As 2011 draws to a close, celebrities have made this the year of the showbiz wedding.
Over the past 10 months, a slew of A-listers, including self-styled actress Barbie Hsu (徐熙媛, aka Big S), TV sweetheart Patty Hou (侯佩岑), star couple Christine Fan (范瑋琪) and Charles Chen (陳建州, better known as Blackie), singer Stephanie Sun (孫燕姿) and belle Kelly Lin (林熙蕾) have tied the knot.
The nuptials that received top media billing were those of pop singer Selina Jen (任家萱), who wed 39-year-old lawyer Richard Chang (張承中).
Photo: Taipei Times
Following a year of medical treatment for serious burns she sustained while filming a TV show in China in October last year, Jen, a member of girl band S.H.E, was married on her 30th birthday, on Monday.
The event, full of warm, touching moments as the teary-eyed bride received blessings from friends and relatives, attracted more than 200 members of the media.
Because of her injuries, Jen sat through most of the three-hour-long wedding reception. The Apple Daily reported that the star underwent eight hours of rehabilitation each day since suffering multiple third-degree burns and cannot stand for longer than five minutes without taking a break.
Photo: Taipei Times
Not ones to let romance go to their heads, gossip hounds spent the evening sniffing out awkward moments between celebrity guests who are erstwhile lovers or old rivals.
Attention focused on pop diva Chang Hui-mei’s (張惠妹, better known as A-mei, 阿妹) old flame Wang Lee-hom (王力宏) and rumored new love Harlem Yu (庾澄慶). Much to the dismay of members of paparazzi, Wang and Chang were seen conversing over drinks amicably.
“We are good friends,” Wang told reporters.
Things were less peaceful between Jolin Tsai (蔡依林) and Patty Hou, who reportedly stole Jay Chou (周杰倫) from Tsai in 2004. In response to years-old rumors of a feud between her and Tsai, the married Hou claimed she often bumped into Tsai at the airport, and they always greet each other.
“Did I do that?” Tsai replied when asked to comment on Hou’s remark.
Meanwhile, in Hong Kong, international star Coco Lee (李玟) became the subject of admiration and envy when she wed 52-year-old Canadian businessman Bruce Rockowitz in a lavish ceremony on Thursday last week.
In terms of sumptuousness, Lee and Rockowitz’s nuptials lead the field, with two days of celebrations that reportedly cost NT$600 million. The wedding was rated by the press as the most expensive to be held in Hong Kong.
Readers might wonder how hundreds of millions of NT dollars could be spent in just two days, but with more than 300 guests flying in from the four corners of the world to attend the ceremony and stay at the Ritz-Carlton hotel, all courtesy of the newly weds, it’s not such a surprise.
Entertainment was provided by Grammy-winning musicians Bruno Mars, Alicia Keys and Ne-Yo, while the Shaw Brothers Film Studio, which, according to the Liberty Times (the Taipei Times’ sister paper), is normally not allowed to be rented out for private use, was turned into a playground for the rich and powerful.
Guests who graced the event included fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger and Christopher Patten, the last governor of Hong Kong.
Jennifer Lopez, Oprah Winfrey and Beyonce, however, didn’t show up as previously promised.
Just after 6am, I walked up to the ticket gate at Taipei Main Station and entered the Taiwan Railway platform without scanning any ticket; instead, I flashed the Sanrio Fun Rail pass on my phone to the gate worker and was admitted. I found my train and prepared to board. My destination? This very same station. I was embarking on a 13-hour journey on one of two round-the-island trains operated by ezTravel. They run each day, one counterclockwise around the island and one clockwise. They differ in a number of ways from an ordinary Taiwan Railway train and can make for
Jason Han says that the e-arrival card spat between South Korea and Taiwan shows that Seoul is signaling adherence to its “one-China” policy, while Taiwan’s response reflects a reciprocal approach. “Attempts to alter the diplomatic status quo often lead to tit-for-tat responses,” the analyst on international affairs tells the Taipei Times, adding that Taiwan may become more cautious in its dealings with South Korea going forward. Taipei has called on Seoul to correct its electronic entry system, which currently lists Taiwan as “China (Taiwan),” warning that reciprocal measures may follow if the wording is not changed before March 31. As of yesterday,
The Portuguese never established a presence on Taiwan, but they must have traded with the indigenous people because later traders reported that the locals referred to parts of deer using Portuguese words. What goods might the Portuguese have offered their indigenous trade partners? Among them must have been slaves, for the Portuguese dealt slaves across Asia. Though we often speak of “Portuguese” ships, imagining them as picturesque vessels manned by pointy-bearded Iberians, in Asia Portuguese shipping between local destinations was crewed by Asian seamen, with a handful of white or Eurasian officers. “Even the great carracks of 1,000-2,000 tons which plied
On Thursday, former Taipei mayor and founder of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) was sentenced to 17 years in prison and had his civil rights suspended for six years over corruption, embezzlement and other charges. Seven others related to the case were also handed prison sentences, while two were found not guilty. It has been a bad week for the TPP. On Tuesday, prosecutors charged Chinese immigrant Xu Chunying (徐春鶯) with suspicion of taking part in Beijing-directed election interference. Xu has strong links to the TPP, which once offered her a party list legislator nomination. Tuesday also
RSS