it might be beneficial to further their work-related knowledge; Bernice and Stephen should continue working hard on improving their pronounciation. When it comes to romance, letting their guard down, especially with those who love them, is one way to happiness. Might Bernice be letting her guard down with a certain Best Actor? The Horse will be best served by exercising patience and understanding the needs of his or her partner. Shirley and long-time boyfriend Gregory Lee should take note, just in case.

The Sheep in the year of the Rat
Raymond Lam (1979), Ron Ng (1979), Myolie Wu (1979), Tavia Yeung (1979)

With only 5 favourable months, this year will not be as good as the pig year last year for these sheep. However, it is important to note that there are still five favourable months will plenty of opportunities if the Sheep does not get down and let negative emotions get the best of them. All four stars have big projects at hand with many opportunies; Raymond has The Four and Heart of Greed II, Ron with The Four and possibly Thirteen Treasures, Myolie with When A Dog Loves A Cat and apparently Burning Flame III after that, and Tavia with Salt Traders and Heart of Greed II. They will do best this year if they let their head, and not their heart dictate their actions. Ron made a smart choice by branching out to the mainland market last year, and his career might continue rising with the awaited The Four and the filming of the The Academy III. Career-wise, the Sheep might face large pressure from management to work more. Advancement and progress will come if there is strong diligence, of which there is definitely no shortage of when it comes to these four. The sheep must remain rational about their workload and pressure and their inclination to say no if the load is too much to handle. The quartet of Raymond, Ron, Myolie and Tavia are the cream of the crop of the younger generation and are possibly the most overworked ones. This year they might have to learn to face even larger pressure and juggle their work and home life well. For the single Sheep like Raymond, Ron and Tavia, this year could lead to the blossoming of true love. However, existing relationships could be problematic. At the same time, they need to be wary of rumors and gossip, as they will lead to unnecessary arguments. Myolie and rumoured guy Bosco Wong sound familiar?

The Monkey in the year of the Rat
Joe Ma (1968), Bosco Wong (1980), Elaine Yiu (1980), Carrie Lam (1980)

Along with the Dragon, the Monkey will have the best year this year out of the twelve zodiacs. Opportunities will be aplenty for the typical, mentally quick and multi-talented Monkey. However, overconfidence could hinder some of those opportunities. The monkey is advised to go with their heart and follow their instincts with their projects at hand. Rewards will be seen when working closely with coworkers who exhibit similar ideas. Bosco, while working closely with his great coworker Myolie Wu reaped great rewards with their outstanding chemistry last year with War of In-Laws II; might that continue in the following year as well? Ideas and hard work will most likely be rewarded this year. Joe, who has signed a contract with TVB late last year could see himself rewarded as early as the end of this year at the anniversary awards. A resurgent Elaine , and well as newbie Carrie could also see themselves with more chances. The monkey’s social life should be very active this year. Married ones like Joe will find themselves more than ever, wanting to spend a lot of time with their spouse and might even lead to an addition in the family! The single Monkey should expect to find an abundance of opportunities in love and this might not be the year to settle down. Oh no, does that mean there’s no hope for Bosco and Myolie after all?

The Rooster in the year of the Rat
Paul Chun (1945), Kevin Cheng (1969), Leila Tong (1981), Selena Li (1981)

After the Horse, the Rooster is the sign most likely to have a challenging year with a total of 9 unfavourable months. There will, nevertheless, be a few opportunities. With a big role in The Four, Selena‘s opportunities will probably come in abundance after its release. A cooperative attitude, and winning allies will be the key to success. With Leila‘s amiable work ethics and her budding success with her music and the mainland market, she should do well. Progress may be a little slow on the career front this year for the rooster but time must be taken to understand the roots of the problems. Support of co-workers and superiors are vital. Such a well-respected and well-liked veteran like Paul probably need not worry. One of TVB’s favourite sons, Kevin will also probably be in a good spot with the support for the upcoming The Seventh Day and the anticipated Last One Standing. The single Rooster like the beautiful Leila , need not rush into anything new this year, as things may not always be quite what they seem. The Rooster in a relationship needs to be wary and avoid missteps, as small problems have the potential to erupt into larger, out-of-hand ones this year. Might rumoured couples Kevin and Niki Chow, along with Selena and Patrick Tang have anything to worry about? Added stressed caused from relationship problems could be detrimental to their health. Let’s hope all four stay healthy and happy in ’08!

