Edison Koon-Hei Chen

Edison Koon-Hei Chen


Edison Koon-Hei Chen (born 7 October 1980) is a Hong Kong-based Chinese Canadian film actor, rapper, Cantopop singer, model, record producer, fashion designer, and a pop icon. Chen is also the founder of CLOT Inc., and the CEO of Clot Media Division Limited. His native language is English, he is able to speak and sing Cantonese and Mandarin and also speaks conversational Japanese,^[1] which allows him to be a part of multiple entertainment industries around the world. On 21 February 2008 he publicly announced that he intended to step away "indefinitely" from the Hong Kong entertainment industry due to the sex photo scandal in 2008.^[2][3] However, he returned to the industry in 2010 and he stated "indefinitely" could mean 5 minutes or 2000 years.^[4]



Early life
^{Chen was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada to parents (father is businessman Edward Chen) of Chinese and 1/8 Portuguese descent.[5] He was a student at R.C. Palmer Secondary School in Richmond, British Columbia and also attended Hong Kong International School. He was in the same tenth grade class as fellow actor Nicholas Tse.}

^{[edit] Career}

^{[edit] Film}

^{In 1999, a talent scout approached Chen while he was clubbing with friends in Hong Kong. He asked him to film a commercial. He was at the age of 19.[6] From then on, his career began with the Japanese film Dead or Alive 2: Birds. He made his Hong Kong film debut in the film Gen-Y Cops in 2000.[7] He starred in many popular films including Infernal Affairs, Infernal Affairs II, Initial D and Dog Bite Dog. His latest film is Trivial Matters. Determined to expand his horizons to countries around the world, he also starred in the Japanese drama Under the Same Moon. On October 28, during a fashion event in Beijing, Edison Chen announced that he will be starring in Initial D 2. The filming of the movie is scheduled to begin in 2011.[8]}

Music

In 2000, at the age of 20, Chen landed a record deal with Emperor Entertainment Group. It took him a number of successful album releases before he was given the opportunity to produce a hip hop album.^[9] His first hip-hop release was in February 2004, called Please Steal This Album backed by MC Yan and Singaporean musician Hanjin Chen. Several singles from the album topped local pop charts. Chen mentioned the difficulty of fitting in Hong Kong, where it is dominated by cantopop, but said that hip hop has a great potential.^[9]
He is featured on M-Flo's album, Cosmicolor, on the track "LOVE ME, HATE THE GAME" with Chan, Thaitanium and Ryohei Yamamoto.
After Chen's comeback in late 2009 he began work on his next album titled "CONFUSION". The record includes collaborations with well known local hip hop artists MC HotDog, MC Yan and Chef. Additional collaborations include Sammi Cheng and Jay Chou.


Fashion
Edison's foray into the fashion industry accompanied his rising success as a young pop icon. Edison, along with partners Kevin Poon and Billy Ip, became the founders of CLOT Inc., a clothing company described as a "lifestyle company" that is geared toward youth culture, and bringing street fashion to China and Hong Kong.^[10] The company has collaborated with many big clothing companies, such as Nike, A Bathing Ape, Subscrew and Disney. He is also part founder of clothing vendor JUICE, currently operating in Hong Kong (original), Shanghai and Kuala Lumpur with future plans to open a further 17 stores.

[edit] Multimedia company

In February, 2007, he invested $10 million HKD to open his own multi-media company, Clot Media Division, which plans to produce movies, commercials and music albums. In June, 2007, he released a Mandarin album, 讓我再次介紹我自己 (Allow Me To Reintroduce Myself) with tracks produced by Kanye West, Just Blaze and Clinton Sparks.

[edit] Community work

As early as 2001 Chen had appeared in Vancouver charity shows. He has also been a supporter for the gay and lesbian community in Hong Kong, including being voted as an icon in 2001.^[7]
In 2007 he was invited by Be@rbrick toys for a charity event in Hong Kong Harbour City. The charity proceeds were donated to "Hong Kong Blood Cancer Foundation".^[11]

[edit] Incidents

[edit] 2004 Chen assault incident

In March, 2004, two male teenagers assaulted Chen in Central District of Hong Kong.^[12] The two teenagers mocked Chen with dance moves outside a record store.^[13] Immediately following the dance taunt, both of the teenagers punched Chen.^[13] Upon doing so the two teenagers fled the scene, and Chen gave chase. Chen eventually caught up to the two individuals as they were trying to board a bus. They were turned over to Hong Kong Police. As a result of the incident, Chen reported that he sprained his ankle and that his cheekbone and ear were also injured. Chen declined to press charges and the two individuals were released.^[13]

“	Their lives would be ruined if I pressed charges. Their mother asked me to forgive them. I went to the hospital and got checked out and since it’s just bruises, I decided to let it go.	”
—Edison Chen[14]

