A. Lin and Dada share their career aspirations and what it means to be a younger model in Hong Kong today.
There are only a few minutes to catch A. Lin and Dada in between changing, make-up and posing for November’s PeopleStyle photo shoot. Amid the frenzy, the young models remain calm and relaxed, although a bit exhausted, sprawled on the sofas and finishing their pizzas during their break.
Their attitude towards modeling, however, is not the complacent mood they exude on the day of the shoot given that their popularity is rising and hitting the headlines amidst a storm of the young model trend. If anything, being in the industry with just a few years of experience under their belts has taught them that success is achieved through hard work and by changing with the times.
"One of the biggest preconceptions I had about this job that I set aside early on is what a model does. I thought the most important thing about it was having a face on a cover and looking good on the cover. But really, it’s not. There’s a lot more in the job description for models nowadays, the most important of which is to get exposure. Attending events, doing interviews, singing, acting – we need to be multi-faceted to survive," says A. Lin. Her answer shows a composure and maturity that seems beyond her 22 years and 3 years of experience. Dada, younger at 20 and who easily gives off a happy-go-lucky vibe with her big smile, sums up her thoughts neatly with a one-liner: "In this business, your success is entirely correlated with how hard you work."
A. Lin and Dada have already started other work besides photo shoots. With theater lessons and a minor TVB role between them, the girls are working hard to be multi-talented models. A. Lin, who has taken theater lessons with a local theatrical company, says "Acting on stage is very different to acting on TV. On stage, there’s a greater distance between the actors and the audience so there are more techniques involving the voice and movements need to be exaggerated to create the desired effects. On TV, the camera can zoom and pan so everything is magnified."
Dada has expressed an interest in more acting roles. Their aspirations to succeed outside of modeling has compared the two to Twins stars Gillian Chung and Charlene Choi. When asked whether they also see the resemblance, A. Lin and Dada merely looked at each other and shrugged. "No one likes being labeled. We just want to be ourselves and be recognized on our own merit," says Dada.
Which is something that isn’t easy in these times. A. Lin and Dada are embarking on their ascent to fame at a time where a number of young models are also trying to do the same. Like many others, both girls have launched their own photo books, and have worked closely alongside six other models, all from the same agency. One can see how it’s easy to get lost in a sea of young girls who are all trying to make it big in Hong Kong’s entertainment industry. Although the girls don’t offer a comment about the young model trend, their efforts to learn new talents and skills accompanied with a go-get-‘em attitude show they know what needs to be done to stand out and succeed.
Their attitude towards modeling, however, is not the complacent mood they exude on the day of the shoot given that their popularity is rising and hitting the headlines amidst a storm of the young model trend. If anything, being in the industry with just a few years of experience under their belts has taught them that success is achieved through hard work and by changing with the times.
"One of the biggest preconceptions I had about this job that I set aside early on is what a model does. I thought the most important thing about it was having a face on a cover and looking good on the cover. But really, it’s not. There’s a lot more in the job description for models nowadays, the most important of which is to get exposure. Attending events, doing interviews, singing, acting – we need to be multi-faceted to survive," says A. Lin. Her answer shows a composure and maturity that seems beyond her 22 years and 3 years of experience. Dada, younger at 20 and who easily gives off a happy-go-lucky vibe with her big smile, sums up her thoughts neatly with a one-liner: "In this business, your success is entirely correlated with how hard you work."
A. Lin and Dada have already started other work besides photo shoots. With theater lessons and a minor TVB role between them, the girls are working hard to be multi-talented models. A. Lin, who has taken theater lessons with a local theatrical company, says "Acting on stage is very different to acting on TV. On stage, there’s a greater distance between the actors and the audience so there are more techniques involving the voice and movements need to be exaggerated to create the desired effects. On TV, the camera can zoom and pan so everything is magnified."
Dada has expressed an interest in more acting roles. Their aspirations to succeed outside of modeling has compared the two to Twins stars Gillian Chung and Charlene Choi. When asked whether they also see the resemblance, A. Lin and Dada merely looked at each other and shrugged. "No one likes being labeled. We just want to be ourselves and be recognized on our own merit," says Dada.
Which is something that isn’t easy in these times. A. Lin and Dada are embarking on their ascent to fame at a time where a number of young models are also trying to do the same. Like many others, both girls have launched their own photo books, and have worked closely alongside six other models, all from the same agency. One can see how it’s easy to get lost in a sea of young girls who are all trying to make it big in Hong Kong’s entertainment industry. Although the girls don’t offer a comment about the young model trend, their efforts to learn new talents and skills accompanied with a go-get-‘em attitude show they know what needs to be done to stand out and succeed.
