Hong Huifang loses second 'daughter'
By the time you read this, Yvonne Lim would have settled in her new home in Taiwan.
The local actress left Singapore yesterday (May 25) with her Taiwanese husband Alex Tien and five-month-old son AJ and will now be permanently based in her husband's hometown.
Fellow actress Hong Huifang got misty-eyed as she and her actor husband Zheng Geping packed the Tien family's luggage in their car and drove them to the airport.
This was because she was hit by a huge wave of deja vu.
Five years ago, she had done the same for Singaporean actress Ivy Lee, who relocated to Hong Kong with her husband.
Hong, 55, told The New Paper: "Yvonne and Ivy are like daughters to me.
"They have both played my daughter on TV and I'm close to them.
"We talk about everything like motherhood, our love lives, share each other's ups and downs so we know so much about each other."
Hong said she's glad that she has been a shoulder to cry on for Lim when she had gone through some rough patches in the past.
"I got very emotional yesterday morning when I sent Yvonne off at the airport.
"The next time she will be back to stay in Singapore permanently would likely be when her son has to serve NS.
"That would be in 17 years!"
(L-R) Zheng Geping, Hong Huifang carrying AJ, Yvonne Lim and Alex Tien at the airport yesterday. PHOTO: INSTAGRAM/ HONG HUIFANG
Hong said that she first met Lim 17 years ago when they filmed their first drama together in China.
Sharing the same room in China gave them the opportunity to get to know each other better.
Since then, their friendship has blossomed and along with Lee, the three of them are the best of friends.
Said Hong: "Yvonne, Ivy and me have made a pact that we will make the effort to meet each other to keep our friendship alive.
"Be it in Hong Kong, Taiwan or Singapore, we will definitely see each other again.
"But I do miss them a lot."
Goodbye Singapore, Hello Taiwan
Yvonne Lim with AJ. PHOTO: INSTAGRAM/ YVONNE LIM
Lim told 8 Days magazine that her priority now is her family and she wants to see if AJ adapts to life in Taiwan before deciding if she wants to move there for good.
If she can find work there, that will be a bonus.
She told 8 Days: "(When I get offered work), I'm always tempted to ask what the role is about, and wonder if I can do it well.
"I still love acting - it's been a huge part of my life for so long."
The move to Taiwan was so that her husband could manage his family's footwear manufacturing and export business.
Also, Lim, 38, is hoping that AJ could spend more time with his grandfather (Alex's father).
She said that when her son is older, they could well move to the US as her husband has both American and Taiwanese citizenship.
For now, she is contemplating about whether to fulfill his wish - for her to be a stay-at-home mum.
She said: "But he's not the kind to force me to do anything.
"If I really wanted to take on a role, nobody can get in my way!
"He'd ask me 'Are you sure you wanna do this drama?'
"'You'll be missing the baby's first walk and first crawl!"
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