1. Scene & Heard Pages 20-22
Club MAD!
Heard about the fan who willed her multi-million dollar fortune to Fann Wong? Just like RBKD isn’t a K-pop band and Jeanius isn’t a typo, there’s a lot more to local fan clubs that you probably didn’t know about.
4. Joining a fan club is like going back to school
Do you miss those fun orientation games you played as a freshman? Join a fan club, then. RBKD, Rui En’s formidable fan club, held an orientation ‘camp’ for its members and potential members at Sentosa in June. The full-day event saw over 60 Rui En-fanatics run amok on the island, play games that included an Amazing Race-inspired scavenger hunt, and put up skits related to Rui En and RBKD. Rui En was not there.
“This idea started two years ago when we realised that our members weren’t familiar with one another,” explains club president Peh Xinyi, 25. “It’s also a good way for potential members to learn about RBKD,” she adds. But if you think taking part in the orientation gets you a free pass into the club, think again. You have to make at least 30 relevant posts about Rui En on the club’s online forum before your membership is “approved”. RBKD, set up four years ago, currently has 111 members. “It’s not easy to join RBKD,” Xinyi warns us. “Only constructive comments count, and we have a moderator to look through the posts every month,” she adds sternly. The rules may be very stringent – it’s probably easier to apply for a housing loan – but it fits perfectly with Rui En’s no-nonsense attitude.
2. Boos & Bravos Page 112
BRAVO to the thrilling new drama Poetic Justice (weeknights, Ch 8) revolving around the lives of a group of ambitious TV journos played by Rui En, Dai Yangtian and Rebecca Lim. While its depiction of how they go about gathering news is a tad too sensationalised to be taken seriously, it’s a minor gripe that’s quickly forgotten and forgiven, considering how fast-paced the story is. The cast’s spirited on-screen rapport helps, too.
3. TV Synopses Pages 121 – 122
Poetic Justice
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1. TV Synopses Pages 129 – 130
Poetic Justice
Poetic Justice 微笑æ£ä¹‰ is now airing on Channel 8, Weekdays at 9pm.
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1. Scene & Heard Page 18
Sugar, spice and all things smize
Story: Jasmine Teo
For the uninitiated: the term ‘smize’ – that’s “smiling with your eyes” – was coined by Tyra Banks on America’s Next Top Model. We get Daniel Boey, Asia’s Next Top Model judge and fashion guru, to play Tyra for a day and tell us which of these stars smize and which don’t.
RUI EN
Daniel says: “She shows how to smize fearlessly. She looks bold, sassy and full of attitude with her strong eyes and don’t-mess-with-me-but-hey-don’t-I-look-good pose.”
2. Scene & Heard Page 24
Story: Jonathan Fam
Li Nanxing, star and producer of teen gangster flick, Imperfect.
8DAYS: What else have you been busy with?
Li Nanxing: I’m now doing post-production work on Beyond, the Ch 8 drama I filmed in July. Then I’ll start filming CLIF 2 (opposite Rui En, Qi Yuwu and Joanne Peh) in Oct.
3. TV Synopses Pages 122 – 123
Poetic Justice
Poetic Justice 微笑æ£ä¹‰ debuts 11 September 2012 9pm on Channel 8.
C.L.I.F 2 è¦å¾½å¤©èŒ 2 debuts 18 February 2013 9pm on Channel 8.
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1. TV Page 109
Poetic Justice
New Serial!
Tue, Ch 8, 9 PM
More Dirt than The Newsroom, this new 20-part serial stars Rui En as a reality TV show producer searching for her missing boyfriend and Dai Yangtian as a colleague she constantly lock horns with but eventually hooks up with. Their volatile personal and professional relationship is made more complicated when it also involves Rebecca Lim’s ambitious anchorwoman and Desmond Tan’s money-obsessed lawyer. – Douglas Tseng
2. TV Synopses Pages 122 – 123
Poetic Justice
Poetic Justice 微笑æ£ä¹‰ debuts 11 September 2012 9pm on Channel 8.
