People are drawn to beautiful things, and in this Jeffrey interview a seven-color sky bridge can make anyone stop and stare.
Maybe it is rarity, or maybe it is the rainbow’s unique pull, but those seven colors, from red to violet, feel different yet harmonize when they meet. The same can be said of actor Ngai Zeon-sing (魏浚笙), known professionally as Jeffrey, who shows different sides of himself on different stages.
Whether singing with focus and feeling, showing a natural charm, or playing a shy young prodigy swimmer, he has moved between advertising, television, variety shows, film and music like a bridge of color. “A rainbow really represents me, because every color has a bit of me,” Ngai said.
So step into his rainbow world and see how he creates seven hues and explores what they make possible.
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He first came to public attention on television for his handsome looks, like a bright arc that caught the eye.
Being “good-looking” was just a starting point. To keep audiences interested he pushed into acting, variety shows and singing. Each new field became a fresh challenge, and he worked at every role, winning recognition along the way. He earned a major newcomer award at the Ultimate Song Chart awards, not by luck alone.
Asked whether juggling so many roles feels harder than focusing on a single path, he smiled and answered in the affirmative. “I like taking on new challenges, so every opportunity is fun for me,” Ngai said.
Playfulness is part of an artist’s nature. He names Stephen Chow as his biggest influence, explaining that years of watching Chow’s rhythm and humor seeped into his sensibility. Mentioning the classic film Shaolin Soccer, his face lit up.
Doing comedy and making others laugh are different things, he admitted. After appearing in the Lunar New Year comedy “Everything Under Control” (超神經械劫案下), he asked himself how funny his own performance was. “Doing comedy myself is not necessarily funny, but being natural is most important. Sometimes awkward clips make me laugh, those reactions create different effects, and I am still not great at it,” he said.
Opportunities kept coming and were not confined to comedy. This time he chose to take a serious role, playing a hero with a strong sense of justice, which suited him well.
Trying different roles taught him that some things remain the same across disciplines. “I think acting and singing share a common point, which is full immersion. When you sing you tell a story, so your emotions must reach the audience. On set, when it is chaotic, hearing ‘321, roll’ puts me in the moment. I enjoy the tension and atmosphere, so I enjoy both identities,” Ngai said.
Ngai’s hands-on experience
In the upcoming large-scale disaster film “Cesium Fallout“ (焚城), Ngai plays a firefighter. He described how crossing dangerous terrain to save people is far from easy, and even wearing the firefighter’s golden turnout gear was unforgettable. “I had great respect for firefighters before, but after experiencing it I really understood how hard it is. Just wearing that outfit for 20 minutes on set made me feel exhausted and overheated,” he said.
There are experiences you must have to truly know them, like the weight and responsibility of the turnout gear. “Wearing the golden gear while doing physical work is very hard. The clothes are thick and heavy, which makes movement clumsy, and it gets very hot, almost like heatstroke,” he said.
But difficulty goes beyond clothing. “When you enter a fire scene there are many hidden dangers, like thick smoke that makes it hard to see. You do not know what obstacles are on the ground, or if the floor is unsafe. Firefighters clear smoke with their hands and use practiced footwork, it is very professional,” he said.
Each role deepened his understanding and gratitude for the profession. For him, the process was an honest engagement with life and a way to learn about himself. “Every role has parts that resemble me, because I build the role from myself. Sometimes I amplify a trait, like the rookie firefighter’s drive, or fears that are magnified, so every role is fun,” he said.
Those months of intense shooting were memorable and rewarding. “The three months of intensive filming felt like being a real firefighter, working with teammates to fight fires and complete missions. I enjoyed that team spirit,” he said.
Artistic instincts
Beyond music and character study, Ngai is also passionate about fashion.
He said he enjoys flipping through magazines to absorb styling tips and color theory. That subtle influence helped him find a personal style. “Whether it is cut or color, sometimes accidental pairings turn out to be fresh and new,” he said.
He admitted he likes animal-themed works and sometimes doodles. If he had to grade his drawing ability, he joked it was “10 percent of 100 percent.” He said with mock seriousness, “I once sketched a wallet and a bag, and I thought the drawing was quite pretty and fun.”
Although he says he is not especially gifted at drawing, he treasures a piece at home from the Pokemon x Van Gogh series, a work showing Pikachu wearing a hat. “I asked a relative to order it from the Van Gogh Museum. It is beautiful, cute and unique, I had never imagined Pikachu in Van Gogh’s style, with a hat, so I decided to collect it,” he said, smiling with obvious fondness.
Facing fear
He usually seems fearless and direct, but he admitted he has a phobia, bees. He recalled a memorable moment from a past interview when a bee flew toward him on the set of the comedy “Everything Under Control” (超神經械劫案下), and he ran away in fright.
On a recent shoot at the Peak, bees swirled around him while he stood under a flowering tree. Though scared, he repeatedly tried to appear calm and finish the shot. In the end the bees prevailed and he fled in alarm, but the episode suggested a more mature side to the earnest, passionate performer.
“Sometimes you really cannot face it, because fear is fear. When you are afraid, let yourself be afraid, because fear is a human sense and it is part of you. Do not avoid it on purpose, accept your fear, although facing it can still be scary,” Ngai said with a laugh.
No matter how many stages or busy projects come his way, he keeps a clear, optimistic outlook. “Which identity I enjoy depends on the moment. I hope to feel fully present in different projects, whether music or acting,” Ngai said.
Perhaps because the real world has its wars and disasters, a rainbow’s happiness becomes more desirable. “Rainbows are rare, so cherish them, that is, cherish me, ha ha ha,” Ngai said, grinning.
Photography: Olivia Tsang
Art Direction: Olivia Tsang and Mimi Kong
Styling: Mimi Kong assisted by Yoanah Chan
Interview: Louyi Wong
Videography: Alvin Kong and Matt
Video Edit: Alvin Kong
Makeup: Blair Chan
Hair: Holam Chong
Jewelry: Cartier
Wardrobes: Tod’s
