Travel-airfare site help to build up your link Popularity and give you higher Page Rank. http://www.travel-airfare.info The focal point of Ivy Li's suicide is currently placed on Yeh Yong-jeh, pitcher of Taiwan Brother Elephants baseball team. At a press conference on Dec 3, he clarifies the rumor and insists he is not the heartless man behind Li's death. The pitcher, who is just married early this year, was dejected by the rumors. His wife testifies for him, "When Ivy killed herself, he was at training. He even joked and said that he is not a popular pitcher. The man in topic is definitely not him, and we did not expect the rumor to get distorted this badly." In consideration for his family, Yeh did not clarify the matter when it first struck. He had wanted to hold till the public memorial service for Li is over; but now that rumors are blown out of proportion, he sees an imminent need for a press conference to clarify the issue personally. After much convincing, Li's father decides to sit in the press conference as alibi. As to whom the man behind the suicide really is, Mr. Li is still tightly zipped. He says he has not touched base with the person but will handle the matter very carefully. Mr. Li also says this is a private matter and will judge the man's attitude before exposing his identity. http://www.travel-airfare.info/article/h1135ohxds.htm 12th Dec,2008 Channel 8's longest-running drama series for 2008, "Love Blossoms 2", is finally on air now! This 110-episode drama is a sequel to the light-hearted story of "Love Blossoms". While the production has come to an end, the bonds between the cast are still strong. Yvonne Lim plays an educated, English-speaking career woman in the drama. She is often dressed in black and white to personify her principle-abiding character. While the focus on her role in the finale is not great, it was still a challenge to her skills. A scene which required her to eat continuously started off great with the delicious gourmet working up her appetite; prolonged shooting became what seems to be a torture instead when the food turned cold and her stomach went bloated. Yvonne had no choice but to act like she was enjoying the food during the later part of the shoot. Zhang Yaodong plays Felicia Chin's husband in the drama. Besides the usual lovey dovey scenes, the couple's intimacy was truly portrayed when Yaodong had to apply sun-tan lotion for Felicia. The director requested a romantic performance but the awkwardness between the two caused several NGs. Yaodong reveals that he did not dare to apply lotion for Felicia anywhere else other than her arms, while Felicia said her mental barrier came from the fact that this was the first time in her life that anyone is applying tanning lotion for her. However, when it came to their last scene, the months of collaboration have built such good chemistry that they look great together. Felicia Chin surely has room for improvement in her acting but she is said to be the most hard-working in the studio. She is seen in her 12cm high heels since the start of the day till six hours later when the reporters left; such dedication is truly impressive. It was unlikely for the camera to capture her footwear, so why did she not opt for more comfortable shoes? Felicia explains shyly, "Girls just want to look beautiful."Felicia shares her most unforgettable scene to be the rape scene. To make the scene more realistic, the director found a little hut to add to the atmosphere. Felicia was blindfolded, gagged, and had a headset put on; to shut her senses completely from the surrounding. The experience was so real that Felicia felt that she really went through something terrible; she was so shaken that she was unable to get out of character immediately after the shoot.Through her participation in this production, Felicia has come to know herself better; she is not as independent she thought she was, and there is still a weaker side of her. After the shoot of the last scene, everyone was snapping away for rememberance; and even the house (set built in studio) that was to be torn down, became a main subject to be taken. While the ending of the show may come as a cliché happy ending, the tale that comes before is sure to blossom your emotions just as they have for the cast. http://www.travel-airfare.info/article/l54kd9v4zj.htm 12th Dec,2008 The Taiwan 45th Golden Horse Award came to an end on Dec 6. Taiwanese film "Cape No. 7" which was a smash at the Taiwan box office bagged several awards. "12 Lotus" and "Money No Enough 2", two local films nominated for one award each, however were unable to outshine the others. The Golden Horse Award is highly regarded as the Chinese-language "Oscars". The awards ceremony started off with Taiwanese top model, also the promotional ambassador of the awards, Lin Chi-ling's performance. "Cape No. 7" bagged six awards which include the Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Song, Outstanding Taiwan Film of the Year, etc. Malaysian