Interviewer : Che Suk Mui
Guest : Ekin Cheng

There is an entertainer who haven’t been seen in the music industry for a long time but he said he would be actively working in it in the Year of the Monkey. We are anxious to have his new release because he is a very decent entertainer of high standard.

How long have you not released an album ?
Three years now. The first year it was pretty sad, but the second year, I thought it was OK. I have already some 15 albums already and they asked if Ekin should change. I thought about it and now it felt right.

You concentrated on movies and did you think you would want to come back soon?
Well if the fans are still there. In this industry 2 years is a long time.

Have you made a contract already?
No, I haven’t got a recording company yet. The contract with EEG is over already.

Wasn’t that a waste?
No not really. I am more forward thinking.

So when would you do an album again?
This year, definitely. When we did the albums together, it was a strong triad. It was Ekin Cheng, Lam Shan Shan and Chan Kwong Wing. These few years, Chan Kwong Wing did very well in the advertising and movie field.

Actually, Chan Kwong Wing and I used to have a bit of a problem. Chan Kwong Wing was feeling pressure at the last period with the albums we made together. He asked what more he could offer Ekin and what more could Ekin do. It was a good idea that we stopped our co-operation for a while.

7.07 Song intermission: Desolate Zone

You have been in the industry for 15 years. How did you start?
I tried to New Comers competition and then I was chosen within the first 100.

They asked why don’t you try the exam first and then into the training course.
I didn’t have much to choose from back then and when I saw an opportunity, I took it.

So you went in as the children’s program host?
No actually I went in hoping to be an actor at once. I actually went through two training courses. The first one was for the martial arts stream and most of the people who attended the class was already half actors. But I didn’t know how to and said, gosh, did I go into a wrong class.

These are the add on classes and I was disqualified because they all know how to fight. I was only a secondary school graduate and didn’t even know how to do a somersault.

Then I went to an import and export company to be a clerk for half a year. After that, the class restarted and the organizer and some friends asked me to go back. So at the interview they admitted me right away. The first three months it was without pay and so I had to find extra work. I was working at a freight forwarding company moving all kinds of things. Yes, physical work. But they had the best conditions because they guaranteed that you could leave before 5 pm.

The teacher required that you arrive at 6 pm and threatened that they would reduce your points if you were late.

Did you learn much?
Yes, definitely.

What were you like when you were young?
I grew up in the low cost housing estates. I have an older brother and a younger sister.

You look like the very introspective type and quiet type.
I am not the type who sits still and learn well. My brother and my sister are good learners but I was not. My schoolwork was very poor.

16.30 Song Intermission: Sahara (A very rarely found album)

I didn’t like to study but I like to help my mom, errands, groceries, washing the windows.

And when I watched TV, I loved to watch Chow Yun Fat and thought his acting was quite fun.

Were you the handsome type?
No not at all. I ‘m not even at that level. There were many more who were more handsome than I was.

I went to two middle schools : St. Teresa’s and Dai Tung Middle School.
My results at Form 5 was very bad. I even lost the page of results for my exams.
I didn’t have much confidence. The only confidence I had was when the director said 3,2,1 action and I followed through. I noticed a lot of other students are more confident than I am, they go to other places. I don’t even think I would ever be on an airplane.

Do you have any ambition back then?
The only ambition I had was to be a policeman. That was quite something already.
We didn’t have money back then. On Sunday if you want to go see a movie, it cost money, or even to go eat out. We used to live in Lok Man Estates in Tokwawan. The most expensive restaurant back then was already very expensive for us, it might not be expensive for others.

I used to be only a 2nd or 3rd tier actor in TV. I was asked to try out to make a movie. Then someone saw him from the recording company and while trying to look for new blood and asked, “Who are you? So you are Ekin Cheng. “

So you were famous already?
Just a little bit. They tried him out and said you can’t sing very well but you do have some talent. Why don’t you learn to sing?

Ekin said I couldn’t afford a few hundred $ worth of lessons for one session.
So she left. After a week they asked him to sign up.
Cheng King Kee asked him to sing Home Alone with him plus another one. The threesome won the competition.

