appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

hooksArticlePageFloatingButtonConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

Joyce Yip

Mui choy kau yook, or braised pork with preserved vegetables, is the Cantonese phrase Malaysian actress Lin Min-chen recalls most clearly from her latest movie, Table for Six, directed by Chan Wing-sun and starring Dayo Wong, Stephy Tang, Ivana Wong and others.
In the movie, she plays Ah Meow – a foodie who joins a family of three brothers in a tale that is as much about gastronomy as it is about family, released just in time for Lunar New Year.

This is Lin’s fifth movie made in Hong Kong, and learning lines in her non-native tongue of Cantonese remains the Mandarin-speaking actress’ biggest hurdle.
“A lot of Ah Meow’s lines are funny – this added even more pressure to my Cantonese practice because my pronunciation had to be on point to deliver her humour. But I am grateful that the director has aligned a lot of my background with that of Ah Meow. For instance, she also moved from Taiwan to Hong Kong and was brought up in an unconventional family,” she says.
Hong Kong’s richest stars of 2021, wrapped

Born in Penang, Lin is the second eldest sister to two half-brothers. She started working as a waitress at 14 years old, became a kindergarten teacher – her “happiest job yet” – and eventually started her own beauty salon before one of her Instagram pictures caught the eye of talent scouts seven years ago. Lin also dreamt of being a chef, though admits that mui choy kau yook isn’t one of her signature dishes.
“I can make really good honeyed pork ribs,” she laughs. “But not mui choy kau yook.”

Lin’s career-change only took flight after her friend (Malaysian singer-songwriter) Yu Heng opened her eyes to the opportunities Taiwan record labels could offer her.
“My first thought was that I would be making a lot more money if I became a singer,” Lin jokes. “I already taught myself to sing and play piano, my mother sung in Singapore for a while, my sister was a model. So if I get free training from these companies, why not take the leap?”
How Wang Leehom’s divorce controversy is making Chinese women rethink marriage




















View this post on Instagram























A post shared by 林明禎 (@minchen333)



In 2015, she signed with independent label Seed Music Co. Ltd, after which she released two albums – “#Me” and “Whoo” – plus other hit singles. Lin’s sweet looks and fresh image eventually landed her countless commercial gigs in Hong Kong, where she’s now the face of Chinese herbal remedy brand Nin Jiom, skincare label Bifesta, credit company WeLend, activewear brand Descente, Kotex, Blue Girl Beer and more.
Despite her success, Lin says her journey thus far has not all been smooth sailing. For one, she was camera shy.
“It wasn’t until a few years ago that I started enjoying my time on stage because I finally felt like I was fully prepared for it,” she says, adding that she and her management company had to make compromises when it came to her having sufficient preparation time before each performance.

That level of conscientiousness extends to her role as an actress, too. Since her film debut – Vampire Cleanup Department, in 2017 – binge-watching films has become her daily ritual. The 1992 classic Scent of a Woman starring Al Pacino and Chris O’Donnell remains her favourite and she hopes to eventually feature in a musical like La La Land. Admittedly, her roles thus far have been of the archetypical girl-next-door, but Lin isn’t afraid of being typecast.
5 Hong Kong celebrities who got shocking body-shaming comments
“That was initially a fear of mine when I first took up acting, but eventually I accepted that this is me; it’s a part of my personality I should be grateful for. I can only look cute for so long! Nobody is going to hire me for these roles 10 years later.”
When her contract with Seed Music ended in 2020, Lin became independent – commercially and literally.

“I fly between Malaysia, Taiwan and Hong Kong by myself because it doesn’t make sense for a team of people to go into quarantine with me. I manage my own visas. It’s very hard because people used to do all this stuff for me,” she says. “There are a lot of unknowns with my career now. I thought I’ll be in lockdown, but have surprisingly received so many jobs during the pandemic. As an independent artist, I can take jobs that interest me. There’s a lot of flexibility in my work now.”
While her focus remains in entertainment, Lin hasn’t forgotten her passion for food. She’s invested in a restaurant in Hong Kong that serves bar bites and wine, though she’s reluctant to reveal the name so as to “keep it low-key for the time being”.
“I am more of a live-in-the-present sort of person, so I won’t set a lot of goals. I suppose if you really want me to name one, it’d be to improve my Cantonese!”
Want more stories like this? Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.


