Hong Kong, China — Legendary Hong Kong actress Joey Wong, the ethereal star of the 1987 classic “A Chinese Ghost Story,” has broken nearly two decades of media silence to clarify the reasons she walked away from a storied career at her peak. In a rare interview on the Chinese talk show “Mutual Attention,” the 59-year-old, now based in Canada, denied long-standing rumors that she retired to mend a broken heart, instead describing a profound professional burnout and a crushing sense of “unreality” that drove her from the limelight.
Wong, who retired in 2004 after filming “Shanghai Belle,” explained that her desire to leave the industry took root much earlier. “I felt uncomfortable with the inverted schedule of the entertainment industry very early on,” she told host Li Dan. She cited her work on the 1993 film “Green Snake” as a turning point, where the idea of leaving first crystallized. Wong described a life of being constantly shuttled between sets, surrounded by crew and crowds, yet feeling utterly disconnected from the real world. “It created a strong sense of unreality,” she said. “I was living a story that others were also telling from the outside.”
This sense of estrangement, compounded by years of career fatigue, led her to question her very existence. “I decided to step away from the screen to rediscover my own life,” she stated.
Regarding her personal life, Wong addressed her long-term relationship with Taiwanese singer Chyi Chin. The couple’s 15-year romance ended 24 years ago, and she has remained single since. When Li Dan asked about her last relationship, she replied simply: “It’s the one everyone knows about.” Reflecting on the past, she described the love as a “debt paid in full” and said she has left that chapter firmly behind her. “I sincerely wish him well and hope he can fulfill his dreams and wishes,” she said. “This is my greatest hope—that he can peacefully abide in his own fate. That makes me very happy.”
The interview also tackled the public’s persistent fascination with her appearance. Wong, who rocketed to global fame at age 19 with her role as the tragic ghost Nie Xiaoqian, acknowledged that many fans still compare her to that youthful, ethereal image. “Many viewers can’t connect with who I am now,” she noted. “Their impression of me is still frozen at that time. They don’t realize that Joey Wong is already 60. They keep discussing my appearance. Because I haven’t been in the public eye for a long time, they can’t bridge that gap.”
Broader Impact
Wong’s candid reflections underscore a growing conversation about celebrity burnout and the relentless pressure of an unchanging public memory. Her choice to step away from a thriving career to seek a quieter life in Canada, where she now runs a moxibustion business, highlights a path often overlooked in an industry that prizes perpetual visibility. For fans and aspiring performers, her story serves as a powerful reminder that personal well-being can, and often should, outweigh public expectation. Aging gracefully, especially out of the spotlight, is a valid and courageous choice. For Wong, now 59, life appears defined not by a film still from 37 years ago, but by her own terms and a peace she fought to find.
