[from Jan 20 2003 news paper article in Taiwan] How does a newbie make a bang in Taiwan?
Try snuggling up to a popular teenybopper.
Or copying one.
Failing that, break up everyone's favourite screen couple.
It's not a path to popularity, though.
Singaporean artistes...........and Michelle Saram were swamped with
hate mail when they ventured into Taiwan.
But, guess what?
They picked up thousands of fans, too.
CHANG MAY CHOON reports
She's the bad woman
As for Michelle, she was lambasted for breaking up Taiwan's favourite
TV couple, F4 member Jerry Yan and Barbie Hsu.
Actually the model-turned-actress-singer did it only on screen.
She played the third party who broke up Jerry and Barbie in the
popular drama Meteor Garden II, which was shown last month.
But that was enough for hundreds of irate fans to lash out at her on
the drama's official online message board, calling her 'bad woman'
and slamming her 'awful laughter'.
In just five days, it registered 300,000 hits.
But cool-as-cucumber Michelle, who is busy filming the Channel 8
drama Baby Boom, took it all in her stride.
She recently told the Taiwanese press that she is not afraid of being
scolded, and that getting flak means people are paying attention to
her acting.
On her 'awful laughter', the 28-year-old said: 'I'll chuckle softly
next time...'
Now that the dust has settled - especially with Michelle being kicked
out of the love triangle - it seems that her convincing acting has
won over her detractors.
According to Mr Jonathan Tan of Singapore-based Hype Records, who is
her manager, the pixie-faced star received lots of presents from F4
fans when she was in Taiwan to promote Meteor Garden II recently.
'She's very happy. They have finally accepted her,' he added.