actress Lai Meng nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in "Money No Enough 2" lost the award to Mei-Feng from "Orz Boyz". "12 Lotus" nominated for "Best Original Song" lost it to "Cape No.7". http://www.travel-airfare.info/article/bulp0n13fl.htm 12th Dec,2008 Retrenchment exercise at Hong Kong's Television Broadcasts Limited caused a stir in the Asian media industry. Though its higher management has emphasized that artistes would not be affected but according to Hong Kong reports, several first and second class young actors and actresses have been silently listed into the retrenchment list; among them include Kevin Cheng and Myolie Wu. Cheng suffered image destruction recently when he was reported to have cheated on his "underground girlfriend" Niki Chow and is dating Charmaine Sheh. He had been taking on male lead roles in several dramas two years back, but is now cast only as supporting actors. The dramas he is in have been reported to have very low viewership. These reasons placed him in a risky position in these rocky times. Wu, on the other hand, has always been unpopular with audiences. She is currently canned by TVB and is making a living by appearing on commercial shows. If she does not get a revival by the time her contract ends, she may have to face with retrenchment. Actors Ron Ng and Michael Tse are also rumored to be among the retrenchment list. The newly awarded Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor - Ha Yu, Michelle Yim and Wayne Lai - are said to be facing the similar fate. http://www.travel-airfare.info/article/cwc5rxapfk.htm 12th Dec,2008 Funeral parlors in Chongqing, China, is reported to be making unlawful use of artistes portraits for advertising purposes. Monochromic portraits of Chen were first discovered by Chen's fans on Dec 6 in a funeral parlor. They were agitated to know that the funeral parlor is making use of their idol's popularity to solicit customers. Besides Chen, there were also Ku's photos. Another funeral parlor was seen placing photos of Jeff Chang and Korean star Song Hye Kyo at their shopfront. Chen was informed of the matter over an overseas call. "Touch wood! It is definitely inauspicious. I did not expect this to happen. (Will you pursue the issue?) I will let my manager handle it," she says. When Ku learned of the issue, he felt a sense of helplessness. "May good things come my way! I know my portraits have been placed on basins and slippers; but this is the first time I'm told that my photos are used to promote funeral services." http://www.travel-airfare.info/article/z3y1mjz6re.htm 12th Dec,2008 Singers Eason Chen, Gary Chaw and Joey Yung walked away with three awards each on TVB8 Music Awards 2008, emerging greatest winners of the night. The ceremony held on Dec 7 gave out a total of 30 awards. Chaw is crowned "Best Male Singer-Composer" and his song "Innocent" is awarded the "Golden Melodies" award and "Golden Melodies Gold award". Composer of the song also won the "Best Composer" award, given outside the ceremony. Chen received the "Golden Melodies" and "Globally-Loved Cantonese Song" awards, and is crowned "Most Popular Male Singer". For the female artistes, Yung bagged the "Golden Melodies" award, "Most Popular Female Singer" award and the "Globally-Loved Cantonese Song" bronze award. Karen Mok also clinched the "Golden Melodies" award and is voted "Mainland's Most Popular Female Singer".Sun Nan took down two awards - "Best Duet" and "Mainland's Most Popular Male Singer" - and became the only winning China singer at the ceremony this year. http://www.travel-airfare.info/article/vknxesbh1t.htm 12th Dec,2008 Taiwanese Mandopop boyband Lollipop, is more than your childhood candy on a stick. These six boys are bound to entertain you with their talents and good-looks (As requested by the boys to emphasize)! Just like any other new blood in the industry, Lollipop has much training and hardship to endure. For example, the boys have experienced working 36 hours straight. Such instances are getting more frequent but Lollipop claims to have gotten used to it. Fabien, for example, has learned to sleep whenever, wherever possible, or rather, whenever there's a job (William even named his syndrome as "working sleeping"). That becomes a problem when they are appearing on TV shows but Fabien just have to hold it out. Fortunately they are a band of six, so whenever someone starts falling behind, they can give each other a pull or a nudge to keep everyone going in a light-hearted mood. This is how we always see a lively Lollipop on screen. While fans see Lollipop as excelling in every aspect of their career such as hosting, singing, dancing and acting, Lollipop does have their complains about work. Fabien and Prince both express that they do not like dancing. Prince even reveals that dancing has taken the fun out of his life and he no longer understands why he still does it. With so many fans supporting them, such words might seems immature but it is also these honest