Hung Magazine
August 2004 Issue


Translated by Amy of Faithful 4ever and weiwei of KenForever


Ken Zhu: Men’s target

Who isn’t a "lecher?"
Their beauty and freshness provokes female’s overflow of motherliness into a disaster.
They are your memories towards the verdure of school. It’ll make you remember the most handsome boy countless girls had a crush on.
Their appearance is as dazzling and catchy as the sunshine. But usually, they are shy. When seeing girls, they would still blush.
Their performance is excellent, great skills, making people palpitate with excitement when they wipe their sweat on the playground in the cutest way.
They are healthy, energetic; friendly, accommodating; they aren’t the ways of the world, hearts are pure; has unlimited longings towards the future, takes risks.
They will fall in love with someone recklessly. They are willing to sacrifice themselves for her. They believe in till the end of time and till the seas dry up and rocks melt away.
Perhaps they are not mature enough and need your care and guidance. Perhaps they don’t have a refined position but their foreground is promising…
Because of them females believe in love at first site.
Because of them women are willing to plunge into love.
For example, Ken Zhu.

Men need temperament
Ken Zhu wears a blue T-shirt that seems like an old fellow’s gown, coarse clothed pants, long hair messily covering his eyes, and without adorning comes over. When he first entered the shed he first looked for his CD player to play the music he brought with him. When doing the interview, there are four chairs in the cosmetics room. He chose the only stool, maintaining a vantage point position with the interviewer.

After entering this career for several years, he’s been marked as a hard to handle and arrogant celebrity. He won’t treat a stranger with a smiling face, you can tell when he’s not happy from his expressions, won’t care about other’s feelings when talking, offending someone is of no importance. He’s like a spoiled child. His fans call him Tian Lao Ye. (lao ye = maternal grandfather)

Being spoiled is only a thing that’s happened in the past 2 or 3 years. As a matter of fact, before, he has lived a life where he depends on another person for support. Growing up in a single parent family, he left his family at the age of 7 to go to Singapore, residing in different people’s homes. Because he has a bad temper, he wasn’t a child that got people’s likings. He frequently caused trouble and was often bullied by others. He had once been sent to the police station because he broke a fire alarm. During middle school there was a time when he didn’t eat for 3 days and 3 nights. His bones are also especially strong, never accepting weakness, and won’t beg others.

"There are some things that I just can’t do. Before, during school, some classmates will steal from stores. But I couldn’t, even if I was poorer I would do this because I don’t think they are my things."

He returned to Taiwan when he was 16 years old. Because his mother’s health wasn’t too good, he had to take the responsibility of the entire family’s expenses and take care of his siblings. He worked and attended school. He was a deliveryman, serviceman, worker of a pet store…everyday he had to do three jobs. Early on he suffered from asthma and depression.

Accidentally, he (Ken) stepped into this acting field. "In fact, when I initially came across this opportunity, my consideration was: firstly, it is a better job which makes higher income than the others. Secondly, if I succeed, it will be a big help to my family. I have never expected to achieve such high extend. If I were given a second chance, I should have made the same choice. Indeed, there were various choice laid in front of me at that time. I select one. Yet, if everything started over again today, I knew how it is being an artist. For sure I will make a different choice."

He is so clear that his character may not get along well in this acting field because he is not good at hiding himself. Hence one often heard a lot of critics on him. Years gone, he finally learned to withhold a little bit. He became more cautious in speaking. For instance, when he was asked how he felt about filming in Beijing, he only described it as an "unusual" circumstance which brought along from differences in culture background and deviations on working norms. As going further details on which exact difference, he rather keep it silent. "Angie advised me that if something is not so nice to speak of, it would be better not to say it."

For the time being, I have given-up some of my uniqueness so as to trade for the future. Perhaps, present sacrifices will be regained in future.

"Now I’m an artist. However, eight or nine years down the road, I may be a different person. I don’t know what life has set for me. Despite, I usually accept whatever life brought along to me."

Men got to have faith
He is a member of F4. It seems that he has nothing special other than a good look. He does not deny it. In acting, he is being classified as "idol". In singing, only a few people like his songs. Fond of photography, his skill has not reached its expertise.

At leisure, he read books by Hai Ming Wei, Bai Xian Yung, Zhang Ai Ling. Not only pretend to read but rather spending days and nights to go through them. He will lock himself on it in his room. Then, without shaving or taking bath, he will go out to enjoy a snack at a sidewalk stall.

That is Chu Xiao Tien in his private life. This Ken is not modern at all. May be, he should live in the past 70’s.

"A lot of time, I feel I don’t belong to this era. I am just like a outdated antique."

He seldom listens to the latest hit songs. Because he feels they sounds like a plastic product which appears gaudy but not solid. In opposite, he is deeply appealed to those old records passed from the family. In his words, these records are the "Golden Era" of the 70’s music.

His idol is the Beatles. "What does idol stand for? In English, it is someone who one will imitate and worship. His values, concepts and logic have to be totally agreed upon and are applicable on you. That is idol." It is just like Beatles who convey the anti-war and peace messages through their music. This form of arts in connection to social values further ascertained their credibility to him (Ken).

Sometimes, these values and believes will turn into a faith. " Faith is not what you believe, what you realize or what you get. It is what you concerned about. Most importantly, what it touches me. Sometimes, I realized that fans are my faith and I’m also their faith. This faith built way beyond lots of feelings"

His solo album was heard in progress three years ago. Up to date, it is finally completed.

"It should probably be launched around summer. I don’t want to predefine its theme or style. The focus should rest on one’s perception when listening to this music. It should not be rigidly confined. All those musicians who took part in this album are my favourites, including Mr. Wu Pai, Chan Xiao Chuan. I also tried on song composing and has been approved by the company."

Man should not fall in crazy love
It is often heard that Ken is the prime gentleman among the F4. He always takes extra care on female colleagues even on daily work sties.

"I’m just more sensitive. Angie would appoint me to take up the role Xi Men was because my character is endowed with this nature, which tends to treat girls better. I feel girls are more delicate. If it is possible, I should take better care of them. That is what a gentlemen should do."

However, he never thought of what type of girl he likes. A person will give you different impressions at various times. "For different persons doing the same thing, it will give you different impressions. You may find a girl very lovely talking non-stop. Whereas another girl talks non-stop may annoy you. It is really depends on the situation."

He said that he is not in love for a long time. Stay in Beijing for more than a month, He missed his two cats a lot. "I feel lonely without their companion when sleeping at night."

For years, he is very passive on romance. "I don’t know how to express it when I like someone and end up keeping it as a secret love. Angie told me that love rush in like a disaster. Brevity is the sole way to win true love. Perhaps my disaster has not yet arrived so I have never been brave."

Actually, he is not looking for a vigorous relationship. "I don’t agree to crazy love. Over-persistence suffers a lot. I hope two persons being together and live on a peaceful life. Now I learned to live day-in and day-out, a day passed, a day being forgotten. This is necessary for being rigid is very exhausting. When you come across a good thing, you tried so hard to keep it in your memory. In spite, it finally faded out. Let go if you can’t remember. At least it truly happened at that moment."

Nowadays, nothing is that important to Ken. "You and your heart are the most important part in life. No matter who you are, living, aging, illness and death are all unavoidable. I realized that when you arrive home everyday, you, yourself is the only one you have to face. If you have not disappointed yourself, you can sleep tight, that will be a great thing."