From Cheng Pei-pei to Michelle Yeoh, Hong Kong cinema’s history of action heroines

‘Rest in eternal peace’: veteran horror actor, filmmaker Simon Loui dies at age 62

How Cantopop lyricist Wyman Wong pushed Hong Kong’s LGBTQ, style and emotional boundaries

Museum brings back Leslie Cheung exhibition to mark late star’s 70th birthday

Hong Kong celebrities and icons

Malaysian pop star Lin Min-chen on starring in Table for Six with Dayo Wong and Stephy Tang, how she got scouted on Instagram – and why she once dreamed of being a chef

The multi-talented Lin Min-chen is about to return to our screens as Ah Meow in Table for Six. Photo: @minchen333/Instagram

Lin Min-chen and the cast of Table for Six. Photo: @minchen333/Instagram

Lin Min-chen and her siblings. Photo: @minchen333/Instagram

Lin Min-chen signed with independent label Seed Music and went on to have a string of hits. Photo: @minchen333/Instagram

Lin Min-chen in a still from her first film, Vampire Cleanup Department. Photo: Media Asia Films

Lin Min-chen knows she won’t ‘look cute’ forever, so has decided to embrace the girl next door roles for now. Photo: @minchen333/Instagram

5 of Hong Kong’s richest female singers – net worths, ranked: from Faye Wong and Joey Yung, to Karen Mok and Kelly Chen, which Canto-pop queen has the most millions in the bank?

Sammi Cheng, Joey Yung, Faye Wong, Karen Mok and Kelly Chen are some of the richest female Canto-pop stars in Hong Kong. Photos: @郑秀文Sammi, @容祖兒, @Karen莫文蔚, @陳慧琳-KellyChen/Weibo; 163.com

Faye Wong is among the highest-paid Canto-pop stars in Hong Kong. Photo: huanghepiao.com

Referred to as the “Diva of Asia”, Canto-pop star Faye Wong has a US$150 million net worth. Photo: 163.com

Faye Wong is now Helena Rubinstein’s newest spokesperson. Photo: @feibeing_fans/Instagram

Canto-pop queen Sammi Cheng has a US$60 million net worth. Photo: @郑秀文Sammi/Weibo

Canto-pop star Sammi Cheng has performed in 102 concerts at the Hong Kong Coliseum. Photo: @郑秀文Sammi/Weibo

Sammi Cheng reportedly owns multiple properties in Repulse Bay. Photo: @郑秀文Sammi/Weibo

Joey Yung has an estimated US$51 million net worth. Photo: @容祖兒/Weibo

Canto-pop star Joey Yung owns several properties across Hong Kong. Photo: @容祖兒/Weibo

Joey Yung is reportedly one of the richest celebrities in Hong Kong. Photo: @容祖兒/Weibo

Karen Mok has an estimated net worth of US$35 million. Photo: @Karen莫文蔚/Weibo

Canto-pop icon Karen Mok has starred in many films. Photo: @Karen莫文蔚/Weibo

Karen Mok acted in the 2004 Hollywood film Around the World in 80 Days with Jackie Chan. Photo: @Karen莫文蔚/Weibo

Also known as the “Diva of Asia”, Kelly Chen has a US$10 million net worth. Photo: @陳慧琳-KellyChen/Weibo

Kelly Chen’s father owns several jewellery stores across Hong Kong. Photo: @陳慧琳-KellyChen/Weibo

Canto-pop star Kelly Chen. Photo: @陳慧琳-KellyChen/Weibo

4 uber-rich Hong Kong icons who came from humble beginnings – Tony Leung quit school to work at 15, Gigi Lai faced bankruptcy at 14, while Stephen Chow grew up in a public housing estate

Some Hong Kong icons like Tony Leung and Gigi Lai actually came from humble beginnings. Photos: SCMP Archive; @tonyleung_chiuwai, @gigilai_official/Instagram; Facebook

Tony Leung is one of Hong Kong’s most iconic and respected actors. Photo: @tonyleung_chiuwai/Instagram

Tony Leung had a difficult childhood that forced him to drop out of school at the age of 15. Photo: SCMP Archive

Hong Kong actor Tony Leung has an estimated US$20 million net worth. Photo: @tonyleung_official/Instagram

Hong Kong actress and singer Gigi Lai comes from humble beginnings. Photo: @gigilai_official/Instagram

A childhood photo of retired Hong Kong actress and singer Gigi Lai. Photo: Facebook

Gigi Lai has an estimated US$13 million net worth. Photo: @gigilai_official/Instagram

Stephen Chow idolised Bruce Lee while growing up in a government public housing estate in Hong Kong. Photo: @sing.chi/Instagram

A baby photo of Hong Kong’s “King of Comedy”, director Stephen Chow. Photo: kknews.cc

Hong Kong actor Stephen Chow has turned his attention towards directing films. Photo: media.people.cn

Chow Yun-fat, who reportedly has a US$700 million net worth, plans to leave it all to charity. Photo: hkbu.edu.hk

A photo of Hong Kong icon Chow Yun-fat when he was younger. Photo: kknews.cc

Hong Kong actor Chow Yun-fat appeared in a Hugo Boss fashion show. Photo: @diplomaticities/Instagram

Bruce Lee’s unfinished film and TV projects revealed, from HBO Max’s Warrior to the controversial Game of Death – but did Warner Bros. really steal Kung Fu from the martial arts legend?

