Joe Cheng
Encyclopedia
Joseph Cheng, also known as Joe Cheng, was born on 19 June 1982. He is a Taiwanese model
, actor and singer. Although he started his career as a model, Cheng is well known for his role as Jiang Zhishu in Taiwanese drama
serial version of Japanese manga Itazura Na Kiss
, It Started with a Kiss
. Cheng has gained much recognition as an actor in most parts of Asia, particularly Taiwan
, Mainland China
, Hong Kong
, Singapore
, Philippines
and Japan
. Cheng released his debut EP, Sing a Song, in October 2009. The title of the EP as well as its title track is a play on the third word in his name, Chang (暢) as a homophone of the word “Sing” (唱) in Chinese.
, Taiwan. Since his parents’ divorce when he was in primary school, he has lived with his father. He also has an elder sister, who lives with their mother. Cheng has once professed that his parents’ divorce influenced his lack of faith in love and made him rather embarrassed of his mother’s absence as a child.
As a model, Cheng was featured in several music videos, including one of Heavenly King Jacky Cheung
's. In 2003, he took on the role of the second male lead in The Rose
, a Taiwanese drama serial which also starred Taiwanese girl band S.H.E. and renowned actress Cecilia Yip
. It was this role that kick-started his acting career. Following his rising popularity and the success of his first acting role, Cheng was asked to make a guest appearance as Lucifer
in Taiwanese boyband Energy
’s first-ever idol drama, Dance with Michael, in the same year. Cheng starred as the main lead in two dramas, Nine-ball and Magic Ring in 2004. Although these two serials achieved lukewarm success, Cheng took the role of the main lead in It Started with a Kiss in the following year. This serial achieved high ratings in Taiwan and was popular with audiences throughout Asia. Cheng’s popularity rose tremendously as a result. It Started with a Kiss was also Cheng’s first collaboration with actress Ariel Lin
. The two, who are often touted as one of Taiwan’s most compatible on-screen couples, paired up again in the 2007 sequel to It Started with a Kiss, They Kiss Again; as well as Love or Bread
(2008) which is unrelated to the Kiss series. Cheng has starred in numerous drama serials produced in Taiwan, Mainland China and Japan, but remains most well known for his roles in The Rose and the Kiss series.
As a model, Cheng has modelled for several big-name brands including Puma AG
(2003–2005) and adidas
(2006–present). He has starred in numerous runway shows for brands such as Marc Jacob’s (2003), Timberland, Levi’s and Christian Dior (2007) He often also appears at flagship store openings including Hugo Boss (2009). Cheng also endorses several food, jewellery and clothing brands; the most recent being Mainland Chinese green tea brand Kang Shifu (for which Cheng starred and recorded a song with Mike He and Taiwanese actress Joe Chen) as well as casual wear brand N+a (with Taiwanese singer-actress Cyndi Wang). He also worked as a spokesperson for Shiatzy Chen
.
Excluding drama serial memorabilia, Cheng has released three pictorial books in addition to four calendars and one mini pictorial in conjunction with the release of his EP in 2009. He has also authored two books and co-authored another on his hometown Taichung. He was also featured in a 2006 book on Catwalk Modelling Agency.
Cheng has won multiple awards as a model and as a performing artiste. The most notable include one at the Asia Model Festival Awards 2009, in which he won the Asia Special Award.
Cheng, together with Sylvia Chang
and Mike He
, was appointed as an ambassador for World Vision
in December 2009.
In addition to his entertainment career, Cheng is completing his part-time university studies in tourism management at Hsing Wu College. As all males in Taiwan have to enlist for National Service, Cheng is due to enlist as soon as he completes his education.
In 2010 Cheng represented Taiwan and performed at the 7th Asia Song Festival
, organised by Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange, at the Seoul Olympic Stadium.
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
, actor and singer. Although he started his career as a model, Cheng is well known for his role as Jiang Zhishu in Taiwanese drama
Taiwanese drama
Taiwanese Drama refers to dramatic programming of television programming extended stories usually dramatizing relationships through the general range of ten to forty one-hour episodes. They are produced in Taiwan and have gained increasing popularity in the Mandarin-speaking community...
serial version of Japanese manga Itazura Na Kiss
Itazura na Kiss
is a popular shōjo manga series written and illustrated by Kaoru Tada. Itazura na Kiss began to be serialized and published in 1991 by Shueisha through Margaret Magazine. It became successful very quickly and became the manga series that Tada became known for in Japan...
