Linda: Because I feel that as an actress you would want to try out different roles,
(you're being greedy, right?) not that I'm being greedy, but it's just that you would want to try out various roles.
Earlier I always had the chance to play the roles of an affluent young girl, or a pitiful girl, and I actually quite liked those roles. But as time goes on, I don't really know how to make the character different anymore. Luckily, Producer Ka-Ho gave me the chance to play this Miss Koo. The outfits are really pretty, and the makeup and attire really helped a lot in getting me into the character. I feel that this character is very pitiful, as in even though she is very stylish, very cool, but she has some sort of past that she cannot tell anyone, locked inside her heart. So I feel that the internal conflict within herself is something that I can play a lot around with. In the beginning, she didn't have many friends, and even when the students asked her, "Miss Koo, I don't understand this question?", she wouldn't answer them, and would simply say "Sorry, class has already been dismissed. I will not answer your question." So she is so cool to that extent. Like, as a teacher you would need to be very caring, very loving.
(But actually she is a very loving person?) She is very loving, but she won't express her love for you outwardly. She will only show her love in a very roundabout way to tell you that you can do it. I will be so cold and uncaring towards you, or scold you so harshly and tell you that you can't actually do it. So they retort with "What you say is untrue, Miss Koo! I can do it! I'll show you that I can; I won't lose to you" kind of attitude. This excites the students and unlocks their hidden potential. As a bowling coach, I had to go for many training courses and learn more about the correct way of bowling. I also had to get tips from many of my friends who play bowling.
(I heard that bowling is actually not very easy, it needs a lot of hard work to get it done well) Yes, it actually has to do alot with hard work, other than those classes sometimes during filming when we are not the ones needed for that scene, for example, when the students are being filmed, I will be continually training until I can get strike after strike or spares at least, quite good!
Derek: I heard that you're really very professional at it too! There are some types that guys use to bowl that you can do too!
Linda: Right now, I'm using a Size 11 bowling ball. And the teacher, Kelvin, and the bowling centre is very good! They gave me a really nice bowling bag, 2 extremely pretty bowling balls-- one shocking pink and one neon yellow and black in colour! And those professional bowling shoes! There is one thing that's really peculiar, it's called the 'oh liu doi' (meaning bag for passing urine in Cantonese); the pair that we use to bowl (the shoes) has an interchangeable bottom sole with a base bag to cover the bottom sole so that you can protect the base of the shoe. And this is really very cute. I get to learn a lot of things like these, and I can do some exercise, and the end product of the splicing of clips makes me feel very professional, and extremely happy with the final product.
Derek: I think you are already very professional! Just listening to you talk makes you seem really professional! I would never know about such specific things involving bowling, like the balls, bags, shoes...
Linda: Yeah, actually when professionals pick up the bowling balls? Even though the bowling balls have 3 holes for 3 fingers, the real professionals only need to hook the bottom two with two fingers to swing the ball up, even though it's really heavy, and flick it into rest position; it's more stylish that way!
(You can do that too, right?) Yeah, I can now! I trained until it was possible!
Derek: This time, acting with the bunch of students, how do you feel?
Linda: Really good! Many of them are fresh from the training class, and seeing their very youthful faces, I feel very happy! If I'm not wrong, we haven't filmed this kind of high school genre dramas, and I really feel like being one of them, like wearing school uniform. Like, when I see the whole bunch of them becoming really good friends. Even now, when the drama has already been filmed, they still meet up monthly or once in a few months and call us teachers-- myself, Moses, Tavia, along for lunch or a small gathering. Whenever I'm in the makeup room and filming all sorts of dramas, they will politely greet me with a 'Miss Koo' and small bow. I feel really accomplished, that in the drama I am their teacher, and maybe even in age I'm slightly older than them, but the feeling makes me feel very comforted with the feeling of a real teacher. Like, as actors they can also be considered my students, and seeing them so conscientious about filming, every one of them really has a different personality.
Derek: Then personally, do you think that your own personality can be compared to that of Miss Koo's? Earlier, everyone thought that you are actually very refined, so the characters that you got to play were all those refined, pitiful ones.
Linda: Actually, when I first heard that Lau Ka-Ho wanted me to play the role of a cool, expressionless Miss Koo, I felt quite eager to film it! Usually, when I'm unconfident of play the role, I will have the 'oh, crap. How am I going to do this' kind of first reaction. Conversely, when I heard this news, I actually felt quite interested in the role! As Lau Ka-Ho told me more about the background of my soon-to-be character, I felt that I actually had all this within me, just that the audience and public have not really seen this side of me before. They mostly think that I am only just very refined, soft and sweet, and although I do have these few traits, but actually I do have this very cool side in my personality. It's just that I have never had the chance to express myself in this way before (on screen). I think that only if someone is very mean to me, or that I don't respect this person, I will be very cool towards this person unconsciously.
