Gillian Chung Ka-lai (born Chung Tik-shan, 21 January 1981), known by her stage name Chung Yan-tung, is a Hong Kong actress and singer. She is a member of the Cantopop duo Twins, along with Charlene Choi. IMDB. Biography for Gillian Chung
Early life Chung was born in Hong Kong as Chung Tik-shan ().Be My Guest (7 March 2009 episode) Her father died when she was one year old. When she was two years old, her family believed the character Tik (狄) from her birth name to be too strong and renamed her to Chung Ka-lai ().
She initially grew up in a single parent family until her mother remarried to a man also surnamed Chung, when Chung was in high school. She was given the English name "Gillian" while in high school. Chung graduated from Kowloon True Light Middle School and briefly attended the William Angliss Institute of TAFE in Melbourne, Australia.Mingpao.com. Gillian Chung @ Mingpao.com Retrieved on 10 March 2009.
Career Early years In 2000, Chung was contacted by one of the model agencies she worked part-time with when she was in Hong Kong. She was offered a job opportunity by Emperor Entertainment Group (EEG), which she accepted in that year. She became a contracted artist and underwent training before making her debut.Be My Guest, episode featuring Mani Fok, Chung's manager. She was advised by her manager Mani Fok to adopt the "Chung Yan-tung" () as her stage name, after consulting fortune tellers. The name was supposed to enhance her business skills. On 18 May 2001, the management company assigned her to form a singing duo, Twins, with Charlene Choi. Chung and Choi released their first album three months later.
Acting debut Chung made her acting film début in U Man (2002). She appeared in a number of films such as Beyond Our Ken (2004), which earned her critical acclaim as well as a nomination for Best Actress in the Golden Bauhinia Awards.Buckle up for the Twins Mission In Beyond Our Ken, Chung played Chan Wai-ching, a spurned girlfriend of the eponymous Ken. The film had its world premiere at the Tokyo International Film Festival and grossed HK$3,886,355 at the box office.
In January 2006, the film 49 Days that Chung starred in had exceeded the HK$10 million (US$1.28 million) mark, earning a spot in one of Hong Kong's best box office films for that year.
Return to film industry After withdrawing from public for more than a year following the Edison Chen photo scandal incident and later confessed to having contemplated suicide, Chung apologised for hurting those around her, especially her long-time bandmate Charlene Choi. During the hiatus, she took classes in many areas, such as kung fu (Wing Chun), gymnastics, singing, dancing and acting, which she hoped would serve her professionally. Afterwards she returned to work as spokesperson for TOUGH Jeansmith in the Asia region with a seven-figure pay-check. She flew to Taiwan, Shanghai, and other places for promotion.Yahoo News. "" , Yahoo News, 11 March 2009, retrieved on 24 March 2009. In July 2009, it was disclosed that she would get a 7-figure sum for the endorsement of botox treatment clinic Dr. Pro. Chung also appeared on stage in an adaptation of Neil Simon's I Ought to Be in Pictures, produced by Emperor Concerts, part of EEG, for a budget of HK$2 million.
Silent expression art On 13 September 2009, Chung showcased an emotional performance art video at the Harbin Ice Snow World carnival singing competition.Sina.com: . Retrieved on 25 October 2009. The silent video, previously filmed in Hong Kong, was shown at the fair lasting 8 minutes and 43 seconds.China.com.cn. China.com.cn. Retrieved on 25 October 2009. The video showed Chung switching from laughing to crying. This attraction drew hundreds of visitors each day. Many audiences thought that Chung used the art expression to reveal her apologetic attitude. However the video was only meant to show how attitudes are expressed through art, according to artist and video creator Jiang Zhi.
Debut solo album On 27 March 2010, Chung released her début solo EP, which was sold as part of the package of Twins' fourth compilation album Everyone Bounce (人人彈起). The EP includes six songs, including début solo single More Hearts (心多) that was released a year prior to the album release.
Sisters Who Make Waves On 5 August 2022, Chung debuted at 5th place for the third season of Sisters Who Make Waves which premiered on 20 May 2022, on Mango TV. Chung decided to join the competition with her long time bandmate Charlene Choi and compete against other 28 female artistes with diverse talents. At the same time, Chung aimed to lose weight and retuning her mindset. Due to 4 months of rigorous dance rehearsals and sheer willpower, Chung succeeded in shedding 20 pounds at the end of the competition.