opinion that makes them a rare gem in the industry. While most new artistes fear having to appear on Taiwan's variety show, Lollipop's fear revolves around their boss. Owdog fears going overboard when having to act ugly; A-Wei fears being the comedian in the group who is totally not funny; William is just afraid of saying the wrong thing; they are bound to get scolded by the boss. So how scary is their boss really? William recalls an incident when they appear on a talk show and quite a bit of lines got screwed up. After the show, Andy (boss) ticked them off slightly. The rest of the guys immediately reiterated that it was a 30 minutes lecture. Just when the topic turned to fans, the boys took the chance to boast about their looks and charm. And when the microphone is passed to A-Wei, everybody starts to interrupt and reveals, "A-Wei says he used to be the beau of his school!" It is obvious that the boys are being sarcastic and in defense, A-Wei says, "I used to be really good-looking ok! And I am talking about inner beauty here." The guys conveniently ignore A-Wei by laughing it off. The boys from Lollipop have been working closely with Hey Girl ever since they started out in the industry. Their collaboration has sparked many scandals; like Prince and Ghost, and A-Wei and Yako. Lil'jay immediately clarifies for the band that the company has strict rules to observe; Lollipop is not supposed to hang out with Hey Girl outside work, therefore, such news is nothing but rumors. http://www.travel-airfare.info/article/v4hvy313hr.htm 12th Dec,2008 Local comedian, Mark Lee, was featured on the cover of a recent Reader's Digest. Who could have imagined that this man in a dumpster suit from yester year could come this far? Looking back on the years of hard work, Mark sees himself as a dish made from bitter gourd; bitter at beginning but has a sweet aftertaste. In his recent appearance on a Channel 8's variety show, Mark analogizes his journey in showbiz to the experience of tasting a bitter gourd; bitter and hard to swallow at first, but sweet after thorough tasting. He also adds wittily that bitter gourd is best for the hot weather in Singapore with its cooling properties. It seems that Mark wishes to continue 'cooling' [entertaining] the audiences' 'heatiness' [stress]. From a trash can in the background, to center stage hosting and eventually starring in movies; Mark received several recognitions from Star Awards and now he is even featured on Reader Digest! While Mark's progression may seem constant and smooth, only he can understand the hardship throughout these years. Being the trash can took courage, and that courage was his first step to becoming the comedy king he is today; a dramatic beginning fit for him. Looking back, Mark recalls saying, "No one could have imagined that a trash could have been a role played by a person." Mark has come to one conclusion over the years of experience as an entertainer, "So long as you do not hurt others in what you do and you feel that your way is right, then just do it; someday you will get what you want." Mark's multiple-roles these days are no longer limited to the characters he plays in comedies. He is now seen hosting baby pageant, home deco and travel variety shows. On top of his career, he is also the loving husband and dedicated father to his family. The parenting knowledge that comes out of him these days can match up with those of mothers. Mark also shares he love for children; he constantly observed them and also ask friends and even strangers for tips. Just recently, Mark learnt a new method to help her baby girl burp - by patting her back and stroking her head. What used to take him at least 30 minutes to achieve is now a task that requires much less time; the satisfaction for him is more than words. While Mark may appear to be more than mere Jack of all Trades, cooking is more than he can handle. However, he is proud to say that baby meals are his forte. So we suggest he host a variety show on baby meals. After all, nothing seems too far-fetched when it comes to Mark today! http://www.travel-airfare.info/article/box97a85ii.htm 12th Dec,2008 "One Million Star" Season Four held its PK round on Dec 8 and the top ten emerges. As its executive producer Chan Jen-hsiung is still unable to find a relieve host, Dee Hsu carries on out of loyalty. Clad in a feather suit, Hsu proclaims herself "the terminator of poultry"; her nonsensical speeches brought rows of laughter. Hot favorite Wu Dehong met with a strong opponent and performed below expectations, and was subsequently ruled out of the competition. He promises to improve himself and bring surprises in the revival round. Contestants Connie Kang, Hong Qian-han, Chang Hanya Fang You-xin, Sun Bina, Xia Zheng-feng, Wu Yong-bing, Lin Hong-ming, Mark Chang and Leo Chan made it through all odds and emerged top ten. Earlier on, Hsu has resigned from relief hosting for Momoko Tao, to spend time with her family. The production team then extended