After Ken Chu opted not to participate in the 'F4' reunion tour, he recently joined the acting reality show 'Infinity Beyond Class 4.' Introducing himself before mentors Eric Tsang, Francis Ng, and Liu Tao, the 47-year-old revealed that he hasn’t acted in nearly 10 years, which surprised everyone. He explained that during the 10 years he was under contract with his previous company, he never got any roles he actually liked or could show his abilities in. He wanted to play villain roles, but the company refused, and he spoke resentfully about his management.
He said that acting used to feel like just a game to him. The first time he really got immersed in a role was when he acted with Eric Tsang’s daughter Bowie Tsang in 'Music Love Story.' Later, he exploded in popularity with 'Meteor Garden,' and went on to appear in 22 dramas and 6 films. However, he said he was never able to find that sense of getting into character again.
He said he actually worked very hard and really wanted to achieve something in acting, but helplessly said, "At the time, the situation didn't allow it. The company controlled us. Once there was a Qiong Yao drama that wanted me, and after reading the script I wanted to play the main villain, but the company refused. The only reason was: 'You still have commercial value.'" They were afraid playing a villain would affect his image and impact endorsements.
He said that in those 10 years under contract, he never got a role he truly liked—which is also why in recent years he hasn’t been very passionate about showbiz, because the same types of roles kept coming: either overbearing CEOs, washed-up celebrities, or rich second-generation heirs, with nothing he could really get into. Now that the contract has finally ended, he feels free and is very happy.