Chinese heartthrob Xiao Zhan may have only ranked 30th on TC Candler’s 2023 list.
But a new online list sees the 32-year-old differently, putting Xiao Zhan as the only actor of Chinese descent to be included in the World’s Top 10 Most Beautiful Faces. Of course, Xiao Zhan’s inclusion doesn’t surprise us one bit. Xiao Zhan, who shot to fame after starring in hit show The Legend, was described as having exquisite features that are just the right proportions. Many fans naturally agreed with the news of Xiao Zhan’s ranking, with many taking to social media to gush over how deserving he is to be in the top 10. This new list, which did not say how they got to the final tally, also included Hollywood actor Timothee Chalamet (who came in #1 on TC Candler’s list this year), Blackpink singer Jisoo, BTS’s V and British actor Henry Cavil. Other than Xiao Zhan, the only other Chinese face is Aespa’s Ning Ning. This isn’t the first time Xiao Zhan has been included in such a list. Back in 2019, YouTube channel Top Beauty World crowned Xiao Zhan as its most beautiful face, ahead of Chris Hemsworth and Johnny Deep. Nubia, a British magazine, also ranked Xiao Zhan first in the Top 100 Most Handsome Faces in the World. TC Candler, will 2024 see Xiao Zhan overtake Timothee Chalamet as well?
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Those who tuned in to this year's Star Awards (or have been following 8days.sg on TikTok) would have noticed a hilariously boomer moment between veteran Mediacorp actor Zhu Houren, 69, and Kym Ng when the latter received her Best Actress award.
Kym bagged her first Best Actress trophy that night for her performance as a dead funeral director with unfulfilled wishes in Till The End. When her name was called out by Hong Kong actress Charmaine Sheh, Kym's Till The End co-star Houren, who was seated next to her, quickly got up to help her up. While holding onto her arm, Houren instinctively lifted the strap of Kym's Belle & Tulle off-shoulder dress to keep it on her shoulder. Obviously, he wasn't aware that the strap was meant to droop across her upper arm. Houren even used his hand to keep the strap in place on Kym's shoulder as it continued slipping down. (At the same time, there was Quan Yifeng who helped to adjust Kym's skirt, not realising that she almost exposed Kym's, um everything, on live TV when she tugged at the slit of the gown.) Clips of Houren's faux pas quickly went viral, with some netizens describing the actor as a "thoughtful grandpa" and "gentleman". And it seems Houren has finally realised his boo-boo too. He reposted an article from Chinese media 8world with the headline "Zhu Houren, Quan Yifeng did [Kym Ng] a disservice when helping her with her gown" on his Instagram Stories to make fun of himself. "[I] only made things worse, [I'm] such a mountain tortoise," he quipped. Houren went on to defend himself in his next story. Reposting the same article, he joked: "Upon closer look, [the gown] doesn't look too bad with the sleeves up too. It's pleasing to the eye." YES 933 DJ Chen Ning Spent Over $1K Treating Everyone To Drinks At Her Café After Top 10 Win4/30/2024 From $1 lobster promos to free lunches, the weeks leading up to the Star Awards 2024 were peppered with artistes dangling ‘carrots’ for votes.
But someone who didn’t partake in any such canvassing is YES 933 DJ Chen Ning. However, The Daka Show host who picked up her second Top 10 Most Popular Female Artiste trophy on Sunday (Apr 21) gamely invited everyone for free drinks during her acceptance speech. “Are you free tomorrow? I would like to invite you to my café, House Downstairs. Drinks on me!” she bellowed, drawing laughs, cheers and Google searches for the address. Chen Ning co-owns House Downstairs which is located at Ulu Pandan Community Club. When 8days.sg asked Chen Ning if her generous treat would still have happened if she didn’t place in the Top 10, she confidently responded with a laugh, “I would still have given out free drinks.” “I really wanted to thank everyone who voted as it was a tedious process till the final day and some people even set up multiple e-mail accounts,” she added. When asked how many free drinks was given out, Chen Ning tells us that even though she hasn’t tallied the total amount, more than 200 orders were made. “Actually, I don’t think I spent a lot as the café had limited manpower. Probably slightly more than $1,000?” she says. According to Chen Ning, her cost varies between $4.50 to $10 depending on the drink. In a video posted to Instagram yesterday, a few celebs were also spotted taking advantage of Chen Ning’s treat. Her co-host on The Daka Show Jeff Goh of course was there to collect a cup of coffee. In the video, Jeff, who also scored his second Top 10 Most Popular Male Artiste