Beijing Television Weekly Issue 352 - Jerry & Vann in Beijing
Published: Nov. 24, 2003

Translated by Amy of Faithful 4ever. You may not put this translation elsewhere.

Meeting emotional words

For F4 fans, November in Beijing is a month that’s worthy of cherishing. On November 15th and 17th two of F4’s members, Jerry Yan and Vanness Wu, arrived in Beijing one after another respectively for promotional reasons. Although the sight isn’t the same as before when the four appeared together, but F2 appearing separately is still as charming as ever. But among a few details accessed, we also feel the two’s discrepancies in expressions after they have gone solo.


Jerry Yan: Strong Warmth

I don’t know whether or not it’s because of "Meteor Garden," but among, F4 I favor Jerry the most. The big boy also has the nicknames, "Bao Long" and "Xiao Bai Tu," giving me a very special feeling. Therefore after I received the invitation to do the cover story for "Pepsi’s November 15th Super Giant Star Jerry Yan Beijing Meet and Greet Session" I began to look forward to it. The media’s cover of the event on the 15th was planned to be following the meet and greet session that same day. Compared to the charming him when he was on the stage, when numerous reporters surrounded Jerry he became a somewhat shy boy with bashful smiles. He only gave a glittering smile to everyone when he was requested to take photos by reporters, giving everyone the feeling of the warmth produced by the sunshine. During the coverage, Jerry’s tone was similar to Meteor Garden’s Dao Ming Si but he didn’t have the slightest compelling attitude of Ah Si. Instead he was filled with cheerfulness. He listened to every single question asked by the reporters very seriously. Afterwards he would slowly with ease talk about his reasons.

Maybe it’s his role in "Meteor Garden" that left people with the deepest impressions. Many people think that Jerry in person must be very ruthless. In response to this Jerry said, "Actually in life I’m very sensitive, often influenced by the impressions of the outside world. This time participating in Beijing’s fan meet and greet session, I couldn’t bear it and cried. I feel that I have a poet’s personality. It’s just that on the outside I seem coarse that’s all." As idols, F4 momentarily became popular. To them, fame seems to have come too quickly, so much that they were pushed, under the circumstances of no preparation, onto the stage as celebrities. "To tell you the truth, at times I don’t dare believe that it’s possible that so many people like F4. Our fame came very quickly, so we cherish everything we have at the present even more. I’m not looking for any supremacy, maybe every celebrity wants to earn big bucks, but I don’t. My motive is very simple, I don’t want to be a money making machine. Until this day I still don’t dare to accept that I am Jerry Yan, how I am surround by so many people. Because I’m very boyish at home, it’s very easy for me to touch and shed tears. I’m just an ordinary person, if not I wouldn’t lack confidence." Due to the fame that came too quickly, the price you pay is even more. Regarding being frequently called, "Shua Da Pai" (something like moody) in news, Jerry laughed. He never thought of himself as this kind of fragile person, and also being scolded. With friendliness he said, "Sometimes for the purpose of work I put forward a few requests, others would think that I’m ruddily, moody, yet all I want to do is make things better. I’m just being responsible for my own reputation that’s all. I’m a very immature child. My motives mean well, but often result in something that I didn’t imagine it to be. I wish to exchange with the fans and I won’t reject any reasonable request by fans. It’s only that my communication with the staff is insufficient as well as the company, for the purpose of protecting me, so as a result in many situations I give the impression of being tempered.


F4 isn’t disbanded

As the leader of F4, Jerry doesn’t wish that others use the word "disband" to describe them and also does not like to be compared with his brothers. Talking about the four developing individually, he smiled happily, "I hope that everyone does not use the word ‘disband’ to describe our state. F4 is a very good group; it’s just that we each have different thoughts. Someone wants to sing, someone wants to film a movie, therefore it’s impossible to always be together. However this does not represent that we have separated. In reality, in life, we can’t do everything together, therefore we can only separate and develop individually. Of coarse if there is a very good opportunity that allows us to come together to do something for the society, we would come together." He also said, "I don’t like comparisons between the four of us. The four of us are extremely good brothers. The issue of who is the best or who is the worst doesn’t exist. We are developing in different paths; everyone coming together would encourage each other." After knowing that another F4 member, Vanness Wu, will be coming to Beijing shortly to promote his movie, "Star Runner," he really wanted join Vanness’ meet and greet session because he heard that the movie is very good. Being able to create a good piece of work is currently also one of his biggest wishes. Jerry told reporters very seriously that he would not reject any good roles. If he is able to film a touching movie he would even be willing not be paid a penny. As for which female actress he wants to work with he expressed that he looks forward to an opportunity to work with Maggie Cheung and Cui Zhi You.