invites to pop Queen A-mei; however due to difficulty in coordinating concerts and commercial shows schedule, A-mei can only host the show in Jan. In the meantime, producers have persuaded Hsu and Kevin Tsai to hang on for two more episodes while they continue to source for suitable candidates. http://www.travel-airfare.info/article/l0u9ejiwey.htm 12th Dec,2008 In a eulogy written by Taiwanese host, Patty Hou, about her father, she reveals that he had wished for her to marry a professor or a civil servant. Hou's biological father Hou Shi hong passed away on Dec 3 from heart attack in a hospital in Tainan. He was 74 years old and a well-known Taiwanese TV producer. Hou had not spoken of her father since his demise, until a blog post on Dec 7 where she wrote about her father's aspirations for her. She also reveals her father's view on her marriage: "He said it is best to marry a professor or a civil servant; life will be stable and it is even alright not to be officially married." In addition, she also reveals the networking skills her father taught. "Dad is worried I have no friend to take care of me. He used to tell me when I was small, that I should buy my friends a meal when we go for outings." The father and daughter maintained good relationship even though he was not officially married to Hou's mother and they had never lived together. He fought to get his current wife's agreement for Hou to return to her ancestors root and take on his surname. At his deathbed, Hou's father is still very concern about her. Her half-brother said, "My sister was here for prayers; she is very upset. My dad has instructed me to protect her." Hou also mentioned in her blog that she would like to her father to know that with love and wishes from the family, she is happy and blissful, and he does not have to worry about her. She hopes her father finds happiness in the other world. YAHOO.EU.Messenger = new Messenger(); var sStoryHeadline="Patty Hou's late father concerned about her marriage"+'%0A'; var sStoryLink="http://sg.news.yahoo.com/cna/20081210/ten-225-patty-hous-late-father-concerned-2fbb342.html"+'%0A'; var sDefaultMsg = 'Check out this story on Yahoo! News:'; http://www.travel-airfare.info/article/yq4iy9tg6e.htm 12th Dec,2008 2008 has been a dramatic year for Taiwanese artiste Van Fan. Movie "Cape No.7" has not only freed him from his career bottleneck but also brought him to greater heights. While other artistes suffer a shrink in their wallets, Van's market value shot rocket high. It also gave him a chance to pursue his own directions in personal style and an opportunity to hold a concert. Those who have watched the movie has to admire the director's foresight, for picking out the relatively low profile Van among the crowd of Taiwanese artistes; someone who fits the profile of the dejected singer in the film perfectly. In reel life, male protagonist Aga put up a sensational concert; in real life, Van's first ticketed concert will be realized soon. Such is the coincidence nobody expects. The movie can be described as a turning point for Van; trapped in the bottleneck for a couple of years, this chance have brought about many changes and opportunities. It was reported that his social status has rise several times, and discussions for collaborations and performances which had been complicated affairs, suddenly went smoothly. It may seem like Van is now reaping his harvest but he describes the current phase to be merely the "cultivation" process. "This is a great sowing season. The road before me is still long. I'm now above the clouds but I have to know how I got up here, or I'll be very vulnerable to falls," he says. This is his philosophy to life. On his album autograph session in Taiwan two years back, Van purposely changed his clothes in public to scorn the media for being overly concern about artistes' scandals and gossips; seemingly cynical of the media profession. This time round, in reply to the cheers from the media, Van carries the female lead actress, also his rumored girlfriend, Chie Tanaka, with no intentions of evading the rumor; apparently more media savvy now. There are many more chances of interacting with the media in future, and Van has found the means he is most comfortable with. To name a few of the most popular artistes of the year, Van has all it takes to be in the list. But popularity and high exposure comes at a cost. For him, the focal point is placed on his relationship and perhaps a possible marriage. He says he will not allow such "trivial matters" to interfere his career. "I have not made plans for this. Even though the movie is a box office success, it has nothing to do with my relationship," Van explains. The year-end concert held at Taipei Arena is a seven-year long anticipation for him. Though movie promotion tour has taken up much of his rehearsal time, he is scrupulous about every single detail; he even brought his guitar to Singapore so that he can continue practicing in his free time.In this concert, he