Macao shoot a shot in arm

Starring in the TV series Begin Again provided singer-actress Chen Haoyu with her first opportunity to visit the Macao Special Administrative Region this summer.

Surrounded by the sea on three sides, the city experiences plentiful rainfall during the summer. This aspect left a strong impression on the 32-year-old, who is now a Shanghai resident.

"During filming, we often encountered situations where the weather would be perfect one moment, then suddenly there would be a heavy downpour, drenching the entire city. But just as soon as the rain stopped, the sun would come out again, and the ground would dry rapidly, as if the rain had never happened," she says.

Begin Again tells the story of a group of urban individuals of different ages and professions who have serendipitous encounters in Macao, discovering love and courage. The show makes a feature of Macao as a world-class tourism destination with its diversity of culture, historical sites, boutique hotels, attractive coastal scenery, and a variety of cuisines.

Despite covering just 33.3 square kilometers, the city has more than 170 attractions. Its historical center, which blends Chinese and Western architectural styles, was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2005.

In 1999, the year Macao returned to the motherland, it welcomed 6.6 million visitors. Fast-forward 25 years, and this year's tourist numbers are expected to surpass 33 million, according to Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, director of the Macao Government Tourism Office.

Begin Again was recently aired on CCTV 1 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Macao's return. Chen plays Mai Youge, a workaholic account manager from an advertising agency suffering from mental stress who is on a business trip to Macao.

During her stay, she meets a young man. Exploring the city together, they learn about each other, discover new possibilities, gradually let go of stress, and learn to face life more positively.

"This series depicts the lives of modern urban youth in Macao, as they forge emotional connections with others, nurture relationships, and approach life with a positive and contented attitude in a romantic, laid-back city," says Li Mo, director of the drama.

Reflecting on things she gleaned from Macao's unpredictable weather, Chen says: "Sometimes, when we were filming outdoors and it started raining, we would wait for the rain to stop. Previously, I would have felt anxious. But in Macao, knowing how changeable the weather is, I could appreciate the romance of waiting for the rain to stop. It made me feel lighthearted."

This "lightheartedness" is particularly relevant to Chen this year. A singer, who had appeared in musicals and TV dramas for a decade, she had never attracted much attention but in July, she won the hit music reality show Riding Wind 2024, gaining her nearly 4.5 million followers on social media platform Sina Weibo. Though relatively unknown, she grew unexpectedly in popularity and won for her singing and dancing, melodious voice, modest personality, and beauty.

The flood of magazine shoots, commercial endorsements, performance invitations, awards, acting offers that followed, was greater than she was used to receiving.

"I am striving to adapt to this fast pace, to be less flustered," she says.

She remains open to experience, which has led her to become who she is today.

Growing up in Fujian province, Chen studied music engineering at the Xiamen University of Technology. In 2012, she started to study at the Yuan Ze University in Taiwan as an exchange student.

She competed in the Taiwan TV's singing contest Chinese Million Star, which has previously launched the careers of pop stars like Jam Hsiao, Yoga Lin, and Aska Yang, and claimed the title in 2014.

"At the time, I participated to have this new experience," she says.

After winning, Chen signed with a major record company, but it was acquired shortly afterward, leading to her contract being dropped. She returned to the Chinese mainland and ventured into musical theater. Repeated practice and experience gradually helped her find her way in acting, and she began to get invitations for film and TV roles.

"I had many auditions and met lots of directors, and sometimes, not being chosen simply indicates a mismatch of needs, not a denial of my worth. I believe the value of an actor does not solely depend on how well a TV or film production is received, or the opinions of others, but on whether I feel that I have put all my energy into performing that role."

As Mai Youge, Chen is playing a character she finds comfortable and engaging and just as her character slowly learns to let go of stress and face life with a relaxed attitude in Macao, Chen has also experienced her own mental transition in the process.

Wang Lianqing contributed to this story.