Personal life 2006 invasion of privacy incident In 2006 during a concert in Genting Highlands, Malaysia, a reporter surreptitiously photographed Chung nude in the changing room. On 22 August 2006, Hong Kong tabloid magazine Easy Finder published the photos as a cover story. Hong Kong celebrities such as Jackie Chan and Andy Lau staged a public protest denouncing the magazine.BBC. Chan in Hong Kong photo protest. Tuesday, 29 August 2006 The Obscene Articles Tribunal classified the published photographs as "indecent". On 1 November, Easy Finder lost its appeal against the obscenity ruling,HONG KONG: "Twin photograph ruling upheld" with the appeal panel declaring the article as a "calculated act of selling sexuality which is corrupting and revolting". Jimmy Lai, founder of Easy Finders publisher Next Media, apologized to Chung and offered to return all the negatives.
2008 photo scandal
In January and February 2008, sexually explicit photos of Edison Chen with a number of Hong Kong female celebrities were leaked online. The scandal involved Chung, as well as Bobo Chan and Cecilia Cheung, amongst others.batgwa.com. "batgwa.com Edison's Conquests Sex Photos – Suspect Arrested Retrieved on 31 January 2008 The pictures tarnished Chung's "squeaky-clean image", and she apologized to the public for being naive and silly. Her subsequent television appearance on Jade Solid Gold triggered over 500 complaints to TVB, while the Hong Kong Broadcasting Authority received over 1200. Other promotion events were cancelled.
Chung was dropped from performing in the 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony by director Zhang Yimou.Sydney morning herald. "Dirty downloads: diva axed from Olympic ceremony Sydney Morning Herald, 26 February 2008, retrieved on 21 July 2008. She was originally set to appear in Chen Kaige's film Forever Enthralled and Oliver Stone's W., but her scenes were left on the cutting room floor.
Marriage
In July 2017, Chung met Michael Lai, a Taiwanese gynecologist, while filming Tree in the River in Taiwan and they were in a relationship in October. On 1 February 2018, Chung announced her engagement with Lai on Instagram, with a photo of a diamond ring given by her fiancé. The pair held a wedding ceremony in Los Angeles on 26 May, and one in Hong Kong on 20 December. The couple separated in March 2020.
Discography
Year Title Notes 2010 Everyone Bounce Cantonese EPMove On... Cantonese EP2013 Vernicia Flower Mandarin album2014 Wholly Love Mandarin Album2022Two Faced"Forensic JD" Drama Ending Theme
Filmography
Film Year English title Original title Role Notes 2002 U Man怪獸學園 Candy Tong So-sum / Piggy 2002 Summer Breeze of Love這個夏天有異性 Kammy Chung Lai-san 2002 If U Care..賤精先生 Gillian / Kiu 2002 Just One Look一碌蔗 Decimator / Ghost girl 2003 Happy Go Lucky低一點的天空 Snow White / Snowie 2003 Colour of the Truth黑白森林 Katie Wong 2003 The Twins Effect千機變 Gypsy 2003 The Spy Dad絕種鐵金剛 Cream 2003 The Death Curse古宅心慌慌 Linda Ting 2004 Fantasia鬼馬狂想曲 Chopstick Sister 2004 Protege de la Rose Noire見習黑玫瑰 Gillian Lu 2004 Love on the Rocks戀情告急 Mandy 2004 Moving Targets新紮師兄2004 Wing 2004 The Twins Effect II千機變II之花都大戰 Blue Bird 2004 Beyond Our Ken公主復仇記 Chan Wai-ching 2004 6 AM大無謂 Herself 2005 House of Fury精武家庭 Natalie Yue 2005 Bug Me Not!蟲不知 Auntie 2006 49 Days犀照 Lam Siu-chin 2007 Twins Mission雙子神偷 Pearl Alternate title Let's Steal Together 2007 Naraka 19地獄第19層 Rain 2007 Trivial Matters破事兒 Cheng Sze-wai 2008 Forever Enthralled梅蘭芳 Fu Zhifang Scenes deleted 2008 W.