Red-hot and cool
Leaving his TVB character Captain Cool behind, Julian Cheung moves on to a new and exciting chapter of his career
These days you can't navigate around the city without seeing Julian Cheung Chi-lam's megawatt grin. The Canto-pop idol has become the darling of advertisers, plugging everything from luxury watches to instant coffee, thanks to his recent stint in the TVB drama Triumph in the Skies II.
Cheung's character, Captain Cool - a young, talented yet arrogant commercial pilot - hooked audiences, with his ripped physique and youthful looks.
While the success of Captain Cool has come as a pleasant surprise to Cheung, he says the filming was a valuable experience.
"In the beginning of the story, Captain Cool acts like such a playboy, but as the story unfolds, he grows into a fuller person, especially when he falls in love," he says.
Cheung probably reads between the lines better than anyone else as he lives through the metamorphosis of his character.
Unlike other confused 20-year-olds, he enjoyed the sweet taste of success early on when the release of his first single set him on the fast track to fame. Entitled A Modern Love Story, his huge hit still holds the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry record for selling the most copies of a debut album.