Local and Asian celeb babies born this year
Here’s a look at the tots stars blessed us with in 2015
What a bumper year for Asian celeb tots — we’ve got close to 40 in our round-up, with nine of them hailing from our shores alone. And with good-lookers and multi-talented artistes for parents, we’ve got high hopes for the cohort of 2015. Here’s a brief introduction to some of the famous little ones we welcomed this year so you can look out for them in time to come.
Photos: TPG, artistes’ social media accounts
Local stars
New parent: Shaun Chen
Bundle of joy: Xin En (born on December 5)
Singapore-based actor and first-time parent Shaun Chen welcomed his daughter, named Xin En, with his second wife, a former beautician called Celine, in Alor Setar, Kedah. The actor dropped a double red bomb in late October that he had remarried and had a baby on the way.
New parent: Carole Lin
Bundle of joy: Brooklyn (born August 19)
The actress consulted the same obstetrician as Taiwanese actress Vivian Hsu (who also features on this list). She and her third husband, Korean-American chiropractor David Lim, were thrilled with little Brooklyn, as Carole had been told her advanced age would make it difficult for her to conceive.
New parents: Joanne Peh and Qi Yuwu
Bundle of joy: “Baby Qi” (born on August 7)
The mysterious infant still hasn’t debuted a proper frontal shot on social media, though her parents have posted a trail of tantalising photos on their Instagram accounts. Joanne gave birth to “Baby Qi” after a 16-hour labour without any pain relief, and Yuwu cut the cord. Footage of the birth was included in the variety programme Joanne Peh hosted, Baby Steps.
New parent: Kenneth Kong
Bundle of joy: Kyler (born on September 7)
The host of Channel 8 news programme Hello Singapore welcomed his #SG50 newborn and promptly set up a separate Instagram account for his #oldschoolbabyk (Chinese name: Xu Yang), à la Kate Pang’s and Andie Chen’s little boy, Aden.
Related:
Shaun Chen to welcome baby girl in December
Carole Lin gives birth to a baby girl
It’s a girl! Joanne Peh & Qi Yuwu welcome ‘baby Qi’
‘Hello Singapore’ host Kenneth Kong welcomes SG50 baby boy
Local stars
New parent: Chen Tian Wen
Bundle of joy: Genghis, also nicknamed “Xiao Un” (born on June 12)
Even before he turned one, little Genghis (what an epic name, by the way!) got to cameo in papa’s movie Mr Unbelievable as the infant version of Tian Wen’s character. But the newbie actor couldn’t cry on cue, so Tian Wen had to resort to slapping his firstborn on set, which probably hurt the father more than the son.
New parent: Lim Pei Fen
Bundle of joy: Luke (born on July 17)
Baby Luke was a big kid — 3.5 kg — so he was born by caesarean section. “I was awake during the operation because I was under regional anaesthesia,” the new mum said. “Although I could not see the baby when the doctor carried him, I started to cry when I heard the baby crying too.”
New parent: Zen Chong
Bundle of joy: Aryssa (born on April 6)
The Malaysian-born actor turned property agent married his long-time girlfriend in 2011 and welcomed his first child, a daughter named Aryssa, whom he called his “love from a past life.” “Daddy promises to work hard for you!” he wrote in an Instagram post. Aryssa also has a personal Instagram account — kids these days.
Related:
Chen Tian Wen slaps infant son on set to make him cry
YES 933 DJ Lin Pei Fen welcomes SG50 baby
Local stars
New parent: Leon Jay Williams
Bundle of joy: Harper Ann (born on January 26)
The Singaporean-born, Taiwan-based Eurasian actor, singer and model got a tad too enthusiastic when he learned he was going to be a father: He spent more than NT$300,000 (approximately S$13,000) on baby products, including a walker that was intended for 2-year-old toddlers. But there’s no denying Leon is head over heels in love with his new princess.
He wrote a tearjerker of a letter to Harper: “When I first saw you delivered, my heart did a flip! … I love looking at how peaceful you are when you sleep. Looking into your eyes is like looking into a more innocent and pure version of mummy and myself. … You will always be a part of my heartbeat. The part that keeps me going. The part that matters the most. Love you always, xoxo Daddy.” Awwww!
New parent: Yao Wen Long
Bundle of joy: Ming En (born on November 3)
The 44-year-old actor’s SG50 baby came nearly 10 years after his firstborn, Jian Yu. Wen Long was on set filming the 2016 Channel 8 drama series House of Fortune when his wife checked herself into hospital, and she gave birth before the actor could rush over. But Wen Long wasn’t too upset about missing Ming En’s birth. “I was around for the entire birthing process the first time,” he said.
