A Beautiful Beginning
The Miss Chinese Vancouver Pageant has created many glamorous legacies since its inception in 1994. Bernice Liu, Linda Chung, Leanne Li, Kayi Cheung, Eliza Sam, Carat Cheung, Erica Chui, Gloria Tang, and Veronica Shiu all started their miraculous journeys to fame from this internationally renowned Pageant. Each of them has continued to thrive for success as they travelled to Hong Kong to pursue a new path in life.
As they all bravely chase their dreams to stardom, some have gone on to achieving other successes as well. Both Leanne Li and Kayi Cheung have found happiness in marriage whereas Bernice Liu has become an award-winning winemaker. While leaving their homes in Vancouver for careers elsewhere, they do not forget the nurture and care from Fairchild TV and frequently visit the station when they are in town. Over the past year, Bernice Liu, Leanne Li, Erica Chui, Gloria Tang and Veronica Shiu have all come back and shared their amazing and rewarding experience that the Miss Chinese Vancouver Pageant has brought forth.
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As the first Miss Chinese Vancouver to capture the Miss Chinese International title, Bernice Liu had pursued her acting career in Hong Kong since 2001 with enormously distinguished achievements. In recent years, Bernice has shifted her career path to China, well-versed in Mandarin. Bernice has also picked up an interesting hobby since 2008 when she was qualified as an internationally certified sommelier and a member of the sommelier association. Bernice now owns a vineyard in Bordeaux, France, and produces wine that is recognized by wine experts all over the world. Bernice says, “I came from the small city of Prince Rupert with only about 100 Chinese residents. Yet, after joining the Pageant in 2000, I travelled to the big city of Hong Kong by myself and started to learn Chinese. I never imagined that I would be so welcome by the entertainment industry in China with a market size of over 1.3 billion people. If it had not been for the Miss Chinese Vancouver Pageant, I could not have achieved so much as a little country girl.”
Aside from a successful career, a happy marriage is what many girls dream of. The sweet and gentle Miss Chinese Vancouver 2004 and Miss Chinese International 2005 Leanne Li was confronted by many challenges when she first landed in the mesmerizing world of entertainment. When being asked why it was so rewarding, Leanne looked sweetly at her newlywed husband Wong Cho Lam and replied, “The Miss Chinese Vancouver Pageant brought me to Hong Kong where I met Cho Lam. Now I’ve changed from Miss Li to Mrs. Wong, like winning a lottery in life. Fairchild TV provided me with motherly nurture and care that made all this possible so I would consider Cho Lam Fairchild TV’s son-in-law!”
Miss Chinese Vancouver 2011 Erica Chui didn’t have any plans yet for her future career after being crowned. She spent a year being trained as a “What’s On” host at Fairchild before returning to Hong Kong. Erica registered in acting lessons and later an opportunity came up for her to host a program for Cable TV Hong Kong while her eloquence was being polished. Erica was deeply grateful for the training received at the Pageant, which provided a solid foundation for her career now. Erica also expressed that she feels so fortunate to have gathered the courage to join this life changing journey.
Miss Chinese Vancouver 2012 and Miss Chinese International 2013 Gloria Tang took part as an MC at the All Star Charity Gala in Vancouver this past July. She was thrilled to return to the same stage at the Vancouver Convention Centre to continue on the Miss Chinese Vancouver tradition of giving back to society. Gloria’s life has been fully scheduled with works of different nature in Hong Kong. Aside from hosting a variety of programs, Gloria was assigned a reporting job by TVB at the FIFA World Cup in Brazil while exploring different roles in a number of television dramas. Gloria remembered the eye opening experiences at the Pageant and urged other girls not to miss the chance.
Contrasting to Gloria’s smooth road to stardom, Veronica Shiu’s journey was filled with twists and turns. Nevertheless, it was the Miss Chinese Vancouver Pageant that started it all. After winning the 1st runner up at the Miss Chinese Vancouver Pageant, Veronica went to Hong Kong to challenge the Miss Hong Kong Pageant stage and took the Miss Hong Kong Pageant 2014 crown as well as the Miss Photogenic and Miss Friendship awards. Since then, Veronica has been working non-stop hosting a variety programs and shooting dramas. Veronica appreciated the stage experience at the Miss Chinese Vancouver Pageant and the training which were crucial life chapters to help shape her subsequent path at the Miss Hong Kong Pageant and her future acting career.
Kayi Cheung, also a title winner of Miss Chinese Vancouver and Miss Hong Kong 2007, will return to Vancouver this September for her wedding. After the Vancouver pageant, Kayi joined the “What’s On” team as a host, thus was praised for her MC skills when competing in Hong Kong. Her glamour and eloquence caught the attention of many commercial brand executives and Kayi has been invited to MC a variety of business events. As a good role model with beauty and intelligence, Kayi also furthered her studies and earned her masters degree this year.
Many Miss Chinese Vancouver participants have begun a journey towards their dreams through the Pageant. Do you want to follow and rewrite your life’s path? Apply for the Miss Chinese Vancouver Pageant 2015! Deadline is on Friday September 18th. A team of industry professionals are ready to help contestants with posture, makeup, etiquette, image, and stage performance. You will also attend a number of charity events to elevate your inner beauty. Aside from two months of training, the winner will represent Vancouver to participate at the upcoming Miss Chinese International Pageant. For more information, visit our Facebook page at MCVPCanada or our Weibo at www.weibo.com/fairchildtv.