If I did not know better, I would’ve thought that this song was written for Jacky. Honestly, there are a lot of similarities. Usually when I listen to this song, I would think of that more than actually associate it to the drama since I learned of this song first as a 183 Club fan and not the drama’s fan. (I won’t say much about the drama because of its irrelevancy to the topic I’m going to discuss.) The lyrics of the song are just too familiar and if the words are altered a bit, then it’s just perfect for him. Parties? Enticing trick? And let’s see, couldn’t care less if the world were to fall? (Sounds rebellious enough. Not to mention I think he does have this power to lure you in and like him without knowing why. He’s that evil! Okay, more like it is his voice and presence.) Those who followed his news or know of what happened would agree to some degree – if you would get what I mean first, lol.
After so much support and encouragements from family, friends, and possibly fans, I think he finally found the courage to strive on again. This is just a random post I want to share just to fill the day because it is his birthday after all. Hopefully, we will witness a continuance of positive changes throughout this year coming from Young Master Chu.
Happy birthday, Jake!
*Forgive me for using the layout from 2 years ago with a slight difference with the updated date and text – for relevancy purpose.
I almost forgot about this song. Maybe it’s because I had gotten rid of it on my mp3 player already after putting certain songs on repeat for too long. However, this reminds me of their popularity overall. I wish it was like the song’s title that they could ‘conquer their whole world’ with their accomplishments but I guess that was just wishful thinking. I think that it is a bonus that this group could harmonize with one another so well – unlike some other bands that do not sound that good together or would block one or two out with only two voices noticeable. In 183 Club’s case, you could not tell whose voice when they’re singing together because they could harmonize so well with each other. Their live was not that good (minus Jacky and Ehlo that is) at the beginning but it became better as a band as time passed.
I honestly thought that 183 Club would last longer than this. However, after having read several sources of information in regards to Jungiery Star and their management techniques, especially the famous manager – Sun De Rong, I am no longer surprised that 183 Club could fade away so fast. Although their fame was somewhat short lived but I guess they still have many fans up until this day. I know they did not disband but having been short 2 members, they seem to have crumbled already.
Dwelling on the past is not really a good idea but just for old time’s sake, I’m going to discuss a bit about their individual talents. This is for fun (and it’s my opinion) so don’t take it to heart.
Ehlo Huang Yu Rong (黃玉榮) - Believe it or not, but I think that Ehlo has all – acting, singing, and dancing. He just doesn’t get the chance to shine yet – though he always manage to deliver his part in making a drama work. Perhaps because he is given supporting or minor roles that he has more experiences and the opportunity to work with the character developments for each – unlike the main characters who often possesses the same type of personalities. He could make you laugh or cry or feel embarrassed or frustrated with his characters at times. Although the majority of the dramas he took part in required some degree of exaggeration but he does it with this natural gist that makes you wonder. It’s like when he steps into his character, he’s that person. It is not because of the warddrobe and/or attire that he was given to go along with the roles either. But it is his portrayal that makes it convincing of his characters. (I rarely feel that way for actors nowadays anymore.)
His singing is no doubt good because he is able to carry a song and complement with the other members as see fit. He has a unique voice and really contributes a great deal for the band as an overall. His dancing has been praised by professionals so it shows that he has talent in that area. Ehlo’s weakness – which is so obvious because even his manager would pick on it – is his confidence. However, I believe that it is because he is not given the right support and acknowledgment by J-Star that makes it worse. I do understand the amount of pressures he has to face if he is given the lead or other major roles but IF he does not get the opportunity to try, how would they know he cannot handle it?
Jacky Chu/Zhu Fan Gang (祝釩剛) – Jacky’s strongest point is his singing and there’s like this automatic acknowledgment about it. He is of course not perfect with it, but his constant acknowlegment of it and his willingness to seek help in improving it, not fearing critcism is very admirable. His live performance is unbelievably strong and he is able to sing a variety of songs with the right amount of emotions put in, making the song different yet not ruining it. He also has the ability to control his voice – unlike some so-called pro singers – when he sings and could lower his voice (because it is very strong and could block out the others) so that it complements in with the other four. In other words, he could manipulate his voice as see fit in different songs, bringing out his own style in it. Dancing for him seems like a breeze for some reason. He might not be the best there is (since I’m looking at all possibilities) but probably because of his confidence and the ability to carry on that he could deliver with much natural and style when dancing.
As for acting, he does get better with each role he is given so I must say he does have potential in this department. He is like Ehlo in a way that because he is given those least admirable roles or just minor ones that’s why he also has a lot to work with. Everytime he appears in a drama, you could see there’s a difference. You would not feel the clash of characters or personalities of that particular character that he’s trying to portray. Whether it was the loan shark debt collector slash gangster Ying from ‘Heaven’s Wedding Gown’ or the love driven, hot headed Michael from ‘Hi-Fly’ or the typical Mr. Popularity aka Michael who all the girls would cling to in school in ‘Prince Turns Into Frog’ or the Love Saint Fei Nan Du from ‘The Magicians of Love’.
