It was not long before he began starring in TVB dramas, and he hit mainstream fame with Instinct (1994), which would go on to become one of TVB’s greatest drama series of all time.
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A moving hospital scene in Instinct featuring Cheng and his on-screen love interest, played by Adia Chan Chung-ling, has gone down as one of the most heartbreaking moments in Hong Kong television history.
In the scene, Cheng’s character, Bao Man-lung, decides to marry Lam Jing-li (Chan) even though the latter is comatose. Bao pleads for Lam to wake up, and she does – only to tell him not to cry on their wedding day before flatlining.
“Until the Sky and Earth Disappear”, sung by Cheng over the show’s end credits, served as the background music for the scene. The song was among the top 10 songs of 1996 in TVB’s Jade Solid Gold music awards presentation, and it remains a fixture on the Cantopop star’s set list today.
Cheng’s music is characterised by infectious melodies, heartfelt lyrics and his distinctive voice, which exudes both vulnerability and strength. Songs like “Days of Friendship” and “Courage” have become anthems for a generation that has followed his career since his debut in 1990.
Cheng has starred in films in roles ranging from romantic leads to action heroes.
The film series, shot over four years, is made up of seven films – if you do not count the multiple spin-offs.
A blockbuster film often breeds blockbuster songs, and the film series spawned at least eight chart-toppers, including “Days of Friendship”, which won the Top Ten Chinese Gold Songs Award – the oldest major award in Hong Kong – in 1996.
He is known for being young at heart – he always has a gaming device or comic book at hand. He has had electric skateboards confiscated at the TVB studios and has been known to sneak onto the sets of dramas set in ancient China..
“If we can’t entertain ourselves, how can we be entertainers?” Cheng once said in an interview.
Despite his professional success, Cheng’s personal life has not been without its challenges. His relationship with actress Maggie Shiu Mei-kei, which began in the early 1990s, was marred by rumour and public curiosity.
The fact that Shiu is two years older than Cheng is not much of a headline in 2024, but because Shiu often played mature characters, the couple was seen as having somewhat of an age gap.
Although the couple were not often seen in public, Cheng was very candid when asked about his relationship with Shiu. He was quoted as saying that she was most beautiful without make-up and that he would take care of her for the rest of his life.
In this regard, Cheng cited the influence of his parents. “My parents were each other’s first love and they’re still together to this very day. So it was very normal for me to think that love just happens in one shot that way. Unfortunately, everybody goes through different things in life,” he told an interviewer.
However, in 1999, almost a decade into the relationship, Cheng was spotted in Japan cuddling up to fellow Cantopop star Gigi Leung Wing-kei. The couple’s tumultuous relationship was followed closely by media, adding to Cheng’s reputation as a tabloid magnet.
Both their careers took a hit after this: a week after the news broke, Leung was named the “Most Disliked Cantopop Star” in a poll. Cheng came second. Despite the public vitriol, the couple stayed together for seven years before splitting up in 2006.
That same year, Cheng met actress Yoyo Mung Ka-wai. They married in 2013, heralding a new chapter of happiness and stability for Cheng.
It is said that the couple bonded over their love of video games. “Yoyo gets more obsessed than me. When she gets hooked onto a game, she’s more dedicated than I am,” Cheng revealed.
Their marriage has remained low-key over the years, which is perhaps testament to Cheng’s growth and maturity. “It’s realising that we have common goals and that it’s about meeting each other halfway,” Cheng said of the relationship.
The Cantopop star has revealed that he was diagnosed with a learning disability late in life. “Words have always been a challenge to me and I can’t write anything under pressure. So when people ask me to dedicate an autograph to someone when I don’t expect it, I can’t write it with the pressure of a crowd around me. I can only say I’ll do it next time.”
Cheng’s authenticity has long endeared him to audiences around the world, and he continues to captivate them. His latest concert world tour has seen him perform in Hong Kong, Macau and Los Angeles in the United States.