The following is a link to the TVB movie clip of  Derek's wedding party on the Valentine's Day, and a selection of articles from news sources in Hong Kong.  Many thanks to AIWAH_BORG who translated the Chinese articles into English and generously released the right of publishing them.

(2-28-2003)

TVB K-100

Movie clip of Derek's wedding party.
Click on the picture to play the movie clip.

Apple Daily

Translated by AIWAH_BORG (EM) 

 "Hollow-armed Monkey" takes action on Valentine's Day

Kwok Jing Hung marries Miss Canton - great!

 Don't know if you still remember in "Journey to the West 2" where the Hollow-armed Monkey (Tung Bei Yuen Hou) was played by Kwok Jing Hung? This copycat Great Sage will be marrying his long term girlfriend Lee Yan Wing on Valentines day and become the first happy occasion of the Year of the Ram!

 Tai Yu goes to the celebration

 Yesterday, Jing Hung went to his good friend Ma Bo Duen's Louvre Wedding Palace to have his wedding photos taken, his wife to be is quite pretty and it turns out that she was once a winner of Miss Canton! He really has brought a beauty home with him! 

Fung Yan Chiu (reporter) praises Jing Hung for the idea of having his banquet on Valentines Day, he says that this was actually the idea of his good friends (Bobby) Au Yeung Chun Wah and (Michael) Tao Dai Yu, Jing Hung says: "They are both already married, so Valentines Day to them was a problem as to where to take their wives, so when they found out I was planning to get married, then they told me to choose Valentines day, so they have somewhere to go and don't have to think!" For Chun Wah and Dai Yu to be able to celebrate Valentines with their wives and also celebrate their friends wedding, this really is completing two tasks with one move!   

TVB Weekly

Translated by AIWAH_BORG (EM)

(Issue 298)

Marrying a lady from the North!

 Traditional views suggest that for a man to seek a wife from the mainland, he must be without much to offer, but times have changed and with the relationship between Hong Kong and China growing ever closer, "seeking a wife from the mainland" has become commonplace and many rather eligible bachelors are specifically choosing their partners from China.

 Just like Derek Kok, his wife is from the mainland. Why does he refer to her as his "wife" before they have got married? It is because they have already had the marriage ceremony last year, and they are simply putting on their wedding banquet to share their happiness with their friends and family.

 To meet and fall in love is arranged by fate, Derek and his wife's fate started in Hong Kong.

 "She is from Northern China, 28 years old, working as a model in Guangzhou and often coming to Hong Kong for work and we met three years ago." Co-incidentally, Derek's family is from Guangzhou and his parents have a home there, so as well as accompanying his folks to and fro, he also does shows in Guangdong Province, meeting his "friend" each time and gradually developing from friends into lovers.

 "Being apart hasn't been a problem, apart from talking on the phone, I often go to Guangzhou to visit her and she comes to Hong Kong to work, on the train it is only a little over an hour so it is very convenient. Maybe it is because I know my wife is at the other end, so it doesn't seem very far!"

 Derek's wife is currently living with his parents in Guangzhou, but he has applied for her to join him in Hong Kong, so they should be reunited very soon.

 A Marriage requires Trust

 Being apart in two different placed, the most important thing is the trust between the two, Derek agrees with this. "At first, she felt very insecure because she wasn't able to see me all the time, but later after more communication, she felt more confident and our love was able to make it through this test."

 There are plenty of pretty girls in Hong Kong, why does Derek want a lady from the North as his wife?

 "She is able to adjust for other people, I really like this personality. She is a Northerner, so often the way she looks at things and how she handles situations is very different from me, for example, she used to be very direct and very self-assured and easily upset other people, I told her: "As an adult, you must think about what you say to people, otherwise people will not forgive you, why don't you think a few seconds before you speak and that way you won't hurt people?" After being with her, she has probably been affected by me and she has changed a lot and learned how to think about how other people feel."

Wanting a wife to control him

 There are many different feelings that Derek has about marriage. "I tried to co-habit with previous girlfriends, but we split up in the end, this made me realise that even if two people live together, but without a proper status then there will be a lacking in responsibility, after getting married, the feeling of responsibility will be reinforced and everything requires more thought; a few years ago, I was still young and girlfriends weren't able to control me, but with a wife it is different and I actually want her to control me.

 "My parents are already in their seventies and only have me as a son, so of course they wish for me to raise a family of my own, seeing them wanting me to get married so much then why shouldn't I fulfil their wish while they can still see this? Actually I was quite worried because last year, my father, mother and uncle (Derek's uncle never married and sees Derek as his own son) were all admitted into hospital for operations and seeing them age so much, I felt a little emotional. My wife can speak Cantonese and gets on with them very well, so they wanted us to get married soon." After taking the daughter in law tea, they certainly want to see grandchildren, but Derek says that having children won't be planned for at least another two years whilst they enjoy their life together as a couple.