, It Started with a Kiss
It Started with a Kiss (TV series)
It Started with a Kiss is a Taiwanese drama starring Joe Cheng, Ariel Lin and Jiro Wang of Fahrenheit. It was based on the first 10 volumes of the Japanese manga series Itazura na Kiss written by Kaoru Tada...
. Cheng has gained much recognition as an actor in most parts of Asia, particularly Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, Mainland China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Cheng released his debut EP, Sing a Song, in October 2009. The title of the EP as well as its title track is a play on the third word in his name, Chang (暢) as a homophone of the word “Sing” (唱) in Chinese.
Early Life
Joe Cheng, who was previously (prior to 2005) known as Bryan Cheng, grew up in Beitun District, TaichungTaichung
-Demographics:Taichung’s population was an estimated 1,040,725 in August 2006. There are slightly more females in the city than males.24.32% of residents are children, while 16.63% are young people, 52.68% are middle-age, and 6.73% are elderly....
, Taiwan. Since his parents’ divorce when he was in primary school, he has lived with his father. He also has an elder sister, who lives with their mother. Cheng has once professed that his parents’ divorce influenced his lack of faith in love and made him rather embarrassed of his mother’s absence as a child.
Acting career
Cheng began his career in the entertainment industry with Catwalk Modelling Agency. He reportedly achieved success as a model within one year of signing on and is currently still under the management of the company. Cheng is based in Taiwan and also counts Mainland China, Hong Kong and Japan as his main target markets.As a model, Cheng was featured in several music videos, including one of Heavenly King Jacky Cheung
Jacky Cheung
Jacky Cheung is a Hong Kong singer-songwriter and actor. The Chinese language media refers to him, Aaron Kwok, Andy Lau and Leon Lai as the Cantopop Four Heavenly Kings , with more than 60 million records sold as of 2000....
's. In 2003, he took on the role of the second male lead in The Rose
The Rose (TV series)
The Rose is a 2003 Taiwanese drama starring Ella Chen of S.H.E, Jerry Huang, Joe Cheng, Joelle Lu and Cecilia Yip. It was based on Japanese josei manga, , written by Akemi Yoshimura and directed by Chu Yu-ning . It was broadcast on Taiwan Television from 25 May 2003 to 23 November 2003...
, a Taiwanese drama serial which also starred Taiwanese girl band S.H.E. and renowned actress Cecilia Yip
Cecilia Yip
Cecilia Yip Tung is a Hong Kong actress. Cecilia Yip is a well-regarded actress from Hong Kong whose work is known throughout Asia, especially Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. She began her acting career in 1982 with "Nomad" in which she was nominated for The Best Newcomer of The Year Award...
. It was this role that kick-started his acting career. Following his rising popularity and the success of his first acting role, Cheng was asked to make a guest appearance as Lucifer
Lucifer
Traditionally, Lucifer is a name that in English generally refers to the devil or Satan before being cast from Heaven, although this is not the original meaning of the term. In Latin, from which the English word is derived, Lucifer means "light-bearer"...
in Taiwanese boyband Energy
Energy (band)
Energy is a Taiwanese pop rock boy band formed in 2002. The original band consisted of five members, namely Milk, Ady, Toro, Penny and Joe. Toro and Milk left the band in 2003 and 2005 respectively. Xiao Gang joined the band in mid 2007...
’s first-ever idol drama, Dance with Michael, in the same year. Cheng starred as the main lead in two dramas, Nine-ball and Magic Ring in 2004. Although these two serials achieved lukewarm success, Cheng took the role of the main lead in It Started with a Kiss in the following year. This serial achieved high ratings in Taiwan and was popular with audiences throughout Asia. Cheng’s popularity rose tremendously as a result. It Started with a Kiss was also Cheng’s first collaboration with actress Ariel Lin
Ariel Lin
Ariel Lin |Hakka]]: Lim2 Yi3 Sen2) was born 29 October 1982. She is a Taiwanese actress and singer, who won Best Leading Actress in a Television Series at the 43rd Golden Bell Awards...
