**Magazine Corner**

That day, when Leon was getting ready to answer the first question of the Interview, which was 'what are your feelings about show-biz now?' I thought that by his by his expression he was going to comment on something about his music company. At that moment, Leon reminded me of one of the classmates I had in kindergarten, with that same expression as his! He resembled a child sitting in front of the teacher's desk, trying really hard to memorize his studies. At that moment, Leon looked so CUTE! When facing the issue of love, everyone seems to be stubborn in their own ways. "I don't like a strong woman, I have to be stronger that her." "She can be smart, but economically, I have to be stronger than her." "Then she can fully enjoy being loved by a man, and enjoy having them give her money to spend...or else there wouldn't be much point in being in love." "I don't worry about what women have in mind when they are around me, they want my money? My fame? That's silly to worry. Instead I would ask myself if I really like her?
As long as I love her, everything else doesn't matter, or even how she treats me. These kind of things cannot be measured and weighed. There are many people that are wealthier than me, more famous than me. If you want the girl not to like your money, not to like your fame, then you should tell her right from the start not to like you at all. Then you'll ruin the chance to get to know her, I think that is really stupid! I believe that women think men are attractive not because of what cologne they wear, but by one word----career. When I man gets to the point of retirement, he is no longer 'attractive'. Even though women always complain how they hate their boyfriends spending so much time with work and not with them, but they only say this, but deep inside, they just love it. Women love men to have a 'heart for career'. Then she can be the one to enjoy it to the fullest.
Leon and his manager have been friends for 12 years now. Joe said through the 12 years he has known Leon, he is still as straight-forward yet still has his child innocence. "he (Leon) when has something to say, he just says it, he doesn't know how to pretend or hide it. Whenever he goes on stage to speak, he always says....ummm....ah..umm...Leon never thinks of what he is going to say ahead of time. His weakness? I am sure everyone will agree with me on this one, it is Leon's smoking habits and how he won't quit." There has been this moment I will never forget about Leon. It was when we were at Rwanda. Leon was the only one that managed to walked through all those rooms with the dead bodies lying on the ground. Even if Leon was not a celebrity, I would still have full respect for him." "Leon said to me, while smiling...next time we do this kind of thing, I will not pick Rwanda!"
I will not retire, says Leon. I will stop, but only when that day comes that I feel that I have to stop. Then I will just walk away from it all. When I am old I do not want to be on stage anymore, I think when I am 40 years old, I want to be the audience again, and won't have to step back into this business.
When old, I want to be with my good friends, we will hang out, eat and drink beer, that will be enough. But right now, I am mot ready for this kind of lifestyle. I know the money I am earning now, will last me comfortably for the rest of my life. But I don't want people to get the wrong impression, like they might think I am here till I get enough money and then just leave without a care in the world. I don't want to take anything away from the audience, I want to give something back to them. When I sign autographs, it is based on feeling, meaning, I can tell if they are sincere when asking me to sign by the look in their eyes. If they truly are, then I will sign the autograph with extra care, but if they are not, I will just sign with not much feeling. Some people that want my autograph, so that they can show off, once someone asked me to sign a wrinkly piece of toilet paper. That I find is so disrespectful! The toilet paper can ripe easily and doesn't last long, how can I sign?! If they were really sincere about it, then they would ask me to sign their shirt instead, that is better than a wrinkly piece of toilet paper!
People say that I have changed, actually, I have been like this for many years, it is just that they don't really know me. Sometimes people say I speak too 'smoothly' and seems that I don't have much sense of securtiy. Sense of security? You should ask ,me, Leon when coming here from Beijing. Wearing such a common green shirt and blue pants that anyone could wear. Only eat one meal of pork a week. Being like that and still able to come to Hong Kong, is already lucky. And on top of that, being who I am today, it is really lucky.
I don't like to gamble, buying cars is to follow society, people have to know how to spend to be happy. I am an artist, I can't be out date! In the future, I hope to have a happy, healthy family of my own, and no divorce, I don't like divorce.
If I told you that I never dreamed about being a celebrity, then that is lying to you, I have day-dreamed about it. Being in this business, it is sometimes difficult to handle your moods, and sometimes really difficult to express exactly how you feel. But I am a person that won't cry. For example, I have been through freezing cold weather, to wait to film my part in a movie, no one took notice of me, I waited there alone for 4-5 hours, before my take. At first I would take out the dictionary and learn some more english words, and then stare into space, looking outside, and continue waiting......Then I will think, if I had a big bowl of hot soup right now, it would be great. Hmmm...if my girlfriend made it, it would be even better. Then it will be time to look at my script again. That is how acting is...but sometimes I do enjoy it. But I think that when I am 40yrs old, I will not sit around to wait 4-5 hours to film a movie.
I am 31 years old now, these next 5 years will be the most important time period for me, in this business. Just like there are a hundred possibilities coming. Fans will not leave me these next 5 years, I think. So I will fully enjoy these next 5 years journey. Then be like Jacky, have love and career at the same time. Before I used to be really afraid of death, at 11 years old, I asked my father, if people will die, he said yes, I asked if there was a way to prevent it, he said everyone has to die. When you get older you will understand this and won't be afraid. Now that I am older, and have been through so much, and experienced so much, my views on this is totally changed. Last year, I did the bungy jump, I know it is not very dangerous, but no one can predict when accidents will happen. If the wire breaks you're dead. Just by looking at this, your legs will go numb. But at the time, I had to go all the way, or else I would have to do it all again...and relive the so called death scene over again. I don't like people that are afraid of death. There should be a limit on how far it should go. If you were to tight walk across a 30 story building, then yes, that us frightening, but if it is just skiing, and you're afraid, that is really useless. Your fright is just a psychological factor. If people build up all their life's experiences and see more things in life, you will automatically take better care of yourself. But for skiing, there are no trees, you can't hit them, you may fall and roll down the ski hill, but you can't die from rolling. If you are afraid to fall and that is why you do not ski, then you are missing the opportunity to experience a new thing in life, this kind of character is totally not me.
If there was only one minute left in life, Leon wouldn't be afraid, instead there will still be something he wants to do. If this was on an airplane, I will see if there is any beautiful looking woman near me, if she is, I don't even need to speak to her, just go over there and kiss her and have some fun.....because being a celebrity there is no time for this kind of thing. If I already have a girlfriend, then I will find a tape recorder and record a little message to her, saying "I Love You". The reporter finishes off, saying, such an interesting yet cute man, Leon is, there's not many around, but there is one here right now----Leon.

