Living in this world, we will always be constrained by this so-called “routine”, but if you are passionate about something, then it is only natural to drive forward bravely. At the age when he can enjoy life most, Tseng Jing-Hua has undergone the craziest changes this year, of all his 22 years. Whether from the movie "Detention", "Your Name Engraved Herein" or the TV series "Workers", this 2020 has been a beautiful turning point for him as he stands firm in this industry and, like the wind, rushes into his bright future.
"Performing, somehow, is also attaining my dream of travelling."
When you talk to an actor about the meaning of acting, sometimes it feels like being a snob in front of a true expert. After all acting is very unique profession and only talented people can do it. However, for this young actor, performing is like travelling, travelling around the world to experience different cultures, wandering around the world to experience things that he has never experienced. "Performing, somehow, is also attaining my dream of travelling. I didn’t have that much money when I was a child. And now I don’t have much time to experience a different life. Hence, I use acting to let others see the life of different characters and to demonstrate the mentality of different roles on the screen. So, for me, acting is to experience something that I have never felt before. It’s like I’m travelling around this world through my character.”
"Acting was not something that I was very good at the beginning. Actually, it should be said that I did not have the confidence to express my role firmly."
No matter how cool and passionate your personality is, I believe everyone has the habit of looking back at their past. Therefore, when talking about his work with Jing-Hua, he mentioned that the movie "Detention" is his most impressive work. Because in this role he wasn’t, at first, sure how to act confidently. However, as he interacted with the crew with his humble attitude he learnt a lot and this allowed him to grow quickly in his career. "After going through "Detention" and every subsequent work. I started to know what is most needed to perform, which is empathy for the character. When people are talking about performance, they should remember that this role is not expressing yourself. " During this interview, Tseng Jing-Hua conveyed his respect to the acting profession and demonstrated his maturity as a man and as an actor.
"I am not afraid of being framed by society, because I am an actor."
Objectively speaking, at his age, he has experienced baptism into different roles and the dramatic changes in Taiwan’s film and television industry over the past few years. Such an experience is actually a bit crazy, but it can also be regarded as "A baptism of fire." After all, we all had our own crazy stories at his age, perhaps we often mention them, or we hide them deep in our hearts. But how do you define "crazy"? Does this society really have an understanding of it? "I think there are many kinds of madness, such as being a perfectionist, if you do that you could become crazy. Or despite being loved, for some uncontrollable reason, you become crazy. Everyone has a crazy side. It just depends on how you define this word. In this society, we all have a set of standards and when your own behaviour and personality are not accepted by this system then the general population may call it "crazy". But I am not afraid of being framed by society, because I am an actor."
This year has been a very special year for Tseng Jing-Hua. Because he met a variety of people, and because of the radiant personalities they possessed. He started thinking about what his future would be like. But he also mentioned that he doesn't want to define his future now as he can't predict exactly what kind of person he might become. However, becoming a stage actor is his expectation for next year. "I don’t shed tears when I watch movies recently, but I cried at the theatre. I don’t know why, but things like stage plays can influence me more deeply now. Being a stage actor really isn’t easy, especially when you see the senior actors performing, I thought "how much time did he practice?" Because in a stage play you only have one chance to perform, there's no room for mistakes. For me, it's really difficult but the results of all your hard-work are seen the moment you are on the stage. I think that's why being a performer is the greatest thing. I hope I can move further on in this direction next year."
Whether it is Tseng Jing-Hua on the screen or on still film, his every move exudes irresistible charm. But talking to him in this moment, he is like a book, a book which is waiting for his own cover. A cover he is yet to choose. And when you turn the pages, it is like you are entering a great story. You never know where the protagonist is going and what is coming for him. Looking forward to the next wonderful chapter with expectation is perhaps the most exciting thing that Jing-Hua brings to everyone. And this kind of feeling, about his so-called beautiful crazy life we rarely experience.