(Really?) Yeah, really. I think that my really good friends or family members will have seen this side of me. So when I filmed for this character, it was easier for me to get into character.
Derek: So you took that other side of you and just enlarged it to play the role of Miss Koo?
Linda: Yeah, I did that. I feel that once someone works until he or she is really stressed or busy, she would really want to just 'shut down', and I took this feeling of 'shutting down' into my role playing for this film.
Derek: So it was really very fun, playing this character, huh?
Linda: Yeah, it was really very very very fun! I really felt so happy filming this series. Because, firstly I have to thank the costume artists, makeup artists, and hairstylists, they made my image, although it was still very fresh, but very cool! I don't know, when I wore those clothes, and got the wavy foreign hairstyle, I already managed to get into the character! I really didn't want to talk to anyone already! It was so miraculous!
Derek: So you already had all the help you needed to get into the character of Miss Koo!
Linda: I don't think I've acted in a drama that had such stylish clothes before, and I could actually carry these clothes!
Derek: And I think your partner could also play very well, and you have collaborated on many occasions...
Linda: Yeah, that's right. We are already very good friends!
Derek: Moses uses more exaggerated, exuberant types of actions and speech...
Linda: He reminds me of something like Dak Dak Dei (in Heart of Greed)
Derek: Yeah, this kind of feel. Do you feel that in order to coordinate with him, you have to change your style of acting at all?
Linda: No, actually the more exaggerated he gets, the more serious I get. The drama shows the contrast between the two of us even more. But back then, to be frank, I did get affected by his laughing gas from time to time. Like even though I was quite into the character, I got the thoughts along the lines of "You ah, Moses! You know that I have to play this kind of character and can't laugh at your exaggerated antics, and you being extra humorous isn't helping at all, you're just trying to make me laugh on purpose!" Yeah, it was really very fun. Tavia was playing the role of my friend, a very kind teacher by heart. It was really very easy (this relationship) as we are very good friends personally.
Derek: How about Ron?
Linda: Ron? In actual fact, the poster might have caused some misunderstandings in thinking that the two of us were lovers, but actually we are very rarely even in the same scene. I think we might have had maybe, two shared scenes? Very little, we had very little interaction for this drama. I knew very little about him; it was only in filming that we really got to know much more about one another.
Derek: So there was more interaction with Moses Chan in this drama... I heard that he often brews coffee for you guys? Has he ever brewed coffee for you?
Linda: Yeah, he does. But because I don't often drink coffee, so I have tasted his coffee only once. But it is really very good! I heard that he is opening a coffee shop soon..
(Don't just say that to help him promote his coffee!) But we are friends, I should help him advertise for his coffee shop!
Part 2:
Derek: Ok, we're back to talk more with Linda Chung! Last time we were talking about the filming of Yes Sir, Sorry Sir. But other than that, there's also the singing area of your work. Other than drama series' filming, you also have had much advances in the music entertainment industry. Not long ago, you released a new album, the third one! I know that this time, your participation in the production of the album was even more than before; for previous albums, you had written lyrics for it?
Linda: Yeah, I do intend on making sure that in each album, there are about 2-3 songs that are written by myself. Because I am very interested in this area. Like, to me, music is a hobby that really helps to relieve stress. This album also includes a fast-paced song, like an excitable song-- maybe medium to faster paced. It was written by myself, and the lyrics were written by Chan Siu-Kei, the director was Cheung Tong Yang, so this cooperation was quite new because it was my first time working with them. It was a very happy one, because the feeling of working with all these people similarly from Canada, so the selection of the instruments and the process of recording and all was slightly more 'guai-lou' (a little more derogatory term for foreign).
(You mean more westernized?) Yes, more Westernized. I was very happy, also because the faster-paced song involved some dancing.
(And to you, this is a very new thing, right?) Yup, it is a very new experience! Apart from the Miss Chinese International, in which I did a dance in the Arts section.
(That wasn't that long a time ago, was it?!) Oh, my, yes, it was! Seven years ago now! And now, it has been quite a few years since I have danced in front of viewers.
Derek: Were you nervous, then?
Linda: Frankly, I was really very nervous and afraid earlier, and had very little confidence in myself.
(Did you mind it more or did the company mind more?) Actually in the beginning, as there are 5 new songs in the album, I continually discussed with the company to decide which song to plug. Usually I create a plug version for the slower songs. But I always dreamed of letting viewers see the more active, bubbly side of me. I thought that even if I don't plug this fast song, at least I should film a music video for it, so that I would be able to play around a little with the dancing part. In the end, after having a meeting with the company staff, I found that they really wanted to plug this fast song! My heart started beating frantically and I was beginning to get high; like at first I thought that I could just play around, but now knowing that I really had to plug it, and really dance for it, I felt very nervous. But luckily, I had two very good friends that would help me shoot this music video: Leanne Li and Grace Wong. We are all Christians, so the energy and positivity was very strong. At first, when we started filming, I kept going around asking everybody, "Is it okay? Is it okay? I don't know if my dancing is okay, is it alright?" and I was afraid of this and that, like a headless chicken. But slowly, the whole process started to get together, seeing the directors, producers, and with my two good sisters who were very comforting. They kept saying like, "It's okay! It's all great, sweetie! We'll do it together, we'll have meetings, discuss stuff together!" The feeling of having so much support was really great and indescribable, like "If you can't do it yet, then don't release it yet! We'll all wait until you're ready before it gets released."