Johnny Yan Xing Shu (顏行書) – Fans or not, people often wonder what Johnny’s main purpose is in the band. Saying that he’s the least favorite among the band members is one thing, but saying he does not have talent is just plain extreme. I must say I was once confused as to what part he plays but when I understand more about J-Star’s operations, I begin to see the pieces falling into place. Johnny – extremely good at basketball hence his involvment in the basketball team thus long - may not be good in acting or singing or dancing, but he is a good leader. He’s the glue keeping everyone intact and in line for various reasons. There has to be someone sane enough to maintain them all, right? (Everyone of the band member - even the not easily controlled Jacky – admits that Johnny’s a great leader and really respects him.) I blame the management people for not giving him more power as to how to handle the group’s goals thus making the band sink slowly into the pit of invisibility. (Jacky should only be partially blamed for it since 183 Club’s activity’s level as a band has already deteriorated to the point of excruciatingly painful to fans that Jacky’s expulsion could only be used as a scapegoat for the management’s inability to deal with the band’s activities and exposure as a group.)
Although many say he cannot act or sing, but I think that it’s an exaggeration. I did not watch his earlier dramas but IF he did so poorly at first, I think somehow he did improve. It is not the best but it shows that he works hard and keep it up with his efforts. His voice is unique – although not as strong as some others. He cannot dance – it’s a fact – and he’s often made fun of by the other members. Maybe it’s because he’s not as comfortable doing it as the others. However, he’s still capable of learning the steps gradually and tries his hardest.
Matthew Lin Ming Dao (明道) – Ming Dao – is NOT perfect – like most of his fans want to think. He does have a knack for acting and his passionate portrayal of different characters make it admirable but he soon became type-casted into those rich guy roles. I like it better when he does not have those ‘perfect’ roles hence my favorite character that he portrayed is actually Yang Tian You from ‘Angel Lover’. Yang Tian You is just more of a guy next door image (differing from his other roles of the rich, arrogant guys). Tian You does have this smart mouth and somewhat silly behavior that reminds me of his character Tao Si from ‘Legend of Star Apple’ but his background story and how his character became who he is makes me like it more. Another reason why I like Yang Tian You more than the others is that he’s not invincible like it is often portrayed in the other ones (or what the script led us to believe) because he would often need guidance and help from his follow colleagues within the Angel Lover Agency. He is simple-minded and is hard-working, hoping to accomplish something to fulfill his dream of earning enough money to provide for his family. (It sounds similar to some other typical character in another drama but with Ming Dao, I rather see this side of him more.) What gets more annoying with his rich guy role is that fans get overboard with it and tends to step on other characters (and possibly actors) to praise Ming Dao. Just because he is casted in that role, it does not mean he is perfect. Aside from being type-casted, I think what I like about Ming Dao and his acting style is his ability to use his eyes and voice to act more than exaggerate his face expressions. (Those exaggerations get on my nerves more if it is not done appropriately.) Ming Dao is known to talk very fast in dramas, especially in ‘Angel Lover’. His voice is his gift since it helps convey his emotions and his personalities of the characters he portrayed. (However, I could not say the same for his singing since I do not like his voice when he sings that much. I actually like Johnny’s voice more although Johnny’s kind of weak in the sense of the ability to control it.)
Talking about singing, sometimes, it’s funny how people could be mistaken of Ming Dao’s voice for Jacky or vice versa. But I guess it happens because if you’re not really familiar with them, you could mistake it since they do sound similar when singing. However, Jacky has this huskiness to his voice that it’s undeniable. Also, Jacky’s voice is more powerful and could carry the high notes better while Ming Dao does better in mushy songs or those really soft ones. (‘Affective Line’ is different since that requires a lot of effort, changing from highs and lows, etc.) Dancing? Um…let’s just say he’s not the best at it since he does not pay attention enough. He could do it with proper training and time put in but if he’s given the moves on the dot, he would fail miserably. (This is the truth if you watch that one show with the guys passing on the dance moves to each other. This is also the reason why Jacky, Ehlo, and Sam are in front for most of their songs that required dancing.) Perhaps if Ming Dao would use those times he puts in to ‘look good’ to continue with his improvements on all level, he could break out of the typical idol image since he still has a long way to go.