[edit] 2007 Taxi dent incident

Chen drove to his home after midnight 9 March 2007. The gate was blocked by a Toyota Crown Comfort taxi that had just dropped off its passengers. The taxi driver then signalled Chen to move away so he could pull out, clearing the way for Chen to enter. Chen's security guard told the taxi driver to pull over so that Chen could pass. The taxi-driver insulted the security guard. Chen proceeded to have an argument with the taxi driver. Despite the presence of the security guard and other witnesses, he got out of his car and kicked the taxi several times, denting it and breaking all its windows.
He was subsequently charged by the police. On the basis of these charges he was convicted and placed on a one year good behaviour bond. He was also fined; the taxi company was granted HK$4,700 in compensation for the damage inflicted to the car.^[15]

[edit] 2008 Photo scandal

Main article: Edison Chen photo scandal

In January 2008, Chen was involved in a widely publicized sex scandal when sexually explicit nude photographs of himself taken four years earlier became widely circulated on the Internet. Celebrities implicated in the scandal included Gillian Chung, Bobo Chan, Mandy Chen, Candice Chan, Rachel Ng and Cecilia Cheung. Nude photos of Edison's current girlfriend, Vincy Yeung, were also made public and the future of their relationship was the subject of intense media gossip.
Hong Kong police have stated that they confiscated a collection of sex-related photos that involve 6 other identifiable females and other unidentifiable males.
Initially the authenticity of the photos was denied, and digital manipulation was used as the primary explanation for the pictures. However, Hong Kong police and Photoshop experts argued that the photos were in fact real and not digitally altered. This brought about a serious reaction towards all parties involved in the scandal. As a result, Chen indirectly admitted his role and expressed remorse and subsequently announced his indefinite departure from the Hong Kong entertainment industry at a press conference.^[3][16]
Due to the scandal, the Google search engine rankings for 2008 resulted in Chen's Chinese name being the number 1 search term in China, and number 3 in Taiwan.^[17] Chen was runner-up to US president-elect Barack Obama in the Hong Kong Person of 2008 poll by government-run RTHK radio, with just under 30 percent of votes in the Person of the Year.^[18] On June 1, 2009, Chen spoke openly about the sex photo scandal for the first time since the scandal broke in an interview with TalkAsia on CNN.^[19] In the interview he reveals his side of the scandal and how he endured criticisms from the public, the media, and from the individuals affected by the case.

[edit] Personal

In Chen's personal blog, he referred to an anonymous girlfriend as "V". In 2007, he finally announced that he has been dating Vincy Yeung (the niece of EEG founder Albert Yeung) for 3 years. On an entertainment show in Taiwan, Chen disclosed that he planned to marry Vincy and that his previous playboy and womanizing habits have stopped because of his love for his current girlfriend.^[20] He repeated his gratitude to her in an interview with Time Out Hong Kong magazine in March 2011.^[21]

[edit] Discography

Year	Album	Label	Notes
30 November 2000	陳冠希 (Edison Chen)	EEG	Cantonese EP
11 May 2001	Fast and Furious	EEG	Cantonese Album
5 June 2001	Visual Diary (Version 2)	EEG	Cantonese Album
21 August 2001	超人佳亞 (Ultraman Gaia)	EEG	Cantonese EP
2 November 2001	Ed Is On	EEG	Mandarin Album
20 December 2001	Peace and Love	EEG	Cantonese Album
3 July 2002	Break Through	EEG	Cantonese Album
29 August 2002	Transition	EEG	Mandarin Album
13 February 2003	Hits or Misses	EEG	Cantonese Compilation
26 February 2004	Please Steal This Album	EEG	Cantonese Album
4 January 2005	Hazy: The 144 Hour Project	EEG	Cantonese Album
18 April 2005	Hazy: The 144 Hour Project (Version 2)	EEG	Cantonese Album
21 December 2005	The Best Collection	EEG	Cantonese Compilation
12 May 2006	69FM Mixtape	-	Cantonese Mixtape
15 June 2007	讓我再次介紹我自己 (Allow Me To Reintroduce Myself)	Clot Media Division	Mandarin Album
10 August 2007	讓我再次介紹我自己 (Allow Me To Reintroduce Myself) (Version 2)	Clot Media Division	Mandarin Album
28 December 2010	CONFUSION	Clot Media Division	Mandarin/Cantonese Album

