The moment Hsueh Shih-Ling sat down and began to answer questions, all my impressions of him were completely reversed, because every answer he gave was unexpected. In one of the questions, I asked him: "Would you feel uneasy when you switched your job from a singer to an actor?" Hsueh Shih-Ling looked at me and said, "I can understand that people see my switch between a singer and an actor. But to me I'm doing the exact same thing, you're just seeing me as an actor now."
Be the Person You See on TV
The last time I met Shih-Ling was when he was promoting Gold Leaf, and the impression of him at that time was not the same as this time. Because he is really interesting and full of philosophy. Shih-Ling has been in the entertainment industry for 16 years. Since his debut in 2007, I asked him to share his two most impressive moments. He mentioned that the first was when he debuted, and the second was when he joined Da Hsi Entertainment. "Of course it was in 2007 at the beginning of my career, because at that time I didn't understand the so-called "showbiz". But when I saw my own CD in store, I realised, ‘Oh! so now I am the kind of person I saw on TV?’ Because I never really wanted to enter this industry. Although I was doing theatre and music band in college, it was just for my own fun. So the gap between cognition and feeling at that time left a deep impression on me.” He continued: “The other one was when I joined the current company, because I found that I like acting, and I decided to become a good actor. I am very impressed with doing what I like. I have always felt that I am very lucky to be able to make money doing what I like, because many people have no way to do what they like to make a living.”
Shih-Ling said that he himself has no so-called "identity transition period" because he has been doing acting since his debut. "People would ask me 'Did you give up? Did you do it on purpose? Did you slump?' I'd say 'it's not as dramatic as people think it is, it's not an up-and-down, uplifting life story.' There's no such thing. I just feel like I am doing my job well, and I will continue to do my job well, that’s all.”
Connect With Yourself in Real Life
In 2021, Hsueh Shih-Ling won the Best Actor Award and the Best Supporting Actor Award at the 56th Golden Bell Awards. Has his life changed since winning the award? Shih-Ling smiled and said, "Ask my agent! (Laughs) And everyone will ask, 'Have your cases increased since you won the award?' I didn’t think too much because I’m working all the time. However, taking a break’ was in mind at that time. But the series I am filming now makes me not want to take a break at all. Before filming this series, I had a serious discussion with my agents about taking a break, and my vacation would be one or two months or half a year. I am telling you, I like New Zealand, so I must go to New Zealand. If you have the opportunity to go this country, you must go to the wineries, because each winery has its own flavours.”
Shih-Ling takes his job seriously, but he is able to separate himself from the job. He said that the experience of not being able to separate between the role and himself has only happened once. It was because he was out of town and had to go back to his hotel every day. It’s completely different, because his home makes him able to connect with himself. "Take Workers as an example. As soon as I got home, I woke up with a sound of "crickets!", because I thought my role Quan's home would not be like mine. So when I got home, it was like being completely returned to normal. Feeling awakened but I think no matter what industry you are in, there will be a working state, right? There must be a different state when you return home.”
Grab Your Own Sweet Spot
As an actor, Hsueh Shih-Ling already has his own set of logic and working model. For him, the matter of "persuasion" is important, and how to grasp the sweet spot in it is more important. "Because my job is not a career where the harder you work, the better result you have. I know it sounds weird, but how do you get that sweet spot on both ends of the spectrum? If you catch it perfectly, your state will show you what comes out has the power to convince others." He continued "But not every profession and everyone is like this, so it's fun to grab the sweet spot. I once met an actor who is very intense, so his work will be ‘Relax harder’. It’s really not that the harder you push, the better you will do."
This time meeting with Shih-Ling was really touching, because he completely believed in the team and gave himself all to us. He said, "If I don't trust the team, I'll be in a bad state, and I won't be able to do anything."
For a man who is versatile in every area of the entertainment industry, asking him to interpret the meaning of "Show and Tell" is perfect, because what hasn't he tried? Where has he not acted? Hsueh Shih-Ling said: "I don't particularly worry about what other people think of me. For example, when I am acting a comedy role, only five out of ten people may find it funny, but if it is really funny, nine out of ten people may think it is funny. That only means it suits you or not, that’s all. And I think I’m very lucky, like a lot of people will DM me about my acting skills, and the content is good and bad, not just compliments, basically as long as I have time, I will reply to every DM. As for what is "Show and Tell"? I think it’s "I show and I don't tell.”
PHOTOGRAPHY/ @jimmychaochi
STYLIST/ @tripler_studio
MUA/ @backstage_aga
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GRAPHIC DESIGNER/ @zenyunzon
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/ @dylan_sy_tang
