Getting up close and personal with F4<\/p>\n
Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Welcome to Indonesia F4! Fanatical fans would undoubtedly
\nalready be familiar with the fabulous foursome, but for those
\njust discovering their magic, here are some of their more
\ncaptivating traits:<\/p>\n
Jerry Yan (Yan Cheng Xu)<\/p>\n
In the TV drama Meteor Garden Yan plays the leader of F4, Dao
\nMing Si, spoilt heir of the Dao Ming conglomerate. Unlike A-Si's
\nfamous outbursts of anger, in life, the 26-year-old is shy and
\nquiet.<\/p>\n
Probably the least talented in singing and dancing, Yan's
\nstrongest attribute is his acting skills, which he shows most
\nconvincingly in the Meteor Garden series and Love Scar with Karen
\nMok.<\/p>\n
Raised by a single mother, Yan had to work for a living at an
\nearly age and as consequence was forced to drop out of college.
\nHe started modeling in his school days and gained attention after
\nwinning the Taiwanese magazine Men's Uno model competition in
\n1998.<\/p>\n
Yan starred in many commercials before being cast for Meteor
\nGarden, and last year he released his own pictorial book titled
\nAmphibian.<\/p>\n
A hardworker, Yan is known to employ strict discipline in his
\nwork. Moody and unusually quiet when tired, this does not stop
\nhim from rehearsing and working hard, and for this he is
\nrespected by his colleagues. Yan's steadfastness earned him the
\nnickname Bao Long (violent dragon).<\/p>\n
In an interview with Bintang Asia, Yan said all he wanted was
\na quiet, simple life close to nature.<\/p>\n
Vic Zhou (Zhou Yu Ming)<\/p>\n
Zhou, affectionately known as Zai Zai, is the youngest of the
\nfour. Similar to Yan, Zai Zai is quiet and shy, not unlike his
\ncharacter in Meteor Garden.<\/p>\n
Born on June 9, 1981, Zai Zai was a mechanical engineering
\nstudent before acting as the sensitive Hua Ze Lei in Meteor
\nGarden. He was accompanying a friend to the show's audition when
\nthe casting director noticed his good looks.<\/p>\n
Zai Zai's rocketing fame as an actor and then a singer forced
\nhim to abandon his time-consuming studies in engineering, and has
\nnow switched to economics.<\/p>\n
Usually the quiet one, at first Zai Zai was annoyed with the
\nconsequences of his fame, finding it disturbing when female fans
\nstalked him at his campus to get a glimpse of him.<\/p>\n
But now, with several TV drama series and an album under his
\nbelt, he is taking it all in stride. Zai Zai even launched his
\nown pictorial book late last year.<\/p>\n
Besides the two Meteor Garden series, Zai Zai also played in
\nPoor Prince; Idol Boy, and released a solo album Make A Wish last
\nyear.<\/p>\n
Vanness Wu (Wu Jian Hao)<\/p>\n
The hyper-energetic member of the group, Wu was a born
\nentertainer. He's probably the most talented singer and dancer in
\nF4 and, has the best biceps.<\/p>\n
Born and raised in the United States, this 24-year-old
\nAmerican citizen came back to his native Taiwan to check out the
\nentertainment scene there.<\/p>\n
He failed in the audition for MTV Asia's video jockey (VJ) and
\nwas only noticed by Meteor Garden's producers when he joined
\nSuper Sunday's YMCA segment -- a male talent contest-cum-pageant.<\/p>\n
Wu plays Meizuo, a minor character in the foursome, but his
\ntalent for song and dance shone through when he released his solo
\nalbum Body Will Sing with Sony Music late last year. An apt title
\nfor a guy who couldn't stop moving and dancing.<\/p>\n
His limited Chinese has probably hindered him from getting
\nmore dominating roles, but its marked improvement earned Wu --
\nand Meizuo -- more script lines in the second installment of
\nMeteor Garden.<\/p>\n
Ken Zhu (Zhu Xiao Tian)<\/p>\n
Zhu's down-to-earth personality is what draws most fans to
\nthis member of F4, who will be having his 24th birthday on Jan.
\n15.<\/p>\n
"I pity most the girl who wants to go steady with a member of
\nF4," he once said referring to the group's hectic lifestyle,
\nwisely reminding fans that in their love for the group, they
\nshould not forget to love others around them.<\/p>\n
Growing up in Singapore, Zhu is the other member, besides Wu,
\nwho can speak fluent English. His sunny disposition and easy
\nlaugh earned him many friends, including the affection of the
\nother three.<\/p>\n
Zhu was discovered by the producers of Meteor Garden while
\nworking as head waiter at a Japanese barbecue restaurant. He was
\ncast as Ximen, the playboy, a role which he played only passably
\ndue to the weakness of Ximen's character.<\/p>\n
He claimed to have wanted the role of Hua Ze Lei because it
\ndid not involve a lot of talking and was "cool".<\/p>\n
However, in his next drama Orange Boy -- adapted from Japanese
\nmanga Marmalade Boy -- Zhu shines as the fun-loving, easygoing
\nSong Bu You.<\/p>\n
He is due to release his solo album with Sony Music later this
\nyear.<\/p>",
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