TV King is a Sure Win for Ruco Chan, Reports Say
Awards season for Hong Kong’s TV industry is drawing nearer and nearer, and fans have already started submitting their votes on who they think will be crowned this year’s TV royalty.
Coming on top of that list is unsurprisingly Ruco Chan (陳展鵬), who not only carries a large fanbase, but is also the star of this year’s biggest hit, A Fist Within Four Walls <城寨英雄>. Ruco’s press coverage is at an all-time high, and his rumored romance with costar Nancy Wu (胡定欣) was, and still is, the talk of the town.
According to a gossip report that surfaced this week, the organizers of the TVB Anniversary Awards have already set their eyes on giving Ruco Chan the TV King award this coming December. Allegedly, Ruco had personally requested for the award when he negotiated his contract renewal. He also reportedly requested for a salary jump from $3,000 HKD per episode to $30,000 HKD per episode, all terms which TVB were more than happy to agree with. TVB has been building a TV throne for Ruco ever since.
Indeed, Ruco was already one of the more popular candidates for Hong Kong’s TV King last year, when he starred as the popular Eleventh Prince in anniversary drama Captain of Destiny <張保仔>. With the role, Ruco won his second Best Actor award in Singapore and achieved his first TV King honor in Malaysia. However, affected by the negative critical reviews of Captain of Destiny, Ruco ended up losing Hong Kong’s Best Actor award to Lord of Shanghai’s <梟雄> Anthony Wong (黃秋生). He did, however, win Most Popular Male Character instead.
2016’s first major awards ceremony for TVB dramas will be held on October 22, at Singapore’s StarHub TVB Awards. TVB Star Awards Malaysia will be held on November 26. The TVB Anniversary Awards in Hong Kong will be held on December 18. At the moment, it appears that Ruco is the most popular actor to win all three.
Source: Eastweek
This article is written by Addy for JayneStars.com.
I think he deserves it and it’s about time! He should have won TV King for Eleventh Prince (still my favorite character of his).
@khoobunny Agree. He really deserves to be TB King for all 3 awards this year ( and last year too).
i think it is about his time. he’s a solid actor and portrayed every single role extremely well. i don’t see any competition except wayne lai but the chance of wayne winning again is pretty low given that he only has one drama this year and it is on paid services. although wayne performed very well but due to the contraversal storyline, i think ruco has a better chance and he is also the rising star. it’d be nice to see nancy also win the tv queen award.
Absolutely agrees with @Khoobunny and @mOmO. Ruco would have won it last year if not for the embarrassingly bad performances by Tony Hung and Grace Chan that pulled down the ratings of Captain of Destiny. The irony of it all is that the two won the Most Improved Actor and Actress awards respectively. If Ruco doesn’t win this year, I’m going to boycott TVB dramas.
It’s about time. He is a solid actor.
you guys forget about anthony wong from last year. no doubt ruco did very well in 2015 from just that princely role, but anthony wong was a class of his own and rightfully deserved TV King.
this year though, ruco cannot be denied (yet.) his contenders are not that strong, but don’t count the chickens before they’ve hatched. there are still 2 months left my friends!
@coralie
Totally agree! Anthony Wong definitely deserved the TV King award! This year however, so far Ruco should deserve it.
@coralie this year, there is hardly any contender solid enough to compete with ruco for TV king award.
but i never liked anthony wong.
He only got 3k hkd per episode?! After decades in the industry and playing main roles this is the ridiculous salary for a leading tv star?!
@megamiaow
I hope this isn’t true. Lol so he was getting paid $386 an ep?
@megamiaow @abcd I believe it, actually. After, all, don’t forget that this is TVB we’re talking about – a station that is notorious for being stingy and cheap and has also admitted on several occasions that they pay their artists below market rate. Ruco is actually lucky that he was able to get such a huge increase (if the numbers are true, of course), though I will honestly say that 3000HKD per show is already high considering most artists get paid way less (hey, at 3000HKD per episode, Ruco was getting more than double — and some cases triple — what non-lead artists got). Many artists slave away at TVB for decades and are still paid essentially the same rate they got when they first started. Not only that, when the artists ask for increases, most of them are shot down by TVB or are given such a meager raise that it was impossible to survive without taking on other jobs outside.