Sam Wang Shao Wei (王少偉) – Sam is one of those you can call an ‘all around artist’ because he could do a lot of things at the same time and because he’s so hard-working and passionate about his work. (It does not mean that the others aren’t but his personality reflects on his face and actions more than the others do.) But the fact that he could do all does not mean he is good at it. It’s just the matter of knowing how versus being good at it. At first, it seems like Sam’s really good at acting and is capable of showing his emotions really well, but if you watch carefully, you’ll see that he always uses the same techniques to show his emotions. You begin to realize that he is not that good as it seems. It’s just the roles that he is given. (I have watched the majority of his dramas.) I must admit I fall into his trap as well with his really good roles like in ‘Westside Story’ or ‘The Magicians of Love’ (just to give some examples). Sam has this habit of wrinkling his face and his morbid or sad look that tugs at your heart, giving him more sympathy for what his character has gone through. However, it is always the same type of expressions. I could only give him credit for ‘The Magicians of Love’ since he works a lot with trying to show his emotions through his eyes more than the face expressions.
As for singing, um…let’s not even go there. Although I said I will be cruel with the criticism but I could not imagine the after effects of fan bashing. (It gets super scary.) I already pointed out the typical formula of his acting. I wouldn’t want to get bashed for his singing skills either. (However, it boggles my mind that he’s in two bands but his vocal abilities haven’t improved that much. Or is it because he’s busy doing other things that he could not focus 100% on training with his singing?) His hosting is decent, depending on people’s taste of jokes, of course. To save the best for last, I must say that I really like his dancing style. It really shows because he has a knack for it. He could learn the moves and remembers it well. (In the same show mentioned above about how they had to learn the moves from the instructor and then teach it to the rest of the group, he did quite well until someone messed it up for him.) He’s very creative in terms of dancing since if you watch the BTS for the MVs, you could see how he tries to get in as many moves as he could with different varieties. Maybe it is his wanting to do everything that diverts his attention or prevents him from focusing on mastering all his skills.
What’s up next? I think that should be enough for now since I want to save other topics for future updates. The next subject? Not sure, I’ll think of something. But it could possibly be bonds and/or collaborations.
I decided to start this mania just for the sake of fun and to occupy the blog further with all the randomness. So, what is in for this month?
August is the eighth month of the year (obviously) and is dominated by the sign of Leo, giving Virgo the rest of the dates from 24th onward. Its flower are gladiolus and poppy. The birthstones are peridot and sardonyx. (Yes, trivial stuffs. But not really – had some help from: here and here.)
Margie Tsang Wah Sin (曾華倩) – August 6th: Hope that she had a good one. (I was hoping she would join Felix and Michael in their new series but far-fetched.)
Wilber Pan Wei Bo (潘瑋柏) – August 6th: What did Mr. Perfectionist do this year? Still trying to be a perfectionist, of course. Honestly, please take care of your health and loosen up a bit, Mr. Pan. We still want to see you singing and dancing for years to come.
Esther Liu Pin Yan (劉品言) – August 8th: Born on a triple 8, hopefuly, it will bring her luck this year also. Will she come back to celebrate her birthday with friends like last year?
Andy Hui Chi On/ Xu Zhi An (許志安) – August 12th: He already celebrated with some fans so that’s out of the way. Or is he going to have some other side parties with friends later?
Kevin Cheng Ka Wing/ Zheng Jia Ying (鄭嘉穎) – August 15th: Still filming that new series with Tavia Yeung so he’ll be busy. Maybe there will be a chance of the crew celebrating with him? (He will probably get a break somewhere in Septemeber or not since he will start filming that new family drama with Roger Kwok in October. Yes, another Roger and Kevin series!)
Jessica Hester Hsuan (宣萱) – August 18: According to news, Jessica chose to participate in an upcoming cop drama with Michael Miu and Felix Wong instead of joining Roger Kwok and Kevin Cheng in a family drama. (I guess we can’t see another Ah Wong and his wife’s collab?) Still, that leaves August open for her a bit to celebrate or probably she’ll be busy with other events? Can’t wait to see her upcoming series though. (Of course confirmation could only follow when there are more solid evidence. Probably a good sign of it would be some press conference or promotional events, which we will have to wait for September to arrive to see.)
Dean Fujioka (藤岡靛/ 藤岡竜雄) – August 19th: Probably working on some sort of project at the moment. Wonder what he’ll do by then. However, hope he has a good one also.
Tang Feng (唐豐) – August 19th: With his busy schedule, will he find time to fit in his birthday? Probably yes since it’s one of the most important days, right? Who knows? He might update us this year.
Jacky Chu/ Zhu Fan Gang (祝釩剛) – August 22nd: He’s turning 30 this year. Yes, the big 30 and is still in the process of resurrecting his career. Will he actually take time off to celebrate his birthday this year or will he continue working hard despite the special day? Will the others, specifically 183 Club, celebrate with him this year?