**Broadcast Corner**
Leon did many interviews for radio stations regarding his new Hutchinson Commercial many overlapped with each other so I took out the most interesting/different parts from each one.

Q: Anything special happened while shooting the commercial?
L: Well there was several times while I was skiing that I fell flat on my face in the snow. It was pretty fun. It was because the places I skied in didn't have any tracks so sometimes when I came to a sudden dip I would fall.

Q: How is the filming of "Glass City"?
L: Good, we are already finished with the scenes in HK now all we have to do is film the scenes in England.

Q: What kind of hopes do you have for this film?
L: None really as long as I have done my part for the film. I only hope I fulfilled the request the director and so far it seems that the director is pleased with my work.

Q: Usually when a singer changes to a new company they also change the producer also, but you are still working with Mark Lui still.
L: I think right now this kind of stuff doesn't have any company restraints, music needs to be exchanged. If it cannot be exchanged then the music industry will not be healthy, especially if there is chemistry between the producer and singer and they still want to work with each other. This relationship should be allowed to continue on.

Q: You have been working with Hutchinson for a while now, what is the main reason?
L: Well it is mainly because of the results we have had with the commercials and we haven't had any problems with working with each other.

Q: What do you think of the female lead Lee Ann?
L: I think she is good. She has her own way of acting, which is very special.

Q: Did your salary for the Hutchinson commercial increase?
L: Yes, it did increase.
Q: The overall market isn't good but you still get an increase in salary?
L: Well, an increase of a one-cent is still considered an increase in salary.

Q: How is your new album coming along?
L: We have the songs right now, just that we have to record them. This time I also composed two songs for the album.

Q: Do you think this commercial is more exciting because of the skiing or last times bungy jump commercial?
L: Hmm.. Bungy Jump is just one thing but this commercial the overall feeling is better it is more real and closer to real life.

**Song Lyrics**

Love You/ Don't Love You
How is it that after we break up our love is proved
Tonight we can't believe in last night's beginning
How is it that we can prove our words in the dream
Or should we have to depend on the bitterness of the truth
to search for the Sweetness of it
How should we embrace to prove this reality
Within who's embrace for which I cannot let go of
How should I give out my love in order to be loved
I am thinking how it can become a beautiful start
Who said that we life cannot be ignored
No matter what the situation or the distance
The one that truly loves you will find you
Love you, don't love you, missing you, forgetting you
It is all the same it does not waste any energy
If it was in your world
No matter what the situation or the distance
The one wanting to see you will naturally be with you
Love you, don't love you, regretting and perfecting
Actually the answer is on the side waiting for you