The Dog in the year of the Rat
Michael Miu (1958), Jessica Hsuan (1970), Fala Chen (1982) 

More than half the year is deemed to be positive for the Dog in 2008. For them, it will be more challenging than last year, but still has the potential to be very favourable. With the release of Suspicious Love for Michael and the upcoming The Academy III and Heart of Greed II for him and Fala respectively; that is most definitely valuable potential. Jessica has also apparently been slated to film Just Love II soon. Willingness to leave their comfort zone will lead to significant progress towards the dog’s goals and enable them to achieve one or more notable successes. Jessica left her comfort zone last year with her soft-spoken, timid role in Drive of Life which was widely acclaimed. Fala could very well continue that streak by taking on the role of a mute this time round in HOG II. Time spent promoting themselves and their skills and standing out to the people on the company ladder will be well-spent. Fala‘s popularity rose last year with her dancing skills; will she continue on this year? Domestically, comfort will be found in family relationships this year, be it with parents, children or loved ones. The single ones like the very eligible Jessica, will find good fun and mental stimulation this year; with plenty of chances to meet new friends and explore new love interests. The Year of the Earth Rat will likely be favorable towards their new savings plans and investment decisions; possibly a good year for Michael‘s business up ahead!

 

The Boar in the year of the Rat
Moses Chan (1971), Steven Ma (1971), Gigi Lai (1971), Koni Lui (1983)

Said to be the most generous and honorable zodiac sign, these four are in for a good year this year. The environment is likely to be more unsettling, albeit simultaneously providing more opportunities for success. The formidable Moses won big at last year’s awards; imagine what more he could do this year. The boar needs to mentally adjust his or herself and focus squarely on the present this year. Gigi had a turbulent year last year with her brother’s incident, and there’s nothing better to do than to focus and live to the fullest in both family and career. Increased success is in store for the boar; they just need to stay focused on the prize. Great advice for a budding newbie like Koni. Their work environment is more comfortable this year and people around them will be appreciative of their experience and talent. Might Steven be able to win Best Actor this year with this added appreciation? The single Pig will find plenty of opportunities this year and love is in the air, possibly along with a new career connection or two. Moses, who has all along endorsed the idea of appearing as a celebrity advertising couple with Bernice Liu for work and sponsor-related purposes, has been the brunt of good-natured marriage ribbing from colleagues recently. Might there be more than just a career connection there? The pace of the year also poses some risk to your health and well-being and any risky physical activity should be avoided. Let’s all pray for no more horse mishaps for the poor Steven. We want to see both his eyes if/when he wins an award this year. 

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Just a good bit of fun forecasting the year ahead traditional Chinese-style with the twelve zodiacs and the TVB artistes. I don’t personally believe in astrology, but I like to read it just for fun… who knows, right? Lol.

And I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very happy belated Valentine’s day! xoxo.

It Takes Two, HK-Style.

Hey everyone! Wow. It’s been ages since I’ve updated and I sincerely apologise for that. I’ve been really, really busy with uni recently. Second year of uni is really catching up with me, and assignment after assignment has basically sucked up any semblance I have of a social life, let alone be fascinated by the TVB world. Thankfully, after slogging day and night, I finally handed in my final assignment for the semester and have time to take a breather before cramming for finals in early November. But enough of that boring stuff, I’m sure you guys don’t want to hear about my sordid uni-life. And, I’m pretty sure you all are sick of coming here (that is, if you all even come here anymore) and seeing the Moses/Bernice fanfic on the top of the page. Lol.

P/S: I’m going to take this opportunity to thank everyone for all their lovely compliments and feedback on the Moses/Bernice fic. You all really made my day.

