Derek Kok Ends TVB Contract; To Sign with Mainland Chinese Company
Derek Kok (郭政鴻), who has filmed over 70 TVB dramas in the last 30 years, announced that he has terminated his TVB contract prematurely in to sign with a new Mainland Chinese company. The new company is offering the 50-year-old a salary of over $1 million RMB per year, two to three times more than his salary at TVB.
Rumors say that Derek angered TVB executives when he secretly accepted a job in China without TVB’s consent. This prompted Virginia Lok (樂易玲) to suggest an early termination in Derek’s contract. However, Derek denied this report in a later interview, clarifying that the decision to end his contract five months in advance was done in mutual agreement.
Derek said, “Of course that’s not true! Crazy! I have found new developments in Mainland China and Malaysia, and coincidentally, they came at a time when there were conflicts in my TVB contract. I have worked for [TVB] for nearly 30 years, and I do want to have new opportunities and developments. After a long discussion with Miss Lok, she suggested that I terminate my contract earlier. However, if there is a suitable role or drama for me, I will return.”
Source: ihktv.com
This article is written by Addy for JayneStars.com.
All the good ones are leaving. 🙁
@mi88 So true! Less and less incentive to watch TVB nowadays. In my opinion, the veteran supporting artists leaving is even worse than the main leads leaving, as alot of times they are the ones who carry the series over the leads (especially when the script is poorly written or the storyline / plot is boring, etc….I know for me personally I can tolerate bad script/storyline if the acting from majority of the cast is good/solid). Of course I don’t blame them for leaving, especially if their careers are going nowhere, there are few opportunities, and in some cases, they have to struggle just to make ends meet.
Well, good luck to Derek. If he’s getting better opportunities and able to make more money by leaving TVB, then good for him — after all, he has a family to provide for.
I will support Derek in whatever he choose to do. He has been loyal to TVB for so long but he has never been past 2nd lead or main villian and now it is time for him what he wants. Good luck to him. Anyhow, sooner or later, TV will run out of veterans and beg for him to come back!
Derek is really talented and versatile and he can do kungfu as well. It is really TVB’s loss!
Another good actor leaving. Derek potraits his role well and brings out the character traits naturally. I am amazed with his acting skills in On Call where his character has the habit of blinking the eye forcefully,and he does it so naturally! What a loss…Seems like what I commented on Myolie rumoured leaving is coming true soon…Sigh
besides more money, i get why he would leave. he used to play roles like a cop, triad boss, or kung fu guy. look at the last three series he did – a nurse, a governor that gets bullied by two wives, and the last one he’s playing a retard. he doesn’t belong in tvb anymore.
So sad to see him go he was always one of my favorites. But at least now he will have better opportunities
So underrated actor I love him the most in War of In-Laws 2 … he role was so funny and perfect with Joyce.
It’s a same TVB is making so much money but their being sooo cheap with their good actors and actress. No wonder everyone is leaving when there’s a chance.
@vodka I agree with you! Loved him heaps in war of in laws two…he had heaps of potential..Tvb is turning me off lately..really am disappointed..though there are a few handsome looking actors but they aren’t capable of carrying a series! Omg Tvb just omg!
Not only actors/actresses — the behind the scenes people as well. I just read about scriptwriter Sharon Au leaving too (she has worked for TVB for 34 years and is (was) one of the few veteran scriptwriters that TVB had left who is capable of helming the scripts for major productions). What a shame — with so many good veteran artists leaving plus majority of the behind-the-scenes people who already left (and the few remaining now leaving as well), I don’t even want to think about what future productions will look like….
It is a move for more exposure and more money but then none really knows for sure. There is a difference between quality and quantity.