Related:
Leon Jay Williams’ wife gives birth to a baby girl
Yao Wen Long welcomes second child
Multi-hyphenates who gave birth in Singapore
New parent: Sonia Sui
Bundle of joy: Max (born on August 31)
The actress and model chose to give birth in Singapore due to the absence of dogged paparazzi here and the multilingual environment — her Taiwanese-American husband, Tony, prefers to use English. Sonia spent her confinement month here before returning to Taiwan, though she made a short trip back for the Singapore International Film Festival.
New parent: Vivian Hsu
Bundle of joy: Dalton (born August 13)
Becoming a mother at the advanced age of 40 presents its own challenges, and Vivian would take no chances with her “Lee V Baby.” The singer, model and actress showed how far she would go to protect her first child, staying in bed in hospital for more than 140 days, not showering for even longer, and enduring 300 injections to prevent miscarriage. The traditional mother also observed Chinese confinement folk beliefs, covering herself from head to toe when she had to venture out of the house during the two-month-long postpartum recovery period.
Related:
Sonia Sui on baby no. 2: “Not so soon!”
Vivian Hsu celebrates son’s second month
Zhang Ziyi was pregnant after all, and she has popped
New parents: Zhang Ziyi and Wang Feng
Bundle of joy: name undisclosed (born on December 27)
This might be the last celeb baby of this year. After months of evading, hiding and even donning a false belly, which threw everyone off, the Chinese actress and her rock musician beau are new parents to a baby girl. Ziyi announced the birth on Weibo, writing, “December 27, you, me and her. We have a family of our own with the arrival of this new life.”
This is Ziyi’s first child and Wang Feng’s third. The actress was sighted in Los Angeles in the weeks leading up to the birth, sparking rumours that she was preparing for delivery in the Californian city. But Wang Feng’s ex didn’t have very pleasant things to say about his third daughter.
Related:
Zhang Ziyi gives birth to a baby girl
Wang Feng’s ex responds to birth of Zhang Ziyi’s firstborn
Taiwanese musicians
New parents: Jay Chou and Hannah Quinlivan
Bundle of joy: Hathaway (born July 10)
Hathaway is one famous tyke to watch: With her father’s talent and her mother’s good looks, the possibilities are endless. “Baby Chou” is another well-hidden celeb baby, with her name revealed only after her 100th day party, and even before her birth her parents would buy black baby gear to keep her gender a secret. But fame and fortune may not be easy to handle for little Hathaway — already her father has had to deny he demanded priority treatment when she went to a clinic for her vaccination.
New parent: Evonne Hsu
Bundle of joy: “Baby E” (born on October 6)
The Taiwanese-American singer’s daughter was born on the night of her wedding anniversary, giving the date even more significance. “Even when you shoot your baby poop all over mommy so I have to wash all our clothes, give you a bath, clean the floors and all that, I'm not mad at you, you're only doing what babies do, and besides... One sweet smile and we all melt every time,” Evonne wrote on Facebook. And we’re sure most mothers would agree with her.
New parent: Shih Jun-Wei
Bundle of joy: Sean (born on October 4)
The drummer of Taiwanese indie band Sodagreen was the second member to become a parent, after guitarist Liu Jia-Kai had his son three years ago, and fans of the band joked that the band’s lead singer, Wu Tsing-Fong, would be placed on babysitting duties again.
Related:
Jay Chou and Hannah Quinlivan welcome baby girl
Evonne Hsu gives birth to daughter on wedding anniversary
Sodagreen drummer Shih Jun-Wei welcomes son Sean
Taiwanese musicians
New parent: Maggie Chiang
Bundle of joy: Mu-fan (born on September 2)
The songwriter and "therapeutic singer" of Mandopop ballads married her husband, Trevor, this January but denied it was a shotgun wedding. Baby Mu-fan was due September 12, but Maggie was dining with singer Peggy Hsu when her water broke. "It's great to finally see my son, when he has been inside me for nine months. It's a strange feeling yet so familiar,” she said.
New parent: Real Huang (aka Ah Qing)
Bundle of joy: “Xiao Hua Bao (Little Flower Bud)” (born on June 28)
The guitarist of three-piece Taiwanese rock band F.I.R. caused quite a stir when in December he announced his marriage to Flora, a model 14 years his junior, while she was already three months pregnant. Ah Qing recently celebrated his first wedding anniversary by returning to the restaurant where he and Flora confirmed their relationship, but with “Xiao Hua Bao” in tow.
Related:
Maggie Chiang denies rumours of shotgun marriage
Real Huang’s wife shares about her child
Taiwanese actors
New parents: Blue Lan and Jade Chou
Bundle of joy: “Little Basketball” (born on May 16)
Blue Lan, has had a very good year indeed: He won Best Actor at Taiwan’s Golden Bell Awards, got nominated for Best Actor at the Asian Television Awards, held his wedding banquet with his wife, actress Jade Chou, and welcomed their daughter, “Little Basketball,” who’s quite the looker, if her father’s to be trusted. “My daughter has arrived!” he announced on Facebook. “She has long limbs and big eyes (and double eyelids and long lashes — I’m already starting to worry about boyfriends!”
