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This is a program of the educational channel of Beijing TV . This series is about famous people who committed suicide. The young woman interviewed in this episode is the person who, with the help from fans, wrote/put together a book about Barbara.
A short summary on this clip.
In China till to date Legend of the Condor Heroes 1983 is still regarded the best series that was ever made.There is one character in this series that left the deepest impression on everyone. It's none other than the character that Barbara Yung played in the series Huang Rong. The clip later went to explain about Barbara's life In England, her romance with the "Dutch" guy, joining Miss Hong Kong, her acting career & etcs. Short clips of Kent, Kenneth Tsang (Barbara's father in LOTCH 83) remembering Barbara.
Mostly are clips of Barbara in LOTCH83.
(Thanks to Rachel for the translation)
Here a translation of the documentary (thanks to Rachel)
Documentary part 1
The Intro
May 18, 1985. It's the funeral of Barbara Yung held in Hong Kong. Many of her friends from the entertainment business: Felix, Carina, Tony Leung & etc attended. Why did this happen? It has taken everyone by suprise. Why? Why? There was this guy holding a bouquet of roses. He is known then as Barbara's former boyfriend Kent Tong (KT). Newspapers in Hong Kong ran highlights on her death and funeral. Whole Hong Kong was silent at that moment.
1983 Legend of the condor heroes was broadcasted in Hong Kong & overseas. There is this character Huang Rong played by Barbara Yung (BY) that made her a household name and left deep impression. Barbara Yung was successful. During her prime, 14 May 1985 she died of gas inhalation. She was 26 years old. What causes her to take this path? There were doubts about her death. Was it due to the relationship between Kent Tong or were there other factors. Lets do some analysis.
Scenario #1 "" All because of Love
BY & KT knew one another while they were shooting Legend of the Unknowns. KT has been in the industry for 3 years and BY just started hers. BY and KT were best buddies and KT was very caring during the shooting. This touched BY's heart. Due to her cuteness KT & BY had a crush on each other. After they finish shooting they were dating. BY was staying alone so she had KT as her confidant. (In the clip BY said: "that sometimes she would wear the pants. Mostly I would be the one who had all the say". KT said :"yeah, you take the piece of cake. What if there is a misunderstanding?" BY replied: " I would be like a spoil brat" "" said in a joking way).
Opportunity came for BY in Legend of the Condor Heroes (LOTCH). Their time of meeting up got lesser due to commitments at work. One day due to some action shots during the shooting of LOTCH, BY eye was injured. KT was visiting her every day. This has once again moved BY. Little did BY know that later this relationship had some dark secrets. BY did ask Sharon Yeung (Nian Chi in LOTCH) if she could date. Sharon advised her "yes, you could but please be discreet about it".
In 1984 BY bought a 2 room apartment & gave one of the rooms to KT. Due to BY's open thinking she wouldn't mind. It looks as though they had plans to settle down but KT didn't like the idea. "It doesn't matter who bought the property because we both could spend time here". Therefore, KT was seen in BY house several times.
Due to the popularity of LOTCHI it was reported that there were rumours that BY had boyfriends such as Andy Lau, Tong Leung or even Micheal Miu (MM). The TV-station paired BY with MM due to their outstanding performance in LOTCH. They were the TV couples during that time and more gossip surfaced. It was an awkward situation for BY & MM. KT felt the strain too. MM did say that he & BY were like brothers & sisters because he knew KT & BY were dating.
BY & KT couldn't have the love they wanted because of their popularity. KT had working matters overseas. There were rumours about KT again and that left Barbara once again neglected. Sharon Yeung said in the clip that she felt that BY has taken this relationship seriously. BY she had no family members by her side in Hong Kong with whom she could share her happiness or her troubles. Therefore, BY often visited pubs to keep her mind free from any negative forces. Sometimes she will sit alone in the pub crying and tell her problems to those people that she hardly knew. Telling them mostly about her love life.
At that time BY was still serious about her relationship with and love for KT. KT had no idea about it , what was going through his mind were BY's rumours & etcs. BY has always wanted to express her love to KT. KT has no idea that BY has gone through a stage of depression.
BY had tried to commit suicide twice in Hong Kong. During this time, another man came into her life. It's Stephen Chow Sai Lung. As BY knew Stephen Chow, KT got to know another actress Sandra Ng. A day on May 1985, KT, MM, Sandra Ng & Jamie Chik went for an outing. This became the headlines in the next day news papers. Many people felt that this could be the cause that Barbara had thoughts of committing suicide again. On the night of 13 May 1985, BY was interviewed by the press regarding the picture. They ask how she felt, she said it doesn't bother me at all. After BY wrapped up working, colleagues heard BY & KT had an argument in the studio. BY left. No one could imagined that this night, 13 May 1985, was the last that was seen of BY.
Early hours in the morning of the 14 May 1985, BY made a call to Stephen Chow to tell him about her failed relationship with KT. In the clip Stephen Chow said that BY sounded sad and troubled. Just before BY reach her apartment, she had tried to call KT. She couldn't get in touch with him and left him a voice mail. In a clip KT said that during that night he refused to see or talk to anyone.
Stephen Chow tried calling BY and he just could not contact her. He went to BY's apartment at 7 am on 14 May 1985. He knocked on BY's door but no one answered. Stephen Chow said he smelled gas fumes through BY's apartment door. He then climbed up the exterior apartment building wall to her second floor apartment and tried to open her front window. He entered BY's apartment (from the window) and discovered her unconscious and sprawled out on the living room floor. There was a note "DARLING, I LOVE YOU" in the living room. Stephen rushed BY to the nearby Baptist Hospital in Kowloon hoping the doctor's could revive her. It was too late, BY died from inhaling too much gas.