** Special Reports**

--Leon In Korea

SBS Drama "Take my heart" O.S.T will be exported to Chinese countries. Leon Lai, a HK pop star and actor sang its theme songs. It is the first time that a foreign singer record Korean drama music. Leon, who attained his great popularity with "Comrade, almost a love story" in Korea last year, sang two theme songs, "Till you come back to me", "After loving you". A SBS production concerned said, "We recorded those songs in Chinese to export Chinese countries. A major foreign label (I guess it is Sony) will be in charge of its world marketing." Leon Lai is an Asian top star whose albums have been recorded as a million-seller whenever they are released. The O.S.T has 9 songs including two Leon's.
-- Chosun daily news --

-- Leon in Japan #2

#2 things other than the film <Magazine Name>

<kinejun>
When I came to Hong Kong, I couldn't speak Cantonese and people looked down on me just because I was from the Main Land. But that motivated me to make friends and to study. Then, I wanted to be looked at as a Hong Kong national. I didn't think it fashionable to be from the Main Land. But now if I were to identify myself, I would be a "Hong Kong national" or "Bei jing ren" living in Hong Kong.

<Good House Keeping>
-- I was a naughty boy in elementary school. -- I went late to school, left school early, I threw things at the teacher during class --- I was really a brat. But I took good grades, so the teacher couldn't say anything to me.

-- I went to London to study because my parents got a divorce. -- My mother got sick of my father who was hooked on playing mahjong and had an affair.(laughter) It was decided that I will live with my father, but I wanted to be independent so I decided to study abroad. I was fooling around most of the time in London, though.

<DODA>
After I returned from England, I sold cellular phones. The phones of the competing company looked more robust and the customers also had the same impression. When I went out to sell for the first time, I said to the customer "I'm gonna throw this phone and if it doesn't break, will you buy it?" and really threw the phone. The moment I threw the phone, I shouted, "Please, please buy the phone!" (Laughter) The phone didn't break and the customer bought two sets from me.

<FLIX>
(about part time job) I used to sell popcorn at a shopping center. It was before I started acting. I helped my girlfriend who worked there part-time. Most of what I did was to eat popcorn, though.

(about food)
I cook. I cook just about anything. But they don't taste good. Someone who likes me might think they're good.

<FRAU>
Q: What does "Love Song"(Japanese title) remind you of?
L: "End of the World". There was this woman that I really liked when I was a student and for a year and a half I asked her to date me but she never accepted. She changed her date three times in the meantime but she said it still wasn't my turn. When I met her as a friend, I implored her to let me hold her hand, and her reply was "okay, but not for more than three minutes"(laughter)
I saw her off to her place but she wouldn't let me in, so I walked back home trudgingly and that was the song I heard in her neighborhood. I bought the record right away and played it many times to forget her.

<ELLE JAPON>
Q: What do you think about "Lai siu Kwan"?
L: I think he's a nice person but not very talented. An ordinary woman would prefer a man who makes more money and who would treat her kindly when he comes back home from work.

Q: What are your future plans?
L: I would like to concentrate on work for a while. And when I'm 35, I would like to get married ... make home.

Q: If you were able to take a week off from work, what would you do?
L: Uhmmm..I'd like to go to London. I spent my high school years in London and I like the atmosphere of the city.

<DOMANI>
I am thinking of retiring in five years. I only get to live life once. And I don't think my satisfaction for work will last forever.

I enjoy appearing in films. But I'd like to get married. I'd also like to have children. Ten years from now, when I'm 41, I'd have two kids...that's the kind of happiness I'm looking for.

*** Some interesting stories from the press conference ***

Q: I heard that you are very popular with young girls in Hong Kong and that they'd rather not see you kissing in films. How was the long kiss scene received?
Leon: I think what they say and what they think are different. They actually liked the scene very much, I believe. (Laughter) And I'm sure they'll understand that I am acting.
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<My personal comments>

When I showed the above articles to a friend in Hong Kong, she said, "Leon has not spoken about these in Hong Kong. I wonder if he really means it." Maybe Leon made his story more interesting to please his fans. I wonder how you felt about them.

Then you can find these photos of Japanese magazines in <LEON-STUDIO>. http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Dojo/9628/studio2.html

If any of you have any news, comments, encounters, funny stories or just information on Leon you would want to share just email us:
L_news@hotmail.com
We want to provide as much news related to Leon as possible for everybody to read. We would really appreciate any help we can get.

If you have any questions, e-mail address changes, or you just want to request old issues of L-News feel free to email us: L_news@hotmail.com

L-news staff: Jessie and Kim
**Special Thanks to Hana and Lucy for their reports from Korea and Japan and Christine for her comments**

Thank you for your support!
**Note: all news was taken from Apple Daily, Ming Pao, Sing Tao, Next Magazine and Mingpao Magazine

Webpage created by Janice Lo
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