​In 2013, Taiwanese actor-host Zhang Shanwei, who's best known for hosting entertainment program ShowBiz, was forced to leave the spotlight after a viral spinal infection left him paralysed. 

At the time of his diagnosis, Shanwei wrote on Facebook that he's still "working hard" on getting better, urging everyone to "wait for [him] to stand up again".
Nine years on, his fans still haven't forgotten about him.

On his 47th birthday on Aug 7, fans flocked to Shanwei's Facebook to say how much they miss him.

Back in 2013, Shanwei was diagnosed with a viral spinal infection that caused him to feel nauseous and giddy and affected his ability to move. He was hospitalised on Nov 16 that year.

Two days after, Shanwei took to Facebook to announce that he was going for surgery. He also said he hoped to "still have the opportunity to bring laughter to [his] viewers in future."

While the surgery was said to be successful, Shanwei was also left bedridden. He eventually had to bow out of showbiz and has been largely uncontactable ever since.

According to his assistant, Ah Wei, who occasionally provides updates about Shanwei, the host is "now wheelchair-bound but is able to move his feet and arms." 

However, Shanwei, whom Ah Wei said has been "pushing on with his willpower", still needs to be assisted when going to the toilet.

Ah Wei also revealed that "his updates about Shanwei are pretty much the same as last year" as he hasn't been in contact with the latter recently.

"After all his family's really low-profile. Every time there's news, the people around him will get questioned again, so I'm not in the position to say much either," explained Ah Wei.

On his 47th birthday earlier this week, fans of Shanwei left comments on his last post to send their blessings. 

​"We really miss you. Those kids [who watched you] are all grown up now," wrote one netizen. 

Taiwanese actor Wu Zheng Di, who played Shanwei's younger self in 2010 Hakka drama Yuan, also commented, "Miss you, hope you've been fine! We're doing great too, don't worry."

Meanwhile, Taiwanese celeb Lun-Yuan Lin (aka Xiang Jiao Gege) wrote: "I was just thinking about you."

Reporters has revealed Taiwan’s top-earning singers for the first half of 2022. With concerts and tours on hold due to the pandemic, the bulk of their income was derived from endorsements. Still, the figures are impressive, especially for Mandopop king Jay Chou, who regained top spot after finishing second the past two years.

Though only half the year has passed, Jay, 42, has already raked in NT$460mil (S$21.4mil) from 11 endorsement deals, equalling his total earnings for 2021.

And this is excluding sales from his new album Greatest Works Of Art, which has sold more than 4.82 milion digital copies since its July 15 release.

According to reports, digital album sales alone are estimated to be around NT$600mil (S$27.9mil). Ka-ching!

No. 2: Jam Hsiao S$7.9mil

Last year’s top earner Jam Hsiao, 35, came in a distant second with NT$170mil (S$7.9mil). In recent years, Jam has been focusing his career in China where he has been growing his F&B businesses. In addition to endorsement deals, his income is also derived from performances as well as appearances on reality shows.

No. 3: Jolin Tsai S$3.8mil

Coming in third is Jolin Tsai, 41. Besides working on her new album, Jolin has bagged eight endorsement deals and is currently the face of products like toothpaste, contact lenses and indoor fragrances. In all, she is estimated to have raked in about NT$80mil (S$3.8mil).

No. 4: Ella Chen S$1.9mil

Ella Chen sure looks like she is on her way to becoming the queen of endorsements. Since becoming a mum, the S.H.E member has become a popular choice of advertisers to endorse a variety of products. Just this year alone, Ella, 41, has landed endorsement deals for milk powder, robot vacuums, and massage chairs, bagging her NT$40 mil (S$1.9mil).

No. 5: Hebe Tien S$4.4mil
​
Rounding up the Top 5 is fellow S.H.E member Hebe Tien, who’s been very busy since winning Best Female Singer (Mandarin) at the Golden Melody Awards last year. Though the 39-year-old had to postpone her Kaohsiung concerts in May due to the pandemic, she still raked in NT$20 mil (S$927K) from four endorsement deals.

​If there's anything we've learnt from all the politically-driven showbiz controversy in the past week, it's that you really don't wanna get on the bad side of Chinese netizens. 

We mean, who would wanna get dropped by their own brand like Aaron Yan, right?

But it looks like that isn't something Hong Kong actor Jerry Lamb, 51, has to worry about.

On Aug 5, the actor, whose popularity in China grew after participating in hit Chinese reality shows Call Me By Fire and Infinity and Beyond, was spotted at Changsha Huanghua International Airport wearing a blue shirt and a red mask.

But that's not any regular red mask, mind you. It's one that says "I love you, China."

Yes, you read that right, Jerry really loves his country.

And it goes without saying, the actor's act of patriotism definitely struck a chord with the Chinese netizens.

​"No wonder his popularity surged, who wouldn't love such a top grade idol?" one netizen said.

As if that wasn't enough, Jerry then took to his Instagram the next day to share pics of him touring Beijing, at the same time showing off his pro-China mask once again. 

