Translation for Jerry Yan interview

[standbyjerry]

<Singapore Mag>I-Weekly #482: One of A Kind ~ JERRY YEN (25th Jan 2007)

Full Translation in progress and will be doing by Kym of nbbbs.com

Cover Page:
In terms of expressing my feeling, I am very lacking and inadequate. .

One of His Own Kind ~ JERRY YAN

Pg 22
Cover Story ~ Yan Cheng Xu

Text : Yang Li Lin

Ranking with the likes of Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt, he was voted as Top 20 Stars by the renowned Japanese Movie Magazine ~ Movie Star.

With only {The Hospital} and endorsements, he was 4th in the Taiwan's Entertainment Circle Top Earners with S$3.2 million.

He declined the lead role in the upcoming Taiwan Tourism Board's 3.75 million serial.

Hong Kong, Taiwan and Worldwide Family sponsored 120 children to celebrate his 30th birthday yet he was nowhere to be found..

When I see Jerry Yen, I think of Takashi Yamazaki.

He become a Superstar Idol after 2001 {Meteor Garden} but his works are a mere few. He still exudes that Superstar aura whenever he appears.

Can't get closer, just watching him from afar.

==========================================

translated by welga@jerryskingdom

Section from Jerry's interview with I Mag, Singapore

" I'm normally really very low-profiled... so low-profiled that all of them think that I just vanished. I'm pretty much in my own world, and been like this ever since. I believe actors must personally do his part to make good deeds. I also actually tried hard to do some things, no matter how other people see me or not. I don't wish people to know me too much or understand me too well, because the more they understand a lot from me, the more they would realize how very boring this man really is, and not really interesting."

********************************************

posted by fatty2@ asian fanatics.net

just wait for the full translation of the article, i bet you all will be deeply touched. i cried at some parts, especially the part when Jerry said that when he's old & his friends (fans) are all grown up, he wants them to have wonderful memories to reflect on.

i salute this reporter, she really did a very impartial , indepth & unbiased article, i think she's the rare few that understands Jerry. if she has been a Tw reporter & is one of those earlier reporters that reported on Jerry, Jerry wld not have been so misunderstood.

there's one sentence that she wrote that makes me think of fate & destiny, she wrote that Jerry's character is not suited for showbiz but bcos heaven gave him such outstanding physical attributes, he is destined for the bright lights & his fate as a superstar cannot be avoided.

[standbyjerry]

translation by Kym of jerrybbs.com - Page 24

We went to Mongolia previously.

That was something that happened 3 months ago.
Though I was only a member of the media team and he is the World Vision Asian Child Sponsor Spokesman.

Yet the memories of our trip became a common topic to draw us closer.

"I’ve never thought I could go to somewhere so faraway and so close to nature. To see the smiles of the children and the look in their eyes. . . . . . I was touched very deeply as this makes me think of how I used to live so simply, how I was a very innocent ‘big boy’."

Compared to many other artistes, he is actually quite simple in my eyes. At least he still has that sense of ‘realness’.

He kept shaking his head. "I am no longer innocent. . . . . . I could just smile before but it is not the same now. There are more worldliness, more pressure. Yes. . .yes. . .really so. Harm is the word that is with me by my side."

My brow furrowed a little showing my incomprehension.

He started to explain, " It’s like when I don’t feel too well so I won’t want to smile. That is my personality. However if it is a one-to-one interview, the reporter is sitting right in front of me so I still have to force a smile. I don’t like it this way. And it’s not that I am not willing to smile as everyone always say that they like to see me smile. But if I don’t smile then they will feel, ‘Oh, why don’t you smile, are you angry? You are not happy now!’ In fact nothing of that sort, I just need to be with my thoughts at times so I just want to quietly think. Others will however label you."

What we expect from artistes is different from the norm. We passed a snowy mountain during our Mongolian trip. Almost everyone was so excited that they started fighting in the snow with gusto.

I just wanted to listen to my mp3 and enjoy the picturesque scene of white before me. He was watching the others play and listening to music as well.

Those around him might feel he is too ‘geng’ (Taiwanese dialect, meaning suppressed), why doesn’t he join in and play with the rest?

Artistes it seems cannot possess the ordinary man’s freedom. One must live up to the expectations of the masses when one takes on the acclaim and adoration.

