Strife may be caused by others, but inner peace rests in our own hands. AsiaOne caught up with local actress Ya Hui recently at the press conference for the new long-form Mandarin drama My One and Only, and she shared about some things she’s realised since becoming an independent artiste.
The 36-year-old left Mediacorp’s The Celebrity Agency in February this year after 15 years since joining Star Search 2007.
Among the many things she has experienced the past few months is the space in finding inner peace.
Ya Hui shared: “We all have our fair share of experiencing unfairness and being mistreated in life. Sometimes we think it’s other people who are against us and we may want to confront them in order to get peace, but ultimately we hold the key to unlocking peace in our hearts.
“If we wallow in sadness, we can’t resolve these things either, so the best thing is to improve and become a better person, and not spiral.”
That is not to say that being a self-managing artiste doesn’t have its costs.
a Hui elaborated: “I never feel settled because there is no stability. However, I feel more peaceful and carefree. I don’t have to be under the control of others but I am still busy with administrative things.”
It has also transformed Ya Hui’s performance as she feels that there are fewer factors holding her back.
“I perform much better than before because of the standards I have set for myself. It’s an amazing feeling that I cannot put into words.
“In the past, there were many forces holding me back. But now, I tend to let go more, so my performance and feelings just flow freely.”
A drama still of Shen Baoyou played by Ya Hui in My One and Only.
PHOTO: Mediacorp
Thankfully, Ya Hui didn’t have to do too much curbing on her spending as she has never been “a big spender”.
She revealed that she still wears clothes from 10 to 15 years ago as she doesn’t find the need to discard clothes “if they still look presentable” and also for the sake of sustainability.
Due to her hectic schedule, Ya Hui has also lost some of her appetite: “I don’t spend a lot on dining out anymore. Of course, I still indulge in a few good meals here and there.”
A drama still of Shen Baoyou in My One and Only.
PHOTO: Mediacorp
In the upcoming drama, Zoe Tay plays Ma Limin, who is a real estate agent and owner of property agency, My One and Only. She aspires to become a developer but encounters marital issues with her husband Hao Jian (Brandon Wong), who is less ambitious. Shaun plays Andy Chua, Limin’s professional rival. The story follows the happenings of various characters related to Limin’s firm and family.
Ya Hui plays Shen Baoyou, a director of a production company who encounters a scam which Li Min exposes. Thereafter, Baoyou joins My One and Only as a property agent. Elvin Ng’s character Wan Defu, an interior designer, supports Baoyou as she goes through trying times.
In the show, Defu had a crush on Baoyou seven years ago, but she had been uninterested. Things only develop when they meet again and he helps her out with direction in life.
My One and Only will be shown Mondays to Fridays, 7.30pm on Channel 8 from July 27, and has started streaming on meWATCH on July 24. It is still in production. The series also stars Shawn Thia, Tay Ying, Yao Wenlong and Fang Rong.
This article was first published on AsiaOne and republished on theAsianparent with permission.