(So it was very positive?) Yeah, it was a very positive process. So we had about 3 re-runs, and currently the product is really very good.
Derek: But why did you choose these two friends of yours, actually?
Linda: Because earlier, when I said that I wanted to film a music video with no intention of plugging this song, I wanted to realise my dream of filming a fast-paced music video. So I went round to look for friends to play around. And I had these thoughts, not of hiring real dancers, but I thought, "Grace is a really good dancer, and Leanne also likes dancing a lot", all of us are also about the same height and skinny enough, so the end product would be like showing the independent style of 3 strong, free women to bring out an independent, positive image. So when the company officially suggested to plug this song, we used this idea and it was okay. So slowly, this process began. But it was a really happy one because when we got together with the producer, director, dancers and artistes, when we looked at many references on one laptop, it was already showing a lot of teamwork and team spirit. I haven't had this feeling for a very long time, like being a part of a progressive project from filming the video to really producing it. The whole message was really brought out, not just having it all pretty and perfect to be released. The whole thing was really thought through, the outfits properly designed.
Derek: So the whole video was meant to bring out such a theme and message?
Linda: Yeah, that message that said "We don't want these terrible men as boyfriends! The ones we want are the good ones; if not being single and independent is a good choice too! As single ladies we can be with our girlfriends, and be happy!".
Derek: So it's very 'Beyonce', very 'single ladies' type!
Linda: Yeah! Single Ladies!
Derek: How about the dance steps, then?
Linda: Of course, the dance is not really like 'Single Ladies', Beyonce, but we don't really want to scare the viewers, like 'Wow, Linda Chung is really so 'hot', I frankly would not be able to do that. It's like the Korean type, more 'chick-y'?
(Like Wondergirls?) Um, a bit 'cooler'? Wondergirls is more feminine. We're a bit more tomboyish, but with the inner girlish type hidden inside too.
(Sounds really complicated!) Oh, it's not, just watch it!
Derek: Oh, I also have to congratulate you... Just having celebrated your birthday...?
Linda: Oh, thanks, thanks!
(Did you receive any special and unique presents?) This year was a very happy year, because I feel that I have grown up more. Before this, I feel very isolated, closing myself up more as I entered the Entertainment Industry, these 7 years. Back then, even on my birthday, I will not celebrate with my friends. If my mother comes round to visit me during that time, she would sing me a birthday song, cut a cake and that would be it. I wouldn't really celebrate or anything, I don't know why, but I tend to avoid such situations, for some reason. But this year, maybe slowly, I have grown up and experienced more unlucky things, and all this makes me feel that I am really lucky and blessed. Also, this year, I somehow luckily didn't need to film on my birthday, those few days around my birthday, I didn't really need to work. So in those few days, I went out with many friends to eat and for drinks, and received many birthday presents. Actually when you decide to receive love from others, many people will begin to show love to you too. But when you deliberately ignore these feelings and decline the invitations from others wanting to love you, you will always find that you are very isolated, or a very small-minded person, petty, even. I really don't know how to express myself there. But this year, I feel very blessed because I have received many birthday presents which were extremely useful and practical; my fans were very nice and they gave me an electronic keyboard, because they know that I like to write music. They want me to progress more in my music career, and I really like it, and I am learning to play the piano. Also, I received boxing gloves and wraps because I am starting to exercise more as I feel more lethargic even when I sleep many hours. There was also a book on dating, it's called 'Boundaries of Dating', it means to teach me how to date; I don't know why my friend would give me such a present, but I guess he/she wants me to date more guys.
(Is it useful?) I haven't read it, and when I got the present I was like, "Why would you give me such a book?" But it's still okay...
(Maybe he/she really understands you? Do you think you need it?) Yes, I do! As in I really need to understand... Actually other than helping people know how to date, this book also helps in relationships between two parties, like between you and your family, you and your friends; to learn how to understand and interact with them.
Derek: Like you said before, it's true that you have a lot of love around you. You need to learn how to overcome these barriers and accept that love?
Linda: Yeah, I only learnt how to do that this year. I have learnt how to relax, how to enjoy my work, and enjoy love.
(Hope that you can overcome the barriers between you and guys this year, to learn to accept their love!) Yes! That would be great!
Derek: Having such a happy conversation, we didn't realise that the time is up!
Linda: Yeah, oh no...
Derek: Let's enjoy this moment!
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