Why is Jerry Yen not able to go along with the rest? Why is Jerry Yan so lacking in self-confidence? Why does Jerry Yen stiffen up when he sees a camera?

[standbyjerry]

continuation of :
I weekly #482 mag- One of a kind-Jerry Yan
Middle of 24 pg in enlarged print

When one returns to the simplest of environment, you will know who you are, you won’t be manipulated by the environment just because you are F4. This is the kind of life that I like.

We expect artistes to be confident, always with a smile, ever diplomatic. . . . . . Yet we know for a certainty that ¡¥a leopard doesn’t change its spots, the character of a man cannot be altered.


Yes, being myself such is my character so I have always voiced that I am not suitable to be upfront especially having to face so many people. I still have many problems of my own.


Have you found your own personal way of being?

I have and that is not to be seen as much as possible. He laughed. That’s right, the best way is to do my best in my acting then I would feel that I have done my part. It’s better for me to try and not to be seen by others. He laughed poking fun at himself.

Normally I’m really very low-key, so much so that they feel that I’m about to disappear. I’m quite used to being in my own world. When I first entered this line, I thought being an artiste is like any regular job. I just have to do my part and that’s it. So when I’ve tried my best, I’m not bothered by whether others can see what I’ve done. I hope that everyone doesn’t know too much or understand me too much. It’s because they might find that I am really very boring and monotonous.

And I thought that he was insecure and was afraid of others understanding him.

Not really. It’s just that I feel helpless as there have been so many misunderstandings already. Many a time I feel that I don’t want to do anything about that. . . . . .that’s right. He smiled faintly .

When he is unsure of how to express his feelings, he frequently says “that’s right”.

I’m used to his leaving things out and his inadequacies in expression. Jerry is not good with words but compared to those who eloquent, I prefer to ponder over the meaning and feelings behind what was not said.

~TO BE CONTINUED

[standbyjerry]

CONTINUATION OF SINGAPORE I-WEEKLY ISSUE 482

credit to [e-mail] for translating

Jerry Yen has Star-Quality a plenty in disposition but his character is nothing like that at all.

Based on his character, he may not be suitable as an artiste adored by the masses. Yet Nature has bestowed upon him so abundantly that he is destined to walk down this resplendent road to Stardom.

This is a predestination from which he cannot escape.

When facing the media, from beginning till end he keeps a distance and usually speaks little. He looks so unnatural in front of the camera and at times even his awkwardness is evident. At the Press Conference, he is either lowering his head or turning to the side. While others are always eager to get into every shot, he seems to consciously avoid the camera.

During our visit to the children in Mongolia, he could not fathom how the media for the sake of effect was trying to capture the saddest shot.

“I am really very angry. I cannot explain why the photographer told me, ‘He is about to cry so just ask him some questions to make him cry. ’ I mean why do I have to make the child cry since I was there to care for them. This is due to the fact that I cannot understand things in a mature way. I feel that I am also a child and many times I am unable to be mature and understanding. When there are different standpoints to a situation, I cannot understand that it is their job and responsibility. It is a lesson that I am working hard to learn now. ”

I was chatting with the Taiwanese media personnel then and someone complained that during other Third World Country visits, the other artistes would let them capture a moving, teary-eyed scenario but he is the only exception.

Pg 26 Enlarged Print
{When one returns to the simplest of environment, you will know who you are, you won’t be manipulated by the environment just because you are F4. This is the kind of life that I like}

Amongst the artistes that I have seen, Jerry cannot ‘act’ at all..(yes, he didnt fake or act/pretend , just be as himself)..

Artistes, perhaps as a matter of habit know how to ‘perform’ before the camera. They fit in easily when in front of it though their feelings might not be faked. At the drop of a hat, a few mere teardrops would flow effortlessly. . . . . . However when he is facing the camera, his real self doesn’t shine through.

~TO BE CONTINUED~

[standbyjerry]

translated by [e-mail]

CONTINUATION
SINGAPORE I-WEEKLY #482


"That’s right! I’m really angry with myself actually. At that certain moment I was very touched but when the camera pointed at me, I just froze up. This definitely has to do with my being very insecure when I first started out in this line. Mmm. . . . . .That’s right, I need to find some ways to overcome that.”

