At 70 years old, Adam Cheng Siu-chau has enjoyed a prolific five-decade career as one of Hong Kong‘s most renowned TVB actors. Since rising to fame in wuxia serials like "Chor Lau-heung" in the 1970s and 80s, Cheng has remained a household name through his iconic portrayals of honorable swordsmen and Chinese historical figures. But while Cheng‘s professional success has hit stratospheric heights, his off-screen romantic journey has been marked by dizzying highs and heart-wrenching lows.
Now on his fourth marriage in 2024, Cheng‘s love life has been heavily scrutinized by Hong Kong media and fans for decades. His latest wedding three years ago to a woman 22 years his junior again sparked feverish public curiosity. However, behind the gossip lies poignant insight into Cheng‘s complex search for lasting partnership amidst the pressures of showbiz. Recounting the key inflection points across four marriages and over a dozen relationships provides perspective on both Cheng the consummate actor, and Cheng the flawed yet determined romantic.
A Whirlwind Marriage History
Cheng has walked down the wedding aisle four times, resulting in four daughters with three different women:
Marriage #1: Actress Koon Jing-wah (1989 – 2015)
- Daughters: Winnie Cheng (b. 1990), Cecily Cheng (b. 1993)
Marriage #2: Actress Lo Wai-yu (1987 – 2015)
- Daughter: Angelina Cheng (b. 1988)
Marriage #3: Barbara Yung Mei-ling (2001 – 2008)
Marriage #4: Actress Grace Chan (2018 – present)
But Cheng‘s relationship history extends far beyond these four trips to the altar. Let‘s rewind and walk through the romantic highs and lows over an acting legend‘s life.
An Unlikely Star is Born
Long before becoming a household name, Cheng met comedian Lydia Shum in 1976. Despite thinking he was just an arrogant playboy at first, Shum ended up being charmed by Cheng, and the two began cohabitating.
At the time, 25-year-old Cheng was still struggling to make it as an actor, taking on minor roles. But Shum, already an established TV star, decided to take the rookie performer under her wing. As Cheng‘s manager, Shum leveraged her industry connections to help him land his big break as the lead in 1977‘s hit wuxia series "The Legendary Fok".
Practically overnight, Cheng skyrocketed to stardom as audiences became enthralled with his portrayal of the noble swordsman Fok. And he had one woman to thank – Lydia Shum, whose keen eye developed him from an unknown to household name.
The Lydia Shum Saga
Cheng‘s 11-year romance with Shum proved foundational to his acting career. But their love story was also fraught with complexities.
As Cheng gained fame portraying martial arts heroes in the late 70s, rumors swirled about his intimacy with female co-stars. Shum‘s insecurities led to arguments over Cheng‘s alleged unfaithfulness.
After over a decade of cohabitation, Cheng and Shum finally wed in 1985. A year later, they welcomed daughter Joyce Cheng, an aspiring singer today.
However, marital bliss quickly soured. Mere months after their wedding, Shum allegedly caught Cheng cheating red-handed. Furious, she filed for divorce in late 1986, ending their marriage after just 8 months.
Yet this didn‘t completely severe the bond between the two stars. Cheng and Shum remained close friends following their split, continuing to work together professionally. Shum also doted on raising their daughter Joyce as a single mother.
When Shum was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2008, Cheng stayed loyally by her side until she passed away in 2014. In fact, Cheng‘s 2018 wedding date coincided with what would have been Shum‘s 70th birthday – a subtle tribute to this unconventional yet enduring love.
A Trail of Broken Marriages
Cheng‘s first marriage to actress Koon Jing-wah lasted 26 years, from 1989 to 2015 – his longest union.
But Cheng‘s second marriage to actress Lo Wai-yu was much more turbulent. After wedding in 1987, Cheng cheated on Lo repeatedly, according to the Hong Kong tabloids.
After giving birth to daughter Angelina in 1988, Lo ultimately divorced Cheng in 2015 after repeated infidelities. However, just 8 years later, Angelina‘s life would tragically end far too soon.
Cheng‘s third marriage to actress Barbara Yung was also short-lived, lasting just 7 years between 2001-2008 with no children.
Clearly, Cheng struggled to maintain fidelity and long-term partnership amidst the temptations of the entertainment industry. Now four marriages down, has Adam Cheng finally found lasting love and stability in his sunset years?
May-December Romance
In 2018, Cheng took a fourth trip down the aisle with actress Grace Chan, who is an astonishing 22 years younger at just 26 years old at the time.
Their lavish Bali nuptials sparked a media frenzy. After all, Cheng was nearly 70 while Chan was younger than some of his own daughters!
Skeptics dismissed their May-December union as a clichéd case of an aging actor seeking to recapture his youth with a model-like bride.
But Cheng insisted he was swept off his feet after meeting Chan by chance at a gathering: "It was fate that brought us together, and we fell in love."
Now 47 years apart in age, Cheng and Chan appear to still be enjoying newlywed bliss five years into their marriage. Only time will tell whether this romance can survive the test of time.
A Parent‘s Worst Nightmare
In October 2023, Adam Cheng faced every parent‘s worst fear – the loss of a child. His eldest daughter, Angelina Cheng, was found dead in her apartment at just 35 years old.
Angelina was Cheng‘s daughter with his second wife, Lo Wai-yu, who he was married to from 1987 to 2015. She worked as a real estate broker in Hong Kong, leading an apparently normal life before the tragedy.
While official causes have not been confirmed, Angelina‘s death is suspected to be a suicide. Neither Cheng nor his family have publicly commented yet on the circumstances surrounding this devastating loss.
For Cheng, Angelina‘s passing at such a young age is a reminder that even a life marked by great professional success can be underscored by intense personal anguish. The actor must now endure this ultimate parental heartbreak late in life.
An Icon Under the Microscope
Across five decades in the spotlight, Cheng‘s love life has faced relentless public scrutiny. Why has the veteran actor‘s romantic history sparked so much enduring fascination?
Firstly, Cheng rose to fame during an era when Hong Kong idols were expected to exude a wholesome, noble image aligned with his famous roles as upstanding heroes. His off-screen behavior didn‘t always live up to this idealized portrayal.
Secondly, Cheng‘s sheer stardom means his personal life makes headlines. He belongs to an older generation of mega-famous TVB actors along with the likes of Chow Yun-Fat – stars who captured the popular imagination.
And as an aging actor trying to maintain his heartthrob appeal, his marriages to increasingly younger actresses like Grace Chan invites obvious public curiosity.
While an overemphasis on Cheng‘s marital issues risks sensationalism, examining his romantic ups and downs still provides a window into the very human insecurities faced by a spotlight-gracing icon.
A Life‘s Journey
Now in his eighth decade, Cheng has experienced the highest highs and lowest lows life offers. He scaled the pinnacles of entertainment success thanks to the support of visionary mentors like Lydia Shum. Yet his faults as a serial philanderer also led to failed relationship after failed relationship.
Cheng now shoulders the grief of unexpectedly losing a child – a sadness no amount of fame can erase. Yet he continues to embrace each new day with the optimism of an actor revived late in life, still eager to deliver his best performance.
Adam Cheng‘s winding romantic history lays bare the inherent messiness of the human condition. As fans, the most thoughtful response may not be judgment, but simply well-wishes for this star to find peace and closure as he reflects on a life astonishing in both achievement and adversity.
