The Hong Kong film “How I Say Today” was released in Taiwan on April 30th, telling the touching story of the growth of the deaf female lead character Sue Ann. Actress Chung Suet-Ying’s real-life experiences parallel the passion portrayed in the film.
Chung Suet-Ying, who won the Golden Horse Best Actress for the film, faced ridicule from netizens for her singing and dancing performances. She encountered numerous obstacles on her journey to pursue her dreams and became a subject of mockery for a comment she made on a talent show saying, “I don’t want to sing, I want to meet Chan Lui.” Unable to enter the film studies program of her dreams in university, she pursued financial journalism instead.
Born in 1994, Chung Suet-Ying developed a love for television and film from a young age influenced by her family. At 15, she participated in a talent show called “Asian Starlight Avenue” on Asia Television Limited, not with ambitions to become a singer, but simply to meet her idol, singer Chan Lui.
Looking back at that period years later, some netizens dubbed it as her “dark history” due to the poor feedback on her singing and dancing. Chung Suet-Ying herself admitted her performance was subpar at the time, leading her to let go of her singing and dancing dreams after the competition.
Following the talent show, Chung Suet-Ying faced criticism online and even ridicule from some classmates and teachers at school. Rather than holding onto resentment, she vividly remembered the embarrassment she felt. This experience motivated her to aspire to prevent future young individuals from enduring similar humiliation.
This “star-chasing” experience became an important lesson in her life and inadvertently cultivated her resilient character in the face of criticism and setbacks.
Interestingly, when Chung Suet-Ying won the Golden Horse Best Actress for “How I Say Today,” the film’s theme song was sung by her idol Chan Lui, with lyrics personally written by Chung Suet-Ying. The intertwining of fate was both moving and reminiscent of her role as the aspiring lyricist Yeung Sze in “CyberLyricist,” highlighting her evolution into a true lyricist.
After completing high school, Chung Suet-Ying initially hoped to study film, but ended up studying financial journalism at Hong Kong Baptist University. Despite not entering her desired film program, she never abandoned her film aspirations.
She shared, “I thought I was someone who could perform when I was young, but sadly I quickly discovered I wasn’t the best. There were more talented individuals out there, so your desire to perform doesn’t guarantee success.”
She actively participated in film projects with her peers from the film department, taking on various roles both in front of and behind the camera, accumulating valuable experience. These connections later provided her with opportunities in the industry, as former classmates she collaborated with invited her for auditions, paving her way into the film industry.
During her university years, Chung Suet-Ying attended lyricist Chow Yiu-Fai’s lyric writing course, where she discovered her sensitivity to rhyme and rhythm, eventually embarking on lyric writing. Her collaboration with classmates Chan Hoi-Wing and JNY on the song “IFFY” marked her entry into the world of lyricism.
Subsequently, her work on “Kill My Manager” for ERROR marked the official beginning of her career as a professional lyricist. Many singers confided in her their innermost feelings, hoping that through “Chung-speak’s” pen, these difficult emotions could be transformed into works of art.
After graduating, Chung Suet-Ying unexpectedly became a DJ after inadvertently participating in a commercial radio drama competition to explore acting. In the program “A Half of Chung-speak,” she portrayed three distinct characters – the sarcastic and sharp-tongued Yeung Po-po, the deep-voiced “Yeung Yau Yau,” and the high-pitched princess syndrome girl KIKI, showcasing her versatile voice and character portrayal skills.
During this period, her ability to grasp roles and understand scripts improved, laying a solid foundation for her acting skills in the future.
In pursuit of her acting dreams, she even audaciously participated in the open audition for the male lead in “Point Five Steps.” Without expectations of being selected, she simply wanted to observe the casting process. However, her proactive involvement in the audition scenes with other male actors caught the attention of film writer Wong Chi-Yeung.
While she didn’t land a role in the film, he later invited her to star in the ViuTV drama “The Teacher,” showcasing that her proactive performance had not gone unnoticed.
Chung Suet-Ying’s journey was not without its share of setbacks and periods of uncertainty. She admitted she never pursued opportunities aggressively but allowed things to unfold naturally, using downtimes to introspect, create, and nurture her state of being. She believed, “If it’s meant to be mine, it will be; if not, then it’s not.”
This composure and maturity allowed her to maintain her original intentions and resilience throughout the highs and lows of her performing career.
In 2020, she appeared in Eason Chan’s music video “Dance for Tomorrow,” portraying a girl facing bullying at school and going as far as shaving her head to authentically embody the character.
That same year, she starred in her first film “Sunset Slayer,” alongside veterans such as Patrick Tse, Fung Bo-Bo, and Lin Hsueh. Initially seeking a 14-year-old girl for the role, she went to the audition with outfits she purchased during her school days, ultimately securing the part. This performance earned her her first nominations at the Hong Kong Film Awards for Best New Performer and Best Supporting Actress, marking her rising prominence.
In 2020, faced with the pressures of being an actress, DJ, and lyricist, Chung Suet-Ying made a significant decision to quit her job as a DJ at the commercial radio station and fully commit to her film career. She expressed that film had been with her since childhood, being the only pursuit she was willing to wholeheartedly dedicate herself to.
She said, “If I could only choose one happy thing in life to pursue, it would be film.”
In 2024, Chung Suet-Ying starred in the film “CyberLyricist,” playing a dream-chasing lyricist, a role almost tailor-made for her. This film earned her nominations for Best Actress at both the Golden Horse Awards and the Hong Kong Film Awards.
That same year, she portrayed a deaf character in the film “How I Say Today,” showcasing delicate emotions through sign language and lip reading, ultimately winning the Best Actress award at the 61st Golden Horse Awards.
During her acceptance speech, she emotionally stated, “I want to dedicate this award to those in the audience or in front of the TV feeling out of place, feeling overwhelmed. Or those who are in small rooms, gazing at the sky every day, hoping that you can hold onto the small spark in your heart, that moment of excitement will always guide you, leading you to the dreams you’ve never thought possible.”
Chung Suet-Ying’s growth journey reflects a microcosm of the dream-chasing spirit of the new generation in Hong Kong. While the choice may not be easy, persevering to the end is the most challenging. With courage and sincerity, she has proven to the world that the spirit of Hong Kong cinema is alive – that passion of not fearing failure or ridicule still burns brightly.
Do you still remember your dreams from your youth? Perhaps, in Chung Suet-Ying’s story, we can all find a piece of our former selves.