China Showbiz 2013/02/20

PROOF POSITIVE THE CASTING COUCH EXISTS?
A photo featuring a man with two nude women has been making the rounds on the Internet. Netizens believe the pics could be proof of the casting couch.
The man with a broad smile in the middle of two curvy ladies who cover their boobs with their hands is said to be Wang Ziyu (王子玉), producer of the film A Kind of Love Called Let Go (有一种爱叫做放手).
The two women's identities have not yet been confirmed, though a "flesh search" is likely to clear this up in the next days.
The film's director Liu Xiaochun (刘小春) was furious, saying the pics had nothing to do with him or his film.
He said if it was true, and the producer was taking advantage of the film's stars to have his wicked way with them, then he would not work with him again.
The film's lead ,Chen Tingjia (陈廷嘉), said she was not aware of a casting couch, known as "hidden rules" in Chinese, for the film.
But she would say that, wouldn't she?

Source: Ifeng

China February 20, 2013
IF LOVE HAD WINGS WE WOULD FLY, FLY AWAY
Love was in the air for several celebrity couples who secretly arranged romantic trips abroad to celebrate Valentine's Day last week — but not all of the assignations were blessed by Cupid.
Singer-actress Rainie Yang (楊丞琳) and Prince of boy band JPM were spotted vacationing in Hawaii recently.
However, after the news was exposed, their respective fans started a war of words on the Internet, arguing about "Who is not good enough for who."
Rainie, apparently quite distraught, posted on her microblog during her holidays, saying: "It would only be good for me if you guys are a silent audience of readers. Understood?"

Gillian Chung and boyfriend at airport
Love is blind, ask Cantopop star Gillian Chung (钟欣桐), who rejected cash-laden job offers at the last minute and flew to Vietnam with her Korean boyfriend for Valentine's Day.
The couple has been dating for eight months. Gillian forwent popular holiday destinations to accommodate her lover's preference for a low-key celebration.

Jolin Tsai, far right, with Vivian Dawson and his parents
In the southern hemisphere, Jolin Tsai (蔡依林) enjoyed a New Zealand getaway with model boyfriend Vivian Dawson (錦榮) and his parents.
Vivian's parents seemed to enjoy the company of their "daughter-in-law" and were beaming in the group photos during their cable car ride.
Jolin's manager denied speculations that the pair has tied the knot, or will get married soon.

Wang Lee-hom and Evelyn Lin work on his music video
Finally, Wang Lee-hom (王力宏) reportedly spent Valentine's Day in Las Vegas with model Evelyn Lin (林筱筠), although his manager, predictably, denied the rumors.
Sources revealed that Lee-hom flew from Hong Kong to Los Angeles on the first day of Lunar New Year this year, and later made a stop at Las Vegas to meet the model.
Netizens speculated that it was a ploy to divert attention from Lee-hom's "relationships" with classical pianist Li Yundi (李云迪).
May Daily Says: They don't exactly look happy together, do they?

Source: Apple Daily, Xin.msn

Around the world February 20, 2013
Dating Death - Shi jing wu shen (2004)
Herman Yau Lai-To (失驚無神)

Gillian Chung and Korean Boyfriend Vacation in Vietnam

This past Valentine’s Day was sure to be a sweet one for Gillian Chung (鍾欣桐) as she was able to take some time off work and spend it with her Korean boyfriend of 8 months, Kwon. The happy couple secretly flew to Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City to spend their first Valentine’s Day together. Frequently spotted vacationing in Tokyo, Gillian sacrificed the opportunity to shop in Japan in order to spend a discreet holiday vacation in Vietnam with Kwon.
Gillian and Kwon were spotted at the Ho Chi Minh airport on February 15. The couple both wore sunglasses in hopes that bystanders would not recognize them. When they walked pass a Hong Kong tour group, Gillian lowered her head in order to avoid being seen. Although they were not holding hands while whisking through the airport, Kwon was very attentive to Gillian and made sure that she was within his sight at all times.
After going public with Kwon, Gillian has placed great efforts in making sure that their relationship is happy and stable. In fact, Gillian has to forgo many income generating opportunities in order to spend more time with him while jetting flights in their international romance. Gillian has also shared that she wishes to learn Korean so she can communicate more with her boyfriend’s family.
Gillian’s Cell Phone Stolen
After returning to Hong Kong, Gillian revealed an unpleasant incident during her vacation, “When I took out my cell phone to search for a local address, a motorcyclist stole my phone. I was most upset in losing all my games, which I’ve played for a long time. I’ll treat it as a material loss to avoid greater calamity.”
Fortunately, there were no sensitive photos on Gillian’s cell phone and Kwon immediately offered to buy another phone to pacify her.
While Gillian has found the perfect romantic boyfriend, her rumored ex-flame, Shawn Yue (余文樂) was also spotted on a date with Kary Ng (吳雨霏). Asked if she thinks the couple is compatible, Gillian said, “It’s a matter of whether they love each other or not.”
Sources: QQ.com, On.cc
Good-for-Nothing Heros - Qing jiao wo ying xiong (2012)
Fu Yong (請叫我英雄)

