Joseph (Joe) Cheng (traditional Chinese: 鄭元暢; simplified Chinese: 郑元畅; pinyin: Zhèng Yuánchàng; Wade-Giles: Cheng Yüan Chang) (born June 19, 1982) is a Taiwanese model, actor and singer best known for acting in Taiwanese idol dramas. Although he started his career as a model, Cheng is most famous for his role as Jiang Zhishu in the Taiwanese drama serial version of popular 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.Contents [hide] 1 Life 2 Career 3 Current 4 Dramas 5 Music 5.1 Sing a Song, October 2009 5.2 Music Videos 6 Books 7 References 8 External links
[edit] Life
Joe Cheng, who was previously (prior to 2005) known as Bryan Cheng, grew up in Beitun District, Taichung, 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. [edit] 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'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 (boyband)’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. [edit] Current
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 serial 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. [edit] Dramas 2003: 蔷薇之戀 (The Rose) 2003: 米迦勒之舞 (Dance With Michael) 2004: 撞球小子 (Nine-Ball) 2004: 愛情魔戒 (Magic Ring) 2005: 惡作劇之吻 (It Started With a Kiss) 2006: 第一桶金 (Di Yi Tong Jin) 2006: 庚子風雲 (War and Destiny) 2007: 熱情仲夏 (Summer x Summer) 2007: 惡作劇2吻 (They Kiss Again) 2008: 蜂蜜幸運草 (Honey and Clover) 2008: 我的億萬麵包 (Love or Bread)
[1] [2] [edit] Music [edit] Sing a Song, October 2009 Sing a Song, Chang Yi Shou Ge (暢一首歌) 2009-10-02 不死心 (Unwilling to Give Up) 王子復仇記 (Prince's Revenge Record) 暢一首歌 (Chang Yi Shou Ge) 彩色 Party (Colorful Party) 面包的滋味 (The Taste of Bread) My Song, Your Sun [edit] Music Videos Bu Chao Bu Nao (不吵不鬧)- Landy 溫嵐 Ji Ta Shou (吉他手)- 陳綺貞 Gift - Jacky Cheung Leaf/Ye Zi - A Sun E Zuo Ju (It Started With a Kiss OST) - Wang Lan Yin Bu Si Xin (Unwilling to Give Up) - Joe Cheng Sing a Song (Chang Yi Shou Ge) - Joe Cheng song sing risma love joe cheng
love love love