award on Sunday, can be seen laughing as he said: “Free drinks taste good… of course, coffee brewed by Chen Ning tastes good.” “So gian peng (greedy) right?” Chen Ning laughs when we asked her about Jeff dropping by to claim his drink “But he was very nice to order and pay for food too,” she adds. Local singer Chen Diya was also spotted making a trip down to House Downstairs. However, as the café was busy, the former Sanity Coffee Café owner decided to get behind the counter to help. “When she saw us struggling, she immediately offered a helping hand! Her drink ended up “not free,” says Chen Ning. However, Chen Ning assures us that she texted Diya that she will treat her to alcohol the next time. You dropped by House Downstairs after finishing up The Daka Show in the morning. Weren’t you tired? Chen Ning: I was surviving on two hours of sleep and even questioned myself on how long I can last. Initially, I was only looking to stay for awhile but as the café was so crowded, I decided to cancel any plans and stay till we closed. It was all worth it. In fact, it felt like I was at my own wedding because so many people came up to congratulate me. This is your second Top 10 award. How did you feel about your chances before your name was called? It is never a sure thing to win the Top 10. In fact, I made a $500 bet with [fellow YES 933 DJ] Gerald Ng that I won’t win this year. He kept telling me he was very sure I would be in the Top 10 even though I said I wasn’t confident. Well, obviously I lost the bet, and I transferred him the money once I got home. I told him, “Let’s bet on bigger things next year” (laughs). Why the lack of confidence? I felt many of our viewers really felt our raw disappointment when we lost for Best Radio Programme last year and the energy to send us on stage was very strong. But me and Jeff weren’t sure that history would happen again this year. Your viewers and fans pulled through! Yes! Especially when many people are still getting used to the idea that DJs are also nominated for the Star Awards. Probably also because DJs have more exposure other than the airwaves now. Like you on our 8days Eat TikTok channel! (Laughs) Yes! Thank you! That definitely helped! You treated so many people to drinks. How are you going to treat yourself? Wah... I haven’t given that any thought though. I am a little behind on some work for a radio drama. But I will definitely find some time to have a meal with close friends this week. How lucky do you have to be to get noticed by your idol at a concert?
Mandopop King Jay Chou, 45, recently performed four consecutive nights at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre as part of his Carnival World Tour. There was a downpour on the last night, leaving fans who were seated in the unsheltered VIP section drenched. While some brought disposable raincoats in anticipation of wet weather, others weren’t as well-prepared. One fan, however, was covered by good luck. Jay noticed that the fan was completely soaked and he soon realised that she had neither a raincoat nor poncho with her. Without a second’s hesitation, Jay said: “I’ll pass you my jacket in a bit, okay?” Jay then went backstage to retrieve his jacket that his crew would go on to pass to the fan. She burst into happy tears as the entire venue erupted in cheers of envy. The fan would go on to request for Jay to sing ‘Shuo Hao De Xing Fu Ne’ (说好的幸福呢), and reveal that she has idolised him for “seven to eight years”. Turns out, the fan is a fashion blogger known as ‘Xiao Zhou Tong Xue’. After the concert, she went on live stream to share her joy, gushing over the “nice smell” of Jay’s jacket. She also gave a close-up of the jacket, revealing that it is a piece of Dior outerwear that’s not for sale yet. The price of the luxury-brand jacket is said to cost around 100K yuan (S$19K). For those not in the know, Jay is the global ambassador for Christian Dior. As if the jacket wasn’t an amazing enough gift, Xiao Zhou would go on to add that Jay’s crew also passed her a raincoat, an umbrella, and 10 pieces of chocolates which were wrapped in a towel. Clips from the concert soon went viral, and there have been offers of up to 2mil yuan (S$380K) for the jacket. However, Xiao Zhou has said she will never part with the precious piece of clothing. “This is from my idol, I won’t sell it for any amount of money,” she said. She continued: “I will never get the chance to [experience something] like this for the rest of this lifetime, or even in my next lifetime. I feel satisfied to have lived my life up till this moment!” Lucy Hale is revealing the true status of her relationships with the Pretty Little Liars cast. Nearly seven years after the show came to an end, Lucy, 34, said she remains very close with her co-stars.
