(8/21/2003) Michelle Yeoh (Yeung Chi King)'s early wrapped production MASKED CRUSADER (FEI YING NUI HUP) was rumored that due to SARS delay the production cost has gone over the budget and almost could not finish and owe employee salaries due to poor finances. Reportedly, Filmko's new film STAR RUNNER (SIU NIN AH FU) also suffered similar impact and is in danger of going over budget. The Vanness Wu (Ng Kin Ho) and Kim Hyun-ju (Gum Yin Ju) starred STAR RUNNER originally was scheduled for a May production start. Due to SARS, the start date was delayed for a month, which cost tremendous budget losses. This film's finale has a major era change scene that needs to shoot in Chang Chun, seveal hundred extras, and a 40's steam train engine. Reportedly due to finance issues, Filmko has considered to change the ending and skip the trip to Chang Chun. When asked to confirm, Filmko boss Alex Wong Hoi Fung denied that the plan has changed. He revealed that STAR team has already departed and yesterday lay down special railroad tracks outside the city and towed the old train engine to the location for the film. The shoot completed successful. However he sympathized with Yeung Chi King and Chung Joi Si's situation. He said that he too has run into financial issue. The film's funding is from Filmko, Yindu, a Korean and an European company. The film was near completion yet the funding from Korea and Europe has not arrived. The film had to rely on Filmko and Yindu for financial support.
(7/11/2003) Ng Kin Ho said, "Working on STAR RUNNER has been a lot of fun. I am not afraid of getting hurt. Kim Hyun-joo is studying Mandarin so we communicate mainly in Mandarin. I will stay in Hong Kong for a month for this movie. Earlier (Jerry Yen) Yin Sing Yuk visited the set too, I was training at the time. (Have you heard the rumors about Yin Sing Yuk and Ken Chu Hau Tin at odds during recording?) They are all rumors. Official recording hasn't started. F4 is always rumored to be breaking up, the more it's rumored the more boring it gets. The four of us can create powerful results. Separately we can still achieve results. If we are at odds, Yin Sing Yuk wouldn't have visited me on the set!" Kim Hyun-joo expressed, "The earlier scene at the train station isn't a break up scene. The shoot has been very smooth and I really appreciate the Hong Kong crew. Ng Kin Ho is very serious about his work and very talent." Director Lee Yan Kong said, "Right now we are scheduling Won Bin for his cameo. Originally it was scheduled, but he has accepted new jobs and now there is a conflict! We still have a lot of choices. Song Seung-hun (Sung Sing Hin) and Jang Dong-gun (Cheung Tung Kin) are being considered. We won't get to this part until around August."
(7/7/2003) STAR RUNNER (SIU NIN AH FU) earlier built a ring for the production. The leads Vanness Wu (Ng Kin Ho), Kim Hyun-joo and Shaun Tam Chun Yin fought day and night amidst extreme heat and lost 5 to 10 pounds over three days.(6/13/2003) The Daniel Lee Yan Kong directed film STAR RUNNER (SIU NIN AH FU) yesterday held a press conference. Besides Vanness Ng (Ng Kin Ho) and Kim Hyun-joo (Gum Yin Ju) who came to Hong Kong to attend, other artists included Andy On Chi Kit, Roy Chow Wing Hung, Chin Kar Lok and Shaun Tam Chun Yin. The four men even demonstrated freestyle fighting. At the press conference, Ng Kin Ho and Kim Hyun-joo received HK$9,680 watches from advertisers, each with their birth date etched on them. The Hong Kong Travel Development Council has given each a crystal sailboat for smooth sailing.
