The Transformation Journey of Hong Kong Artist Joey Yung【Drifting Legend】

In mid-March this year, Hong Kong actress Stephy Tang held her first concert at the Hong Kong Coliseum in 23 years, sparking a frenzy online. The most exciting moment of the night was when the seven members of the girl group Cookies performed together, singing “Heartbeat,” instantly evoking memories for countless Hong Kong people.

How has Stephy evolved from an idol once ridiculed for singing off-key to become a leading actress and singer in film and music today?

“Before I entered the industry, I never… I never… from childhood to adulthood, I never thought I would develop in this field because I was very shy as a child. I was so shy that even if you were in front of me, you couldn’t hear me speaking,” Stephy Tang said in an interview. Why did someone so shy enter the entertainment industry?

Flashback to the year 2000 when the internet world was not as advanced, and cell phones were not yet widely used for internet access. 16-year-old Stephy Tang was studying at the Buddhist Shum Shui Po Lin Secondary School in Tuen Mun, just after completing the high school entrance exam.

One day, a friend of hers had the idea to send her photo to “Yes!” magazine and sign her up for the fourth school beauty contest. Stephy originally did it just for fun, never expecting to win the championship, which led to a modeling agency signing her and formally entering the entertainment industry.

Looking back at the “Yes!” magazine from that year, you would find Stephy Tang alongside Charlene Choi and Gillian Chung on the same page, with all of them being 17 to 18 years old, their youthful and innocent look nostalgic.

In 2002, influenced by the trend of the Japanese girl group “Morning Musume,” EMI’s Hong Kong CEO, Chan Chi Kwong, decided to form a multi-member girl group. After selection, nine girls aged between 16 and 21 were chosen to form Cookies. In June of the same year, Cookies released their debut single “Heartbeat” and officially debuted.

This lively song quickly swept across Hong Kong, and Cookies were invited to perform on the daytime show “Leisurely City.” Their first EP “Happy Birthday” reached gold record sales (25,000 copies) within ten days of its release, temporarily selling out. By the end of the year, Cookies received multiple newcomer awards at various music industry award ceremonies, achieving great success.

However, despite her apparent success, Stephy Tang faced internal discord during her first TVB drama series “Love As A Freedom,” as she received more screen time, causing dissatisfaction among some colleagues and increasing the pressure on her.

In a surprising turn of events in 2003, when Cookies was at the peak of its career, the management company EMI decided to abandon the group due to internal changes. The last appearance of Cookies as a nine-member group was on the TVB show “Jade Solid Gold,” performing the song “The Last Piece.” As they sang, tears fell, creating a classic scene in the hearts of countless fans.

Ultimately, another entertainment company, “Golden Entertainment,” led by Wong Pak Ko, decided to take over. Stephy Tang, Fung Wing, Ella Koon, and Janet Chou remained, forming Mini Cookies. After Mini Cookies was established, they quickly released the single “Cute Greedy You,” attempting to continue the group’s influence. However, Stephy Tang’s personal development began to take up a larger proportion.

In 2003, she made her film acting debut alongside Ronald Cheng in “Dragon Loaded”; the duets “Heart Of Love” and “Good Love” with Alex Fong also became a popular couple at the time.

However, her music career took a hit in 2007. During a live performance of “Lightbulb” at the TVB “Jade Solid Gold Excellent Selection” ceremony, Stephy Tang unintentionally sang off-key, becoming a hot topic online and even earning the nickname ‘Stephy Off-Key.’ Additionally, her romance novel “Walk With Me” was found to have numerous typos, with 109 errors on 33 pages, sparking widespread discussion and leading to her being dubbed the ‘Typo Literary Genius,’ causing further controversy. These negative news stories tarnished her image significantly.

Facing immense pressure, Stephy Tang chose to gradually step back from the Hong Kong music scene starting in 2011 and transitioned to the mainland Chinese film and television industry. She appeared in works such as “Wind and Rain in Peach Blossom Town” and “The Great Magic,” releasing her first Mandarin album “Better Than Me” in 2012.

However, her mainland China career did not proceed as smoothly as expected, prompting her to return to Hong Kong and focus on film acting. In 2017, she won the Best Actress award from the Hong Kong Film Critics Society for “Karate.” The same year, she appeared in the ViuTV series “Men’s Team Women’s Team,” winning the Audience’s Choice Award for Best Actress in the “Audience’s Choice in Folk TV Awards.”

In 2022, her performance in “Disharmony” became the third highest-grossing Cantonese film in Hong Kong cinema history, proving her acting skills were recognized. Stephy Tang finally set foot on the Hong Kong Coliseum stage in March of this year, after a 23-year career, hosting her concert “STEP by STEPHY.” The concert title “STEP by STEPHY” is well-chosen with the word “Step” meaning “step” in Chinese. She demonstrated how, with over twenty years of hard work, step by step progress led her to become an idol worthy of the audience and the stage.

This concert not only marked her musical career but also successfully erased the stigma of being ‘Stephy Off-Key.’ Audience members praised her improved vocal abilities, proving that after years of effort, she finally gained recognition.

Looking back on her artistic journey, from an idolized teenager to a highly acclaimed actress in film and television, Stephy Tang has carved out her own path with sweat and perseverance. Her story underscores a valuable lesson: with relentless effort, one will eventually receive their well-deserved applause.

The term “Hong Konger” embodies a spirit that continues to shine wherever in the world, shedding light on unique individuals who add color to Hong Kong’s culture and ethos. Explore the new program “Legendary Drifters,” delving into tales of extraordinary people, big and small, who are sharing their legendary life stories.

For the full content of the latest episode of “Legendary Drifters,” please watch online.

—Production Team of “Legendary Drifters”