Aka: Hai Dao Le Yuan
NEW STARS OR METEORS CRASHING TO EARTH?
The Central Academy of Drama, which has produced megastars such as Gong Li (巩俐) and Zhang Ziyi (章子怡), started its three-day auditions for aspiring starlets on Sunday.
Around 9,700 students signed up for the Acting Department's exam. Only 50 potential talents will be selected.
Can you spot the future of Chinese film?

Source: People.com

Beijing February 20, 2013
Xin Yuan Zhang: Top Model's Beauty of China
Xin Yuan Zhang, a 22 years old Chinese model, gained fame as the number one beauty of China after she has posted a picture of herself on the internet. In the media, she is announced as China's most beautiful girl (she is pretty but come on she is not the most beautiful in China!) and her beauty is said to be one in a billion. Well her nickname is "People's Hottie of China" in a country of 1.3 billion.
Xin Yuan Zhang first uploaded her photos on internet in 2008 when she was 18 years old. Unlike many hotties of her age from China who look like robotic, artificial dolls, she has a more classical and natural look which captured the hearth of many in the mainland. Graduated from the Central Academy of Drama in Beijing, she now works as a model and her photos from 18 years age onward are circulating in internet.

Stephen Chow’s “Journey to the West” Grosses 640 Million RMB

Stephen Chow’s (周星馳) fantasy epic Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons <西遊·降魔篇> has brought life (and money) back to Huayi Brothers, saving it from its decline after the company suffered a large stump on its stock market value last year.
Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons, directed by Stephen Chow and starring Shu Qi (舒淇), is a loose adaptation of the classic Chinese novel, Journey to the West. Largely regarded as the prequel to Stephen’s 1994 film, A Chinese Odyssey <大話西遊>, Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons tells the story of the monk, Tripitaka (Wen Zhang 文章), who is entrusted by Guanyin to retrieve the Buddhist sutras in India.
Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons grossed a phenomenal 640 million RMB since its opening day on February 10. The comedic flick set three single-day records in a row, being the first film to gross over 1.2 billion RMB in a single day. On February 14 alone, the film grossed over 1.22 billion RMB, surpassing the 1.12 billion RMB record set by Transformers: Dark of the Moon.
Due to the lower-than-expected box office performance of Feng Xiaogang’s (冯小刚) Back to 1942 <一九四二> last year, Huayi Brothers suffered a drop in stock market shares. On November 30, 2012, one day after the underwhelming premiere of Back to 1942, Huayi Brothers’ shares dropped 10 percent. The company’s shares dropped another 6 percent a week later. Want China Times reported that the company’s market value dropped 1.3 billion RMB in two days.
The release of Journey to the West two months later, however, has brought up Huayi Brothers’ stock by 25 percent.
Journey to the West’s lifetime gross in mainland China is expected to exceed 1.3 billion RMB.
Source: QQ.com
Priscilla Wong's 4 Year Crush on a Guy Paid Off in 'Reality Check'