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1. Scene & Heard Page 21
Story: Tan Yi Hui
Ratings JOY
The recently-concluded Joys of Life is, for now, this year’s highest-rated show with 993,000 viewers tuning in to the final ep.
Somewhere out there, ice queen Rui En could be beaming. The star of Joys of Life was unreachable for comment at press time, but co-star Zheng Geping, who plays Rui En’s father, was more than happy to rave about the stellar performance: “To be honest, some of us were confident it’d do well.” The nostalgic serial’s first episode in June attracted 971,000 viewers, putting it ahead of popular police thriller Unriddle 2 (921,000 viewers) and family drama Double Bonus (862,000 viewers). Joys still lag behind 2008’s The Little Nyonya, whose last ep attracted 1.67 million viewers, compared to Joys’ 993,000. Still, with an average viewership of 875,000, the 35-ep show is currently No.1 drama this year.
2. Cover Story Pages 32-45
Young Caldecott and the Restless City
Story by Jonathan Fam
Direct from Macau!
Besides battling heat exhaustion, we have to engage a shy shirtless hunk and witness how Rui En and Dai Yangtian fell in love. The latter not literally, of course – it would take a miracle on the Macau’s famous San Ma Lo Street for that to happen.
In Poetic Justice, DYT and Rui En play intrepid reporters who work for an online news agency. Poetic Justice isn’t your usual Ch 8 fare. We say that not ‘cos it’s the first drama since 2009’s Dreamcatchers to be partially filmed in an overseas location that’s not Malaysia, but because it’s the first time the world of journalism is used as a backdrop.
Put another way, Poetic Justice is a Cliff Notes version of Aaron Sorkin’s edgy The Newsroom cross-referenced with the marshmallow passion of Up Close and Personal and the gusto of Erin Brokovich. But ask the fiercely private Rui En if her feelings towards journos have changed since playing a, in her own words, “responsible reporter”, she chuckles, covers her mouth, and chuckles again. Um, we’ll take that as a yes.
Rui En is smiling. She seems genuinely happy.
She even initiates conversations, which is truly surprising. It’s not just because Rui En is notoriously reticent, but ‘cos her schedule here is so packed, she barely has time to catch her breath, let alone make small talk with pesky reporters.
“So how’s your holiday?” she deadpans when she catches us idling. “Do you need an umbrella? You don’t look like you want to be tanned,” she muses when she sees us melting under the scorching midday sun. “You eat carbs? You don’t look like you eat carbs,” she mock-interrogates us during dinner. Er, is the 31-year-old actres confusing us with Fann Wong? (Fact: this writer is the only one eating rice at the dinner table with the four leads. None of them touch carbs.)
Random Rui En facts: The first thing she does when she gets back to the hotel room is to turn on her TV. She finds the noise reassuring. She’s also a “closet NatGeo fan”, though she’d most likely be watching a Korean drama because “it’s important to know what’s popular now”. If she’s hungry, she snacks on potato chips.
These are just about the only things we managed to learn about Rui En during the week-long shoot. It’s near impossible to sit Rui En down for a private tête-à -tête. She is that busy. The 31-year old has been filming back-to-back dramas for three years now. The longest break she’s had were three weeks after Joys of Life wrapped and before lensing Poetic Justice began. Three precious weeks she spent “doing [her] own thing”. Has she thought about taking and extended break? “Of course,” she replies without missing a beat. “But I just decided not to.” So she intends to work until her body can no longer handle the stress? This time, there’s a pause. “Yeah, pretty much…” she says, her voice trailing off as she ponders the question. “Rui En, we need you!” a crew member suddenly calls out to her. And just like that, she snaps back to her reality and disappears.
Interlude: Rui En and DYT are more alike than you think.
Dai Yangtian: “Both of us don’t really like talking, but we communicate well with each other.”
