Kate Tsui Dating Rich Magnate With $2 Billion Net Worth
In April this year, when Kate Tsui (徐子珊) attended an event, where she was still sighing away about being unable to afford a property. However, as early as last September, Kate had jointly purchased a luxurious Residence Bel-Air unit with her mom for a staggering price of $10.8 million HKD, thus making Kate neighbors with Chow Yun Fat (周润发), Louis Koo (古天乐), Nick Cheung (张家辉) and other heavenly kings.
During her Miss Hong Kong days in 2004, Kate had a tag of “Miss Hong Kong Home Ownership Scheme,” which is a subsidized-sale programme of public housing targeted to help low income families in Hong Kong. In 2008, Kate moved from her family residence to a monthly rental of $10,000 HKD apartment in South Horizons. Within one year, she upgraded to stay in the Bel-Air residence apartment which required a monthly rental of $30,000 HKD.
From 2009 onwards, Kate Tsui always pretended to be poor and even emphasizing (more than once) that she was only renting the apartment and did not purchase it. Kate went as far as making the following statement in April 2011, “All along I always had a target in mind, which is to buy a property. However, the current property prices are more expensive than in the year 1997. Thus I still cannot fulfill this aim as of yet.”
However, a quick check with the Hong Kong Land Registry proved otherwise. The data revealed that in September 2010, Kate Tsui had already jointly purchased the Bel-air residence apartment with her mom. Within a short span of ten months, the apartment had already appreciated in value to $12 million HKD. The initial purchase price was $10.8 million HKD.
On the other hand, Kate Tsui’s mother also had a slip of the tongue and admitted that Kate’s property purchase was an “open secret”. However, despite being one of the joint owners of that apartment, Kate’s mother had never stayed there before and was still residing in the Tseung Kwan O public flat.
Why did Kate Tsui refuse to admit that she bought a property? Alas, it was because the salary of a TVB artist was not high and although Kate had accepted the job of five TVB drama serials this year, her income was still at a measly sum of $5,000 HKD per episode. In fact, mainland filming opportunities and job event offers were in no way more than the other TVB Fadans. Thus in the year 2009 when she first rented her current Bel-air apartment, there were suspicions on how Kate managed to afford it, especially given that her salary income was not proportionate to the expenses (including the rental) that she incurred. This led to rumors that Kate was dating a rich magnate with a net worth of $2 billion HKD on the sly.
Source: ynet.com
Honestly it’s not surprising if that’s true.
Perhaps Kate did not want to admit that she bought the apartment last year, precisely due to the immediate public conclusion that she was taken care of by a rich man.
Kate seems very popular at PR events, so I’m sure she has enough savings. The price of $10 million HKD is possible for her to afford, given that this is her first property and she has been saving all these years.
@Jayne:
I think so too plus Kate acted in quite a few movies already and the income from acting in movies is usually higher than the income from acting in TVB shows right plus as you said, she’s an advertisers’ and event organizers’ darling so I don’t think it’s surprising if she could afford that luxury apartment on her own.
Plus I don’t think this article about her being from a humble public flat background is true at all because if her family can afford to send her overseas to study university in California, Davis, surely they can afford a better home than that? That is to say, if they didn’t exhaust all their savings, sending her abroad to study lahs!
Anyway, Kate has refuted the claims that she is a mistress of this rich mogul in an interview of her and Ron Ng. Not sure whether true or not lahs!
@ Ah K
Is this the interview.
http://asianfanatics.net/forum/topic/6-ron-ng-cheuk-hei-%26%2321555%3B%26%2321331%3B%26%2332690%3B/page__view__findpost__p__6959317
Her salary is HKD5,000 per episode. TVB series is usually 20 to 30 episodes. So, by filming 2 series, she already has HKD250,000. Coupled by other activities outside like cutting ribbons, endorsement and attending events, she can definitely afford the monthly installment for the house.
@Kidd:
Yes indeed but don’t know whether with her salary whether it’s possible to actually buy over the apartment at a price of 10.8 million HKD, maybe she took up a bank loan? I don’t know man!