Priscilla Wong's debut TVB series is Reality Check. In the series, she has a crush on Ruco Chan's role, which triggered memories of the two crushes she had in real life. She had the courageous 'if you did it, no fear to admit it' attitude: "It happened when I was still in school. The first time, I had a crush on a guy for a month, but quickly I lost the feeling. Then I felt so relieved."
When you have a crush on someone, your heart races when you see your crush, but when you don't see [him/her], you feel disappointed. Priscilla's 1 month crush wasn't deep, thus when she encountered her next crush, she still carried a hasty attitude, but unexpectedly she had a crush on him for 4 years and never confessed her feelings. "I woke up one day, suddenly feeling it was time for me to confess my feelings to him, but then I found out he already had a girlfriend." Four years of feeling mentally disturbed from having a crush, she helplessly put it to an end in tears. She expressed: "Luckily I had exams to distract me at the time, so I was able to quickly get back to normal. Today, my ex-crush and I still go to the same Church and we are good friends." Her real life experiences on crushes helped her get into her Reality Check's character easily and her 4 year crush finally paid off for her in another way.
As a Christian, Priscilla laughed off the "fate" theory. A few years ago, she hosted a show with Feng Shui Master Peter So and while her colleagues were asking Master So of their future, Priscilla had no interest in finding out about her future. She only remembered what Master So told her: "If there is a relationship for you to be in, then be in it. If you are going to get married, then get married." From Master So's tone, it sounds like he's trying to tell her not to force anything. She laughed: "Doesn't matter, but in reality I actually don't have a boyfriend."
Priscilla primarily hosted travel shows while she was with iCable. She has been to 55 countries and regions, and is fortunat! e to say that she met more good people than bad people in her career. She said: "In Chile, someone stole my wallet, but luckily my ID card was in a separate pocket. I pity the thief because I didn't have much money in the wallet." Her most memorable experience was in Ukraine, "The staff were all detained by the Customs because they couldn't read our passports. We were there for 10 minutes. Once I mentioned Jackie Chan's name, one of the officers said they know this person and immediately let us go." This proves Jackie Chan doesn't just simply contribute entertainment to the people of HK, but in other aspects as well.
Gillian Chung's Cell Phone Robbed in Vietnam: Luckily No Intimate Photos

Yesterday Gillian Chung was on CRHK's radio interview to promote for her new song [i]Together[/u] (在一起). She generously admitted she and her Korean boyfriend Mr. K went to Vietnam for Valentine's Day. The couple visited several historical landmarks during the war. However, Gillian encountered an unfortunate event. She expressed: "On our second day of the trip, someone snatched my cell phone away from me. My boyfriend tried to help me get it back, but couldn't do much because there were too many motorcycles around. I just put my head down for a minute to look at the address, never thought someone would just rob my cell phone like that. That night, I was continuously having nightmares of the person robbing me." Ah Gil expressed fortunately she didn't have any intimate pictures on the phone, actually the pictures aren't all that special. The greatest impact is she'll have to start her games over again, which takes time. She said: "My boyfriend said he'll buy me another phone, but I have another one. I bought him iPad Mini as his Valentine's Day gift." Ah Gil expressed the Vietnam trip was a sudden urge and since her boyfriend was able to purchase the air tickets, they decided to go.
It was rumored William Chan is trying to rescue his relationship with Charlene Choi (Ah Sa), and the couple met up in Thailand for their vacation. Regarding this, Ah Gil clarified on their behalf: "They are fine, it's just the reports were saying they're on a cold war. The whole issue is a complete misunderstanding. The person who went to see the concert with Ah Sa is just a friend." When asked if she followed Shawn Yue and Kary Ng's recent rumor? Ah Sa expressed: "I saw the magazine cover. (Do you believe it?) I think it should be true? They were already photographed, I think they're not bad."
Bobby AuYeung First Appearance Since Mishap, Puts up "OK" Sign to the Media

