Kent Tong Chun Yip

Biography

Kent Tong Chun Yip is a Hong Kong actor born on September 29, 1958. He grew up in a large family of eight siblings, being the fifth child, with his older brother Tong Chun Chung being the fourth. He spent his childhood in the Sai Wan area of Hong Kong in difficult financial circumstances, with his father working as a buyer in a seafood shop. He was educated at Hong Kong Chiu Shang School and Pui Ying Secondary School, and was an excellent student who was promoted during kindergarten to be in the same grade as his older brother. After graduating from secondary school, he worked in construction with his brother-in-law on Lantau Island before moving to work at a film company in Central. He joined and graduated from the eighth TVB artist training course in 1979. He began his career co-hosting the program K-100 with Chen Fusheng, then appeared in his first television drama "Fung Wan" in 1980. He achieved fame in 1982 through the drama "Shing Ching Long Zi" and played the iconic character Duan Yu in "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils" in 1982. He became known as one of the "Five Tigers" of TVB alongside Wong Yat Wah, Miao Chiu Wai, Lau Tak Wah, and Leung Chiu Wai. His career was deeply affected by the suicide of his girlfriend actress Barbara Yung in 1985, which led to a decline in his work in Hong Kong. He moved to Taiwan during the 1990s and early 2000s, then returned to Hong Kong in 1988 to join ATV and participate in various films.