Lede
Veteran Hong Kong actress-singer Li Caihua traded playful compliments with rising pop star Mike Tsang during a ViuTV variety show appearance Tuesday evening, calling him a “qualified fresh meat” and revealing she would break her usual rule of ignoring suitors’ calls if he ever dialed her number. Li also credited Pilates and hot yoga for keeping her appearance on par with today’s Generation Z.
A Compliment-Filled Evening
On the program 8 Points Direct Variety, the 41-year-old Li and Tsang, 30, engaged in a lively banter that quickly turned into a mutual admiration session. Tsang praised Li’s seemingly ageless look, saying she could easily pass for someone born after 2000. Li returned the compliment by noting Tsang’s vocal skills, songwriting talent, and noticeably muscular build, dubbing him “a qualified xianrou” – a Cantonese slang term for an attractively young, fit male celebrity.
The exchange escalated when Li confessed she wants to resume her music career. “I hope to release new songs again,” she said. Tsang, known for his emotive ballads, suggested she would excel at heartbreak material. “He thinks I’m very suitable for sad songs because I’m super emo,” Li explained. She then referenced Tsang’s hit The Phone Number You Called Is Temporarily Unavailable, drawing a personal parallel. “That song reminds me how I’m always accused of not answering calls – especially when a suitor contacts me. I reject them all,” she said, adding with a grin, “But if Mike Tsang called? I would pick up.”
Tsang, currently racing to complete his new album, agreed to try crafting a custom track for Li. The two exchanged contact details on air, signaling a potential collaboration.
Fitness and a Youthful Glow
Li attributed her youthful appearance to a disciplined routine of Pilates and hot yoga, which she said helps maintain her figure and energy. Her remarks align with a broader trend in Hong Kong’s entertainment industry, where older stars often share wellness secrets to stay competitive in a youth-focused market. Tsang, visibly impressed, noted that Li’s vitality matched that of much younger performers.
The Poki Connection
The conversation turned to Li’s recent appearance in a music video for Poki, a member of the popular Cantopop boy group ERROR. She revealed the collaboration stemmed from a mutual friend and described Poki as charmingly smooth-talking. “He kept saying I’m beautiful, that my legs are long, and that he has watched every interview I’ve ever done,” Li recalled. “It made me very happy, so I agreed to do the MV.”
When asked whether Poki might become a future “fresh meat” candidate, Li laughed and demurred. “He knows he’s only on the waiting list. It’ll be a while before he makes the cut,” she said, adding that she plans to call in the favor from him someday.
What’s Next?
Li’s public push for new music after a quieter period could signal a strategic return to the recording studio. Tsang, meanwhile, is under pressure to deliver his sophomore album amid high expectations from his growing fanbase. Their potential team-up would bridge two generations of Cantopop, appealing to both nostalgic listeners and younger audiences.
Industry observers note that such cross-generational collaborations are increasingly common in Hong Kong’s music scene, helping established artists stay relevant while boosting emerging talents. Whether Li’s invitation to Tsang results in an actual single remains to be seen, but the buzz from Tuesday’s show has already fueled online speculation among fans.
