Yoyo: Her true self

Self /self/ n [C usually singular] the type of person you are, your character, your typical behaviour; the essential qualities that distinguish one person from another

Anthhony Ip

By Eva Ling

While many actresses endeavour to project superstar quality, Yoyo Mung prefers to be her true self.

In fact, this young woman never intended to be an actress. Now, she feels comfortable to let nature take its course while still striving for her best.

After Form 5 graduation, Yoyo worked as a bank clerk. Yoyo said this was her only choice as she did not do well in public examinations.

Afterwards, she experienced a career change when she became a casting co-ordinator in an advertising agency.

She then stepped into showbiz when she started to do part-time talent.

“I had no dream of being an actress at that time.”

But the magic of destiny eventually directed her to the road of a actress.

“During the Asian financial turmoil, I was laid off by the advertising agency where I had been working for three years.”

Fortunately, acquaintances in the advertising field invited her to be a talent in a television commercial with Aaron Kwok.

Her charm was soon spotted by the award-winning director, Johnnie To, who introduced her to movies.

“I had no expectations because that was a sluggish period for the movie industry. Not many productions were made,” said Yoyo.

Despite low expectations, she still required herself to meet the director’s specifications.

Said she, laughing: “I didn’t want to be scolded by the director.”

She also has her own expectations.

“I want to gain the audience’s acceptance as well as meet the director’s expectations.”

“The audience’s support is more important than money,” said she.

Her fulfilment comes from the audience’s acknowledging her as an actress.

Yet, Yoyo is humble enough to admit that “there is still a long way to go.”

Yoyo’s perfectionism is seen in daily life.

She laments over what others have said.

Said she: “People of high emotional intelligence will not care too much.

“I do care and may feel unhappy,” said she. “Yet, I choose neither to speak about it nor break into tears.”

She cares, but she won’t make a change just to satisfy others, unless she finds it worthwhile and necessary.

Yoyo described herself as a stubborn person, neither easygoing nor sociable.

Said she, giggling: “When I was small, I thought of myself as Lin Tai Yu in Dream of the Red Chamber.

“Like Lin Tai Yu, I was emotional, mean and unhappy sometimes.

“When I grew up, I read it again. I realised that Lin Tai Yu was a disgusting person.”

She admits being negative and pessimistic, but accepts and enjoys the way she is.

Whenever she is asked to hear either some good news or some bad news first, she chooses the bad news.

“Maybe it’s a kind of ‘bitterness first, pleasure after’,” she said.

She also describes her past 20 years as “bitterness first, pleasure after.”

When she was about 13 or 14, her little sister committed suicide.

“I felt so shocked and sad about this,” said she. “I wondered why she did it. Why was she so stupid?”

Through accepting her sister’s death, Yoyo got tougher and more expressive.

Said she: “Why should I hide my sadness? Why should I always be unhappy?”

She successfully abandoned her introverted shadow at the end.

Since then, whenever she feels unhappy, she turns to her dear friends.

“They have made me a better person by pointing out my problems,” she said.

“I am such a nervous person that I bite my fingernails when feeling overextended.

“My friends remind me not to do this many times, day by day.”

She trusts people because she thinks she will not meet bad guys if she makes friends from the bottom of her heart.

“I seldom meet bad guys. Maybe I am lucky,” said Yoyo.

Her agent, Ali Tang, and Johnnie To might be two of the most important people in her 20s.

Ali takes care of her and spots her mistakes. Johnnie To was the director of her first movie and has cultivated Yoyo’s interest in showbiz.

Yoyo also treasures her family even though her parents got divorced before she was born.

“Though I don’t have parental love, I still have my loving grandpa and grandma.

“They always dote on me,” said she.

In the near future, she plans to travel with her family, either to Beijing or Shanghai. Going back to study is her second wish. She truly regrets not studying hard. She wants to go to England to study English. “Finally, I would like to buy my own flat,” she said with excitement. Yoyo also has a crazy dream. Her ideal life would be to settle in a small town in Europe, where she could be a gardener in an orchard.