will be presenting his favorite rock music and also restage the concert scene in the movie by featuring the band in "Cape No.7". Tanaka will also be making a special appearance but Van is keeping mum about her performance. http://www.travel-airfare.info/article/tmr0d5f3ar.htm 12th Dec,2008 During a recent appearance on Jiangsu Broadcasting Corporation's variety programme, Taiwanese singer Frankie Kao criticizes Harlem Yu's silence towards his marital crisis to be very unmanly; making his wife, Annie Yi, appear like the villain. Ever since the revelation of the marital problems between the couple, Yu has not replied to the media's probe and surprisingly more jobs and opportunities are coming his way. On the contrary, Yi's image went down the drain, with Eastern Television on her tail for a $6 million compensation for damages she brought to the station as spokesperson. As Yu's friend for over 20 years, Kao comments, "Harlem is now worth five times more than before; while Annie is 16 times reverse." However, Kao is unimpressed with Yu. "I feel like scolding him to his senses. As a man, he should step forward to speak his mind and not keep silent like what he is doing now. This is the worst thing he can do to Annie. He shouldn't be hurting her like this if he loves her, and if he doesn't, he should just let her go Harlem's silence has made Annie out to look like the modern "Pan Jinlian" (adulteress tram from famous Chinese literature). This is very unfair to Annie." According to sources, Yu has confirmed his appearance at JSBC's New Year countdown show. The organizing committee is hoping to get Yi and Yu to appear on the show together, with hopes of them patching up. http://www.travel-airfare.info/article/mbn6v9y1iw.htm 12th Dec,2008 Queen of ballads, Fish Leong, has been busy with the publicity work for her concert recently, and when reporters slid in the question on her love life, she bursts into laughter asking, "How long have you been holding that back? I bet that was the first question you wanted to ask." With four children dressed in Santa Claus suit leading the way, Leong appears in a cute fluffy skirt on stage. Leong was also delighted to see the children perform her song "Ningxia". As the relationship no longer holds as a secret, everyone is curious about the developments between Leong and Mr. T. Towards the end of the interview, the question was finally thrown at her. She bursts into laughter saying, "How long have you been holding that back? I bet that was the first question you wanted to ask. So everything was just a lead up to this! But it's quite embarrassing for me to be asked like that." After a gentle cough or two, Leong says with hands slightly covering her cheeks, "I'm blushing; my face is giving me away. Thank you for the concern. With regards to our relationship, it's more or less like the way media has been reporting." Preparation work for "Today's Valentine's Day" concert has been keeping her in China for some time. Being separated in two countries, Leong hopes work gets her beau out-stationed to China too. As for whether Mr. T will be appearing at the concert, Leong comments shyly, "If he comes, wouldn't the focus be shifted? I think it's better if he doesn't." So how is Valentine's Day going to be for them? Leong says with a laugh, "I don't know. If my fans need me, I'll be there for them first. As for myself, I'll try to fight for some time to be with him." http://www.travel-airfare.info/article/n57j0pih9a.htm 12th Dec,2008 Reports on the fatal accident are almost all there are about Taiwanese singer Shino Lin on the Internet. She was drink driving when she knocked down a lady motorcyclist in Taiwan last June. The victim was sent to the hospital where she was pronounced dead. For several crucial months, she appeared haggard and was always avoiding the camera. It continued with negative reports of her bouts of depression, sinking in self-torture, dispelling melancholy in alcohol, and even suicide Avoiding the topic on the accident may be most humanitarian; but Shino has been very strong as she narrates her dark memories "As long as I breathe, guilt is in me." After the accident which cost a life, Shino has been living in guilt and self-reproach. "This is a huge mistake which should never have happened. After a year of introspection, I found myself weaker than I thought I am; I did not know how to seek help in the past." As a public figure, the accident naturally became the focal point of the media. Shino describes herself to be already sticking to the wall, but the media is like a row of needles, still constantly piercing her forcefully. This is an additional blow to someone immersed in reprove. Shino's career came to a complete halt after the accident and there had been intentions of giving up. She is fortunate to have family, friends and fans supporting her, and their love has kept her going, facing the society's reprimand. "I thought to myself: it's a choice of life or death. I do not want to give up or let