"It’s not that I am ill at ease when I have fun but I really don’t know how to play. My family situation isn’t too good when I was young. I’ve been working since my childhood. Furthermore I am from a single parent family. . . . .I feel that I am lacking in my emotion side. . . . .even towards my family, I do not express myself with a hug or say ‘I Love You’. My way of expression is to work hard and not give my mother any cause for worry. During my schooling days, I was in the best class and yet I was working as well. I wanted my mother to know that we are poor but at least she doesn’t have to worry about me turning bad. I know that I am lacking and inadequate in expressing my emotions.”.

“I don’t really know how to get along with people. When I knew that I was going to Mongolia, I was thinking of the worst. Since by then, everyone will know that I cannot or is not very willing to and am very *‘geng’. My ‘geng’ is because when I don’t know, I get very anxious and is at loss. It is not a matter of being ‘geng’ or not but it is whether I know or whether anyone told me how to handle the matter.” He said it all in one breath.

* geng is the Taiwanese dialect word for suppressing one’s feelings or opinions, keeping it bottled up.

I’ve always felt that those who didn’t grow up in a good environment would be more able to feel for the underdogs.

“Perhaps. I have always felt that in helping others, you should also appreciate your own happiness and good luck. It seems easy to just talk about it. Everyone is good at talking about appreciating, living for the present but as for me it is tough to remember that I must be appreciative and to live for the present. It is easy to be lost in the pursuit for certain things especially in this circle. I have to constantly remind myself that I must definitely not become so-and-so in Show Business



“This is also the reason behind my choice of living in an extremely small apartment with my family before. Many who had come to my house were shocked. They felt that I shouldn’t continue to live in such poor conditions. However they do not understand. To the outside world, I am Jerry Yen or F4 but when I return to that simple home with the few necessities – it could only have a worn-out table and some chairs or a small TV. . . . . .yet it’s when one returns to the simplest of environment then will one know who he is. I like living this way very much. Those around me might even have felt that I am not filial, or else how could I let my mother live so meagerly. To me, I have my own way, I merely want to return to that environment where it is the most basic.”

Within 5 days I finished all the 39 episodes of {The Hospital}. Though it is in preparation for the interview but I must admit I could not help myself from carrying on. I told him that it was very exciting.

“Oh.” He smiled shyly in reply. “I just saw a little bit so I don’t really know. I was in Japan when {The Hospital} started airing so I didn’t have an opportunity to watch it. I was afraid to watch too.” He laughed. “Heard from others that it gets nicer towards the end. We actors would usually watch as we act so we don’t actually see our own productions.”

My heart ached as I watched the show. I can imagine how emotionally grueling it was at that time for the one acting.

“I worked very hard to convey what I think the kind of pain that was in Su Yi Hua’s heart. If others can feel it then it shows that it’s ok. The acting was still passable.” He paused and smiled in embarrassment. “Acting in this show was truly a painful experience. Many things happened and those around are such great actors. I had a lot of pressure. Like facing Wu Meng Da, if one is not good enough, one’s character would be ‘eaten up’ by him.”

[standbyjerry]

Continuation of I weekly magazine
Credit the translation to kym@nbbbs

This is how I feel - Jerry is more natural and it differs in contrast with Wu Meng Da and Dai Li Ren’s dramatic acting.

“There are two ways to look at being natural. One is that it is natural and another is that one cannot act.” He pokes fun at himself, seemingly lacking in confidence. “I want to act with more great actors like Dai Li Ren now as I can really learn more definitions and views to acting. ”

He said that he enjoys acting more now as it is a form of release to put real emotions into a character.
“Especially in those emotional scenes, I could release some hurt or painful experience at that moment. But it is really an agony to act this way. In fact, they said that I had aged 5 years after filming. During that period, I was so depressed. And it is not an act just that a certain feeling keeps getting trapped within. So everyday the expression is the same and even those around said, ‘Can you please don’t be so depressed?’ But it is much better now and gradually I am leaving the ‘shadow’ of {The Hospital} behind

He seems to be so hard on himself this way.

“It’s ok. I’m quite happy that I’ve finished a character. It’s a kind of a small accomplishment.”

Pg 28

In {The Hospital}, Su Yi Hua’s determination in his ideals and love is so exceptionally naïve that it contrasts starkly against the cruel world of reality. He cannot understand so many matters.

I feel that I seemed to have caught glimpses of Jerry Yen in the show.