Bobby Au Yeung's condition is improving. A few days ago, he was able to do an interview himself and recalled his 12 hour life threatening condition. Yesterday morning, he was wheeled out of his hospital room for a body check up. At around 11am, the nurse put Bobby on a wheelchair and wheeled him out, where he was greeted by reporters. This is Bobby's first public appearance since his mishap. When the media asked how he's currently doing? Bobby raised his hand and did an "OK" hand gesture. He also expressed, "I can discharge within the next couple of days." Bobby's manager Lydia added: "He should be discharging on Thursday."
Guest Star in 'On Call 2'
At 5pm, Lawrence Ng visited Bobby at the hospital and stayed with him for about half an hour. He said: "Today I come with a loving and caring heart. He said he's 80% recovered. He's very well-spirited and does not look like a patient at all. The only thing is, he hasn't shaved yet. He even cracked a joke and said he wanted to guest star as a patient in The Hippocratic Crush II ('On Call 2'). He said he wants to get back to work, but I told him the series isn't rushed to be aired, and I told him not to drink too much. Perhaps its because filming has been too tiring and he drank a little too much."
Florence Kwok: He's Much More Handsome
Florence Kwok and Toby Leung appeared at the hospital together to visit Bobby. Florence expressed: "Bobby has never looked so young, he's a lot more handsome and well spirited. Very good." As for Toby, it was rumored she and Him Law sparked love 2 years ago when they were filming Wax and Wane. When she was asked about the rumor, Toby shouted: "I'm not responding to rumors that are not true!" It was also rumored Toby only had the opportunity to work with Him because no other actress dared to collaborate with him. Toby denied, but when asked about if she was a two-timer back then? Have they ever dated? Toby avoided the questions and made an excuse that she's i! n a hurry to go have dinner with Florence. Also, Toby and Him's passionate kiss scene in Season of Love was originally very romantic, but Netizens joked Him went cross-eyed from all the kissing.
Shawn Yue & Kary Ng Secretly Dating in London, Airport Photos Exposed

Yesterday pictures of Kary Ng and Shawn Yue secretly dating in London were exposed. Netizens took pictures of the couple at the London airport; the pictures circulated on the internet. Although the pictures taken were not very clear, the couple could easily be recognized by their height and the way they were dressed. It was understood, when the two landed at the London Heathrow Airport, other travelers quickly recognized Shawn Yue and someone went forward to ask for pictures, but Shawn turned down the request. It looks like Shawn does not want the public to know of their whereabouts. As for Kary, not many people recognized her, but she was much more generous. Someone recognized she was a singer and asked if pictures could be taken, she agreed.
Reporters contacted Kary and Shawn's management and assistant to confirm their relationship. Kary's management expressed Kary will not be responding yet. Shawn's assistant expressed he's currently on vacation. When asked if they're dating in London? Kary's management was unsure and does not know of their whereabouts.
31 year old Shawn and 26 year old Kary's love began last October when Shawn directed the MV of Kary's song Humans Are Not Grasslands (人非草木). At the time, Shawn took care of Kary like a big brother and he was a good loyal friend to her. They would often communicate online. Kary has been in the industry for 10 years and is getting prettier and prettier as she gets older. She also has several rumored boyfriends such as Shawn and his good friend Pakho Chau. Kary previously had an on and off relationship with 'Tennis Prince' (Hung Lap Hei), it was a very unstable relationship as they broke up and reconciled three times. In January, Kary held a her HK Coliseum Concert, and Hung was there to support her. However, a week after the concert, Kary announced she's single and she's only friends with Hung.
Rising star Park Si-hoo denies rape accusation
Hallyu star Park Si-hoo has been accused of raping a 22-year-old woman.
According to the Seoul Seobu Police Station, the woman, said to be an aspiring actress, lodged a report last Friday, accusing Park of sexually assaulting her earlier that day, when they were drinking together.
Police said Park, 36, would be summoned for further investigation.
Park issued a public statement on Tuesday and admitted that he did have a drink with the woman, but insisted that he did not force her to have sex with him.
"We were attracted to each other and shared our feelings. I assure you I did not have a forced sexual encounter with her," Park said. "I do not feel ashamed at all and the truth will be revealed in the investigation."
Park said he would cooperate with the police and urged the media not to make "outrageous speculation" until the investigation was over.
The actor, rose to fame for his role in Iljimae and The Princess' Man, is hailed as a promising Korean star. After enjoying a series of success on TV dramas, Park made his leading actor debut on the silver screen in Confession Of Murder last year.