. The two, who are often touted as one of Taiwan’s most compatible on-screen couples, paired up again in the 2007 sequel to It Started with a Kiss, They Kiss Again; as well as Love or Bread
Love or Bread
Love or Bread is a 2008 Taiwanese drama starring Joe Cheng and Ariel Lin. It was produced by Gala Television and driected by Lin He Long...
(2008) which is unrelated to the Kiss series. Cheng has starred in numerous drama serials produced in Taiwan, Mainland China and Japan, but remains most well known for his roles in The Rose and the Kiss series.
As a model, Cheng has modelled for several big-name brands including Puma AG
PUMA AG
Puma SE, officially branded as PUMA, is a major German multinational company that produces high-end athletic shoes, lifestyle footwear and other sportswear. Formed in 1924 as Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik by Adolf and Rudolf Dassler, relationships between the two brothers deteriorated until the two...
(2003–2005) and adidas
Adidas
Adidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
(2006–present). He has starred in numerous runway shows for brands such as Marc Jacob’s (2003), Timberland, Levi’s and Christian Dior (2007) He often also appears at flagship store openings including Hugo Boss (2009). Cheng also endorses several food, jewellery and clothing brands; the most recent being Mainland Chinese green tea brand Kang Shifu (for which Cheng starred and recorded a song with Mike He and Taiwanese actress Joe Chen) as well as casual wear brand N+a (with Taiwanese singer-actress Cyndi Wang). He also worked as a spokesperson for Shiatzy Chen
Shiatzy Chen
Shiatzy Chen is a Taiwanese fashion house, whose founder and brand innovator Wang Chen Tsai-Hsia is often referred to as the Chanel of Taiwan,and is the eponym of her luxury goods brand. She was born in 1951 in Changhua, Taiwan and founded the company in 1978...
.
Excluding drama serial memorabilia, Cheng has released three pictorial books in addition to four calendars and one mini pictorial in conjunction with the release of his EP in 2009. He has also authored two books and co-authored another on his hometown Taichung. He was also featured in a 2006 book on Catwalk Modelling Agency.
Cheng has won multiple awards as a model and as a performing artiste. The most notable include one at the Asia Model Festival Awards 2009, in which he won the Asia Special Award.
Cheng, together with Sylvia Chang
Sylvia Chang
Sylvia Chang is a Taiwanese actress, writer, singer, producer and director. In 1992, she was a member of the jury at the 42nd Berlin International Film Festival.- Actress :...
and Mike He
Mike He
Mike He was born 28 December 1983. He is a Taiwanese actor who started his career as a model before switching to acting. As of 2010, He is managed by HIM International Music.-Biography:...
, was appointed as an ambassador for World Vision
World Vision
World Vision, founded in the USA in 1950, is an evangelical relief and development organization whose stated goal is "to follow our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in working with the poor and oppressed to promote human transformation, seek justice and bear witness to the good news of the Kingdom of...
in December 2009.
Music career
2009 was a quiet year for the television star, who spent the year busy with his theatre debut, Design for Living, starring opposite stage veterans Sylvia Chang and David Wang, under the directorship of Hong Kong stage director Edward Lam. The troupe made several sell-out shows in Hong Kong, Mainland China, Taiwan and Singapore. Cheng said that it has always been one of his goals to star in a stage play and was very honoured to have been able to star in the same production as Sylvia Chang. In the same year he also released his first EP, Sing a Song. Cheng is known by his friends in the industry as one who loves to sing. Album sales were fair and the EP topped certain charts in Taiwan but Cheng failed to convince music critics of the industry. Much to the dismay of his fans, Cheng did not star in any drama series in 2009.In addition to his entertainment career, Cheng is completing his part-time university studies in tourism management at Hsing Wu College. As all males in Taiwan have to enlist for National Service, Cheng is due to enlist as soon as he completes his education.
In 2010 Cheng represented Taiwan and performed at the 7th Asia Song Festival
Asia song festival
Asia Song Festival, aka A-Song-Fe or ASF, is an annual Asian pop music festival held in South Korea, since 2004. It is hosted by Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange and features artists from Asian countries...
, organised by Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange, at the Seoul Olympic Stadium.