“That part is very much like me. Many a times I feel that I wasn’t playing that character but actually my own. My acting isn’t very good. Since these two characters - Dao Ming Si and Su Yi Hua have many of my own traits. I hope in the future I can have opportunities to play challenging roles which are totally different from my own character so that I can fathom lives that I have not experienced before. I feel that this is in truth acting

His assistant was hurrying the interview to an end but he said, “Never mind, you can carry on asking.”

We chatted about his future expectations.

“Frankly speaking, I had before but now I don’t. What I want to do in the future is not what I often think about anymore. Why do we as humans keep looking for trouble and giving ourselves so much pressure? Life in the Show Business can in fact be very simple. When I don’t ponder over and plan what position or when things will happen, I believe I will be happier and have less emotional baggage.” He said meaning very word in earnest.

News of Jerry setting up his own office keeps coming up in the reports. I thought he wanted to be solely in control his own path.

“I’ve never really thought of being a boss at all. I only hope to find people who want to help Jerry Yen so that I can concentrate on my acting and not be bothered about other matters. It’s just that simple. Till now, I have not found that someone. I hope that I can find someone who can really know me. Not someone who only sees what Jerry Yen looks like on the exterior. I hope that someone who wants to help me can see my resoluteness and fortitude towards work and will really want to help me to better myself.” When he has a point to make, he is no longer at a loss for words.


“I want to be more positive in my motivation and it is just so simple actually. It’s to encourage more people to do charity in every country. I am an idol today so those who like me would help me in this and it is really wonderful. When I am old one day, the friends who like me would also have grown in years. So at least everyone would remember that besides their support, they did some good too. It is not only ‘star-chasing’ or spending money on products but that we had helped a lot of people too. To us, these will be very beautiful memories.”

At the end of the interview, all the assistants were still seated yet he stood up and sent me to the door.

He smiled and waved his hand, “I am more relaxed when I see you. I hope that we can meet again.”

Jerry makes one feel that he is rather warm when he lets down his guard.

~THE END ~

[standbyjerry]

Modern Magazine Vol. 360 Interview with Jerry
Jerry Yan! Sincere and Great Risks

Scanned by weiwei of Jerry's Harbor
transcribed by Zi Lin Xu Xu
partly translated by yami
summarized by Jerry's Kingdom



violet-colored box inset:

"To smile or not to smile? Should this be a problem for an actor? But for Jerry, this could almost fall him apart. If he comes out with too much smiles, squeeze them to come out, or pretend it to come out, then those cant be blamed on Jerry, because his smiles are rather precious. However, the world is not ideal, so he tries hard to change. This why for the past few years he has endured many sadness, suffered many misgivings, and had painful thoughts that made him thin. The bitter punishment of a monk-like life makes people play jokes at him and also feel worried for him. However, he had always been this "real" that supported his pains for an even more beauty and mystery. Perhaps his "realness" has long been his strong character, and will stay to him even if his physical body already fades. "


little pink-colored box inset:


" Jerry Yan's Seven Wishes for the New Year"

1. find a working team that understands me, so we'll work hard together
2. act in an action movie
3. more people do charity work
4. see director Cai lose control
5. play professional basketball
6. people around me are healthy and happy
7. become a director in the future

naive, soft and free.



TO BE CONTINUED....

[standbyjerry]

Audio Coverage of the Event
World Vision Singapore Meeting With Jerry Yan ~ 29th Dec 2006

As transcribed and translated from audio recording
Host Jun Wei, abbreviated as Wei.
translated by kym of www.nbbbs.com


Opening music and applause.


Wei : I would like to welcome all of you to World Vision International Singapore. I feel that the gathering that we have here today is a coming-together of love. All of you are here because everyone has a common concern especially for our Star of the Day. Could you please give the friend who is sitting beside you a hand to thank her for coming? I love it, who are those screaming? Put your hands up! But don’t go ‘There! There! She is the one who screamed!’. I hope that everyone can feel like you are at home today. In fact we are all here for a very special reason and so we have especially invited all of you here. It feels like a very intimate gathering.

This is a very exclusive gathering that we have here this morning and we'd like to first of all also thank World Vision International Singapore. Let’s give some applause to thank our hardworking World Vision personnel. I can see many of them still have puffy eyes. In preparation for today, all of them are lacking in sleep. I am Jun Wei and I will host this gathering today so I hope that everyone will react more lively later on.

