Vic Zhou on Solo Flight

Ask any avid F4 fan and he/she can rattle off everything you ever want to know about Jerry Yan (a.k.a. Dao Ming Si), Ken Zhu (a.k.a. Xi Men) and Vanness Wu (a.k.a. Mei Zuo).

And Vic Zhou (a.k.a. Hua Ze Lei), 22, said to be the most shy of the Flower 4 guys and the quartet’s baby, too, because he happens to be the youngest.

Every little detail about him and his life is known to his fans. Such as: His full name is Vic Zhou Yu Ming, his nickname is Zai Zai, he stands 5’9" and weighs 145 lbs., that he’s a Rooster (born on June 9, 1981, a Gemini in the western horoscope), that his blood type is O, that besides the huge hit soap Meteor Garden he was in other soaps (Meteor Garden II, Poor Prince, Love Storm, etc.) and that he hates being forced to do something he doesn’t feel like doing.

They know Vic’s favorites, too: Fried chicken chop, black and grey, dog, Shi Liu Green Tea, Jurassic Park, etc.

Do they also know that Vic laughs and giggles a lot? They probably do.

That’s what Vic Zhou did last Saturday when Conversations put him on the spot in Hong Kong during his Asian promo tour for his new album, Remember, I Love You (released by Sony Music). He didn’t speak English at all and so he needed an interpreter/translator during the hour-long Conversation in the evening. Vic was on his feet the whole day, entertaining his fans in the morning, running here and there the whole afternoon.

At 7 p.m., Vic looked visibly tired but he was engaging nevertheless, laughing and giggling as he listened to the interpreter/translator before answering every question, always followed by a friendly smile.

When it was all over, he shook our hands and, as he said goodbye, clasped his hands over his heart and bowed. What a polite kid!

Here are excerpts of our Conversation and I hope nothing is lost in the translation:

Where’s Jerry?

"He’s now working on his solo album."

What about Ken?

"He’s also working somewhere else."

And Vanness?

"Also busy working somewhere else."

When was the last time you were together?

"At the premiere of Vanness’ movie, Star Runner, in Taiwan."

How is Remember, I Love You different from Make a Wish?

"I have elevated my kind of music. My fans were younger two years ago, so my music then was different from my music now. I try to adjust my music to the taste of my fans."

What’s your favorite song on this new album?

"Track 8. Suddenly."

Do you have any favorite song by another singer?

"I like many songs by different singers, including those by Li Hong Huang."

You’ve been to the Philippines twice. What do you remember most from those two visits?

"Because we go to so many places, all I remember is how our hotel room looked like. We don’t really have a chance to go out. But I remember how passionate the (Filipino) fans were."

You have nice hair. How do you take care of it?

"I don’t do any special care for it. I have different hairstyles at different times."

How often do you have a haircut?

"Once a month."

You have a nice body. How do you take care of it? Do you work out?

"Yes, I do. I do dumbbells."

What about diet?

"I eat anything. I exercise a lot so it doesn’t matter what I eat."

What do you do when you’re not working? How do you spend your free time?

"I stay at home most of the time."

And what do you do at home?

"I stay in bed. My bed is my favorite place at home. When I’m not sleeping on it, I just sit there and play video games."

What kind of family did you come from?

"A happy family, like those of my friends."

Do you go out with Jerry, Ken and Vanness for fun, when you’re free from work?

"Before, we used to go out together often, have fun and drink a little bit. But now that all of us are busy with our jobs, we rarely have time to get together."

Of the three, who’s closest to you?

"They are all close to me. I get along well with each and everyone of them."

You have your solo recording career and so have Vanness, Jerry and Ken. Isn’t there any professional jealousy among you?

"Since we are in the same business, we compete with each other on a professional level; we are all professional in attitude. But other than that, there’s no competition, there’s no jealousy."

Do you have a love life?

"None. Zero!"

Oh, you don’t have a girlfriend – yet?

"None."

When did you have your first love?

"When I was in high school. I was so in love with the girl but she dumped me. It was a terrible experience. I was so badly affected that I started losing weight."

How many girlfriends have you had so far?

"About four or five. My relationship with each of them didn’t last long, not even a year."

What kind of a girl do you like?

"One with a kind heart."

What’s the first thing that you notice in a girl?

"The face. It’s hard not to notice a girl’s face because when you look at her, you see her face."

And what kind of a girl turns you off?

"One who’s full of herself."

How do you enjoy your money?

"I have a company which takes care of my money, which does the accounting of my money."

What’s the most painful thing that happened to you?

"When my grandfather died."

And what’s your saddest experience?

"When my parents separated. I was only about nine then. I decided to stay with my mother in Taiwan. My father had a new family."

Did you feel bitter or mad towards your father?

"No. I didn’t stop loving him. He lives far away but despite the distance, I try to visit him when I have time. That’s my obligation as a son."

Did your mother spoil you?

"No, she did not. But she took good care of me. She never spanked me. We were not rich but we were happy. Now I’m happy that I can give my mother a good life and make her happy."

Do you have any hobby? Do you collect anything?

"None. I don’t collect anything."

What type of movies do you like?

"Action. Full of action."

And what type of music do you like?

"Hip-hop."

What do you like most about being popular?

"I get the chance to try many things...Things that I couldn’t do when I wasn’t yet popular."

And what don’t you like about being popular?

"Loss of freedom and privacy."

Do you have any role model, somebody whom you admire?

"Andy Lau." (Lau is a Hong Kong actor. – RFL)

What’s your biggest fear?

"Myself."

Why?

"Because I don’t know my own limits. Everytime I take a step, I’m afraid of where it would lead me."

Do you really go to bed in your pajamas (like the giveaway promo for his Remember, I Love You album, good only in Hong Kong and Taiwan)?

"No, I don’t. The pajamas are only for the fans."

So what do you wear going to bed?

"Undershirt and shorts."

If you were not a singer today, not with F4, what would you be?

"I was 19 and a student when I entered showbiz so I didn’t have enough time to think of what I wanted to be."

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