“From the OG version, I talk to all of them,” she told reporters at the 2024 Fashion Trust U.S. Awards on April 10. “At different points in our lives, we’ve intersected and reconnected, but we all keep in touch.” Pretty Little Liars ran for seven seasons and also featured talented actresses including Shay Mitchell, Ashley Benson, Troian Bellisario and Sasha Pieterse. If you ask Lucy, the love between the girls is “always and forever.” “We spent so much of our lives on that show and it kickstarted all of our careers,” she shared. “So much love. So much gratitude.” Whenever the cast has a major milestone to celebrate, Lucy is nearby. After news broke that Ashley, 34, gave birth to her first child with husband Brandon Davis in February, the new mom received support from her co-star. “She’s always talked about wanting kids. It makes the most sense,” Lucy shared in her latest interview. “I’m so happy for her. I ran into her a couple of months ago and she looked and felt better than ever and I’m just happy. It’s amazing to see everyone entering these new chapters of their lives.” These days, Lucy is preparing to launch her upcoming Joyroad collection with Weekend Max Mara. She’s also supporting fashion designers at various points in their careers. While attending the 2024 Fashion Trust U.S. Awards, Lucy displayed old Hollywood vibes in her Wiederhorft ensemble styled by Molly Dickson. Hairstylist Bridget Brager and makeup artist Jenna Kristina also helped create a look that turned heads for all the right reasons on the red carpet. “Wearing a design by the truly gifted @wiederhoeft_ for the @fashiontrustus the other night,” Lucy wrote via Instagram on April 11. “I love this event because it supports young design talent with the aim of helping them expand into a global brand. Lots of love and support in the room. Thank you @rogervivier & @gherardofelloni for having me at your table!” Maren Morris is moving forward from her split from Ryan Hurd. As the singer celebrated her 34th birthday, she welcomed the year with a heartfelt post admitting that going through the last year was “something.” As she marked her first birthday since her divorce from Ryan, 37, the country singer, 34, sounded positive as she was looking to the future.
Maren shared a bunch of photos from her birthday festivities, including a shot of herself wearing a long, black leather coat and open-toed high heels. She also shared a closer look at her pedi and shoes, an “Altro Paradiso” hat, her tapping wineglasses together with friends, and a video of herself sipping a drink with a friend while wearing a stylish black outfit with a green leaf design. In the caption, Maren marked her birthday by greeting her new age and reflecting on the past year, while thanking her friends for being there for her. “Hello, 34,” she wrote. “The year of 33 was… something, but the bridge has been crossed and I’m on the other side. to the wonderful women in my life who carried me over it: I’ll never be able to repay you.” It was revealed that Ryan and Maren split after five years of marriage in October 2023. She cited “irreconcilable differences” in the documents. They finalized their divorce in January. They also share a son, who was born in 2020. “The Middle” singer opened up about the split for the first time in December 2023, joking that she “cut all the trauma out of my hair” in an interview. “I’ve known so many people that have gone through breakups or divorces,” she said in a SiriusXM interview. She also explained at the time that she wasn’t jumping back into dating just yet. “I don’t have the headspace for that yet. But I’m writing so much right now, that’s kind of been my way of dating is just through song,” she said. Before the Star Awards, veteran actress Jin Yinji had been widely tipped to win Best Supporting Actress for her moving performance in Cash On Delivery.
So you can imagine the 76-year-old's dismay when she went home empty-handed. The award eventually went to Aileen Tan for her villainous turn in SHERO. When reporters caught up with Jin jie backstage at the awards, she admitted she was disappointed by the shock loss, especially since she had missed out on a Top 10 Most Popular Female Artiste nom this year. Her last win was in 2021 when she took home the Best Evergreen Artiste and Top 10 awards. “Before the Star Awards ceremony, my daughter told me not to take winning so seriously. That I was nominated shows I'm already a winner. I said okay, but in my heart, my expectations were high,” says Jin jie. “I appeared on the cover of a magazine and a few publications named me the hot favourite, so I was hoping for a good result. I even prepared my acceptance speech.” The past six months have been tough for Jin jie to say the least. Her husband of 51 years, Anthony Lee, died of a heart attack at home last October at the age of 85. “I was crying every day after his passing. But when I heard that I was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, it cheered me up. It gave me something to look forward to,” says Jin jie as her eyes well up with tears. "Winning the award", she says, “would help me get over the grief of my husband’s passing quicker”. She also wanted to show her late husband and two grandsons, her biggest supporters, that she “still has what it takes to win awards”. Nevertheless, she’s taking the loss in her stride. “I will continue working hard and try again next time. After all, I have already waited so many years for an award. Unlike some of the artistes who win Top 10 in a flash, I waited more than three decades before clinching my first,” says Jin jie. “I am no longer dwelling on the unpleasant things. Life must go on.” Carina Lau is one of Hong Kong’s richest actresses, with an estimated net worth of HK$800mil (S$142mil).
