Sunday, January 4, 2009

2009: Ah Sa will have many opportunities

2009: Ah Sa will have many opportunities

Thursday January 1, 2009 Hong Kong

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Happy New Year! Finally 2008, which was filled shocks has ended, and we are now in 2009. Everyone's common wish is to go 'up', no matter whether it is in the stock markets, property markets, employees' salary, even happiness - everyone hopes that it will all go up. Even though Hong Kong's entertainment circle is being attacked by the impact of Taiwanese entertainers and the investment traction by the mainland, does it mean that Hong Kong has no more stars? We must not be discouraged, because there is always hope for Hong Kong - For Ah Sa 阿Sa (Charlene Choi 蔡卓妍), even though the future of Twins looks uncertain, Ah Sa is still staying strong, hence we are predicting that in 2009, she will be super red-hot!

The past year has been a rough one. At the start of the year, Twins won the 'Asia's Most Popular Female Singer' Award, reaching the peak of their careers. However, not one month later, the nude photo scandal erupted, and everything fell to the bottom at once. Ah Sa has never complained or said anything bad about her good friend, only worrying about Ah Jiao 阿嬌 (Gillian Chung 钟欣桐)'s feelings, and also having to be strong and facing the public by herself. Today, she is still popular with endorsers and is a box office guarantee. She can also stand on the stage by herself and receive prizes - this road could not have been an easy one.

Ah Sa laughed saying: "My experience this year has trained by EQ (Emotional Quotient) to be extremely high. I feel that I can now teach in lectures and share with everyone that journey of my heart, so that everyone will know how to deal with the point in life when you are the most disillusioned."

Journey will be difficult; Continues walking

Ah Sa admits that when she found out that she had to face a severe career crisis and a major life challenge, she was extremely caught off guard. "At the start, it really wasn't easy. Maybe everyone thought I was optimistic and brave, but the truth was that I was so scared to meet whatever that may come my way. I was very unhappy, frustrated and my heart ached. However, such feelings are gone after a while. The most important thing to do is to accept, then let go. Don't ever choose to escape whenever you are unhappy."

More than 300 days have passed since Twins last appeared on stage together, and Ah Sa still goes up alone. She said: "I told myself that the Earth would never stop spinning, hence I must continue on."

Ah Sa asked me if I had watched the movie, 'I Want to be Famous (我要成名)'? There was a scene where Tony Leung Ka-Fai (梁家輝) told Liu Qing Yun (劉青雲): "When you are an artiste, and when the whole world is looking down on you, you must keep holding on. As long as you're alive, you will have a chance." When Ah Sa was most frustrated, she watched this movie, which inspired her. No matter what problems she met later on, she would tell herself and Ah Jiao: "As long as I'm still alive, there is still opportunities for change."

Ah Jiao: During difficulties, true feelings are revealed

In this 8 years, she has seen her good partner Ah Jiao for almost every day. Though now, in this period of time she has to continue on her own, she has never thought that she had 'been dragged down'. "Maybe every one thought that my relationship with her were just working partners, but people have never understood my feelings... (At this point, Ah Sa's eyes were filled with tears and had to compose herself before continuing) 8 years ago, Ah Jiao and I were fighting together. In the middle of it all, we have gone through all the happiness and unhappiness together. Hence the thing that happened to her in 2008 meant that it happened to me at the same time. Her unhappiness is my unhappiness. Right now I finally understand what this sentence means: 'When you are at a moment of distress, the person who can stay by your side and overcome it with you, is the most important person in your life." Hence Ah Jiao and I are fate. I have never been afraid of Twins being disbanded, because we are an indelible group. I am 1/2 of Twins, my hardwork is Twins' hardwork."

Ah Sa told me in a determined tone: "In this 8 years, it has been so hard to get to what I am today. I will not give up easily, and I will continue working hard."

Twins reconcilation is not easy
'Did you prepare yourself that you might not be popular anymore?'

Ah Sa said: "The entertainment circle has changed so much. All these years I've seen many singers coming and disappearing. I was shocked, but I have not been scared that I would not be popular anymore. As an artiste, you will have to go through this. But I was shocked that the effort I had put in in the past had been denied."

'In this period of time, have you met with Ah Jiao for long?'

