Veteran Hong Kong actress Michelle Yim Wai ling has laughed off online rumours that she secretly married actor Kenneth Ng Wai kwok, making clear that their relationship remains a close friendship rather than a marriage.
Yim, 70, addressed the speculation at a press conference on Tuesday, September 8, after photographs of her and Ng began circulating online alongside a post claiming that the veteran actress had announced her marriage.
The claim caught Yim off guard, although she responded with humour rather than irritation.
“It’s shocking. We’re very good friends, really very good friends,” Yim said with a laugh.
The actress then revealed that marriage rumours surrounding her are hardly unusual. According to Yim, similar speculation seems to surface almost every year, making the latest claim less surprising than the wording of the online post that accompanied the photographs.
There was, however, one part of the story that Yim did not dismiss. While she firmly rejected the suggestion that she and Ng had already married, she said she remains open to marriage if circumstances bring the right person into her life.
Michelle Yim Says Marriage Is Still Possible
Yim made it clear that she has not ruled out getting married.
“I’m not against it. If fate brings someone along, then that’s fine,” she said.
Her comments offered a different perspective from the marriage rumours that prompted the question. There is no suggestion from Yim that she is currently planning a wedding, but she also does not regard marriage as something that is off the table.
The actress acknowledged that she has admirers, although she did not identify anyone she is romantically involved with.
For Yim, the qualities that matter in a potential partner appear to have little to do with fame or status. She said she values someone who is open minded, cheerful and tolerant.
Those qualities, she suggested, would be more important than making a dramatic romantic gesture or pursuing a relationship simply because of public expectations.
When reporters asked whether she would ever take the initiative and make the first move, Yim responded with a joke that quickly brought the conversation back to her professional life.
“I’ll chase dramas,” she quipped.
The remark reflected the actress's long standing ability to handle personal questions with humour while keeping the focus on the work that continues to occupy much of her time.
Actress Preparing for New Stage Production
Yim's comments came as she prepares for a demanding new theatrical project.
The actress is set to appear in Sleepless Moon, an original Chinese Western opera scheduled to run from October 1 to 4 at the East Kowloon Cultural Centre.
The production brings together elements of Western opera and Cantonese opera, creating a performance that requires its cast to move between different musical and theatrical traditions.
Yim will play the empress of the ancient Liang Kingdom. Her character is also the mother of a role played by Cantonese opera actress Alis Lin.
The production gives Yim an opportunity to demonstrate a side of her performance skills that audiences may not always associate with her television and film career.
She is expected to perform Cantonese opera as well as contemporary pop songs during the production. Preparing for the vocal demands has required additional training, and Yim said she specifically worked with a teacher to strengthen her singing ahead of the performances.
For an actress with decades of experience in the entertainment industry, the preparation represents another challenge rather than simply a return to familiar territory.
Yim has expressed hope that the production will appeal to a broad audience, including people who already enjoy opera, Cantonese opera and theatre as well as those who may be curious about a production that combines different traditions.
The mixture of Western and Cantonese opera gives Sleepless Moon a distinctive format, while the involvement of performers from different theatrical backgrounds adds another layer to the production.
A Career Spanning Generations
Yim's career has stretched across several generations of Hong Kong entertainment, and her recent comments about old friends offered another reminder of how long she has been part of the industry.
The actress recently reunited with former classmates from the Rediffusion Television training class. She has known many of them for more than five decades.
Although their professional lives have taken different directions, the former classmates continue to maintain contact and meet when their schedules allow.
Keeping the entire group together is not always easy. Some members remain busy with work, while others spend periods travelling, making it difficult to find a date that suits everyone.
Still, Yim said the group continues to meet regularly.
The reunions provide an opportunity for performers who began their careers together to reconnect after decades in an industry that has changed dramatically since their training days.
For Yim, those friendships appear to carry a significance that goes beyond professional connections. The people who trained alongside her witnessed the early stages of her career and remained part of her life long after those first days in television.
Remembering Lau Siu Ming
Yim also reflected on the recent death of veteran actor Lau Siu ming, widely known as Ming Sir.
Her memories of Lau were linked to one of the early films in her career. She worked with him on The Butterfly Murders, which marked her first film with Lau in a leading acting role.
Yim recalled him not only as an experienced performer but also as a respected dance teacher who cared about younger members of the industry.
She said Lau treated younger performers with consideration and did not behave as though his experience placed him above others.
“He was already in his 90s, so of course it’s a pity to see him leave,” Yim said.
Her remarks reflected the affection and respect that often accompany memories of performers who spent much of their lives working in Hong Kong's entertainment industry.
Lau belonged to an older generation of entertainers whose careers crossed different forms of performance, including acting and dance. For colleagues who worked with him early in their own careers, his passing represented the loss of a familiar figure who had been part of the industry for many years.
Personal Rumours Meet Professional Commitments
The marriage speculation surrounding Yim may have attracted attention online, but the actress herself appeared more interested in discussing her current work and the people who have shaped her career.
Her response to the rumours was direct. She and Kenneth Ng are very good friends, she said, rejecting the suggestion that the pair had secretly married.
At the same time, Yim did not close the door on marriage itself. Her comments suggested that she is comfortable with the possibility if she meets someone who shares the qualities she values.
That combination of humour and openness has allowed the actress to address a personal subject without allowing speculation to define the conversation.
For now, her attention is firmly on the stage.
From October 1 to 4, Yim will take on the role of an ancient empress in Sleepless Moon, perform Cantonese opera and contemporary songs, and bring together several parts of Hong Kong's theatrical tradition in a single production.
After decades in entertainment, she is still taking on unfamiliar challenges, working with vocal teachers and preparing for a production that demands skills beyond conventional acting.
And while the latest marriage rumour may have provided an entertaining question at Tuesday's press conference, Yim's own message was clear: there has been no secret wedding with Kenneth Ng.
For audiences, the more immediate date to remember is October 1, when Sleepless Moon begins its run at the East Kowloon Cultural Centre.
Will you be watching Michelle Yim take on the stage in this unusual blend of Western and Cantonese opera?