​Malaysian singer Fish Leong, 44, recently joined the panel of mentors on the seventh season of Chinese singing competition Sing! China. And it was a, pardon the pun, fish out of water experience for the singer, who was making her first onscreen appearance in years.

Expectations were understandably high for Fish, who is only the third female mentor — Na Ying and Li Yuchun came before her — in the history of the show. 

Since Fish, whose ballads such as Courage (2000) and Unfortunately Not You (2005) earned her the nickname 'Queen of Love Songs', had always given off the impression that she's gentle and meek, many were worried as to how she would adapt to the show.

After all, the mentors are required to be outspoken and “fight” over the contestants.

However, Fish, who split up with her wine merchant husband in 2020, thrived in her new environment, impressing audiences with her candour, and proving herself to be very entertaining and watchable.

She surprised everyone when she showed a sassy, outspoken side to her while fighting for a contestant she wanted on her team. She even went head-to-head with fellow mentor, Li Ronghao, who is known for being convincingly good with his words. We're not telling you who won.

Viewers are also loving how funny and friendly she is, with many saying that they have changed their opinion of her. 

Sadly, there were those who chose to be negative, with some deciding to age and fat shame Fish.

However, Fish’s supportive fans were quick to speak up for their idol, saying: “Wouldn’t you grow old too? She’s already the same age as my mum, and it’s great that she looks like that at 40 plus. She’s a singer, not an actress in an idol drama!”

​Well this is a rare glimpse into the family life of Heavenly King Aaron Kwok, 56. On Aug 6, Aaron took to his Weibo to wish his wife, Chinese model Moka Fang, a happy 35th birthday.

Along with his birthday wishes, Aaron also shared a picture of his family-of-four (the couple has two daughters, Chantelle, five, and Charlotte, two), along with his parents-in-law.

He also reportedly gifted Moka a bouquet of 99 roses, as well as a pair of diamond bracelets, for both of them to wear.

“Happy birthday, [wishing you] good health, for all things to go smoothly, and for everything you wish for to come true,” Aaron wrote.

But of course, it wasn’t Aaron’s birthday wish that grabbed everyone’s attention. Rather, it was the fact that Aaron had posted a picture with his parents-in-law.

Here’s a little factoid to jog everyone’s memory — back when Aaron and Moka tied the knot in 2017, Moka’s father had famously remarked: "Big brother, when I was a child, I grew up listening to your songs. Now I'm giving my daughter to you. I hope you treat her well.”

While the age of Moka’s father is still unknown, new reports are claiming that Aaron and his father-in-law only share a two-year age difference, which means Moka’s dad is either 54… or 58.

“Aaron looks so good for his age,” one netizen gushed, while another dropped a little bit of shade, remarking that it “doesn't look like Aaron and his father-in-law are from the same generation”.

​After almost three months, the third season of Chinese reality talent show Sisters Who Make Waves culminated last Friday (Aug 5) with Taiwanese singer Cyndi Wang, 39, crowned the winner.

Together with runner-up Jessica Jung, Kelly Yu, Tan Weiwei, Twins members Gillian Chung and Charlene Choi, Fiona Sit, Amber Kuo, Tang Shiyi and Zhang Tian Ai, they will go on to form a 10-member girl group.

Story Of Yanxi Palace star Wu Jinyan was the only member of Cyndi’s team who failed to make the cut.

The win was especially emotional for Cyndi, who saw her popularity surge after performing her iconic 2005 song 'Ai Ni' on the first episode.

After the finale, Cyndi took to Weibo to share her experience on the competition and how it had challenged her to step out of her comfort zone and try new things.

"I thought I wouldn’t be able to ride the wave, I thought it would be a long time before I could meet everyone, I thought I would never try rapping, I thought I would not enjoy sharing the stage with others, I thought I couldn't stand reality shows, I thought I wouldn't want to be the captain, I thought I wouldn't reach the final," she wrote.

"Perhaps, it takes a lot of courage, persistence, and love... Because during this time, I have gained more love and friendships than I imagined, making the impossible possible. After Sisters Who Make Waves, there will still be many new stories ahead. Let's continue to love and support each other for a long time.”

​Cyndi also shared in an interview that she didn’t expect to win and just “tried [her] best and worked hard to do everything well”. 

She added that she’s gotten really close to her fellow Sisters contestants and can’t bear to part with them.

"I am quite conservative, [but since joining the competition] I have become like a kid and can share the bathroom with my sisters,” she said.

​Hongkong singer Hacken Lee has seen his fortunes rise since making the Chinese marker his focus. 

The 54-year-old, who recently competed in MangoTV’s Infinity And Beyond, has been raking in the big bucks just from his appearances on variety shows.

And his bank account is set to grow even more when he reprises his role as a mentor on the new season of Sing! China.

According to Hongkong media, Hacken can command a “six-digit sum” just to perform three songs at a gig.

In fact, his performance fee on Infinity And Beyond was reportedly the highest among his peers, and that includes some big names like Miriam Yeung, George Lam and Sally Yeh.

With his recent success, it’s no surprise that Hacken and his wife Emily Lo, 47, who was crowned Miss Hong Kong in 1992, have been parking a large chunk of his earnings in real estate.