Ah Sa expressed: "As long as there is time, we will meet each other. Though we don't go up the stage and perform together anymore, our relationship is still good. There are time where we will meet for about an hour, but we don't find special topics to talk about. In one glance we can tell what we are thinking about." Ah Sa revealed that the company is now analysing the first step that Ah Jiao can take for her comeback. "Everything is difficult at the beginning, and this step must be carefully planned out. There must be good timing, hence we have all prepared ourselves for the consensus that Twins will not be onstage in the near future."

'You grew up because of this matter. What about Ah Jiao? What are her feelings now?'

Ah Sa replied: "I am very happy that she is now back to being cheerful, and putting away everything that has happened. The most important thing is that she lives life happily. She has lots of motivation, and is now waiting for the time where she can meet everyone again." She laughed sayin: "As long as we are alive, we will have a chance."

Imporant role to play; Targets Taiwan

In 2008, Ah Sa's career has still been very smooth. She filmed 'Butterfly Lovers (武俠梁祝)', 'Passionate Years (歲月情)', and 'Storm Rider II (風雲II)', also guesting in 'All's Well, Ends Well 2009 (家有喜事2009)'. The songs she sang, 'Make a Wish' and 'Little Dimples (小酒窩)' won awards, and she filmed 8 commercials this year. She even has a musical tour of 6 stop, 'Cavalier Stars (騎士星光)' in Mainland China. For 'Butterfly Lovers', she went to Brunei, Japan and other parts of Southeast Asia for promotion. After going through a successful 2008, she will be extremely busy in 2009, because after she attends different big award ceremonies, she will be going to Taiwan to film an idol drama 'Calling Big Stars (呼叫大明星)' with 'bad boy idol' Mike He. When asked about the storyline, though it was still supposed to be kept secret, she revealed a little secret: "Will the Big Star be me? Or will it be Mike He? Of course it wouldn't be me."

Ah Sa watches drama to get to know Mike He

Talking about taking up the heavy responsibility of returning to Taiwan, Ah Sa asks: “Is it really heavy responsibility? Previously, when TWINS released album in Taiwan, the results were pretty good, I feel I am quite adapted to the work environment in Taiwan. But this is definitely a new experience. Basically, in the past, I have only filmed ‘The Monkey King’ and guested in ‘Kung Fu Soccer’. I feel I don’t have much experience in filming series, but since I am still young, I want to try an idol drama la.” Ah Sa is 26 years old, and indeed she is still youthful, and she especially met up with Mike He. Ah Sa said: “In the past, I’ve only watched ‘Meteor Garden’, and I really liked it. Afterwards, when I found out I was going to work with Mike, I watched a few episodes of his ‘Devil Beside You’, should at least find out a little about my partner.” Ah Sa has collaborated with many good-looking Taiwanese artists, including Wu Zun, Show Luo, Jay Chou and now Mike He, she’s had even more opportunities than Taiwanese female artists, and for this new drama, she will personally speak Mandarin.

No difficulties in speaking Mandarin

Ah Sa said: "Now my co-workers are all speaking mandarin, so I have to hurry and learn mandarin well. I remember the past when after Ah Jiao and I finished a day of work, we went back to the company to learn mandarin. Our eyes were all concentrating on the books, but right now I know that our hard work would have its rewards. I also have to ask reporters for their help. Many times when our pronounciation wasn't right, they would always correct us and help us." In the past, Twins won the 'Artiste with Worst Mandarin' award together with Ekin Cheng (鄭伊健) and Louis Koo (古天樂). However now Ah Sa can speak mandarin during filming, and all these are the rewards of her hard work.

In 2009, Ah Sa will continue filming two more movies, and she still has many commercials to come. Ever since 7 months ago, her work schedule will squeezed to the max. Even so, she does not have many plans for the future. She said: "Though I have always liked making plans for myself, but I have realised that the more you plan, the more flustered you would get whenever unexpected things happen in the future. It's better not to think too much into it, as long as there are good opportunities and chances, it is counted as a surprise."

Ah Sa, who has matured now, says musingly: "I understand that in this world, there are people who like me and support me; there are too people who don't like me and don't support me. Actually they can not care about me, because I am only performing for the people who support me." She is accepting and open minded, will this let everyone accept the return of Twins?

Translated by Initial E & Sarah

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