A few examples: veteran supporting actor Leung Kin Ping said that he got paid less than 1500 HKD per show (equivalent of about $200 USD) and when he asked for a raise after more than 20 years with TVB, they were only willing to give him an additional 50 HKD (equivalent to $6 USD or so) per show (and TVB told him he was one of the “lucky ones” to actually get a raise!!). Deno Cheung worked for TVB for 18 years and for 12 of those years had to survive with the same low salary he got when he had started. Wilson Tsui (aka Ai Wai) worked for TVB close to 30 years and never got a raise the entire time he was there (he had asked for a 100 HKD – equivalent to about $13 USD — raise at one point but TVB shot him down). Sure, none of them were ever in lead roles at TVB, but surely experience and acting skill should count for something, no?
So basically, Ruco should count his blessings that he was able to squeeze a 30K HKD per show agreement out of stingy old TVB, as that is pretty much unheard of at that station.
@llwy12 Thanks for the info – never knew that. On a side note, as a Chinese person myself, this is why I will never work for a Chinese employer again – they are way too cheap. Back to the topic…experienced actors should get a pay raise. TVB was taking advantage of actors because TVB was pretty much the main broadcasting station in HK. Now that there are more competitors, this means TVB will have to negotiate better compensation and deals than other companies who have much more opportunities to offer. TVB tried to remain as a monopoly but times are changing.
@peachyogurt LOL…I definitely hear ya about Chinese employers! I actually had an employee (she’s Chinese) who worked for a Chinese company for many years and was consistently jipped out of overtime pay, to the point that she thought it was normal to not get paid for OT…so when she started working for our company, she would always try to not claim OT because 1) she thought it was the “right” thing to do and 2) she thought she would get yelled at for claiming OT (which is what happened at her previous company). I told her it was illegal to not pay OT when it is rightfully due and explained our state’s labor laws to her but also told her that if she ever tried to do that again (not claim OT) and thereby put our company at risk, I would fire her on the spot. Needless to say, she never did it again.
Anyway, to tie this back to the topic at hand — this is one reason why I get so pissed when TVB takes advantage of their artists the way they do. And to someone else’s point, I don’t think there are labor laws in HK or if there are, they are obviously not enforced — case in point…look at what happened to ATV’s employees. It’s still unfathomable to me how a company can get away with not paying majority of their employees for 4 months straight (and it was later revealed that for some employees, it was more like 6 months to a year in backwages that they were owed!) and not have any repercussion dealt to them other than having their broadcasting license taken away (which technically was for other reasons unrelated to not paying employees).
Back to this article….of course, we will never know whether the “numbers” reported in this article are true or not, but that still doesn’t dismiss the fact that TVB is screwed up when it comes to the way they manage their artists’ salaries (and the way they manage their business overall).
@llwy12 i dont think you can compare these people to ruco. They are bit part actors not lead like him. Though tvb is notoriously famous for being cheap i dont think ruco will work for hk3k per episode. That’s exploitation of labour! Anyways looking at the source i will discount that reported raise too though i hope this part and the tv king part is true lol!
@isay The comparison is relevant in my opinion because don’t forget that TVB has the ability to make an artist a household name through its far-reaching audience pool, which brings with it the potential for future fame and fortune. That’s one reason that TVB repeatedly uses to justify why they pay even their lead actors and actresses lower salaries than what those artists could get outside. There are many artists who are willing to bite the bullet and work for a meager salary in exchange for future growth and opportunity to make even more money, it’s just that TVB has abused this over the decades by pigeon-holing artists at a certain rate for years without making consistent effort to live up to their side of the bargain. Add to that the fact that for those who sign management contracts with them, TVB directly controls the amount of money the artists make, which means that for some artists, they don’t have a choice but to go with what TVB gives them — so if a particular artist is on their shxx list, they could very well withhold the opportunities that the artist gets, thereby limiting their income (and by “opportunities”, I’m not just referring to filming TV series or variety programs – this also includes the outside opportunities / events / endorsements / sponsorships, etc. that an artist could potentially get, which is technically where the “real” money is). I’ve lost count already how many artists have talked about being “played” by TVB and being forced to essentially quit due to not having any work and any income for months. If the artist is on TVB’s ‘good’ list, they could very well be given every single opportunity possible (in which case it wouldn’t really matter that the per show rate is low, since the artist would have more than enough shows to make the overall amount work out in the end).
