Actor Yen Cheng-kuo (顏正國), who rose to fame as a child star in the 1980s film series The Kung-Fu Kids (好小子), has died at the age of 50.
Yen passed away at 4:57pm yesterday, according to funeral business owner Juan Chiao-pen (阮橋本), who confirmed the actor’s death in a Facebook post.
He did not specify cause of death.
Photo: Sung Chih-hsiung, Taipei Times
According to the China Times, Yen had been battling stage 4 lung adenocarcinoma and died at Far Eastern Memorial Hospital in New Taipei City after being removed from life support.
Yen’s family and friends were devastated by his passing and asked the public to respect their privacy as they mourn, Juan said.
“Yen’s love and spirit will live on,” Juan wrote. “We ask everyone who misses him to offer their blessings in silence and let love accompany him on his final journey.”
Yen began his career as a child actor, appearing in acclaimed films by director Hou Hsiao-hsien (侯孝賢) such as Cheerful Wind (風兒踢踏踩) and The Boys from Fengkuei (風櫃來的人).
He became best known for his role in the popular The Kung-Fu Kids action series.
In 2002, Yen was sentenced to a 15-year jail term for his involvement in a kidnapping case.
After being released from prison on parole in 2012, he rebuilt his life through calligraphy teaching and charity work.
He later published an autobiography titled Letting Go of My Fists, Painting a New Life: The Awakening of Yen Cheng-kuo (放下拳頭，揮毫人生新顏色：好小子顏正國的青春與覺醒), and directed the 2018 gangster film Gatao 2: Rise of the King (角頭2:王者再起).
In a previous media interview about his self-written and directed film Untouchable, Yen said that while the movie was not entirely based on his own story, he hoped it would inspire young people to stay on the right path.
“I am not glorifying or boasting about my past,” he said. “I just want to remind others — and myself — never to go down that wrong road again.”
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