A Hong Kong woman living with muscular dystrophy received an emotional surprise when Cantopop legend Leo Ku appeared at a private screening arranged by the ViuTV program Along the Way, Helping You, turning her long-held dream of dancing into a reality through stop-motion animation.
The debut episode of the new series, hosted by Jennifer Yu, Lily Min, Shirley Shum, Charlotte Sam, and Phoebus Ng, aired this week. The first委托人—a woman named Banlam—approached hosts Yu and Sam with a heartfelt request: help her best friend, Fish, fulfill her wish to dance.
Both Fish and Banlam use wheelchairs due to muscular dystrophy, a condition that has bonded them through shared experiences. Banlam explained that Fish, an ardent fan of K-pop culture, had always dreamed of dancing in South Korea. Her physical limitations, however, made that impossible. Determined to give her friend a moment of joy, Banlam turned to the show’s production team.
Stop-Motion Solution for Physical Limitations
Recognizing Fish’s mobility constraints, Yu and Sam devised an alternative approach. Instead of traditional choreography, they chose to create a stop-motion animation sequence—a frame-by-frame visual technique that would allow Fish to appear dancing on screen without requiring physical movement. The team painstakingly assembled the footage, constructing what they called Fish’s “exclusive stage.”
But the surprises did not end there.
Secret Invitation to Hong Kong Superstar Leo Ku
The production team learned that Fish’s longtime idol was Hong Kong singer-actor Leo Ku, known affectionately as “Ku Sir.” They secretly reached out to him, asking if he would appear as a mystery guest at a private screening of the stop-motion video.
Ku agreed immediately—and went further. “The production team asked me to just show up at the screening to surprise Fish,” Ku said in a statement. “But I thought dancing also needs costumes, so I contacted my friends to help create a stage outfit for her.”
The singer enlisted his personal team, including a makeup artist, hairstylist, concert costume designer, and choreographer, to contribute to the project. He also arranged a mini cinema as the venue for the screening.
Emotional Surprise at Private Screening
On the night of the screening, Ku quietly slipped into the projection room, waiting for the right moment. After the video ended, he appeared unexpectedly before Fish. Overwhelmed, Fish burst into tears. Ku rushed over to comfort her, saying, “It’s okay, it’s okay.”
The emotional peak came when Yu produced a hand-drawn “concert ticket” Fish had made as a child—a keepsake she had kept for years. When Ku signed it, he was visibly moved. “I don’t know when I’ll hold my next concert,” he told Fish, “but I’m inviting you to it—for sure!” He then embraced her warmly.
Fish’s Social Media Reaction
Later, Fish posted on social media, still buzzing from the experience. “I thought Ku Sir would just come say hello and it would be over—but that wasn’t it at all! He brought his entire team—makeup, hair, concert costume designers, choreographers—to help fulfill my dream. I was absolutely stunned. I never imagined he had done so much behind the scenes.”
She added: “On the day I filmed the stop-motion, Ku Sir kept checking with the producer on how I was doing. It was so sweet… Even though I follow K-pop stars, he remains my first love. I hope he feels my gratitude.”
Broader Impact and Next Steps
The episode highlights how creative production techniques can make dreams accessible to individuals with disabilities, and underscores the willingness of entertainment figures like Ku to go beyond mere cameo appearances. The show Along the Way, Helping You continues to air weekly on ViuTV, focusing on uplifting stories of community support and personal resilience.
For viewers inspired by Fish’s story, the program’s producers encourage reaching out to local arts organizations that specialize in inclusive dance initiatives or adaptive performance opportunities.