Rui En: “Yes. I also prefer to stay in my room when I’m not filming. I like to keep work and my personal time very seperate.”
Dai Yangtian: “Same here. We don’t usually have meals with the rest of the crew.”
Rui En: “That’s just how it is.”
Dai Yangtian: “Both of us also have trouble sleeping in hotel rooms. That’s why I need to drink red wine before bed.”
Rui En: “I have difficulty sleeping on hotel beds.”
Behind the Scenes
My Fair Ladies: Fact: Actresses are deathly afraid of the sun. A totally-beat Rui En uses her umbrella as a tent in between takes.
Walk with me: DYT and Rui En take a casual stroll near the sacred ruins of St Paul’s Church.
Cold? Who’s cold? Rui En and DYT shares a light-hearted moment during a late night shoot.
Fight club: Rui En looks on helplessly while Desmond Tan and DYT fight in a scene.
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Poetic Justice 微笑æ£ä¹‰ debuts 11 September 2012 9pm on Channel 8.
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1. Scene & Heard Page 21
Story: Sarah Chang
Blast from the Past
Is queen of cool Rui En out of her element as a jovial lass in Ch 8’s Joys of Life? Did love blossom between a couple of actors on the set? Read to find out.
In a nutshell: Commemorating the 30th anniversary of local Chinese drama, Joys of Life completes the triumvirate of nostalgia-tinged dramas Wok of Life (1999) and Springs of Life (2002). Set in the ’60s, this 35-part drama revolves around the lives of several families living in an old tenement house. Expect lots of drama (cue song and dance, getai-style) as well as a whole lot of bromance and romance.
Happy and Cheery. Really?
Rui En says playing the role of a cheerful singer was a breeze for her. “I’m actually quite cheery and happy in real life…sometimes,” she says. Guess that depends on who’s around. We espied Rui En and best bud Chen Liping yakking away in hushed tones during the press meet. Rui En jokes, “If I tell you what we were talking about, I won’t be called the ice queen anymore!”
2. Scene & Heard Pages 21-22
3 Questions with Chen Liping
1. So you and Rui En are BFFs? How did that happen?
Liping: “I didn’t know she called me her ‘only’ friend in MediaCorp. No wonder a few reporters were asking me about that. [Former actress] Zeng Huifen is a very good friend of mine, but she’s not in showbiz anymore. I can sense Rui En’s trust in me, but our friendship isn’t the ‘buddy buddy’ kind where we hug and chat on the phone. Like her, I’m not someone who easily opens up to people, so I know how tough it is for people like us to make friends.”
2. What do you do together?
Liping: “We’re too busy to hang out! But we’ll drive out for lunch together in-between filming. She’s usually the one who takes me to places that she likes to go. She enjoys Thai food and Japanese food like sashimi, which I do too. Most of the time we’ll grab takeaway from hawker centres.”
3. TV Synopses Pages 112 – 113
Joys of Life
Joys of Life èŠ±æ ·äººé—´ debuts 26 June 2012 9pm on Channel 8.
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1. Scene & Heard Page 14
Ready to QLO
If you’re happy and you know it: The varying degrees of joy as demonstrated by brand ambassador Rebecca Lim, Qi Yuwu and Rui En. And no that’s not Rui En’s “black face”, okay? She’s just being herself. Don’t take our word for it. Hear it straight from our cover girl this week.
2. Cover story Pages 34-44
The Importance of Being Rui En
By Celine Tan
She doesn’t do smiles. She doesn’t do intimate scenes. She doesn’t care what you think. She only wants to be herself. Here’s the story of why Rui En is Rui En.