people think they have supported the wrong person." She has also recently become a Christian and learns to give grace. She has also released a new album "Chapter One". Besides the accident, her beautiful rendition of the song "Heart Beat" also constantly rings in the public's mind. At eight years old, she won the second prize to a singing competition; at 10, she moved to Taipei with her mother who started a KTV lounge where Shino started singing day in and day out. Later she pursues her singing dreams and went to Japan for professional training and performance. Her debut album with the song "Heart beat" was a great success. As a singer, Shino says, "the road has been smooth." "Cape No.7" brought a second height to his career. She says her role in the film has many similar traits to her personal self, and she is able to gain strength from that character. With her varied experiences in life, Shino managed to bring sincerity and a portrayal true to life in the character. Without the harsh experience, Shino's life would be smoother; yet, bypassing those dark days, she may not have become so brave and experienced. http://www.travel-airfare.info/article/i940ns204c.htm 12th Dec,2008 MediaCorp has been named "Terrestrial Broadcast of the Year" for the second year running at the 13th Asian Television Awards. The company's hosts Guo Liang and Quan Yifong also defeated Hong Kong's Eric Tsang, and won the "Best Entertainment Presenter Award". MediaCorp had 26 nominations among the 12 award categories this year. CEO of MediaCorp, Lucas Chow says, "Continue to create content that are unique to MediaCorp, being creative about it. I think that is still the direction that MediaCorp will continue to take. "We have started to move on to regional platforms and regional content. We will continue with that in spite of the very difficult times we face. But of course, we would be very careful in managing our costs. We have to have better planning, have less wastage, so as to cut down the costs for production." MediaCorp Channel U's travel infotainment programme "Lead Me On" and Channel NewsAsia's travelogue documentary "Tale of Four Cities" were named "Highly Commended" programmes. Channel NewsAsia's documentary "All Things Paper" was named "Best Infotainment Programme". Three local hosts were nominated "Best Entertainment Presenter"; Quan Yifong and Guo Liang jointly clinched the award with "Buzzing Cashier" and "Lead Me On" respectively, defeating hot favorite Eric Tseng. A wedding reality show, a Channel 5's production, was named "Best Entertainment Programme". MediaCorp TV 12 productions on Arts Central and Kid's Central received the "Best Single Drama or Telemovie" and "Best Children's Programme" awards. http://www.travel-airfare.info/article/h7s41948ai.htm 12th Dec,2008 Hong Kong singers George Lam and Sally Yeh's marriage has been reported to be on the rocks in recent years. While in town to promote his upcoming concert, Lam refutes those rumors ambiguously. "She is still my best friend and we are happy together," he says. The stars' marriage has been the focal point of the media, but Lam is unshaken by those negative reports. "I do not read tabloids. They are overly exaggerated." Lam lost his hearing ability on his right ear after falling off stage while making a special guest appearance at Liza Wang's concert in 2003. He is still in the shadow of the incident and gets palpitations whenever he is on stage. "If I am appearing as someone else's guest, they will have to tell me where and what are the hidden dangers." His upcoming concert in Singapore will be a brand new audio experience for the audience; he will be performing with an orchestra this time round. "I've been performing with the band for many years. This time I'll be singing with a choir; I believe the experience will be very different," he says. "George Lam and the Symphony Orchestra" concert will take place on Jan 17 at Singapore Expo's Max Pavilion. http://www.travel-airfare.info/article/pn1f48t27g.htm 12th Dec,2008 The filming and soundtrack production for MediaCorp Raintree Picture's next big thing, "The Wedding of the Year", were done simultaneously. Theme song "Double Happiness" is now in the post production stage. To compose and perform a movie theme song came as a challenge for local artiste Hagen Tan. This is his first for a movie theme song. Tan says, "As a composer, the story behind the song is very important to me. I try to perform the song with the feeling, as though I was in the story." The light-hearted theme song fits the plot perfectly; just like the initial concept of film soundtrack producer, George Leong, has had. Effort was also put into presenting the song in a grand and original manner. Leong says, "I hope to give it a vibrant sense, with the incorporation of a number of Chinese orchestral instruments." Other big names in the soundtrack production team include Goh Kheng Long and Dr Ng King Kang. http://www.travel-airfare.info/article/jc14l68g4v.htm 12th Dec,2008