Often said to be Brunei’s second biggest export after petroleum, Wu Chun’s fame was on a meteorical rise as a member of the all-boys band Fahrenheit before he ventured into filmdom as a star-crossed lover in the martial arts movie Butterfly Lovers. Wu Chun tells us how this shy Brunei boy made it big in the entertainment industry.

You started your career in television in Taiwan. How did a Brunei-born guy like you end up getting spotted in Taiwan?
When I was a teenager, I didn’t have the courage to go stage even to accept the prize sfter winning a basketball competition. I was indeed a very shy guy. Even during my university days, I trembled during class presentations. My courage surfaced when my mum passed away. I began to realise that life is short. I imagined the pain and fear my mom must have gone through during her last days. That helped me overcome my fear and gave me some courage to try showbiz. I did some modelling in Singapore for two weeks and thereafter was transferred to Taiwan. My plan was to try out modelling for six months first and, if I got used to it, I would consider joining showbiz. Amazingly, during my first month in Taiwan, I was spotted by a producer and that was how my showbiz career started.

You enjoyed great success on TV and was named one of Taiwan’s TV hearthrobs. With such success, what prompted you to venture into music and join Fahrenheit?
At first, I had doubts as I wasn’t very confident about singing but it came to a point where I decided I wasn’t going to lose anything by venturing into a new field. That’s how the music thing came about.

What was challenging when making transition from singing to acting?
The pressure, the sacrifices of leaving home, being alone in a new city, learning a new language and dealing with new people. Honstly, there wasn’t much of a difference between singing and acting because both happened within a shprt period of time ans both proffesions were extremely new to me. Thus, I took singing and acting as a learning experience and made sure I improved each day.

What do you think contributed to your success that transcends borders to include Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and Hong Kong?
My dramas, especially Hana Kimi and Romantic Princess, got very high ratings in many Chinese TV stations around the world. I still can’t thank my fans enough because without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

You also model. How do you juggle three careers?
I stopped modelling when I entered showbiz.

Tell us more about Butterfly Lovers and your role in it.
This is my big screen debut. Butterfly Lovers is based on a legendary Chinese love story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai. I play the role of Liang Zhong Shan. The story unfolds with Liang Zhong Shan and Zhu Yen Zhi (played by Charlene Choi from Hong Kong), finding love for each other in a world of martial arts. Liang is ordered by his master to take care of Zhu, a girl from a wealthy family who disguises herself as a man to escape danger. They fall in love but Zhu’s parents force her to marry another rich man. At the end, Liang and Zhu die together and their souls turn into a pair of butterflies, flying together among flowers, never to be apart again.

Your role in Butterfly Lovers is both physically and mentally demanding. How did you prepare for the role?
I did all the stunts myself and was very lucky to be able to work with director Jingle Ma and action director Ching Siu-Tung who are both famous in the movie industry. I did martial arts training for two months prior to shooting the movie. In fact, I felt that this movie has really set a good base for my acting career in the future.

Your transition from a member of a boy band to the big screen will no doubt create a bigger fan base. How do you feel about this new career path and will you maintain both careers?
I don’t really like to predict what will happen next. I prefer taking everything one day at a time and will try my best to learn as much as possible. I believe greater opportunity will come if one doesn’t stop learning.

You also have business interests in Brunei such as a fitness centre and a hotel. What prompted you to go into these businesses?
Fitness Zone is like my baby. I started everything from scratch and leaving my baby was a big sacrifice for me. during my first year in showbiz, I still had a little time to manage my health club through e-mail conversations with my staff but thereafter, my schedule became too hectic. As for my interest in business, I guess most Bruneians are somehow engaged in business. My next move is to set up a business outside Brunei. This is a big challenge for me and I hope I’ll find time to manage it.

You are often called the second biggest export of Brunei after petroleum. How have you been promoting Brunei to people who must certainly mistake for a Taiwanese?
I try my best to inform people I meet about the country I come from. Many mistake me for a Taiwanese, especially when I am one of the tourism ambassadors for Taiwan. I’ve never stopped promoting Brunei ever since I entered showbiz. Hopefully, I will become the tourism ambassador for Brunei too in the future

credits to CEFCaddict