Ekin didn’t think he would release an album. He said he couldn’t stand his own voice. It was not Chan Kwong Wing back then. But the recording company keep asking him to continue to record, so he continued. He remembered the sound engineer fell asleep when he was recording. Perhaps it was that bad….but if it was that bad, he wouldn’t fall asleep…haha

From not knowing how, I asked others, and practiced. Some said shouldn’t sing this song, and he tried. Chan Kwong Wing was only an assistant….the lady boss said he should try composing for him…..so it improved a lot….but after the first album come out, they said, is that all he could offer….

Did you learn to sing in the end?
I did. Everything was in a rush and sometimes, the lyrics were not even here at 12 midnight and the next morning I had to go to the set for filming.

My parents didn’t like me doing entertainment and ask me to go to the construction industry or anything. But after making a commercial , they said I could do what ever I like since it looks pretty good.

The martial art sequence…..i used to be only an actor on tape for coming out to fight for a few sequence without looking into the camera….there were a lot of those but they were never broadcasted in HK – only for overseas use. It’s always Wuxia.

3,4,5, for TV series, but the others sets, it’s all for overseas…..i was in that for 2 years.

Then later on, they sent me to make a children’s program and even though I didn’t want to do children’s program, I learnt a few things.

The process was tough.

So were you glad you were taken out of the stock videos?

One time he had made a wuxia series but unfortunately they broadcasted it only at 12.00 midnight. Ekin said, it was ok, even though he had high hopes for it. For that last series, he had short hair and when it finished, he had long hair.

Then he was noticed and someone asked him to make his contemporary series (Marriage love words) So then it was smoother thereafter.

You also got a few newcomer awards. Did that improve your confidence in your singing?
He said no, I couldn’t feel confident myself.

Did you try your best to help yourself?
Most important is the fan response. If they liked it, I became more confident.
At that time I started the silverscreen…by Wong Jing.
Who is this, they asked ? They said he had a special expression in his eyes.
Wong Jing negotiated with the TV station to release me. So at first I started as co-stars.

Wong Jing gave me the chance… A NEW BETTER TOMORROW…..and was promoting him as Chow Yun Fat’s successor.

Ekin asked why don’t you get Lau Ching Wan to be the main role because he really didn't feel comfortable with that promotion. But they wouldn’t. I made the movie and it was an OK reception.

I made some other unknown movies like My Birthday Cake is 18.

For last cooperation with Wong Jing, he said it was called GOO WAK JAI (Young and Dangerous). Ekin said he couldn’t accept it. The title shocked him. Then Andrew Lau took all the comics to me and said, read them all and we are starting the film soon. Ekin was surprised for he had not even agreed to accept the role.
Wong Jing has mentioned it, right?, said Andrew Lau.

So now, 7 movies later. Did the role cast an effect on the image?
I asked myself why so many people want to see my movies. This movie role affected a lot of my other things. Government departments wouldn’t want him to sing for them at shows because of image problems.

Did you feel sad?
But when you travel by plane to New York and an American tells you how they liked you because of the movie or when the sales assistants at department store does the same thing, it is of course an addition. However, anything that is proper such as Traffic Department promotion….or any ambassadorial roles, I never had a chance after this. You win some, you lose some.

Did it help your music career?
Yes, it did because I sang all the movie themes and at any show, they could remember them well.

Why could you do so many more action sequence than others?
Well in the past the action choreographers are very mean….they really scolded us and screamed at us and swore at us. I tried my best to do better. I didn’t think it was necessary.

I am conservative. Jackie Chan said he did get pushed a lot when he was learning kung fu. I learnt a lot of patience and hard work. I also learnt to be more confident. Could you do it, the directors would ask and he said, I would try my best. After many tries, and not being in front of too many people, I would try to do better.

Did you think why Infernal Affairs never involved you?
Andrew Lau said unfortunately it was all Best Actors in the movie and sicne Ekin hadn’t got the title yet he couldn’t be included in the movie. Ekin said it doesn’t matter. Next time.

Ekin is most concerned about the box office. I also thought that I am not mature enough if I were put into Infernal Affairs. I still have a youthful look and so if I am paired with Twins and younger stars, I would be at an advantage.

Who would you play in the movie if you were in Infernal Affairs ? No I didn’t think about it.