But well, without further ado, to this feature. It’s something I’ve been planning for quite some time now, but just never got the chance to write. I’m a music junkie, admittedly, but never really quite got into HK-pop until this year. I understand spoken Cantonese, but not in the context of song lyrics or poems, so I guess that’s the main reason. However, I do find that HK-pop songs have great melodies, and am trying to learn the lyrics and understand them now. That’s one of the reasons behind his post.

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It Takes Two; HK-Style.

It Takes Two is an Australian singing competition that aired about two months ago on free TV. It’s not your everyday run-of-the-mill singing competition. Instead, it has singers pairing up with local celebrities from every field. The recent season of It Takes Two had homegrown vocal talents paired up with various stars ranging from actresses, to radio DJs, comedians and even a swimmer. The singers will guide and the non-singers through the weeks and are in charge of song choice, key, choreography amongst other aspects. Each week, pairs will compete with each other, singing different themes, to avoid elimination. Results are made out of 50% judges scores and 50% from the public’s SMS votes.

TVB and the various record companies in Hong Kong have always had collaborations not only in concerts, but they have had the singers hosting and acting as well. At the same time, TVB has an uncanny habit of pushing their actors to sing even if they possess no singing ability whatsoever. It’s a chance for them to give their new and upcoming stars a chance for recognition and get some vocal training from the singers in the process. Here’s who I would pick and pair them with, if there really was such a competiton:

Chris Lai Lok Yi, 27, & Niki Chow Lai Kei, 28 

 

Why him? Chris has been given loads of chances as of late what with Heart of Greed, then The Green Grass of Home, and most recently as bad-boy-turned-good Ben Lui in Fathers and Sons, all of which did well ratings-wise. Of course, the least promoted amongst the Olympics star alumni, it might finally be his chance to shine. TVB love all their lead male actors to sing, and this might be the one extra step Chris needs on his way to a higher status in TVB.

Why with Niki? For some reason, Chris reminds me of one of those popular guys back in high school who’s popular and yet gets along with everybody. He seems to have a friendly, easygoing demeanour, which matches Niki’s wholesome, healthy, girl-next-door image. He’s tall, dark and handsome too, which makes him look very compatible with Niki. (Sorry, Kevin/Niki fans, I couldn’t possibly choose Kevin for this feature, since he’s definitely already got all the promotion in the world).

Theme they might excel in: The ‘pop’ week. I can really imagine these two singing a very happy, upbeat poppy song in my mind.

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Fala Chen Fa La, 25, & Justin Lo, 31 

 

Why her? Fala has been a rumour magnet since early on, and only of late has she been creating an image for herself for something other than a just a pretty face with a nice body. TVB has given her plenty of chances, and there is no doubt that if they were to do something like this, Fala would definitely be on the list. They’ve already proven she can dance with casting her in Steps, why not prove that she can sing too?

Why with Justin? Justin seems like he has a rather outgoing and funny personality. Fala also seems like she’s very communicative and fun-loving. Plus, both are natural born performers. Justin has oodles of charisma while he’s on stage, and Fala moves very gracefully with her dancing, and also just has a very magnetic presence. Also, based on both of their overseas upbringing, I think they could be a good pair together.

Theme they might excel in: The ‘English’ week. I know it might be an unfair advantage to the both of them if there was an English week, but quite frankly, I’m rather sick of hearing awful English in TVB series. Case in point, Francis Ng‘s in TITS. With TVB having their characters, especially the ‘professional’ ones, speak in English, there’s no reason their actors/actresses should start to learn how to sing in English too.

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Fred Cheng Chun Wan, 24, & Kary Ng Yu Fei, 21 

 

Why him? It’s no secret that I like Fred. And I’m probably not the only one, or rather, I hope I’m not the only one. He’s one of the few of the new generation actors whom I actually like and think has potential to be developed further. He’s easy on the eyes, and I find that his charisma translates very well from the screen. But what really made me choose him for this, was that he was actually found after coming in second in the 2001 TVB New Talent Singing Contest. With already the singing ability, this might be the boost he needs to move beyond his bit roles.