From everyone's point of view we conclude that BY died because of a failed relationship. That is why did she decide to end her life this way to overcome her sorrows. Prior to BY's death she was interviewed regarding actresses committing suicide. BY expressed that a girl died because of love is a waste, therefore why make such a move. Hence, we could now reflect why BY said those things but in the end she herself had doubts and became a victim. Are there any other factors other than love?
End of Part 1
Documentary Part 2
Scenario #2 - Becoming Famous
LOTCH83 was a huge success and has made BY very famous and BY's Hung Rong was a legend. In 1984, BY shoot a series United We Stand with MM, Michael Tao. She played 2 characters. Subsequent series The New Adventures of Chor Lau Heung, audience has lost interest in BY's acting. BY accepted another series offer "" The Rough Ride. She played a cop. The character too didn't attract the audience attention.
It was reported BY acting career was going downhill. Sharon Yeung explained that once you're famous, your thinking gets more complex's and give your self pressure.
Acting career stagnant & failed romance has directly took over BY's emotion. Once again, are they anymore factors beside love and career that made BY to commit suicide?
End of Part 2
Documentary Part 3
Scenario #3 "" Her Personality
MM said BY is very mischievous, tomboy at times and very active. She will keep everything all by herself, never tell anyone. As a friend we see her as Huang Rong too.
BY was born in Hong Kong in the year 1959. Her father works for the Hong Kong Immigration Department. Her parents fell in love & had BY. She was the only child and due to her father's busy schedule BY hardly knew her father. When she was 7 years old her father passed away. BY parents were not legally married, her mom had nothing after BY's fathers death. Being the only child she had no father figure to look up to. Through during her 6 years or so her father gave love to her, BY felt there isn't any security. This has made her to who she is, doubtful about falling in love.
1972, BY's mom married to a man whom BY's mom migrated to England. BY was left behind in Hong Kong. As a 13 year old girl she has live independently. In 1974, age 15, BY's migration was finally approve.
BY left Hong Kong to England to be with her mom. No matter how hard BY life in England she is very hardworking and never give up so easily. In this clip BY said "After I got enrolled to this school, the teacher told me, I'm the 1st Chinese in this school. The tried to put me at a lower grade because they felt that Chinese students English are not good. I was very upset. If you want me to go to a lower grade, I won't study. Of coz I didn't give up and persuaded the teacher to accept me. In the end I won the appeal. I was happy, my hard work paid off and I scored good grades."
In 1981, after the completing her 'O' levels, BY was admitted to a 2-year foundations program at the Cambridge College of Art and Technology (CCAT). 1 year later she entered Miss Kong Kong (MHK).
In this clip BY said "I had a great experience joining MHK. I was having summer break and working in England. One day I got a letter from my god mother from Hong Kong. She told me the enrollement for MHK is on. I told her if I were to come back to Hong Kong for the MHK, I've to give up a lot of things in England. In the end I took the challenge and returned to Hong Kong."
The reason of why Barbara gave up everything in England to join MHK has to be this reason. During her studies in Cambridge she meet and fell in love with a Dutch boy. Due to the challenges of this relationship, it could not sustain and BY felt pressured. Joining MHK was a turning point for her. She was one of the front runners to win but due to her height she was placed number 8. The producers of the MHK did have an eye on her. Right after MHK, BY was offered to co-host some TV variety shows for TVB.
BY said in the clip again "Through I didn't get any reward or whatever in MHK, I was offered by TVB as a contract artiste. These 3 years I learned a lot. Needless to say I have experience things that I haven't done before. This is an opportunity that I'll make use."
BY did few more hosting jobs and finally landed on the iconic role on LOTCH83 as Huang Rong. LOTCH83 was a cult series in Hong Kong and worldwide. BY character HUANG RONG left the deepest impression to anyone who watches it. BY's HUANG RONG will always be an ICON!!!! There were many other actresses who played Huang Rong such as Michelle Yim, Idy Chan, Athena Chu & Zho Zhuan. None of them could surpassed the success BY has stamped in this series.
In many peoples eyes till today BY and Huang Rong is of a same person. Her outgoing personality & etcs will always be loved and cherish. Huang Rong too faces many challenges in her romance. Huang Rong's up's and down's with the man that she love most Guo Jing. This is one of the favourite couple in any martial art series that were ever made.
BY & KT's affair sparks off during the shooting of LOTCH83. The passionate BY would hope KT could give her as much love as possible. It didn't happened and BY's was disappointed. This has left BY a big scar thus she doesn't believe in love anymore. The life of BY in Hong Kong after her broken romance, no matter it is depression or failed career, would she ever on the gas to kill herself. If she would have sought help early NONE OF THIS WILL HAPPEN. Her early passing has left all of us remorse and a sense of guilt.
25 years on, the idols of the 80's era, MM, Sharon Yeung, Felix Wong and KT left the entertainment industry. Jing Guo Guo (Felix Wong) had stayed on the industry for sometime but in the end quit too to have a quiet life. MM left the industry in 1991 to set up his own business. BY's best pal Sharon Yeung too left after LOTCH83 to Taiwan. She has set up her own company since then. As for KT, he is now on low profile and opens his own company too. After 20 over years whenever BY is remembered he couldn't hold back his tears.
In Cambridge, at the New Market cemetery there is a tombstone with a heart shape. A picture of BY and the name Ms Barbara Yung. 20 over years on many Chinese people from across the globe visit London. They would not missed Cambridge and would pay respect at BY's grave. There will always be flowers on her grave.
End of Part 3
Conclusion
Fans of LOTCH83 have matured now. Most have their career, married, have their own life & etcs. As for BY she will forever be 26 and the ICONIC Huang Rong.
The End
Comments
TRUE :-)