Zheng Geping Leaves Mediacorp After 36 Years

Zheng Geping is leaving Mediacorp. The resident hunkle's last day with  the company’s artiste management arm The Celebrity Agency (TCA) is  February 1.

Speaking to 8days.sg a few hours before the news of his departure was made public, Geping shared that while it was a “very painful decision”, he ultimately decided to leave to focus on himself, and deliberate on “which road to take”.

He added that while he has received offers, he has not signed with any company yet.

“I’ve been with [Mediacorp] for many years, I have many friends, good colleagues and even some of the leaders whom I’ve been working with since [my] SBC [days]. I think in life, at certain stages, you’ll arrive at a crossroad, [where you have to decide] to stay put, or try and fulfil something that you long to achieve,” he said.

“This is like my second home, and I am deeply grateful to the company for grooming me as a rookie, till today. I met my wife [Hong Huifang] here, produced two children [Tay Ying and Calvert Tay], and now one of them [Tay Ying, who’s signed to TCA as well] has become my colleague!” he laughed.

Geping, who joined showbiz in 1987 after completing SBC’s 7th Professional Drama Performers' Training Course, hit it big with his role as Dai Zhigang in 2007’s Like Father Like Daughter, netting him his first Best Actor award.

In the years since, Geping has branched out to fitness and behind-the-scenes work, serving as the executive producer for a number of Mediacorp productions, including 2019’s The Good Fight.

In 2022, he directed, starred in, and produced local action film Deleted.

His last acting role in a Mediacorp drama was 2021’s Leave No Soul Behind.

Geping shared that he’s been mulling over this decision for “more than a year”, and ultimately decided to take the plunge last year.

He revealed that he actually dropped a small hint about his departure in his All-Time Favourite Artiste speech at the Star Awards last year.

“There was one line, where I said: ‘Let’s meet again if we are fated,’” he shared.

To our surprise, Geping shared that he formally handed in his resignation letter in July last year, but no one knew about his decision — not even his family

“They were shocked! I’m not doing something bad, but I think this is a decision that is made at the right time, if not I’ll feel lost and without a goal. Since I’m still feeling positive and all, why not? I’ll keep this positive energy going and give myself more space to think more positively,” he said.

But this doesn’t mean that Geping’s leaving local showbiz behind.

He said that he’s still going to be involved in showbiz, though he wishes to take a small step back for the time being.

“I need to quiet down and empty my mind, be in my own inner space, to focus on the next path that I’m going to step on and move forward in,” he said, adding that he might take some time out to study more about showbiz and production.

“I’ve been doing the same thing for so many years, it feels like I don’t have an aim in life anymore. [But] I still have my own ideals and wishes, to achieve what I want to do,” Geping added.

“I’m very happy with [Mediacorp], but I think I need to change, to be better, to be able to contribute or serve this industry better, that’s the main reason,” he said.

So, yes, he’s still open to acting offers and the like, but “only if they’re interesting”, okay?

Finally, Ivy Low, head of TCA, shared in a statement: "We would like to thank him for his creative contributions, both as an actor and a producer. While we will miss him greatly, we wish him all the best!”

Photos: Zheng Geping/Instagram