Why with Kary? Kary’s a chameleon, in my opinion. She’s pretty flexible with various genres, having gone the complete pop route with Cookies, and then a slightly rockier sound with Ping Pung after that. She could probably pair up with a lot of different people, but for some reason or other, I think Fred and her could get along pretty well together, as Fred seems to have a very fun-loving personality, just like she does.

Theme they might excel in: The ‘rock’ week. Kary’s got a sweet voice, but there’s also that extra edge to it that’s good for rock songs. Fred also looks like he could rock out, I can just imagine him really getting into a rock song, I don’t know why.

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Jack Wu Lok Yin, 30, & Fiona Sit Hoi Kei, 26 

 

Why him? To be honest, Jack has impressed me since I first saw him in Net Deception. He’s a lot more natural than some of his peers and I was disappointed that he never got another role as significant as his one in Net Deception ever again. He’s also released a few albums back in the day when he had floppy boyband-ish hairstyles. And now he just needs to show TVB that he’s still got what it takes and that he’s still got that voice.

Why with Fiona? Fiona, although having reports about her being diva-like, seems very easy to get along with after watching some interviews of her. With her being so physically tested for her for her first TVB series, The Academy, and Jack having to put on so much weight for To Grow With Love, the both of them seem to be have a commendable work ethic, which might enable them to work together easily. They do look rather compatible together too.

Theme they might excel in: Since this would be a TVB production, I’m pretty sure they would have a week where the pairs have to sing themesongs from popular TVB series. That is one week which I think Jack and Fiona would do well in, what with both of them having acted in series and Jack having been with TVB for such a long time.

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Matthew Ko Kwan Yin, 23, & Ella Koon Yan Na, 28 

 

Why him? He doesn’t float my boat, but I have to admit, his fanbase is growing day by day. He’s young, and tall and most would say, handsome. And TVB absolutely loves him. He’s getting mega-promotion these days, as well as larger roles as time progresses. His name can only get more popular after Steps shows. He’s definitely TVB’s new current It-boy, and they even had him showcased his singing and musical abilities in To Grow With Love; that is reason enough for me to put him in here.

Why with Ella? Matthew, in my honest opinion, isn’t a very strikingly masculine actor (I can feel rocks coming my way from crazy fangirls already). However, there’s this slightly flamboyant side to him, and he does have quite a bit of stage presence, so I think he will be a rather good performer. Who better to pair him with than the super-sultry Ella Koon?

Theme they might excel in: The 40’s week. I can totally imagine them doing a song from the same period as Christina Aguilera’s Candyman was modelled after. With both of them being such natural performers and comfortable with dancing and being on stage compared to some of the other pairs, I think they could come in tops for this theme.

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Natalie Tong Sze Wing, 26, & Kenny Kwan Chi Bun, 26

Why her? Simply because she’s one of TVB’s upcoming young actresses. I think she’s got great potential, and I honestly am a fan of hers, but she still lacks the it factor. She’s carved the girl-next-door, bubbly image for herself, and while that got Tavia Yeung great places, it doesn’t look like it will do the same for her. She’s been doing some sexy photoshoots recently, but she’s still waiting for her breakthrough role. Hopefully The Seventh Day will do that for her, but until then, she needs something like this to showcase the other sides of her personality and her talent.

Why with Kenny? No particular reason, really. They seem like they could get along, and these two pictures that I’ve chosen to put together really match. It’s just one of those things that feel right. Natalie’s also had chances to collaborate with many young male artists in their music videos before, so she should be able to get along with Kenny pretty well.

Theme they might excel in: The R&B week. Kenny strikes me as the soulful, yet sleek R&B type, a little bit like what Ne-Yo might do, and seems like he might even be able to bust out some rapping. He also places R&B maestro, Wang Lee Hom amongst his idols while Natalie lists the other R&B great, Jay Chou, as her favourite. Might they be able to emulate their idols’ success in this theme? I think it’s possible.

