Mandy Wong Forces Boyfriend To Watch Her Dramas

In a relationship with jewelry store deputy director Anthony Jim (詹文天) for seven years, Mandy Wong (黃智雯) has always kept her romance low-key. Describing herself as being loyal in relationships, Mandy said she is like a puppy, which remains faithful to one’s owner and loathes to follow other strangers. “Perhaps it’s got to do with me being born in the year of the dog, which shows up in my relationship and personality,” she said.

Faithful Once She Has Her Mind Set

Hoping to safeguard her boyfriend’s privacy and reduce the media glare on him due to her celebrity status, Mandy gives him peace-of-mind by never having had rumors with co-stars. “I’ve always been somewhat obsessive-compulsive when it comes to my relationship, and feel that I should save the best version of myself for my boyfriend. If I often have rumors on set, they would affect [him] greatly, how would others look at his girlfriend?” the 37-year-old actress said.

However, Mandy would not intentionally keep distance from her male co-stars, adding, “Having a steady boyfriend allows me to work with better peace-of-mind and go all out in my acting. Maybe many people feel that having appropriate ‘rumors’ is beneficial to your career, but I’d rather take a longer time while focusing on my craft.”

Met “Mr. Right” Through Myolie Wu

Meeting her boyfriend through Myolie Wu (胡杏兒), Mandy takes a pragmatic approach towards romance. What she looks for in a partner is the ability to align their values and outlook. “I wasn’t that resistant when we initially met, though there weren’t any exceptionally passionate feelings then.” The two got together only after getting to know each other more and realizing their compatibility. “I’m a peace-loving person who dislikes quarrels and I’m not so good with words, so I can’t shoot off rebuttals. while he’s very quick-thinking and polished with words. Many women have the tendency to magnify things out of proportion whenever a quarrel occurs, but I’d rather tone things down.”

Mandy is happy that Anthony’s attraction to her  “had nothing to do with her being a celebrity” as he does not keep up with Hong Kong entertainment developments and watches foreign productions instead of local dramas. Hoping her boyfriend can give his opinions career-wise, she has since started “forcing” him to watch her dramas.

Sweet Gestures Won Her Over

Dating for seven years, Mandy and her boyfriend often spend time apart due to work, but remain confident about giving each other the necessary space. “You must trust each other to be able to do that, he has always been very accommodating. Of course, I too have to do my part to reciprocate.”

Admiring his steady character, Mandy likes that Anthony is someone who puts his words into action instead of giving empty promises. Two occasions she shared showcased his thoughtfulness towards her. During his travels, he got her a thermo flask printed with a cartoon she likes which she could use to relieve her monthly discomfort. Anthony also showed his thoughtfulness when he booked a Michelin restaurant in Northern Europe six months before their vacation, which clearly impressed her as she enthuses about recalling “every dish they had” during their meal together.

Not setting a conscious timeline for marriage or having kids, Mandy feels that marriage does not stand for anything concrete if there is a lack of trust between the couple. They would also rather skip pompous traditions, and may even get married when they “feel like it.” Pre-empting the challenges which may arise from officially getting married, she said, “There’ll be some unwieldy habits after marriage, and we must think of ways to improve things.”

Source: Ming Pao Weekly