I had co-operated with Miriam Yeung before. The musical by Sam Hui – A Midsummer Night's Dream. She was quite quiet. But I admired her. One time a dancer fell off the stage at the rehearsal and everyone was scared. Miriam was a nurse before and so they called her. She walked slowly over and she looked very cool.

Since then, we didn’t contact much. Now it was good to see her and work with her. She is very industrious and she tries her best. Some girls usually give up when it was tough but she is not the type.

As for Twins, Charlene…I didn’t think I would work together. For the movie MY WIFE IS 18, I was very embarrassed when we were on the plane. We didn’t say much. When we got there, I found she was quite funny. She is very natural and she was not so distant from me. So after that, we came back to HK and we made more movies together.

As for Gillian, she is quite amazing. She is very talented in action. Recently, Donnie Yen helped her with the action sequence and it only took her one time to make it work.

Did you have a hard time with this movie Rose Noire ?
It took us longer this time because of scheduling. The role is much more different this time and all the four of us make a good combination.

You are not serious anymore?
I was never the serious type.

Last year, it was the first time I cooperated with Leon Lai in Heroic Duo and Miriam Yeung.

I could talk to Leon. As singers, we usually don’t talk much. We didn't want to let each other know what we do and if we see each other we just say hi and go. But when we were on set, we talked a lot, the government, the music industry, the movie industry…….we all came out from TVB and we all went through difficult period. Leon was a bit earlier than me but he was in the stock video section when I was in the children’s section.

How many sections that were difficult in your life?
Not being able to release albums. And the problem with love life, and then the music career went down and the movies took different directions.

We see both you and Gigi dropped at the same time drastically. How did you both accept it? Well, She also had a lot of pressure. It was unfortunate that her private life was also part of the public life. We just have to do our best. We are entertainers and we could only work hard.

As for the musical, Gigi appeared like an angel. Is that when you both started?
Well, this question…..well….I chose the road I took…..

What kind of a girlfriend is Gigi?
Ekin laughed. Well, I certainly think she is good otherwise I wouldn’t choose her. I find her very warm and she is determined with her goals. Miriam is the same…..people think she could only laugh, but actually Miriam keeps working on it. Same with Charlene, she complains and I would tell her why she needed to accept it.

Ekin said as long as there is an opportunity, then there is hope.

There was a period people thought you were ruthless and mean.
True, from a certain angle. Yes. But in this society, there is always mistakes in love life made. I admit it. But I realize life was not so simple the more mature I became.

We should be more dimensional and not look at things simply.

Who was your best support those years?
Lam Shan Shan. There were times when we didn’t get along to the point where we didn’t even talk. Lam said she would not bother him about it, but of course along the way, we doubt each other when we didn’t do well. Our nearby friends also helped advise us and I sat down with Lam to talk things out. We have been working together for almost 10 years now.

Does Lam get jealous of Gigi ?
Well, Lam is not a woman. She said that herself. She is very straightforward…..no, they don’t get jealous.

Do you have a lot of plans for the future?
I always believe we should have goals. Of course I would like to release albums and make movies that I have not made before.

Gigi got the Outstanding Youth Award. What do you think?
I think it is good that artists have something positive going for them. Like Kelly….

What about you?
No, I don’t really think about it. If I am invited, I would do it but I don’t do it for a goal.

Does Gigi cry easily?
Yes, all girls do. You could see them always cry when they are on stage receiving awards.

Do you like her getting awards?
Pretty good. It’s hard work that many would not know. I hope one day, one of my songs, not even the album, would get an award and I would feel moved too.

If you have a song to describe yourself, what would it be?

It’s called MY SONG from a past album.

Do you have any new ideas?
Yes, we always do. We would discuss with Chan Kwong Wing about a story line and then we write the song together.

Do you know what your first song would be like?
No, it has not to do with the contents but the feel of the voice. Of course, it’s Ekin style but what style improvement would be important.

In the past I think HK people are very cold without feelings, but this year with a lot of unhappiness , it appears HK is a lot more united….the government, the deaths…..

Even I felt the same way, I could be more open.

Roman Tam left. What’s your feelings about it? Roman left me a lot of advice. Why should I continue to sing…the industry is already at the bottom. Because I haven’t finished reaching my goal yet.

Work hard.
Yes, I would.