According to reports, the couple own four properties in Hongkong worth a total of HK$230 million (S$41mil). This includes a duplex apartment at Deep Water Bay on Hongkong island and a seaview mansion in Clear Water Bay, each worth HK$80mil (S$15mil).

​Last year, Emily added a fifth property, a HK$25.8mil (S$4.6mil) luxury apartment in Aberdeen, to her portfolio.

However, if you ask Hacken, he probably wouldn’t be able to tell you much about it, including whether he paid for it.

Hacken leaves most of the financial decisions to the missus and only learned about the condo, which will be built above Wong Chuk Hang subway station, when he read about it in the news.

“She mentioned it briefly when I was filming Stars Academy 2 but I didn't think much about it. It wasn’t until I saw the report that I asked her about it. She said to me, 'What do you know' and [called him] meddlesome,” Hacken told the media.

When asked if it’s for their personal use or investment, Hacken said he’d have to check with Emily.

Another day, another star affected by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s official visit to Taiwan (Aug 2).

First there was a list on Weibo calling out celebs not from China, including JJ Lin and Stefanie Sun, for not sharing the One China post on their personal Weibo accounts. 

Next, Taiwanese singer Hebe Tien was slammed for posting pics of herself eating pasta ('cos pasta is Italian and so is Nancy Pelosi).

Then, ex-Fahrenheit member Aaron Yan was dropped by his own fashion brand after asking fans if they prefer Taiwanese or American breakfast on Facebook.

And now, 41-year-old Taiwanese singer Jolin Tsai has joined the list.

In a Weibo post by China Central Television on Aug 4 to promote their music radio show, Shi Jian De Ge, the broadcaster referred to Jolin's classic hit 'Womxnly' as a "solace for the youth". 

However, fans soon noticed that the post was removed. Many then speculated that it was because Jolin has yet to share the "One China" post on her personal Weibo account. 

​And that's not all.

Some netizens later realised that Jolin's Weibo follower count fell by 300K — from 43 million to 42.73 million — as of Aug 8.

The singer's personal page was also bombarded with hateful comments from netizens, criticising her for "supporting Taiwan's independence" and for "being a two-faced artiste".

Shag.

​Hongkong singer Sandy Lam’s been keeping a relatively low profile since breaking up with her drummer boyfriend in 2020.

Unlike her peers, the 56-year-old, who was never really a huge social media person, hasn’t participated in shows recently either.

Therefore, fans of the Cantopop diva were beyond overjoyed when she popped up in a video compilation wishing veteran Hongkong star Wu Fung, 90, a happy birthday.

According to reports, back when Wu Fung celebrated his 90th birthday in January this year, it was already known that Sandy, who is his goddaughter, had shot a video congratulating him.

However, the clip was not shared with the public… until recently.

The video was shown on Ren Sheng 90 Hao Fung Show, a tribute commissioned by TVB for the veteran star. 

In it, a bare-faced Sandy, who was wearing a pair of black-framed glasses, relayed her birthday wishes to the camera, addressing Wu Fung as her godfather.

Her appearance thrilled netizens. 

​“This is the first time we’ve seen Sandy in 936 days,” one fan wrote, while another added: “Her voice sounds as gentle as ever."

Then there was the one netizen, who echoed the thoughts of everyone, urging Sandy to make her showbiz comeback soon.

​HK actress Leila Tong (唐寧), 40, made her showbiz debut in action comedy film Once A Thief (1991), which starred Chow Yun Fat and Leslie Cheung, when she was only eight.

She went on to join TVB as a child star and continued acting into adulthood, where she appeared in numerous dramas including Aqua Heroes (2003), Life Made Simple (2005), and Ten Brothers (2007).

Of late, Lelia often takes to social media to connect with her fans, posting snaps of her latte art, home bakes and even a couple of throwback pics, coupled with lengthy captions, reflecting on her growth.  

On July 30th, in a post titled “An experience from filming a drama”, the actress revealed that she once almost drowned while filming a scene during the winter.

According to Leila, she was filming a period drama and had a scene where her character attempted suicide by throwing herself into the sea.

She was required to jump of a jetty, and let herself sink into the sea to a certain depth so the camera could capture her disappearing.

Leila was also dressed in many layers of period clothing and described the experience as her “jumping into the sea while holding onto a cotton blanket”.

She quickly realised she did not have the energy to swim to the surface after attempting the stunt. Luckily, a production assistant noticed her struggling and saved her.

As she recalled the incident, Leila said she “did not dare imagine” what would’ve happened if the assistant didn't see her.

She added that when one was so consumed by performing their best in that environment, they wouldn’t consider the dangers they were really facing.

​It made her question if it was really necessary for actors to risk their lives and go to such extents during shoots.

“I guess it’s normal for performers to be like this, to forget about themselves and give their all when performing,” she continued, at the same time extending her respect to those who also gave their all in productions.

Although Leila did not specify which drama she was shooting then, many believe that the screenshot she shared to accompany her post was taken from the 2004 TVB wuxia drama Twin of Brothers.