 Wants to be big brother

 Derek has another reason for wanting to get married, he wants to change his image.

 "I want to follow a more sophisticated approach, after getting married, you become more steadfast and your goals change as you become more mature, like Gallen Lo, Bobby Au-Yeung, Michael Tao and Jimmy Au.

 "I am more "young" looking, but I want to show everyone that I don't want to be the young guy any more, always playing the little brother, Derek has grown up now! I want to be the big brother!"

 He understands that without personal experience, it is difficult to act a particular category of character, so getting married will be a great help to his resolve to move into more mature genre of roles.

 Although he will soon be a bridegroom, Derek takes the topic of conversation to "divorce" - let's hope he doesn't tempt fate! "Maybe many people think that getting married is all about a piece of paper. This is true! I think that getting married may lead to divorce because nothing in life can be guaranteed, and I have told my wife about my opinions, she was not unhappy about this, but actually was pleased that I could be so open with her as she also agrees with me. No one can guarantee what will happen in the future, but at the moment, we will both work hard to keep this family."

 Many OL Fans (OL = Office Lady)

 From what Derek says, getting married will be good for his career, but won't he be afraid that his fans won't be happy?

 "Those who support me are not younger girls and boys, they are mainly middle class and the majority are OL's, they are very mature in their thoughts and will not stop supporting me just because I am getting married, in fact they keep asking me when I will be getting married."

 Derek's fans are very reserved, he says that on over twenty occasions when he meets his fans, they have said "Hello, I really like your shows! Please continue making more great shows!".

 Once, a fan said: "I hope that you will be like Gordon Lam and finally make yourself a success!" After some analysis from Derek, he finally realises why so many people support him. "To tell the truth, I am not more handsome or good-looking than the next, if they like good looks, why don't they go for Aaron Kwok! I think the majority of them grew up with me and felt that I don't like to create news and just work hard steadily and determined and have fought for sixteen years without dying in this 'battlefield' and feel this is quite a miracle."

 Unfortunately, Derek's career has still not reached his expectations. "I want people to know me a little better and not just think of me as the one who plays bad guys. Everyone thinks my sharpest sabre is as the villain, but I have an even sharper soft sword and I hope that people will be able to find this!"

 Derek wants to play the big brother in his shows, but does he want to be the big brother when it comes to leading roles?

 "This has been my dream for a long time, but whether it will come true is down to the opportunities that the company offers me,and whether the audiences will accept this, if my time has not yet come then there is no point in forcing this, every year, the company promotes many people but I don't know when it will be my turn? I have been ready for a long time now, but I am just lacking in opportunity, but I am confident that I will do my very best!"

Ming Pao

Translated by AIWAH_BORG (EM) 

15/02/03

Derek Kok and his model bride Lee Yan Wing had their wedding banquet last night, totalling 19 tables. Those who went to congratulate the couple included Gallen Lo, Frankie Lam, Gilbert Lam etc. Derek laughed that he originally wanted only ten tables, but his friends in the industry are too enthusiastic so he added an extra nine tables, total cost going into six figures. However his friends know what they need to do and won’t let him lose out. He also indicated that he went out for pre-wedding drinks with Michael Tao and Bobby Au-Yeung a couple of nights ago.

Gallen had two appointments last night, firstly spending a little time at Derek’s party before heading off to another wedding party. He gave them cash as a present. When asked why he is not spending Valentines Day with his wife, he says that his wife has their son as a Valentine. Has he bought his wife a present? He says as long as they are happy, every day can be Valentines Day.

Frankie Lam and Derek are sparring partners from the days at the TVB Academy and he is very happy for his good friend. When will it be his turn? He says he is ready anytime, but it is all up to Kenix.

16/02/03

TVB artiste Derek Kwok and his model bride Lee Wing Yan held their wedding banquet the day before yesterday and many entertainment stars turned out, including Bobby Au-Yeung and his wife, Michael Tao and his wife and also Marco Ngai and Joyce Tang.

Michael Tao has no fear of Bronchitis

Bridegroom Derek had plenty in preparation for the drinking with his old friends Bobby and Michael, but because of the presence of their families and wives., they daren’t go too far. Bobby indicated that usually when the friends got together they would have a good drink, but Bobby talks a load of rubbish even when he isn’t drunk, at the banquet he wished Derek “Have this day every year!” (Em’s note: greeting usually used for birthdays – not weddings!!) but when he realised his mistake, he added that he should have meant for the happy couple to have a happy Valentines Day every year.

Michael’s Valentine present to his wife was the party dress she wore to the banquet, with his many years of friendship with Derek, his present was a rather hefty lucky packet. Later, Michael will be heading up to Shanghai to film a TV series there, he says he is not afraid of the abnormal bronchitis epidemic in China at the moment and won’t be taking any vaccinations or face masks there.

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