小布希傳 Belly dancer Scenes deleted 2010 Just Another Pandora's Box越光寶盒 Sun Shangxiang 2010 Ex 前度 Yee 2010 The Fantastic Water Babes出水芙蓉 Gillian Law Kiu 2010 Super Player大玩家 Beauty 2011 Nightmare 午夜凶夢 Angela 2013 Love Retake 愛情不NG Nina Su 2013 Ip Man: The Final Fight葉問：終極一戰 Chan Sei-mui 2013 The Midas Touch 超級經理人 Chinese-Korean police officer Cameo 2013 The Fox Lover 白狐 Xiao Cui Alternate title Bai Hu 2014 Who is Undercover王牌 Su Jie 2015 The Spirit of the Swords 情劍Zhu Er 2016 I Love That Crazy Little Thing那件瘋狂的小事叫愛情 Princess Loulan Cameo 2016 A Chinese Odyssey Part Three大話西遊3 Spring Thirteen Mother 2016 The Wasted Times羅曼蒂克消亡史 Xiao Wu 2017 Soccer Killer 仙球大戰 Princess Changping 2017 77 Heartbreaks 原諒他77次 Heartbeat Cameo 2017 The House That Never Dies II 京城81號2 Ji Jincui 2019 Missing 失蹤 Ying 2019 Prison Flowers 女子监狱 2021The First Myth: Daji封神妲己Daji2022Green Snake: The Fate of Reunion青蛇: 前缘Green Snake
Television Year English title Original title Role Network Notes 2001 The Monkey King: Quest for the Sutra 齊天大聖孫悟空 Purple Rose TVB 2003 All About Boy'z 一起喝采 Tina now.com.hk Appearance in episode 5, 9 & 10 2003 Triumph in the Skies 衝上雲霄 Gillian TVB Appearance in episode 6 2003 2半3更之困車立 Kiu now.com.hk 2004 Kung Fu Soccer 功夫足球 Kiu TVB Guest star 2004 Sunshine Heartbeat 赤沙印記@四葉草.2 Dancer TVB Guest star 2004 家有寶貝 Kiu 2004 上海灘之俠醫傳奇 Female assassin 2006 Fox Volant of the Snowy Mountain 雪山飛狐 Cheng Lingsu ATV 2006 Project A A計劃 / 盜海奇兵 Mandy ATV 2007 The Spirit of the Sword 浣花洗劍錄 Zhu'er ATV 2011 The Holy Pearl 女媧傳說之靈珠 Baixi Xianyue / Ding Yao ZJSTV 2011 Da Tang Nü Xun An 大唐女巡按 Xie Yaohuan Dragon TV 2011 Secret History of Empress Wu 武則天秘史 Shangguan Wan'er Hunan TV 2012 The Happy Marshal 春光灿烂之欢乐元帅 Tian Mao Nu / Xian Zi (Fairy) / Qiao Miao GZTV 2013 Wheel of Fortune 財神有道 Eighth Princess CCTV 2014 Swords of Legends 古劍奇譚 Princess Xunfang HunanTV 2015 Extremely Urgent 迫在眉睫 Grace Chen Mo CCTV Alternate title: Guardians of Ancient Magic 护宝联盟 2018 Tree in the River 动物系恋人啊 Chu Zhi He Sohu TV 2022Twins Flower Shop双生花店Gillian & CharleneShort Series (都市短剧)2022Forensic JD女法医JDLin Xiao Mei / Wei Zi Ling / Miao Zi LingWeTV / iQiyi / myTV SUPERTwins 20th anniversary 12 EP reunion drama
Variety shows & other shows Year English title Original title Network Notes2016饭局的诱惑Tencent VideoAppearance in episode 62017心路Tencent VideoGuest star (Twins)2017熟悉的味道2Zhejiang TVAppearance in episode 92017If You Can Talk冒犯家族iQIYIAppearance in episode 72019鲁豫有约一日行第9季NengLiang MediaGuest star (Twins)2019Everybody Stand By (Season 1)演员请就位第一季Tencent VideoAppearance in episode 1,4-82020举杯呵呵喝 第二季YOUKUAppearance in episode 72021因为是朋友呀DouyinAppearance in episode 1-12 (Twins + Joey Yung)2021Twinkle Love怦然心动20岁Jiangsu TVAppearance in episode 1-102021Perfect Summer S2完美的夏天2Dragon TVAppearance in episode 5-7 (Twins)2022Sweet Tasks 2022甜蜜的任务 2022Mango TVGuest star (Twins)2022Hello Saturday你好，星期六Mango TVGuest star (Twins)2022朋友请听好2Mango TVAppearance in episode 42022Sisters Who Make Waves (Season 3)乘风破浪3Mango TVDebuted 5th Place202290婚介所2022BilibiliGuest star (见证官)2022百川可逗鎮DouyinGuest star (Twins)2022Promise For You星星的约定Mango TVEP1 released. Off air till further noticeTBA美好在出发Dragon TV2022 - 2023Meet Rosy Clouds与彩云相遇Yunnan Int. ChannelShow title renamed from 'Promise For You'2022 - 2023Hunan Satellite TV's 2022 - 2023 New Year's Eve Concert湖南卫视2022-2023跨年晚会Hunan & Mango TV2 Performances (Twins + First Day)
Notes
References
External links
Gillian Chung at EEG
Gillian Chung at Chinesemov.com