Vanness Wu: Cold, ruthless meanings

Coincidentally, on the second day Jerry departed from Beijing, another F4 member, portraying as Mei Zuo in "Meteor Garden," Vanness Wu finished promoting in Shanghai and accompanied the cast of his new movie, "Star Runner," to Beijing for promotional activities. There is a difference between Jerry’s dense, warm impressions with Vanness’ "ca jian er guo," making me feel very modest, very ruthless.

On the afternoon of November 17th, Vanness and Kim Hyun Joo’s "Star Runner" press conference was held in Beijing’s Liang Ma River Da Sha. Hong Kong director Daniel Lee personally brought the movie’s leading male and female stars to the promotion scene. As the movie’s male lead, Vanness cut off his long hair, which is his trademark. Treating people with immovability, he became the entire scene’s focal point. But Vanness is different compared to the happy-go-lucky Mei Zuo in "Meteor Garden," that everyone knows. After going solo, Vanness apparently is controlling himself a lot. When facing the media he is also completely isn’t as "noisy" like the former days when he was with the other F3. That day, besides smiling every now and then with the movie cast/staff, during the entire coverage, Vanness was very solemn. Even if requested by numerous reporters and taking group pictures with Korea’s beauty, Kim Hyun Joo, it was difficult to get a smile from him.

What the movie "Star Runner" talks about is the native of Korea, Kim (Jin Xian Zhu aka Kim Hyun Joo). Because she met up with a man who already had a wife and cheated on her, she went to Hong Kong to escape emotions. As a result she received a former university friend’s, Yuan Cha Li, invitation to be a university language teacher during the summer vacation, to give her a relaxed, free from emotions, and peaceful summer vacation not being disturbed whatsoever. On her first day of class, she met up with a student who slept during class – Zheng Jian Bang (Vanness Wu). And from this moment on a love story unfolded. Talking about the filming of "Star Runner," Vanness showed that he was very confident. He said, " ‘Ah Hu’s,’ attitude and my attitude in reality are somewhat similar in certain areas. Everyone will come across diverse difficulties that require you to strive in order to step over this obscurity. With regards to Ah Hu being like this, as far as reality, I’m the same. Apart from that, because I personally am an active person so I will select this type of action movie.

Because of the role in the movie is a boxer; there is a lot of boxing competition scenes. Therefore, for this reason Vanness purposely worked really hard for two months to learn how to box. A reporter that felt somewhat sympathy for him asked him, "Was it very painful? Did you suffer injuries?" Vanness simply said, "Very fun," as an answer.

From the production of "Meteor Garden" to "Peach Girl," Vanness has always used and shown his long floating hair in his works. But this time for the movie "Star Runner" he paid a price and cut off his long signboard hair. However, regarding everyone’s sympathy for him, Vanness said, "I really like my current look because when I get up everyday I don’t need to tidy up or blow dry my hair, it’s very convenient. In fact I’ve wanted to cut my hair, but the director didn’t allow me to when filming ‘Meteor Garden II.’ This time the director of "Star Runner" asked me if I could cut my hair. I secretly pulled him aside and told him no problem; I’ll cut it once I get to Hong Kong! Because long hair is improper when portraying a boxer, therefore it went to way I wanted it to. Right now I think it’s good! Actually I also would like to shave my head."


In the future F4 will come together

Vanness, who has already released his own album, is considered to have the most musical talent in F4. This time he stars in a movie. When a reporter asked him if he liked filming movies or music more, Vanness said, "Both, I might be a little greedy but in the aspect of music, it was what I originally wanted to do most. This time I also tried filming a movie so I would like to proceed with both fields.

Vanness is also known as a member of F4. Although he didn’t talk much regarding this group, but he told reporters very affirmatively, "Actually right now the four of us are individually doing things that we want to do. We simply hope that whatever we do can bring more delight to everyone. Our progress right now is to strive, if possible we will come together again."


Coverage Postscript

From momentarily becoming popular to decreasing in popularity, from collective fame to going solo, this group F4 apparently from the day it was born was destined to be a dream and illusory product. Four originally unknown guys under the circumstances, without any preparation, so quick and fast, carried too much hope and criticism on their shoulders.

Jerry left, Vanness also left. Vic Zhou and Ken Zhu might also be coming soon. But it doesn’t matter if they are coming or going, neither does it matter what impressions they leave or what expressions they bring, what I want each and every person that likes them to see is, regarding the future if they are able to make their own choices…