IT’S BEEN A WHIRLWIND RIDE for Jeffrey Ngai these past three years. After making the rounds of reality shows in Hong Kong, the young actor made a big splash – literally and figuratively – with his first leading role in the television drama I Swim.

Not only that, he’s also put out a number of songs, including one with Canto-pop legend Sammi Cheng. All the while sealing his reputation in the city as one of the year’s hottest rising stars, with his pretty boy looks and public appearances dressed by the biggest fashion labels.

But the 25-year-old has proven he’s no flash in the pan; his body of work continues to grow as he builds on his success. 

His latest single, My Own World Map – penned by renowned songwriter Ivana Wong – has steadily climbed the charts since its release in late November.  He’s also set to appear in the upcoming comedy-drama film Table for Six 2, a sequel to Hong Kong’s second-highest grossing film of 2022.

The easy-going Ngai is quick to downplay his rapid ascent. 

“Perhaps I’m lucky,” he tells BT Luxe. He’s humble, and quick to express gratitude to the people he’s worked with. “I’ve had the opportunity to try out all sorts of projects, from movies to music and reality TV.”

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Stardom may suit him now, but in a previous life he might have been happy as a coffee shop owner. “Growing up, I never wanted to be a celebrity,” he says. “I actually wanted to open my own cafe. I enjoy collecting art, so I (have) always imagined there’d be a gallery area where people could look at my collection over a cup of coffee, and have a chill day.” 

But life had other plans for him. “As fate would have it, I landed in showbiz,” he adds with a smirk.

Stop! In the name of love 

Ngai’s initial foray into entertainment was a cautious one, as he wasn’t sure if he was cut out for the industry. “From an outsider’s perspective, it’s a complicated world,” he explains.

He was especially concerned about the impact it would have on his relationship with his girlfriend, Evelyn Chen. But those fears were allayed when he was offered a spot on the reality show, Be a Better Man, together with her in 2020. “The producers told me we could go on the show as a couple, and that really put me at ease,” he says.

Ngai’s experience on the show, where he and five other men underwent “training” to become the “ideal boyfriend”, changed his mind about showbiz.

“After filming had wrapped, I realised that I’d had some misconceptions about the industry,” he says. “Everyone I met on set, from the hosts to the crew, was very easy-going – they all just wanted to do the best they could, to make the show a success.”

The sense of camaraderie and teamwork that emerged from this collective goal inspired him to continue on in showbiz, he adds.

It seems that “ideal boyfriend” training paid off for Ngai’s personal life, too. He and Chen – who’s now his manager – are still going strong after eight years together.

Working with a partner can be tricky, but the duo turned it into a growing experience. “It was mainly just the two of us in the beginning, so we had to find our own path,” the artiste says. “We didn’t know much, so we just kept trying to see what worked best. For example, did I need a driver to send me to an event or should I just take the train… we had to figure out the ‘right’ way to handle these things.”

Asked if Chen ever gets jealous of his growing legion of fans – some of whom even call him “hubby” online – Ngai simply laughs and says: “No, no; we know how to separate business from our personal lives… I actually feel really blessed to have people know my name, and meeting fans – even when I’m ‘off duty’ – always makes me happy.”

The thrill of the fight

As he speaks about his past and upcoming projects, it’s clear Ngai has found his calling. He’s particularly fond of imbuing parts of himself in the characters he plays. “I’ve found that, when taking on a new role, I’m able to channel all these different emotions.”

It’s helped him to build his credibility as an actor. “People began seeing me as more than just a reality show personality after my appearance in I Swim,” he says, adding that fans frequently call out to him by his character’s name.

While Ngai is a relative newbie on the scene, he thrives on the nervous energy that comes with being on camera. “When the director counts down before each take – three, two, one – the entire set is silent, but it’s actually a really nerve-racking environment that’s underpinned by a sense of chaos… I quite enjoy finding that calm in the storm.”

His musical side, meanwhile, stems from a love for singing cultivated in childhood by his father and brother. “We’d sing songs by Jacky Cheung and Eason Chen… It was as if our home was a karaoke booth,” he quips. “My aim is to create a full album – so I’ve focused a lot on putting out music this year.”

Ngai’s collaboration with Sammi Cheng, on her single To Our Dream, came as a surprise to him. “At the time, I hadn’t released any music yet,” he explains. “I later found out she’d heard me sing on a show I was on.” 

Next on Ngai’s agenda is a concert in 2024. “It’ll be a new challenge for me,” he says. “I need more music to have enough for a show, and I’ll need to train so I’m fully ready.”

Come fly with me

For someone of his age and in just a short span of three years, Ngai’s rise has been nothing short of meteoric. Even more so given the intense competition not just from talents in Hong Kong, but around the region. 

His work now takes him all around the world. He was recently in Singapore for an event with Samsonite, as the luggage brand’s first ambassador for Hong Kong and Macau. “I usually don’t eat much on event days,” he says, “so the day before, my team and I had seven or eight meals all around town!”

He’s especially fond of bak kut teh and chilli crab, and even brought some kueh home to Hong Kong for his mother. “Before I left, when we were in the airport, she told me I had to get it.”

As stars from South Korea and Thailand have gained international recognition, finding one’s place in the sun has become increasingly difficult. Still, Ngai is unfazed – he’s confident in the power of hard work, persistence and perseverance. “To me, it’s all about doing my best, always improving, and treating each performance as if it’s my last,” he says.

“As to whether I make it big internationally – we’ll have to wait and see how lucky I am.”