Kim Hyun-joo for her first Hong Kong film honestly said that she is not concerned about SARS. She has seen A BETTER TOMORROW (YING HUNG BOON SIK) and A MOMENT OF ROMANCE (TIN CHEUNG DAI GAU) and hoped that this film can become a classic as well. When asked if she and Ng Kin Ho will have any love scene, Kim Hyun-joo said that in one scene Ng Kin Ho has to steal a kiss from her; she felt that Ng Kin Ho is more handsome in person. Is she afraid of rumors during production? Kim Hyun-joo said, "I like the Ng Kin Ho in the movie, but in real life I am afraid that his fan will be jealous." Ng Kin Ho yesterday seemed a little unfamiliar with Kim Hyun-joo. Later he explained that he only met her half an hour before the event. He has seen her television series GLASS SHOES (BOR LEI HAI) and felt that her performance is naturally, she is pretty and has a quality about her. He too has seen many Hong Kong films before, like GOD OF GAMBLERS (DOH SUN) and A FIGHTER'S BLUE (AH FU). This time he plays an university student who likes Thai kickboxing, thus he has begun training in the sport; this tough guy actually has a soft side too. Every time he works aboard he brings his family photo with him. Is he worried that he will be injured in the action scenes? Ng Kin Ho was not too concerned and believed that the film company has already bought insurance. He has seen Andy Lau Tak Wa's A FIGHTER'S BLUE and said that if Wa Jai praised this film after seeing it then that would truly be great. STAR RUNNER costs HK$30 million and will shoot in China, Hong Kong and Korea. Besides Kim Hyun-joo, Korean actor Won Bin (Yuen Bun) has agreed to play Kim Hyun-joo's former boyfriend. Boss Alex Wong Hoi Fung expressed that Korean actors now are more expensive than Japanese actors because the Korean film market is larger.
Chin Kar Lok besides acting in STAR RUNNER is also responsible for instructing On Chi Kit, Ng Kin Ho, Tam Chun Yin and Chow Wing Hung in fighting. Because Ng Kin Ho just arrived in Hong Kong, he is behind others in class. The other three have already trained for two months and have improved rapidly. Tam Chun Yin after training has gone from 170 to 160 pounds. Kar Lok said that On Chi Kit had an easier time due to his martial art background. Luckily Ng Kin Ho has a dance background, which he believed will help. He will try to turn the fighting into choreography for Ng. Kar Lok expressed that he himself has not fought in three or four years either. When he picked it up again, the sport was so tough that he wanted to vomit.
(5/18/2003) Recently Chin Kar Lok has been the action director for the film STAR RUNNER (SIU NIN AH FU) and responsible for training a group of young actors including Vanness Wu (Ng Kin Ho), Shaun Tam Chun Yin and Andy On Chi Kit. Originally Edison Chan Koon Hei was a part of the film. Kar Lok has spent a week to train Edison, but because the film was further delayed to a production start in June, Edison could only resign from STAR to be in INFERNAL AFFAIRS II. Kar Lok expressed that because of his dance background, Ng Kin Ho is rather agile.
(5/15/2003) Filmko has landed Korean television series GLASS SHOE star Kim Hyun-joo for its action romance STAR RUNNER (formerly titled SIU NIN AH FU). Kim Hyun-joo originally planned to come to Hong Kong to begin work yesterday, but because Hong Kong is still under the SARS effect, the production crew has postponed to the end of May and the beginning of June for a September 11 Mid Autumn Festival release. Although Kim Hyun-joo has delayed her trip to Hong Kong, but she was not concerned. "I myself am not worried, but because of my family's objection, for their peace of mind I am forced to postpone." In the new film Kim Hyun-joo plays a teacher. Other co-stars include F4's Vanness Wu (Ng Kin Ho) and Chin Kar Lok.
(12/21/2002) Edison Chan Koon Hei expressed that he would concentrate on film in the first half of next year and he has three confirmed deals; one of which is the prequel to A FIGHTER'S BLUE (SIU NIN AH FU) and again plays Lau Tak Wa in his youth.
(9/5/2002) Edison and Yu Man lok would play young Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Andy Lau Tak Wa in MO GAN DOH. Meanwhile, Edison would star in SIU NIN AH FU with a Korean star.
(8/24/2002) Edison Chan Koon Hei two nights ago rapped for South Korean group SES. Later he would perform in MO GAN DOH as either young Tony Leung Chiu Wai or Andy Lau Tak Wa. Then he would star in SIU NIN DIK AH FU and play a boxer.
Articles are courtesy of Sing Tao Daily, Next Media, Apple Daily, Ming Pao Daily, Oriental Daily, the Sun and Ta Kung Pao. All Rights Reserved.
Reproduced with the kind permission of HK Film Top Ten
