PUBLISHED ONAugust 01, 2024 9:31 AMByYeo Shu HuiActors Elvin Ng, Romeo Tan, Shaun Chen, Nick Teo, Hsiu Chieh-kai, Desmond Ng, Tasha Low, Herman Keh and Zhu Zeliang were at Batu Pahat last week filming their upcoming drama Emerald Hill.
Fans had the chance to meet these celebrities up close and take photos with them, and the actors had their meals frequently paid for by their fans.
"The weather has been super hot and the people have made us feel warmer," Elvin told AsiaOne at the Chinese Chamber of Commerce Batu Pahat—where the set is located—when we were invited to visit from July 28 to 30.
"When we go out to eat [after filming], there have been many times when we were going to pay and were told that another table had paid for us. It almost felt like we were freeloaders. It's really nice. It felt intimate and gave a warm [fuzzy feeling] in the heart," he laughed.
Elvin also recalled a memorable encounter where a family treated them to a meal without asking for anything in return.
"Batu Pahat is a small town and the people have watched a lot of our shows and supported us. Sometimes while we were eating, they would want to take photos with us. There was this particular family who paid for our food and the shop assistant told us about it. So we told [the family], 'Let's take a photo together.' But they said, 'It's okay… we don't want to disturb you, we will just remember this and keep it in our hearts.' I think that's really nice, the memory stays with me," he said.
In Emerald Hill, Elvin plays Chen Donghao, an assistant to Zhang Jinhe (Chieh-kai) who runs the Zhang's family business Eng Lip Co. Ltd. Donghao falls in love with the youngest daughter in the family Yinniang, played by Sheila Sim.
When AsiaOne was at the set on July 29, there were close to 10 fans waiting for the actors outside the building.
Malaysian Selina Wong and her mum came to the set at about 2.50pm after she was told by her colleagues that Elvin and Romeo had visited the cafe she was working at when she was away the day before.
The 29-year-old baker shared: "I have been a fan of Elvin since the drama Absolutely Charming (2012)... I really like his acting and think he acted very well."
She added that she would vote for him if he was nominated in the Star Awards next year. Selina also said that her mum has been Romeo's fan for 13 years.
Later, we saw Selina taking selfies with Romeo and Shaun. She eventually took photos with Elvin as well.
Sales admin Stella Tan and her colleague Aries Kua were also present at the set on the same day, as they worked nearby and had seen the actors recently.
Stella, 34, who has been a fan of Elvin and Romeo for close to a decade, said that she appreciates their good looks and performances.
"I really like watching their dramas and hope that their careers will go to greater heights," she added.
Aries, 40, shared that besides getting the opportunity to meet the actors, she was also curious about how a drama was filmed and was glad to be able to witness it first hand.
"It's actually not easy [to film a drama] and a lot of manpower and physical strength were used. We were also very fascinated by the props and to see so many changes at the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. We felt very happy," she said.
In response to fans' support, Elvin told us: "Each time we are here, we feel the warmth of the Malaysian fans. To know that they are out there waiting, it's really nice… They take the chance and effort to come and look for us, and it's nice to feel supported."
On Xiaohongshu, a netizen posted a video of her mum celebrating her birthday at Full 9 Cafe in Batu Pahat, with Elvin, Nick, Romeo, Shaun, Tasha, Chieh-kai and others sitting at the table directly behind them.
As everyone in the cafe sang a birthday song, the actors were seen clapping along. The woman also took photos with Shaun and Romeo later.
In the caption, the netizen wrote: "Thank you to all the celebrities for their well-wishes!"
Watch out for our E-Junkies videos with Elvin, Shaun, Nick, Tasha, Desmond, Herman and Zeliang in Batu Pahat!
Emerald Hill also stars Zoe Tay, Chen Liping, Dawn Yeoh, Aileen Tan, Chen Huihui, Chantalle Ng, Priscelia Chan, with Jeanette Aw reprising her role as Yamamoto Yueniang from The Little Nyonya, and the series is expected to premiere in the first half of 2025.
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