Besides acting, the 56-year-old made her riches from her restaurant and nightclub businesses in Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai, as well as real estate investments. Together with her hubby, movie legend Tony Leung, 61, she reportedly owns at least 10 luxury properties with a total market value of S$190.5mil. In Hong Kong alone, Carina’s property portfolio reportedly exceeds US$100mil (S$135mil) in value. Carina recently saw her net worth grow even further when she made a whopping HK$21.07mil (S$3.66mil) from the sale of her Marinella condo. According to Hong Kong media, she sold the four-bedroom apartment for HK$73.8mil (S$12.8mil) in April. The 1,949 sq ft waterfront property, which she bought in 2011 for HK$52.7mil (S$9.16mil), boasts views of a yacht club. It is understood that the unit was owned by Good Advance Investments Limited, of which Carina is a director, and was previously listed for HK$90mil (S$15.6mil). Carina has been actively investing in real estate for many years and is known for having a great eye and acumen. In May 2020, she sold her 1,301 sq ft condo in Azura in Mid-Levels West for HK$44mil (S$7.65mil), earning a cool HK$4.9mil (S$853K) Hubby Tony, however, has lesser luck when it comes to investments. He reportedly made a HK$1.5mil (S$260K) loss when he sold his lot of shops in the To Kwa Wan area in 2021. In case you haven’t heard, Thai heartthrob Bright Vachirawit is dating Thai-Chinese idol Pornnappan Pornpenpipat aka Nene, his co-star in 2020 BL drama 2gether: The Series.
The stars, both 26, confirmed their relationship after a video of them holding hands in Tokyo last weekend went viral. Bright was in the city for his two-day fan meet. In a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, Bright apologised to fans for not going public with the relationship earlier. "We truly had no intention of disrespecting anyone or causing harm,” he wrote. “My focus is always on spreading love and positivity through my work and dedication. I am incredibly grateful for everything that has shaped me into who I am today, and for all the love and support I've received.” Calling Nene “one of the most precious people [he's] met”, he said: “She makes me feel warm and safe every day we’ve been together. I hope you guys will cheer for us.” Nene, who gained popularity after participating in Chinese talent competition Produce Camp 2020, also addressed the dating news on Weibo, along with a dedication to her significant other. “Bright is a warm person. We rely on and support each other… Since being together, I've found myself becoming more cheerful and positive about life. I'm no longer afraid of setbacks because I know that even if I fall, there will be people to support me, comfort me, and give me strength,” she wrote. However, the news did not sit well with Nene's Chinese fans, who flooded her post with tens of thousands of comments, expressing their disappointment and declaring to unfollow and boycott her. For the uninformed, in 2020, Bright incurred the wrath of Chinese netizens when he retweeted a post that labelled Hong Kong as a country. So you can imagine they were none too pleased that their idol is now dating Bright. There were comments like “He may be warm to you, but do you know his attitude towards China?", "If you have his support, we don't need to support you anymore” and “After reading this, I'm heartbroken. This statement killed my love for you over the past four years." The past year has been so fulfilling for Mediacorp actress Jernelle Oh.
The 29-year-old Star Search 2019 finalist received her first Most Popular Rising Star trophy at the Star Awards on Sun (Apr 21). Last December, Jernelle was nominated for Best Actress at the Asian Academy Creative Awards for her heartfelt performance as a resilient food delivery person with cerebral palsy in Mediacorp drama Cash On Delivery. The same performance also earned her a Best Actress nomination at this year's Star Awards but the title eventually went to Kym Ng. On top of that, Jernelle also got engaged to her 30-year-old engineer boyfriend, Mr V, in Japan in November. When reporters spoke to Jernelle backstage after her win, the actress couldn't contain her excitement and gave us a big hug. She said she wants to go for a feast but would not be able to as she has work the next day. "I still have to continue working hard tomorrow, because I have a radio show on Capital 958 in the afternoon," she laughed, adding that she was looking forward to sharing this special moment with her co-host DJ Lin Linzhi. We asked if there was anyone she had forgotten to thank during her acceptance speech, like her fiancé for example? "I classified him under 'family'. He wanted me to mention his name but I didn't in the end," she laughs. "I told him I would just thank him together with my family because we don't have much time for our speech and I was scared I would forget. But he still really wanted me to talk about him. So I said: 'People don't even know your name!'" Like we mentioned earlier, Jernelle has been on a roll. Does she know what clicked? "I don't know! I don't think I did anything special. I hope it's because people are starting to see the hard work I'm putting in instead of thinking it's just luck. Of course luck played a huge part, but hard work did too," she said. In her speech, Jernelle revealed that her mum gave her a five-year grace period to prove herself in showbiz. If she doesn't, she would want Jernelle to find a proper job. So did she have any back-up plan if she didn't get her breakthrough role? "Actually I'm quite a rebellious person," she said. "My mum wishes the best for me but personally, when I set my heart on something, I would persevere no matter what," she asserted. Even if her acting career didn't take off, Jernelle would continue to be an actress, though she might have to resort to working odd jobs to make ends meet. "I can sell bubble tea or be a tutor just so I can realise my dreams," she said. Guess she doesn't need to do that now. |