Television series
| Year | |English | Role | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 蔷薇之戀 | The Rose | Han Kui (韓葵) |
| 米迦勒之舞 | Dance With Michael | Lu Xi Fu / Lucifer | |
| 2004 | 愛情魔戒 | Magic Ring Magic ring A magic ring is a ring, usually a finger ring, that has magical properties. It appears frequently in fantasy and fairy tales. Magic rings are found in the folklore of every country where rings are worn, and they endow the wearer with a variety of abilities, including invisibility, the granting of... |
Du Jing Hang (杜競航) |
| 2005 | 撞球小子 | Nine-Ball | Kuai Da |
| 惡作劇之吻 | It Started With a Kiss It Started with a Kiss (TV series) It Started with a Kiss is a Taiwanese drama starring Joe Cheng, Ariel Lin and Jiro Wang of Fahrenheit. It was based on the first 10 volumes of the Japanese manga series Itazura na Kiss written by Kaoru Tada... |
Jiang Zhi Shu (江直樹) [Irie Naoki] | |
| 2006 | 第一桶金 | Di Yi Tong Jin | Ah Sheng |
| 庚子風雲 | War and Destiny | Chen Ran | |
| 2007 | 熱情仲夏 | Summer x Summer Summer x Summer Summer x Summer is a 2007 Taiwanese drama starring Joe Cheng, Wu Xiong and Ethan Ruan. It was based on Japanese josei manga, , written by Yachi Emiko... |
Ouyang Lei (歐陽累) |
| 惡作劇2吻 | They Kiss Again They Kiss Again (TV series) They Kiss Again is a Taiwanese drama starring Joe Cheng, Ariel Lin, Jiro Wang of Fahrenheit and Danson Tang. It is the sequel to It Started With a Kiss which is based on the Japanese manga series Itazura na Kiss written by Kaoru Tada. It was produced by Comic International Productions and... |
Jiang Zhi Shu (江直樹) [Irie Naoki] | |
| 2008 | 蜂蜜幸運草 | Honey and Clover Honey and Clover is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Chika Umino. It is also known as and H&C. It is published by Shueisha, initially serialized from June 2000 to July 2006 in the magazines CUTiEcomic, Young YOU, and Chorus, and collected in ten bound volumes... |
Den Zhen Shan (鄧真山) [Mayama Takumi] |
| 我的億萬麵包 | Love or Bread Love or Bread Love or Bread is a 2008 Taiwanese drama starring Joe Cheng and Ariel Lin. It was produced by Gala Television and driected by Lin He Long... |
Cai Jing Lai (蔡進來) / Frank | |
| 2010 | 欢迎爱光临 | That Love Comes | Xia Tian (夏天) |
| 國民英雄 | Channel-X | An Zai Yong (安在勇) | |
Music videos
- 2003 - 葉子" (Leaf) - The Rose OST by Ah San (阿桑)
- Bu Chao Bu Nao (不吵不鬧)- Landy 溫嵐
- Ji Ta Shou (吉他手)- 陳綺貞
- Gift - Jacky CheungJacky CheungJacky Cheung is a Hong Kong singer-songwriter and actor. The Chinese language media refers to him, Aaron Kwok, Andy Lau and Leon Lai as the Cantopop Four Heavenly Kings , with more than 60 million records sold as of 2000....
- Leaf/Ye Zi - A Sun
- E Zuo Ju (It Started With a KissIt Started with a Kiss (TV series)It Started with a Kiss is a Taiwanese drama starring Joe Cheng, Ariel Lin and Jiro Wang of Fahrenheit. It was based on the first 10 volumes of the Japanese manga series Itazura na Kiss written by Kaoru Tada...
OST) - Wang Lan Yin - Bu Si Xin (Unwilling to Give Up) - Joe Cheng
- Sing a Song (Chang Yi Shou Ge) - Joe Cheng
Discography
| Album Info | Tracklisting |
|---|---|
| Sing a Song Chang Yi Shou Ge (暢一首歌)
|
|
Books
- Yuan Wei Chang Kuai《元味暢快》(2005)
- Always Smile 《籃球偶像事件簿》(2003)
- My Color My Style 《我型我色——鄭元暢配色寶典》(2003)