But wouldn’t it be silly to incur a snowball of bank interest just to buy a house? The profit you would gain from selling the house wouldn’t even cover up those interest paid every month (if you sell the house within a short term)
*I meant interest and installment repayments every month
@Ah K,
How much is the monthly instalment for that luxury apartment that Kate bought? If the amount exceeded or just enough to cover by earnings…that’s fishy
@ Ah K
I assume she took a bank loan. I thought most house owners do that. How many can afford to pay for an apartment/house in one lump sum?
@Veejay:
According to the article, the monthly rental expenses of her Bel-Air home is 30,000 HKD per month. I do believe that Kate is able to pay for the rental expenses but I do find it dubious for her to be able to fork out 10.8 million HKD. That is, unless she borrowed from the bank or her family or someone else.
@Kidd:
That’s true! I’m not too sure how banks in Hong Kong works and about their maximum loan limit of how much they can lend in proportionate to your income. Wonder whether their maximum home loan is as per the full amount of the quotation of your home or only half of it.
Hmm…but in any case, I think what you said might be true as I have heard people say before that buying up a house is always better than renting a house as you are letting others earn your future money.
Disclaimer: This is NOT a translated article but an article from my local English newspaper, The Straits Times, interviewing Kate when she came down to Singapore for the Starhub TVB Awards 2011. So kindly please DO NOT REPRODUCE this elsewhere. If you do, please credit it to “The Straits Times”, thank you!
Headline: “Sultry Kate will not strip; 8 questions with…Kate Tsui”
Date: July 18, 2011
Summary: The star will not do more than pout on screen as Hong Kong audiences are ‘conservative’, she adds.
By ST Life! writer Jocelyn Lee
Hong Kong television actress Kate Tsui may be well-known for her sexy image but she says she will never consider filming nude scenes.
Speaking in perfect English with a strong American accent, Tsui tells Life!: “I am not that confident about doing nude scenes. I know that many Hollywood actresses are fine with such scenes as they see bodies as a tool for their acting.”
The 1.67m-tall TVB actress, who graduated from the University of California with a major in Japanese, says: “In China, more actresses are doing nude scenes too as they see it as a form of art. But Hong Kong is more conservative and I don’t think the people would accept it. I won’t do it.”
The 32-year-old broke into the acting scene after winning the Miss Hong Kong title in 2004.
She has since acted in more than 20 Hong Kong dramas including police drama On The First Beat (2006) and dance drama Steps (2007), for which she won two TVB Awards for Most Improved Actress in the same year.
Some of her recent TV serials such as period drama Relic of An Emissary and modern drama Wax and Wane are showing on Starhub on Demand TV.
Tsui was in town over the weekend for the annual Starhub TVB Awards 2011 that took place last Saturday night at Marina Bay Sands.
She picked up the My Favourite TVB Female TV Character award for her role as a police inspector in the drama When Lanes Merge, and also the Most Energetic Award.
Qn 1: The drama Relic of an Emissary has been described by some viewers as being too sexy and explicit, especially the bedroom scene that you had with Michael Tse. What is your response to that?
“Initially when I read the script, I also hesitated for a bit and I questioned why a period drama contained such scenes.
However, after going through the script more carefully, I felt that such scenes were important to make the show work. We were still trying to understand viewers’ tastes and know what they want but as an actress, I do what my director asks me to.”
Qn 2: You often act in roles that show your sexy side. Is that what you look out for when choosing roles?
“I don’t think too much about my sexy image when I take on roles. I usually look at the big picture and see my role in context of the whole plot. If a role allows me to develop my acting skills and showcase myself more, I would take it on.”
Qn 3: You have acted opposite many Hong Kong male actors before. Have you ever fallen in love with your co-stars?
“I don’t fall for my co-stars but I always fall for the roles they play. It is sexy to fall for the character, especially when I am acting as his romantic partner.
I usually fall for the characters but I get out of it when filming wraps.”
Qn 4: You filmed Forensic Heroes 3 earlier this year opposite Maggie Cheung Ho-ye. What was it like filming with her?