In my opinion, whether lead or supporting really is not of huge significance because there have also been cases in the past where some supporting artists make way more than a lead due to the sheer fact that the supporting artist (or even bit part actor) has more shows (you know, like those times when we comment that particular artists seem to pop up in every single series and/or variety show). At the end of the day, when it comes to TVB, it boils down to politics and whether they want to give an artist opportunities or not – acting skill and one’s position as lead or supporting doesn’t really matter in the scheme of things.
@megamiaow
At HK$3K per episode, he would only make HK$300K (US$39,000) a year even if he filmed 100 episodes a year. I hope he has a second job selling fish balls or something.
HK needs to pass a minimum wage law badly. LOL!!
Not surprising, as this H K TV King award is a belated one for him
TV king in all 3 regions please. He’s long overdue. And that measly pay per episode is unbelievable!
Ruco totally deserves to be TB King for all 3 awards this year ( and last year in my opinion).
wtf only hkd3000 eq aud500 per episode, poor Ruco! TVB indeed cheap cheap. I am glad he got pay rise to hkd30,000 per eps. He def deserved tv king ! Goodluck Ruco!
This year Ruco so deserving TV king award!! He should get it. No one else. But I just know that China had bought over tvb. And going to be vice chairman or something. Just hope that they will not give the award to Alex Fong just because he is super popular in China!
@dramadrama Haha…well, you never know. Lai Ruigong (the Mainland China big shot with government backing who is now the official “boss” of TVB) has already stated that he “disagrees” with all the criticism that people have said about TVB — and based on that press conference they just had, sounds like the guy has alot of clout and influence as well as some “connections” in high places, so if he does decide to change things, there is nothing anyone can do. As it is, in the short amount of time that he became “involved” with TVB, albeit in a lesser capacity (I don’t remember the exact number…2 years? maybe less?), there have already been a few “hints” (technically more like “indications” I guess) that Mainland is going to have more of a say on how TVB is run — though obviously they are not going to be dumb and make drastic changes immediately like stupid Wong Ching did with ATV (but then again, Wong Ching doesn’t have the government backing that this guy does). So basically, this year’s TVB awards show will probably be “safe”, but not so sure about next year’s (which is why I can understand why Ruco’s fans might be concerned — if he loses out again this year, not sure whether he will get another opportunity next year given the circumstances…)
@llwy12 There is never a time when China monopolies and still ‘sit’ behind the scene, not commenting or changes things. It’s only how much they wanna touch first, ultimately still China all the way. Good for Ruco though. He can earn more in China. Less working hours, muchore pays.
@llwy12 Unlike the infamous Wong Ching, Lai is primarily an investment wheeler dealer whose main focus is on business development as opposed to day-to-day operations of the TV network. That’s why he is assuming a role on the board (vice chairman) as opposed to an executive line position. His main focus will more be on protecting TVB’s ad revenue in a world of alternative viewing platforms and firming up the network’s position in a shrinking Canto-speaking market. Talent management and labor relations will not be high on his list.
@aiya Good point, though the piece that was raised at the press conference about TVB having a more pro-Mainland bias now and possibly neglecting HK audiences is a valid concern given the earlier controversy over TVB switching to simplified characters for their newscasts (which garnered over 10,000 complaints from HK audiences). On paper, Lai may not be involved in day-to-day operations, but it’s hard to say what his influence will be behind-the-scenes….even if he is completely hands-off, there’s still the possibility that TVB management may change things on their own accord based on their own misguided assumptions of how he would want them to handle matters (kind of like the way Chief Executive CY Leung operates now, lol). Plus even if his focus is purely on business development rather than talent management or whatnot, other aspects of the business will undoubtedly be impacted in some way, whether directly or indirectly. I guess we will have to wait and see though….