[edit] Filmography

[edit] Films

• 2000 - Dead or Alive 2: Birds (Dead or Alive 2: 逃亡者) (Japan)
• 2000 - Gen-Y Cops (特警新人類2)
• 2001 - Final Romance (願望樹)
• 2001 - Cats & Dogs (貓狗鬥一番) (Voice only, Cantonese version)
• 2001 - Dummy Mommy, Without a Baby (玉女添丁)
• 2001 - Dance of a Dream (愛君如夢)
• 2002 - Princess D (想飛)
• 2002 - Nine Girls and a Ghost (九個女仔一隻鬼)
• 2002 - Infernal Affairs (無間道)
• 2003 - The Twins Effect (千機變)
• 2003 - The Medallion (飛龍再生) (Cameo)
• 2003 - Infernal Affairs II (無間道II)
• 2003 - The Spy Dad (絕種鐵金剛)
• 2003 - Infernal Affairs III (無間道III: 終極無間) (Cameo)
• 2004 - Sex and the Beauties (性感都市)
• 2004 - Moving Targets (2004 新紮師兄)
• 2004 - Life, Translated (時差7小時)
• 2004 - Jiang Hu (江湖)
• 2004 - The Twins Effect II (千機變)
• 2004 - A-1 Headline (A-1 頭條)
• 2005 - Initial D (頭文字D)
• 2005 - Under The Same Moon (同じ月を見ている) (Japan)
• 2006 - Dog Bite Dog (狗咬狗)
• 2006 - The Grudge 2 (咒怨2)
• 2007 - Shrek the Third (史力加之咁就三世) (Voice only, Cantonese version)
• 2007 - Trivial Matters (破事兒)
• 2008 - The Dark Knight (Cameo)
• 2009 - The Sniper (神鎗手)
• 2009 - Coweb (戰無雙) (Cameo)
• 2011 - Almost Perfect (2011 film) (Andy Lee)
• 2012 - Initial D 2 (頭文字D2)

[edit] TV series

• 2002 - Feel 100% (百分百感覺)
• 2003 - Hearts Of Fencing (當四葉草碰上劍尖時) Guest
• 2005 - Eight Heroes (八大豪俠)

[edit] Other appearances

• 2001 - Weakest Link (一筆OUT消)
• 2005 - MTV Whatever Things
• 2006 - Gumball 3000: Drivin' Me Crazy

[edit] References

1. ^ Japanese TV show "Koisuru Hanikami" aired on 21 and 28 April 2006, TBS in Japan.
   Edison converses with Anne Suzuki in Japanese without interpreter on this show.
2. ^ Hong Kong's Edison Chen to quit after nude photo scandal, Reuters news, 21 February 2008
3. ^ ^{a b} South China Morning Post video "Sorry Edison bows out". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnsJBlZVs_A. Retrieved 2008-02-25. 
4. ^ 陈冠希:「无限期」或是5分钟
5. ^ Time magazine. "Time.com." A Star is Formed article mention his sister is 1/8 Portuguese. Retrieved on 2008-11-19.
6. ^ Cbc.ca. "Cbc.ca." Vancouver-born actor Edison Chen apologize for taking sex photos. Retrieved on 2008-02-21.
7. ^ ^{a b} South China morning post. "SCMP." Icon Chen. , 12 February 2008, Original date: 2001-02-06. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
8. ^ Initial D 2, starring Jay Chou and Edison Chen, is coming soon
9. ^ ^{a b} South China morning post. "SCMP." A hip crop. , 12 February 2008, Original date: 2004-12-17. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
10. ^ "Edison Chen Interview". BEINGHUNTED Online Magazine. http://www.beinghunted.com/v51/features/2006/12_edison_chen_clot/edison_chen_clot_08.html. Retrieved 2006-07-20. 
11. ^ Chinadaily.com. "Chinadaily.com." Edison Chen promotes toy for charity , 25 May 2007, Original date: 2001-02-06. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
12. ^ Hong Kong pop star hurt in fight
13. ^ ^{a b c} HK pop star Edison Chen punched by youngsters
14. ^ "HK pop star Edison Chen punched by youngsters". http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-03/18/content_315829.htm. Retrieved 2008-02-22. 
15. ^ HKstandard. "HKstandard." Singer bound over for kicking taxi. Retrieved on 2008-02-24.
16. ^ "Hong Kong's Edison Chen quits after sex scandal". Reuters. 21 February 2008. http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSHKG36060820080221. Retrieved 2008-02-21. 
17. ^ Google Zeitgeist. "Google.com." 2008 Year-End Zeitgeist Around the World. Retrieved on 2008-12-13.
18. ^ Sex-scandal 2nd in Hong Kong, News24, 2 January 2009
19. ^ "Talkasia Exclusive interview: Edison Chen breaks his silence". cnn.com. 1 June 2009. http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/06/01/ta.edison/index.html?iref=mpstoryview. Retrieved 1 June 2009. 
20. ^ South China Morning Post video Edison: "Post anything you want"!, 11 February 2008
21. ^ 'Edison Chen', Time Out Hong Kong, 2 March 2011. Retrieved 5 March 2011.

[edit] External links

• Edison Chen's Official Blog
• Edison Chen at the Internet Movie Database

Wikipedia - Edison Chen