“Initially, I did not dare to talk to her because she looks very serious and does not look too friendly. I didn’t dare to joke around with her. However, after filming, we went out and had meals together and I realised that she is actually very nice and sociable. The reports about her scolding me during filming are all untrue. She did not do that at all.”
Qn 5: You have won awards for Most Improved Actress. How do you ensure that you are improving in your acting?
“Usually, after receiving a role, I would dissect it and look at it in detail. Then I would add my own things, such as small signature actions or develop a style of talking for the character. I enjoy preparing for a role – it is the most exciting part.”
Qn 6: You played a beauty pageant winner in the drama Beauty of the Game (2009). How similar is that character to you in real life?
“I think I am luckier in real life because my family (she is the younger of two girls) does not give me any pressure in my work, unlike my character in the show. I am the first in my family to go into the entertainment industry and I have their support. That spurs me on because I can do what I like, yet provide for my family at the same time.”
Qn 7: Out of the many actors you have worked with, who is your favorite and why?
“Alex Fong. He is the best guy ever and he’s the perfect Mr Right. He is handsome, charming, humble, makes a lot of money and looks cool on a motorcycle. What’s there not to like about him?”
Qn 8: How do you want to be remembered when you retire?
“I’ve never thought of that before but I hope the work I have done so far will evoke various good memories. I am satisfied with what I have done so far.”
Please understand that as this isn’t a translated article and due to copyright infringements, I cannot let Jayne put this up as an article on site as that wouldn’t be counted as an original work already but a pirated copy, thank you for all your kind understanding!
Anyway, Kate Tsui looked pretty (in my opinion) in a Lavin for H&M frock dress for the interview. (Through the accompanying photo for the article)
Are you from Singapore!
Oppps. Ps. I haven’t read the comment vbelow. Oh. So you’re from Singapore.
@Fybttrforever:
Yes, ah yeah, haha!
Cool! Another Singaporean! ^.^
So kate graduated from UC Davis with a bachelor’s in japanese? that’s surprising. what did she intend to do with a degree in japanese? has anyone heard her speak japanese in series?
it’s an odd but interesting tidbit.
She worked as a secretary for a project before joining MHK contest.
off topic: i heard kate tsui speak english once and she pronounced ‘energetic’ as ‘enARGARtic’ …
Seriously, another pretty (I guess) actress with a rich guy article? I’m getting very tired of those… Doesn’t HK paparazzi have anything other ‘stories’ to publish? Haih.
BTW, Ah K, if you don;t mind me asking, are you a Singaporean?
@CY:
Yes, I am! I mean, yes, I am a Singaporean! Lol, you mean you can’t tell from all my “lahs”, “lors” and “ah”? Haha just kidding!
@ Ah K
I actually didn’t realize the lahs and lohs in your posts I guess I’m used to them so my eyes just skimmed those lahs and lohs without really seeing them.. I only noticed them when you mentioned it and I went back to reread your earlier posts.. Ooppss, my bad.. Eyes playing tricks on me LOL
@CY:
Haha no no, I’m just kidding! Lol, yeah but I try not to use Singlish abbreviations when possible as it is broken English afterall But it would be nice to pepper it in occasionally!
i smell something fishy going on………
@Lara:
I smell it too cause strangely, Kate Tsui’s expenses doesn’t fit her income and even if she shoots movie, she is still a second line actress in them (I know this is contradictory to my earlier comment above but I gave it a further thought so yeah) unlike Louis Koo, Chow Yun Fat and Nick Cheung, who are first line actors in movies so it does seem dubious how she managed to afford to buy the same apartment block as them…hmmm…it’s either most likely monetary support from her family or…someone else.
I shouldn’t be writing this as I am not a fan of hers and in fact, thinks very badly of her so my views may be a bit biased. I have never liked her acting or her as a person and I would not be at all surprised if she was a “kept woman” as that would be the sort of thing she would do.
In hong kong you will need a 30% down payment to be eligible for a loan. Considering the condo is 10.8m, Kate will need at least 3.24m in cash to be approved of a loan. I don’t doubt she has that kind of money now. Since she has been heavily