“Tom yum soup. Alone time. Doing charity work. Feeling like I’ve achieved something new in my acting. Paris. Shorts and slippers. Rainy nights, but only when I’m safe and warm at home.â€
That, ladies and gentlemen, is a list of things that make Rui En happy. So stop asking her why she looks so miserable all the time, because she’s not. Her. Face. Is. Just. Like. That. “I’m not a naturally smiley person,†she tells us exasperatedly. “And when I don’t smile, that’s my face.â€
Rui En’s lack of regard for what you think of her fascinates and frustrates us. On one hand, we admire her honesty and that stick-to-her-guns bravado, and give her props for being the lonely tree, steadfast and unwavering in a field of pretty, nodding flowers. On the other hand, there is that maddening question: Who the heck does she think she is?
She is, of course, the actress who would rather stick pins in her eyes than do love, kissing or rape scenes, and whose absolute refusal to compromise in this aspect has led to blow-ups with fellow showbiz-ers. She’s the A-lister who isn’t afraid to show her disdain at awards ceremonies, scoffs at press conferences and interviews, and shuns celebrity events. She’s the star who hates stardom.
And yet, her popularity is iron-clad and her fans ever devoted. She’s been a fixture on the Star Awards Top 10 Most Popular Female Artiste list since 2005, and looks to be in zero danger of dropping off anytime soon. In spite of — or possibly because of — her reticence, people love her. We ask her why she thinks she’s popular, despite her unwillingness to play the fame game. “I have no idea,†she says matter-of-factly. “Honestly, I don’t think about all these. I just do what I do.†When we push her to speculate, she shrugs, “I really have no clue. Maybe I’m different?â€
Indifferent, more like, her detractors may sniff, and stubbornly self-centred. Self-contained, more like, her legion of supporters will cry, and resolutely sure of what she wants and doesn’t want.
It’s been three long years since our last cover interview and shoot with her, and in that time, Rui En has become ever more enigmatic while maintaining a constant presence on TV in almost back-to-back Ch 8 dramas. It seems the more she acts in reel life, the less she is inclined to act in real life.
In a bid to peek into her doubtlessly-complicated psyche, we’re eschewing fancy themes, costumes and props for this shoot, and just letting Rui En be Rui En. Which explains the moodier-than-usual photos. Along with her own stylist, who dresses her for the Star Awards, Rui En selected these outfits, because they are her. “I’m happy with it,†she tells us after the shoot. “I thought some of the shots were quite what I’m about. It was quite natural for me to do some of those poses.â€
Did Rui En give 8 DAYS a piece of her true self in this photo shoot and interview? We’d like to think so, but we’ll never know. And that’s all right.
3. Television Page 101
Joys of Life
Tue, Ch 8, 9PM New Serial!
Nostalgia rules in this mid-year blockbuster serial chronicling the lives of getai perfomances – among them Rui En and Taiwanese singer Alien Huang – in the ’60s and ’70s. The highlights of this 35-part drama, partly filmed at Tuas TV World, are the colourful stage performances (look out for a Bollywood number where Rui En sings and dances…as a dude!). Taiwanese actress Cynthia Wang, Andie Chen, Kate Pang and Chew Chor Meng co-star. – Douglas Tseng
4. TV Synopses Pages 112 – 113
Joys of Life
Joys of Life èŠ±æ ·äººé—´ debuts 26 June 2012 9pm on Channel 8.
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1. Advertorial Page 95
Joys of Life Poster
Joys of Life èŠ±æ ·äººé—´ debuts 26 June 2012 9pm on Channel 8.
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1. Feature Pages 44-46
Story by Jonathan Fam
Des-tined for the big time
Desmond now resembles a darker, hotter Qi Yuwu – how’s that for climbing the celeb ladder? He has also muscled his way into Ch 8’s elite club of twenty-something leading men mature enough to romance the likes of Jeanette Aw and Joanne Peh. It’s a group so exclusive (or should we say elusive) that its current membership totals two: Dai Yangtian and Elvin Ng. Well, three now, since Desmond is romancing Rui En in his next drama, Poetic Justice, which starts filming this month.
Poetic Justice 微笑æ£ä¹‰ debuts 11 September 2012 9pm on Channel 8.
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