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Selena Li Sze Wan, 26, & Patrick Tang Kin Wan, 33 

 

Why her? Selena Li has really grown on me after watching To Grow With Love. For me, she and Jack Wu were the highlight of the show. Everything was rather pretty trashy. But, I digress. Being named as one of the 10 top next fadans by Ms. Lok, and singled out to be in one of the more anticipated filmings of the year, The Four Great Constables, can only mean one thing – the company favours you, and they favour you greatly. To mould her into the next top actress, she’s already go the look, TVB has made sure she can act, and I’m sure they want her to be able to sing and dance as well.

Why with Patrick? I’m sure everyone has heard of the Patrick/Selena rumours by now. That’s part of the reason why I paired them together, because they were cute together in Just Love. Patrick’s also just came back to TVB recently, and while he was given some interesting roles to play in the past, they’re gonna want to promote him more, and this can be best achieved by pairing him up with the most highly-rated actress amongst this lot. Plus, I really think Patrick has a great voice.

Theme they might excel in: The ‘acoustic’ week. After watching the All About Men concert, I thought Patrick sounded really good when they stripped the music down and focused on the strumming of the acoustic guitar. It was just rather simple music and a nice voice and enthusiasm from Patrick. With his experience, I’m sure he can guide Selena to excel in the same theme too.

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Stephen Wong Ka Lok, ?, & Stephy Tang Lai Yan, 24 

 

Why him? Why with Stephy? To be very honest, it was an elimination process. I had singled out five male singers and five female singers that I wanted to include in this feature. Some I had already paired them up with their respective TVB artists when I chose them. Stephy, however, I couldn’t find anyone whom I thought would match her well enough, unfortunately. I had Joel Chan and Charles Szeto in mind for this feature as well, but neither one of them has particularly gotten my liking after watching them in series, and I don’t think either would work well with Stephy. Stephen Wong, on the other hand, also still has a long way to go on his acting, but he gives me a better impression compared to the other two. If I had to choose between the three of them, I’d rather promote Stephen. Besides, Stephen comes off across as very gallant and well-mannered, which I think would go along well with Stephy’s sweet personality. I swear, the fact that their names are Stephen/Stephy had nothing to do with it. Lol.

Theme they might excel in: Songs by the professional singer. It Takes Two had a week where the pairs had to tackle a song which the singer made famous, and one of the pairs had to sing The Prayer, while another had to sing a Spanish opera song, because they were songs that their partner had made famous. Thankfully, Stephy’s songs are very melodic and catchy, and aren’t difficult to sing. Hence, it should be fairly easy for Stephen to catch on and for them to harmonise together.

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Tracy Ip Chui Chui, 26, & Deep Ng Ho Hong, 24 

 

Why her? I can’t read Mandarin to save my life (and am hoping TVBSpace comes back soon so that I can get my fix of TVB news in English!) but I go to TVB Chinese News just to look at the latest pictures, and over the past two weeks, I’ve seen so many events that feature Tracy. It’s about time too, as Kate Tsui‘s Miss HK successor, since TVB has already given Kate significant supporting roles and recently, the lead female rold in The Four Great Constables. Tracy’s acting actually isn’t half bad, I liked her over Carrie Lam in Heart of Greed. TVB have also had her singing at events lately, so without a doubt, she’d be on this show if they were to do it.

Why with Deep? Out of all the male singers here, Deep has the most masculine, strong image, which I think would match Tracy’s tall and elegant persona the best. For some reason, I can picture them having really good chemistry.

Theme they might excel in: The ‘Greatest Love Songs of All Time’ week. Like, I said, I can imagine them having amazing chemistry on stage. It takes that very same chemistry to be able to pull off singing a good love song, and I think the both of them can do it. Deep’s also got a great voice for love songs that can make girls go weak in the knees.

