It was his outstanding performance in the contest that drew the attention of The Voice of China producer who approached Chung and invited him to participate in the hit series. At first, he hesitated as he had already taken part in many contests after his recovery. But Chung reminded himself of how important it was to persist in the pursuit of his musical dream and decided to go for it.
“I wanted to bring out my talent in music again, I needed to have more exposure. I couldn’t just sing to myself in the bathroom. So, when there was such a big stage, I decided to give it a try,” Chung says.
Despite being knocked out, his performance touched the hearts of millions and he shot to fame overnight. His microblog now has more than 55,000 followers.
Chung’s life was turned upside down as the job offers flooded in all at once. In the past few months, he has been booked for performances in commercial events and television shows and signed for endorsement deals in fashion and car commercials. He has even made his film debut playing the role of a funny father in a teen romantic comedy produced in China, Love at Every Sight.
Currently savouring his new-found fame after The Voice of China, Chung’s working schedule is jam-packed. Without a manager to help coordinate his schedule, Chung admits the hectic life sometimes drives him crazy. But he is also enjoying what he is doing now. “It’s so rare to get such an opportunity at the age of 60,” says Chung.
With such a heavy workload, Chung now has less time to spend with his 20-year-old daughter, who he manages to meet once a month. He says they maintain a good relationship by speaking on the phone twice a week. With his daughter’s full support, Chung feels he can pursue his dream and develop his career as a singer.
Still, even with his second shot at fame, Chung has been disappointed by not being able to indulge his passion for rock. “Many producers don’t understand what is meant by rock ‘n’ roll. They still have the impression that it’s about violence and revolt, but they never know it actually represents the inner voice of a person,” Chung says.
Chung knows the only way he will be free to perform according to his heart would be to hold his own concert. Therefore, he is planning to hold his first concert in Hong Kong.
“I was born and raised in Hong Kong. If I don’t have the ability to hold a concert here, I think it is just meaningless to do it elsewhere,” Chung says.
Edited by Viola Yeh