Bruce Lee in Game of Death. Photo: Handout

Bruce Lee film Game of Death (1978) was released posthumously. Photo: Handout

Bruce Li in 1971. Photo: SCMP Archives

David Carradine (right) with his sifu in Warner Bros. film Kung Fu. Photo: Handout

5 celebrity break-ups that shook Hong Kong – from Nicholas Tse, Cecilia Cheung and Faye Wong’s Canto-pop love triangle, to Kenneth Ma and Jacqueline Wong’s couple scandal

From Kenneth Ma and Jacqueline Wong, to Alex Fong and Stephy Tang, these Canto-pop couples eventually called it quits. Photos: gushiciku.cn, 8days.sg, lungchuntin.com

Hong Kong celebrities Nicholas Tse and Cecilia Cheung. Photo: 温暖阳光看剧/ Weibo

Nicholas Tse and Cecilia Cheung with their two sons. Photo: 暗恋hui_nj/ Weibo

Myolie Wu and Bosco Wong met on the sets of Triumph in the Skies. Photo: 丰乳肥臀的胖皮卡/Weibo

Myolie Wu and Bosco Wong on the set of Wars of In-laws. Photo: 博卡青年626/Weibo

Kenneth Ma and Jacqueline Wong worked together in the 2015 drama Inspector Gourmet. Photo: 娱乐圈辣妹/Weibo

Jacqueline Wong shared a picture of herself and Kenneth Ma from the first time they worked together on set. Photo: 娱皇驾到/ Weibo

Canto-pop stars Alex Fong and Stephy Tang released hit track Love Earnestly in 2004. Photo: 娱乐有饭/Weibo

Hong Kong stars Alex Fong and Stephy Tang starred in hit films like Marriage with a Fool and Love Is Not All Around. Photo: 香港新浪娛樂/Weibo

Canto-pop stars Miriam Yeung and Ronald Cheng dated in 1999. Photo: 琦大哥哥丶/Weibo

Canto-pop stars Miriam Yeung and Ronald Cheng met on show Sunday New Zone. Photo: 163.com

5 Chinese celebrity couples who dated on-screen, then in real life – from Fan Bingbing and Li Chen to Mark Chao and Gao Yuanyuan, plus Tiffany Tang’s The Princess Weiyoung romance

Which Chinese celebrity power couples met on set? Photos: 范冰冰,  扒圈内酱/Weibo; @txy1206/Instagram

Fan Bingbing and Li Chen became the ultimate power couple after meeting on period drama The Empress of China. Photo: China Daily

Li Chen proposed to Fan Bingbing, but the relationship didn’t last. Photo: 范冰冰/Weibo

Liu Shishi and Nicky Wu welcomed a baby in 2019. Photo: 鱼酱子饭团/Weibo

Liu Shishi and Nicky Wu got married in Bali. Photo: @asiaweddingnetwork/Instagram

Tiffany Tang and Luo Jin have worked together five times. Photo: 陈刁电影/Weibo

Tiffany Tang and Luo Jin sealed the deal in Austria in 2018. Photo: @txy1206/Instagram

Being cast in a not-so-cheery Chen Kaige film still managed to spark real-life happiness for Gao Yuanyuan and Mark Chao. Photo:@gaoyuanyuan_gyy/Instagram

Gao Yuanyuan and Mark Chao on their wedding day in 2014. Photo: 湘潭里手/Weibo

The Romance of the Condor Heroes culminated in a 2016 wedding for Michelle Chen and Chen Xiao. Photo: 扒圈内酱/Weibo

Fans of the wuxia show delighted in the couple’s genuine love for each other after their romance was shown on screen. Photo: china.org.cn

Magazines

Style

Celebrities


The Hong Kong-based singer-turned-actress says she shares similarities with her character Ah Meow in her latest film, Lunar New Year blockbuster Table for Six
The one-time kindergarten teacher loves Al Pacino’s performance in Scent of a Woman, but says being typecast as the girl next door is fine – for now



After an Instagram post got her noticed, Lin went from singer to actress and is now the face of Descente, Kotex, Nin Jiom and more – just don’t ask her to make mui choy kau yook