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Vin Choi Kei Chun, 23, & Janice Wei Lan, 25

Why him? I didn’t think he was fabulous in Brink of Law, but he’s been apparently getting good reviews for his role in Best Selling Secrets. Already getting a huge fanbase since his Sunshine Heartbeat days, and backing from TVB, what with him being on the TVB calendars and all, he’d be on this in a heartbeat (no pun intended) if this competition were to materialise.

Why with Janice? Janice has a great personality, along with tons of passion and zest for her music, and that really shines through when she sings and performs. While this might seem like an unlikely pairing, I get the feeling that her enthusiasm could be just what is needed to coax the suave-looking Vin out of his shell and to embrace whatever musical inclinations that he might have.

Theme they might excel in: The jazz song week. Jazz is such a great genre, and although it’s never been showcased much in the HK music world, I think it would be a good theme to have. Jazz songs aren’t easy to sing, but with Janice’s great vocals, both of them should be able to tackle it fairly easily. I can also imagine Vin being very Michael Buble-ish, so that’s an added plus.

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Vivien Yeo Sau Wai, 23, & Hins Cheung King Hin, 26

Why her? After Selena, I’d say she’s the next highly promoted actress in this group. Her roles are getting more and more significant with the most recent one in the famous sequel to War of In-Laws, and I have to say she’s getting better. Her Cantonese has improved since her pageant days, and her image has gotten more refined. Coupled with her piano-playing skills and her spot on the Lady in Red compilation, you know that TVB wants to push her to sing.

Why with Hins? Although her Cantonese has gotten better, her first language is still Mandarin. With Hins’ Mandarin album releases, I can only assume that he’s proficient in the language. Having said that, it will then be easier for him to coach and guide her through this competition. Hins is an excellent live singer and performer, and I’m sure he’ll be able to lead her past the language barrier and improve her singing.

Theme they might excel in: The Mandarin song week. If there was a week for singing in Mandarin, they’d probably come out top, hands down, based on pronounciation.

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Yoyo Chen Chi Yiu, ?, & Alex Fong Lik Sun, 27

Why her? I actually thought she was pretty decent in Brink of Law as Steven’s bitchy sister, at the very least she conveyed emotion a lot better than many of the newcomer actresses. After that, she landed herself a spot on Best Selling Secrets, and I thought that would help her a lot in her acting career. Unfortunately, the whole scandal happened, and I heard she’s been written out of BSS since. Such a shame, because I think she had potential and was doing well up to that point. Her quiet, meek role in Phoenix Rising had also impressed me. While I’m not sure if she’s been frozen, I’d really like to hear her sing and overcome the whole scandal thing at the same time, which is why I put her in here.

Why with Alex? They both have that cute, youthful image despite their ages, which makes me think that they’ll look good on stage together. Also, Alex reminds me a lot of the young Nick Carter from the Backstreet Boys. Squeaky-clean, good-boy image. Which could be just what Yoyo needs, someone who’s never had a history of notoriety or been involved in scandalous happenings. You can never go wrong with the Prince of Pop.

Theme they might excel in: The ‘Famous Duets’ week. Alex, as you all probably know, is the King of Duets, what with his constantly duetting with Stephy and other female singers as well. This shows he already has had experience with harmonising and collaborating with a female voice, so he should be able to help Yoyo pull off this theme with ease. I think they would sound really great singing ‘Kei Nim Yat‘ by Ronald Cheng and Kelly Chen.

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What do you guys think of this concept? Unfortunately, there might be a lot of many barriers in the way. There’s no knowing if TVB could spare so many of their young actors and actresses away from filming for two-three months. At the same time, I don’t know if the singers and their record companies would be willing to give their consent for this concept. After all, nobody wants to be voted out first – it has a bigger impact when you’re already a celebrity. There’s also the problem of the singers being from different record companies; I don’t know how that would go down with them. The paparazzi would have a field day with all the male-female pairings. 

I really liked the Australian version of it, and hope that there could be a Hong Kong version as well. Let’s just pretend that there really was such a competition – which newcomers would you all like competing? Which singers? Who would you pair up with whom? Do you like or dislike my choices?