Remus Kam – August 22nd: Coincidentally, Remus was also born on the same day as someone else, except in 1976. Currently filming ‘River Lovers’ with Leon Jay Williams, Genie Zhuo, and the rest of the cast. The production team has been suffering from health problems because of the weather. Hopefully everything will be fine with them soon.
Alam Tam (譚詠麟) – August 23rd: Apparently, Mr. Tam is turning 59 this year, not ‘25′ like he always wish.
Jiro Wang Dong Cheng (汪東城) – August 24th: Jiro is currently working alongside fellow band-member, Calvin Chen, and Cyndi Wang in ‘Momo Love’. Fans are still pondering as to how he will celebrate his birthday this year. And if the crew will have a surprise for both him and Cyndi since their birthday are close together - with hers on September 5th. (A bit far-fetch but still possible.)
Him Law (羅仲謙) – August 28th: ‘D.I.E. Again’ will be airing around the same time as his birthday so will he have a double celebration for it? Hopefully he will get to show his acting skills in there. He will also be busy filming a new modern series with Joe Ma, Flora Chan, and the rest of the cast around that time.
*The list above is ordered by date, not by names in case you’re confused. Also, I only included of my favorite celebs or the ones that I actually tune in to the most. It did not meant that the were no other August birthdays.
Just-for-Fun: Whose birthday are you anticipating the most among your favorite celebs?
I remember stumbling upon a review about 183 Club’s first album during its release. One of the comments made regarding their song selection that I still remember is ‘No other boyband would ever pulled this song off’ in regards to ‘I’m So Hot’ and I was laughing my eyes out reading it since I must agree with the reviewer and the words that followed.
Just for the sake of this song, maybe I should go into details about the topic also. (Though I don’t usually discuss about appearances or ‘hotness’ much or care for it.) But for once, let’s have some fun, right?
So…to move on, how hot are they? As a band, NOT so much anymore! They’re so yesterday – to say the least. (That’s mean and I don’t want to admit it after a year or so already. But let’s not lie to ourselves any longer, right?) And you guys thought that I was talking about physical appearances, right? (I meant public appearances.)
For starters, who has the most publicity exposure as of now?
Ehlo Huang Yu Rong (黃玉榮) - Off the radar as far as news has it. And ‘My Queen’ doesn’t count since he only appears for a bit.
Jacky Chu/Zhu Fan Gang (祝釩剛) – Minimal since he has been trying to make a comeback. But he’s not fending so bad himself. We just need an album release (which some fans are getting quite long-necked by now).
Johnny Yan Xing Shu (顏行書) – On a bigger scale since he has gone back to basketball.
Matthew Lin Ming Dao (明道) – He has been receiving work left and right so he is getting more than enough exposure as it is. Oh yeah, ‘Always Smile’ is airing right now so there you go with more exposure.
Sam Wang Shao Wei (王少偉) – Enough since ‘Mo Nu 18 Hao’ is airing right now and also because his appearances with 5566. (I guess being in two bands help a lot.) Not to mention that he has a bakery so…
Rumors were circulating after Jacky and Johnny left that there was going to be a recruitment for new members. Many fans objected to it despite the fact that it was a possibility to resurrect the band’s activeness. However, in the end, those were rumors after all. Let’s say that it wasn’t rumors and they’d gone through with recruiting new members. Though I do not doubt the remaining members for having a kind nature to accept new members, but fans won’t take it lightly since there would be comparison. Whether talented or talentless, there is already a frame of mind set in for the band as a group and also as individuals having their own unique personality that fans had come to like.
I know I promised a follow-up with them regarding to singing and acting when I was doing the ‘Yi Ba San’post but got carried away with this one since I was searching through old MVs and found these so listened to it and couldn’t help but blog this.
I know it has already been mentioned on Never An Idol Moment, but I just want to cover this again although it seems a bit too late to jump on the bandwagon and start analyzing them. (Their activity level as a band is like practically gone already.) Another reason might be for the sake of the song and the fun it could be in tearing the guys down, eh? (Just kidding!)
First off, height:
Ehlo Huang Yu Rong (黃玉榮) – 177 cm
Jacky Chu/Zhu Fan Gang (祝釩剛) – 184 cm
Johnny Yan Xing Shu (顏行書) – 183 cm
Matthew Lin Ming Dao (明道) – 180 cm
Sam Wang Shao Wei (王少偉) – 180 cm
Their Average Height: 180.8 cm (Short by 2.2 cm)
After Jacky got kicked out, their average went down to 180 cm. It doesn’t seem much but they’re now short by 3 cm. It gets sadder than that since after Johnny leaves, they’re down to 179 cm, which would make them short by 4 cm. At this rate, even an umbrella wouldn’t help.
*All images were scanned by DTLCT
Stay tune for upcoming parts, including Singing and Acting and Style