Source: The Korean Herald / ANN
Published 20th February 2013
The Ghost Inside - Yi shen yi gui (2005)
Herman Yau Lai-To (疑神疑鬼)
Zhou Xun interview by the Wall Street Journal

Imagining a better world – Zhou Xun at a recent exhibit.
Actress Zhou Xun recently spoke with the Wall Street Journal at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where she talked about her thoughts on film and goals for charity.
"Even though the stories are set in different periods of time, the same characters reappear. Different periods have different limitations, and the characters can or cannot do different things. But basically they are all human beings," said Zhou Xun on playing roles set in different time periods. "So the spy in 'The Message' could still be found today. Maybe today she would have a computer, maybe she would be doing corporate espionage, to steal a different message, but she would still be the same essential spy."
The actress, who's heavily involved in a number of environmental and other public projects, also talked about her vision of a new project to bring together retirement homes and orphanages. Read the complete interview here.
Chocolatiers Tap Into China's Gift-Giving Culture

If you never gave a box of dark chocolates and thought they meant, "I appreciate your independent spirit and hope I can become a partner worthy of your trust," you may be headed to chocolate-giving school.
In China, a fierce effort to introduce chocolate into the gift-giving culture is leading branding experts to host exhibits and publish brochures explaining the special significance of chocolate gifts – in ways that may have never been done before. "The chocolate market is in its infancy and it's still there even 30 years," said Lawrence Allen, author of the book Chocolate Fortunes: The Battle For The Hearts, Minds And Wallets Of Chinese Consumers.
Allen believes the delay is due in part to the country's sequestration 30 years ago, but also because the taste has been totally foreign to Chinese palates.
The average Chinese eats just 100 grams of chocolate per year – the equivalent of two candy bars. Euromonitor has found that Japanese eat 11 times more chocolate, Americans, 44 times, and Germans, 82 times as much.
Rivaling chocolate expos – Shanghai's Chocolate Happy Land and Chocolate Wonderland offer life-size figurines, photo opportunities, and even a runway show.
"Chinese people are very much into gift-giving for all sorts of holidays and festivals," said John Holmberg, Belgium-based Godiva's director. "We're having very, very good success with these key festivals with Chinese consumers." Its lavish gift sets for special holidays have been very popular among consumers.
For the Chinese New Year, Godiva came up with an 18-piece gift box, complete with tea-flavored ganache and snake designs. It retails for 488 yuan. The brand's "Overflowing Fortune" gift basket features a bottle of wine and dark chocolate syrup, and sells for 3,980 yuan.
Italy's Ferrero Rocher, it seems, will enjoy the fastest jolt in the market for the second consecutive year. It had 8.4 percent of the market last year and is now up a third from that, Euromnitor reports.
Raphael Wermuth, spokesman for Swiss-based chocolate-maker Barry Callebaut, said the Chinese would embrace chocolate the way they have slowly acclimated to coffee. Market projections show chocolate sales expansion at just 10 percent through 2015.

[asiaone]
photo credit: priceless beijing

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Turning Point 2 - Laughing Gor zhi qian zui fan (2011)
Herman Yau Lai-To (Laughing Gor之潛罪犯)
Zhao Wei Enjoys Fashion Show in London

Chinese actress Zhao Wei attends the Burberry Prorsum show during London Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2013/14 on Monday, February 18, 2013.

Chinese actress Zhao Wei (right) joins French star Melanie Laurent (left) and South Korean actress Kim Hee-sun at the Burberry Prorsum show during London Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2013/14 on Monday, February 18, 2013.

Chinese actress Zhao Wei (right) joins French star Melanie Laurent (left) and South Korean actress Kim Hee-sun at the Burberry Prorsum show during London Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2013/14 on Monday, February 18, 2013.
Source: CRIenglish
Jolin Tsai meets future parents-in-law

Will Vivian Dawson beJolin Tsai's Mr. Right? (image source: Jaded News)

All those talks about Jolin Tsai heading down the aisle with model Vivian Dawson may be true after all, as the Mandopop princess was spotted on an outing with her rumoured beau and his parents in New Zealand recently.
Taiwanese media had obtained a photograph showing the singer having a great time with the Dawsons on Skyline Rotorua, a popular cable car ride which is one of the top tourist attractions in Rotorua, New Zealand. The quartet looked like a happy family with their bright smiles and laid-back manner.
When asked about this, Jolin's manager Wang Yung-liang only revealed that the singer was vacationing in New Zealand with a group of friends.
Jolin, 32, has been romantically linked to Vivian, a New Zealand native who shot to fame in Taiwan as a model, for two years, yet both had neither confirmed nor denied their relationship.
Source: NOWNews.com
Published: 20th February 2013
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When is Jolin heading down the aisle with BF?
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