@llwy12 If your concerns were “foreign influence” over the running of TVB, then you would be correct that only time will tell whether Lai’s addition would lead the network toward the clutch of China. For one, we really don’t know if Lai is a practical Chinese entrepreneur like Jack Ma or he is also a closet political ideologue with a bent toward the “mother country”.
Compounding to this problem is that TVB itself has a complex history of being run by “foreigners”. its first chief was an Australian (Colin Brenall?) who once was accused of running the station into a “pro West” position. Then came Run Run Shaw, a Singaporean who ran TVB as a benevolent dictator just like the Lee Family did with Singapore. and now, who knows.
When all three distinct and separate worlds of politics, business, and entertainment all of a sudden collide in the form of running a tiny TV network in a tiny city near the South China Sea, that’s quite a mess to sort out. LOL!!
tvb should know who to promote and who NOT to.
I hope Ruco wins TVB best actor award too…well overdue…
The only other contenders I see this year are Vincent Wong and Roger Kwok who has a anniversary series coming up….
Roger lost about 10 kgs for his role and if his series rates then he could be in with a chance to take it away from Ruco…
If Ruco doesn’t win the king this year then tvb must really have lost their mind somewhere. I’ll support you Ruco!!! So good luck on that one. I have noticed he looks much younger and cuter without wearing his glasses.
Ruco baby must win this year and should have won last year. He is best of the best. I have been voting hardly for him.
#rucochan
Ruco definitely deserves all ba awards this year. Best wishes for him to win. But the 3k per ep was so fake. Saw similar article a couple years ago from another gossip mag. Xastweek ‘s just recycling bits of outdated issue since Ruco is so hot.
It will not surprise me if Alex uncle Chi (Liu Kaichi) Wayne
Bobby or even Edwin will win tv king.
TVB is promoting Edwin soo much. So even if he is not deserve it, he might have a chance. Bobby uncle Chi and Alex are veterans. Tvb might be given them. I think uncle Chi have the most chances. Wayne is the king of leads in TVB. Even if he is not winning. He still have many projects…
But i hope Ruco will win too.
No matter what kind of genre. He is superb good!!
I still hope they will remake the “the bund”. Wanna see him as a tycooncostume in that period year!!
Haha!!
ruco has that dreamy, boyish look. oh, and those eyes as well. he deserves that best actor award whether he is acting in COD or a modern drama.
Winning TV King this year with no strong and solid opponents is not a big deal. A really good artist should win TV King or TV Queen awards when there are tough competitions, like Sheren Tang and Wayne Lai in “No Regrets”.
Nancy Wu is a good actress, but her performance in “Ghost of Relativity” was not amazing. She won the TV Queen award because she did not have strong opponents last year. Moreover, TVB needed to promote more actresses to be TV Queens since their top 5 fadans all left.
Even @ $30k HK per episode is not a lot of money considering the amount of hours a lead artist puts into the filming of a drama. For a 30 episode drama, he’d get $900000 (or $150000 Canadian), considering in Canada, a middle manager in the public service gets close to $100000 per year, a plumber or electrician $120000, likely with fewer hours, the TVB artists are not paid well at all, especially with HK’s housing market into the tens of million dollars. At $3k per episode is grossly underpaid … meagre!
Back to the topic, it is about time TVB honours Ruco with the well deserved TV King title. He’s portrayed many different roles superbly, Not only that, no matter whom he has been partnered with, he has been consistently able to bring out the best in everyone around him! TVB should definitely recognize his efforts!
Exchanging a contract for an award? I can’t accept that, that’s cheating
@joyce Or … creative negotiations! Lol! Or sophisticated blackmailing. Jokes. Ruco wouldn’t do that, I’d think!
@joyce
HK’s gossip mags are always slanderous against Ruco, don’t know why. I believe that Ruco hasn’t got the bargaining power to negotiate exchanging contract for awards, considering his position in TBB. It’s illogical. Kevin Cheng, Bosco’s contracts will expire soon, in addition to others unknown, how many can TBB entertain?
@66ksc ruco doesn’t have to negotiate contract for award…he will get the TVB king award.
haven’t seen bosco for a while…hope he renews. as for kevin cheng, he can jolly well leave tvb with his turbo mouth gf and migrate to canada.