Can I teach everyone 2 sounds? We see many photos and Jerry too. He is at. . . . . .Oh! Someone is screaming again, who is it? Don’t point and go ‘Here! Here! Here!’ she is so embarrassing!’ No that actually. That’s so spontaneous, so passionate! Looking at the photos, we feel all warm inside. In hearts there is a feeling that gets rapidly sent to our whole bodies and our pores are opened. So would everyone like to do a warm-up with me? Let have a try, when you look at some images, you are moved and you will feel so from your heart. I’ll count to 1, 2, 3, everyone sigh, a very gentle ‘ah’. . . . . .That’s great! I hope everyone has brushed their teeth this morning? Did anyone forget? If you smell any. . . . . different kind of smell just point to that person ‘Here! Here! Here!’ Ok, 1, 2, 3. ah . . . . . .That’s find actually. Ha ha! It was like rushing for the bus and the journey was too long and you are tired so ‘ah’. It’s a tired kind of ‘ah’. I hope that there are more emotions. When you see Jerry on the screen and he is carrying a little one and he feels saddened by the surroundings. That is the mood and the scenario so we would go, 1, 2, 3 ah. . . . . .Ha ha! More emotions this time.


I hope that all of you can release your emotions and moods as we are here to spread this very important message. When you were walking in here today, you could have seen the leaflets and advertisement posters and you would notice ‘World Vision International Singapore’. In fact the World Vision has helped very many children and it has this Child-Sponsor Program. Under this Child-Sponsor Program, all it requires is only $45 a month. You could ponder a little, you buy 2 CDs and that’s $45. You buy a skirt, it’s also $45. You have a meal at quite a nice restaurant and maybe with another person, it is $45 too. It is a very small amount but yet it is enough to sponsor a child in Asia or Africa. And it is not just him alone but his entire month’s expenses. Under the World Vision International Singapore ~ Child Sponsorship Program, this $45 not only helps the child and his surrounding people too.


I’ve been the Africa with World Vision before and I realized hoe to $45 could be only the price of 2 CDs but for 30 whole days, for a month it could help the entire village. There is a Cantonese phrase ~ xian chuen yan, when we hear that in Cantonese it sounds so exaggerated. How could this help xian chuen yan, a whole village of people? But when I was over there, it was really so. For $45, that child can go to school, he make a choice whether to drink dirty water or not drink at all, be ill and eventually may even face death. If that $45 can help him, he not only can drink clean water, he can eat nutritious food as well. The people around him can be helped and his family won’t be so worse off.


Finally what’s important is that we can help his xian chuen yan, his entire village to have grain, tools and have a means of survival. This morning we hope when everyone sees your Idol, you could also get a feel of what he has gone through in Mongolia. Not just for a child or the Sponsored Children or the more than 10 kids that Jerry sponsored but the spread the message. Is everyone ready with your emotions and your voices? Let’s welcome. . . . . . ah! Who is it? Not a single sound? Here! Here! It’s him! We are very happy to announce Asia’s First Child Sponsor Spokesperson, let’s welcome Jerry Yen.

Ear-piercing screams

I know everyone’s flash lights are all ready but first I would like you to warm up a bit and then stand beside the World Vision billboard for a moment so that everyone can take a shot? In the morning when you do stretching exercises which includes opening your eyes wide, flashing a smile, cough a few times and then stretch your arms and legs. How about a round of applause?

We see that Jerry is very energetic this morning and I was asking him back stage whether he was used to getting up so early in the morning. You said that you have been getting up quite early recently right?

Jerry : Yes, due to work I had to get up quite early recently.

Wei : Are you used to life in Mongolia? How early do you get up in Mongolia?

Jerry : At that time, at that time. . . . . .

Wei: There wasn’t any alarm clock.

Jerry : Yes, it was about 6 or 7, maybe 7 or 8. At times because we have to travel quite a distance to reach our destinations, about 7 to 8 hours so it might be even earlier, before dawn.

Wei : Let’s look behind ‘The World Is Not Detached Child Sponsorship Connects Us Jerry Yen Gathers Asia’s Love Together.’ You will be going to quite a few places as the World Vision’s Child Sponsorship Ambassador. What made you decide to get involve with this project?

Jerry : Actually quite long ago, I had hoped to do something with the World Vision but due to my work schedule I wasn’t able to. So later when the opportunity arose and we were able to co-ordinate everything so I did my bit. In fact, many are also helping in their own ways.

TO BE CONTINUED....