Ekin Cheng

Template:Infobox Chinese actor and singer Ekin Cheng Yee-Kin is a Hong Kong actor and Cantopop singer. Earlier in his career he was known as Kaohun Cheng (鄭伊麵), though he has now reverted to a more conventional-sounding first name. Sometimes he uses Magua (because that was what it sounded like when his younger sister tried to call him) as a first name but usually Ekin is the name used.

Biography

Ekin began acting in commercials when he was in high school, the most well-known being for Hi-C Lemon Tea. After high school, he enrolled in TVB's Martial Arts school, but did not like it and switched to their acting school. After that he began to get a number of TV roles. The latest TVB series he participated in was Always Ready, working with Charmaine Sheh, Bowie Lam (林保怡), and Linda Chung.

See also: Ekin Cheng Television

See also: Ekin Cheng Radio Dramas

Personal life

Ekin was caught up in a grand scandal after leaving Maggie Siu, an actress whom he dated for many years, for a decade younger actress and singer Gigi Leung. Maggie was well-loved by Hong Kong audiences and gave up her career to support Ekin's career and many slighted him after the breakup. In 2006, Ekin and Gigi Leung broke up, ending their seven-year relationship.

In September 2006, Ekin and Yoyo Mung begun dating through their mutual interest in badminton.

Movies

See also: Ekin Cheng filmography

His first film was Girls Without Tomorrow (1992) and at the time he was still going by the name Dior Cheng. He changed his name to Ekin before his breakout role in the Young and Dangerous series as Chan Ho Nam. The film was first meant to glorify the triad life, but after about the third film, the story focused more on the characters and explored the truth about the Hong Kong triads. It became so popular that it launched Ekin Cheng and co-star Jordan Chan to superstar status. And because of its incredible success, it is said to have made many youngsters at that time fond of the triad life, thus making Teens throughout Asia join the triads. Though with no solid evidence, its impact no doubt made Triads look good in the eye of young people. It also started a trend for triad films around that time and is considered to be a classic. The film led to 6 sequels, all starring Ekin Cheng, and a lucrative working partnership with director Andrew Lau. Together they went on to make The Storm Riders, which was the highest-grossing Hong Kong movie at the time and the first film to utilize a truly large number of special effects. They also worked together on The Legend of Speed a film about a street racer who would follow his father's footsteps of becoming a racing god, A Man Called Hero a movie adaption of the famous Comic, about a Martial Arts master in America The Duel starring Ekin, Andy Lau, and a few other famous stars, and the comedy Women From Mars.

Ekin has branched out in the roles he's taken, including more comedy like earlier in his career with My Wife is 18 with Charlene Choi and Six Strong Guys with singers Hacken Lee, Andy Hui and George Lam. But he still does action-oriented films like The Twins Effect where he acts with rising pop superstars Twins. And Tokyo Raiders where he is casted with International Superstar Tony Leung and Superstar pop diva Kelly Chen. My Wife is 18 tells the story of Ekin Cheng accidentally marrying Charlene Choi, who is only 18 while he is 30. Thus creating a comic effect. Six strong guys tell the story of Ekin and his other five friends who tell funny stories of the modern Hong Kong man. The Twins effect is an action film about the feuds between vampires and Humans who both share the same world. Toyko Raiders is about international thievery in Toyko.

Recently Ekin returned to the movie scene (having taking a break in 2005 to work on the Ultraman TV Series in Thailand), He had a brief appearance in My Name is Fame as himself. Soon after that he starred in Heavenly Mission a triad/cop thriller starring alongside Stephen Fung & Alex Fong (this is not the swimmer Alex Fong.). He has completed a Pang Brothers film called The Forest of Death, which will be released in March 2007. He is currently filming a serial in Mainland China based on the life of martial arts master, Huo Yuanjia with former Young & Dangerous co-star Jordan Chan.

Currently, Ekin is working on a new film with Shawn Yue and news has it that he's planning to start his own entertainment company.

Though some still consider Ekin Cheng a superstar, or an accidental superstar as many like to call him, his popularity has slowly been diminishing. His golden age was the age of Young and Dangerous, when he could be on stage with stars like Jacky Cheung and Aaron Kwok. But his fame began to fall during the turn of the century. Many have criticized him as being a wood-like actor with little expression or feeling in his work.

Music

See also: Ekin Cheng Discography

Ekin had a successful music career with BMG. But in the 2000s, he signed with EEG, a juggernaut company owned by Albert Yeung. Under this company he was 'frozen' and not allowed to put out any records. But as is a custom with EEG, he made several movies with other EEG stars. As of 2004, his contract with EEG ended and he returned to BMG where he released a new record. As of 2005, Ekin is an artist of BMA Records. Through the course of his career, he has made several hits. Though many criticise Ekin for not having a voice capable of singing harder or higher-noted songs. And though his music career has been going smoothly, his most-acclaimed music came during the Young and Dangerous age. The theme song for Young and Dangerous 1 "Age of Friendship" is considered his best. Though he and Jordan Chan both sing a separate version, it was Ekin who sang it first.

In 2007, Ekin made a guest appearance at a Leo Ku concert and received popular applause from the audience.

External links

• Ekin Club International (under construction)
• BMA's Official Website for Ekin / Ekin's Blog
• English Translation of Ekin's Blog
• IMDB entry