Some couples are content with merely posing cheesily in fields of flowers for their engagement photos, but actor Jason Lee (李傑聖) and his journalist fiance Zhang Xu-lan (張旭嵐) decided to base their shoot on classic films — including Ang Lee’s (李安) Lust, Caution (色,戒), which apparently counts as an instant classic in the couple’s eyes.
The bride and groom stripped to the buff for the photo, which features the artfully lit pair lying in an acrobatic embrace inspired by one of Tony Leung (梁朝偉) and Tang Wei’s (湯唯) infamous bouts of mattress wrestling in the film.
Despite the fact that her legs are stretched clear above her fiance’s head, the bashful Zhang had one request for the photographer: “Don’t make my face too clear!”
Scandalous photos also featured in the gossip pages when college student Miffty Zhang (張茆) threatened to publish private pictures taken during her recent dalliance with television host and writer Joe Nieh (倪震), which nearly destroyed his 19-year-long relationship with Canto-pop singer and actress Vivian Chow (周慧敏), reports the Liberty Times (自由時報), the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper.
Despite his infidelity, Nieh and Chow announced their engagement on Dec. 18, which reportedly nearly sent the jealous Zhang over the edge. But we’ll never find out if the photos resemble anything out of Lust, Caution (or if they even exist) because Zhang quickly pulled an about face and posted on her blog that she wishes the two lovebirds well, thinks of Nieh as a brother and will “hold on to their secrets forever.” Awww.
Also brokenhearted over the impending nuptials is Chow’s 85-year-old mother, who was snapped by Hong Kong gossip magazine Oriental Sunday (東方新地) on her balcony, red-faced and talking on the phone. The devout Buddhist has reportedly been praying that Nieh will stop toying around with her daughter’s heart even as Chow skips off to fittings with famous wedding gown designer Dorian Ho (何國鉦).
Media reports say the marriage will take place on Jan. 5, but Chow’s agent has pooh-poohed the rumors, stating there is no way the duo can plan a wedding that quickly. But the United Daily News (聯合報) says the reception, which will take place at a secret location on Yangmingshan, will be a small one, with just 10 of the couple’s closest relatives and friends in attendance. Famous Hong Kong fortune-teller Mak Ling-ling (麥玲玲) told the newspaper that Jan. 5 is an auspicious date, bringing with it the ability to start anew.
Then came a new twist that has everyone scratching their heads. Hong Kong’s East Weekly reported on Tuesday that Nieh and Chow had already gotten married in San Francisco — 10 years ago. Among the more credible of the conspiracy theories making the rounds, as summarized by the Apple Daily, is that Nieh orchestrated the series of events as part of a publicity stunt to revive his flagging career and garner media attention for Chow’s upcoming 20th-anniversary concert. Song Zude (宋祖德), a private investigator in China, wrote on his blog that Nieh is in debt to the tune of HK$5 million and has also spent most of Chow’s savings.
In yet more on-off couple news, actress Ding Ning (丁寧) and ex-beau Tang Zhi-ping (唐治平) may be reuniting half a year after they broke up, reported the Liberty Times. The two were spotted in an East District cafe, reminiscing about old times and playing with Ding’s dog.
The romantic mood was tempered somewhat by the presence of Tang’s mother, who sat near the couple and occasionally reached over to sneak sips from their cups of tea. When Ding and Tang were asked by a reporter if they were reconciling, they quickly answered in unison, “The dog is sick, that’s why we met up today.”
One couple that seems intent on blowing up all bridges is actress Jean Wang (王靜瑩) and soon-to-be ex-husband Chen Wei-tao (陳威陶), whose divorce proceedings have been long and acrimonious. The Liberty Times reported that after yet another failed settlement negotiation, Wang posted on her blog that while divorce is painful, she did not want her toddler son to grow up in an abusive household.
Chen immediately lashed out, calling for Wang to produce proof of abuse and threatening to sue her if she couldn’t come up with the evidence. After Chen’s retort, Wang’s entry disappeared for a few hours before reappearing.
The two have been battling for custody of their three-year-old son. Chen’s family has accused Wang of causing him emotional distress by refusing to let him see the tot, while Wang’s side accuses Chen of having an explosive temper.
Even by the standards of Ukraine’s International Legion, which comprises volunteers from over 55 countries, Han has an unusual backstory. Born in Taichung, he grew up in Costa Rica — then one of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies — where a relative worked for the embassy. After attending an American international high school in San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital, Han — who prefers to use only his given name for OPSEC (operations security) reasons — moved to the US in his teens. He attended Penn State University before returning to Taiwan to work in the semiconductor industry in Kaohsiung, where he
On May 2, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), at a meeting in support of Taipei city councilors at party headquarters, compared President William Lai (賴清德) to Hitler. Chu claimed that unlike any other democracy worldwide in history, no other leader was rooting out opposing parties like Lai and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). That his statements are wildly inaccurate was not the point. It was a rallying cry, not a history lesson. This was intentional to provoke the international diplomatic community into a response, which was promptly provided. Both the German and Israeli offices issued statements on Facebook
May 18 to May 24 Pastor Yang Hsu’s (楊煦) congregation was shocked upon seeing the land he chose to build his orphanage. It was surrounded by mountains on three sides, and the only way to access it was to cross a river by foot. The soil was poor due to runoff, and large rocks strewn across the plot prevented much from growing. In addition, there was no running water or electricity. But it was all Yang could afford. He and his Indigenous Atayal wife Lin Feng-ying (林鳳英) had already been caring for 24 orphans in their home, and they were in
Australia’s ABC last week published a piece on the recall campaign. The article emphasized the divisions in Taiwanese society and blamed the recall for worsening them. It quotes a supporter of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) as saying “I’m 43 years old, born and raised here, and I’ve never seen the country this divided in my entire life.” Apparently, as an adult, she slept through the post-election violence in 2000 and 2004 by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT), the veiled coup threats by the military when Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) became president, the 2006 Red Shirt protests against him ginned up by
RSS