New parents: Alyssa Chia and Xiu Jie Kai
Bundle of joy: “Bu Bu” (born August 14)
Alyssa and Jie Kai’s “Bu Bu” is her second child, after her 10-year-old daughter, Angelina Sun, from her first marriage. The doting husband prepared a seven-course meal for wife in hospital before she gave birth, and after “Bu Bu” arrived he visited the baby during lunch breaks from work, even taking on extra work for nappy money. The couple have registered their marriage but have yet to host the traditional banquet, which will likely take place only after Jie Kai ends his mandatory military service. He will enlist early next year, and here’s hoping the first-time father won’t miss his daughter too much when he’s away serving the nation.
Related:
Blue Lan holds wedding banquet with wife Jade Chou
Alyssa Chia, Xiu Jie Kai celebrate newborn’s second month
Taiwanese actors
New parent: Antony Kuo
Bundle of joy: “Yuan Yuan” (born on June 22)
The older half of erstwhile pop duo 2moro and also an actor and host, Antony was constantly tired out by his first child. “Miss Yuan Yuan, could you skip ahead to kindergarten? The later at night it gets, the more scared we become!” he wrote on Facebook in August.
But despite the fatigue, Antony is like any new parent. “I feel happy and yet crestfallen when I see you grow. I wonder what the future will be like? (Already imagining you dating boys, am I crazy?),” he wrote on Facebook two weeks later. “Even though I’m lacking sleep and exhausted, but it’s a happy kind of exhaustion! And I imagine I might be losing sleep waiting for you to return home in future.”
New parent: Pace Wu
Bundle of joy: Hans (born on November 17)
The actress, model and singer chose to deliver her second child by c-section on an auspicious date instead of sticking to its original due date of end November. Pace named the boy after her late golden retriever, which brought her and her beau, Hong Kong investor Ji Xiaobo, back together after it was diagnosed with lymphoma.
The couple have a toddler, Hillary, born last February. The ambitious Pace previously said she was gunning for five kids. “I’m 36, this year, I’m afraid there isn’t enough time, but I will work hard,” she said at a commercial event last November.
Related:
Antony Kuo announces the arrival of his baby daughter
Pace Wu delivers second child by C-section
Taiwanese actors
New parent: Chang Chen
Bundle of joy: Yuan Yuan (born on March 10)
The Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and 2046 actor married his Japanese-translator girlfriend in a lavish ceremony in 2013. Then 37, he said he hoped for children soon because he wasn’t that young anymore. Wish granted.
The actor uploaded a photo of a pair of infant footprints to announce the arrival of his daughter, and even his former rumoured love interest, Taiwanese actress Shu Qi, sent in her congratulations. Chang Chen may be teaching Yuan Yuan the ways of the Force too, as seen from the latest photos of the tiny tot.
New parent: Chris Wang
Bundle of joy: Lei-chen (born on April 9)
One of the hosts of travel programme The King of Adventure embarked on an adventure of a different kind when he became a first-time father. He admitted to being in a relationship with his assistant turned manager, Lin Yi-xian, just last October, and at the same time he announced they were expecting.
Not yet a year old, “Lei Lei” might have eclipsed her father in terms of recognition. “I kept a low profile,” Chris wrote on Instagram about taking yet another flight with his daughter. “But there were folks in the airport who said, ‘That’s Lei Lei!’ So should I cry or laugh?”
New parent: Terri Kwan
Bundle of joy: “C.C.” (born on May 24)
The actress announced the arrival of her daughter, nicknamed “C.C.,” on Instagram ahead of schedule. “I have an impatient mother and a busy father, so that may be why I turned up early. I’m like my father, please give me your guidance,” she wrote in the voice of the newborn.
Terri is another celeb fiercely protective of her child: There are a ton of photos of “C.C.” on her Instagram, but none show the child’s face in its entirety.
Related:
Chang Chen celebrates his daughter’s 100th day
Chris Wang tears up at finish line of rally through Inner Mongolia
Terri Kwan is three months pregnant
Taiwanese multi-hyphenates
New parents: Christine Fan and Blackie Chen
Bundles of joy: River and Ryan (born on January 15)
Nicknamed “big and small pandas,” these twins were born by c-section section one month premature but are now regularly rocking snazzy outfits and hats on their mother’s Facebook page. Blackie, the fun-loving basketball player turned actor and show host, often demonstrates on social media how he parents dangerously: playing video games in bed with one infant buried under the covers, weight-lifting using babies — enough to give their fans a terrible fright.
New parent: Tarcy Su
Bundle of joy: “Little Brother” (born on April 28)
The singer and actress best known for her 90s pop hits ‘Lemon Tree,’ ‘Duck’ and ‘Fool’ became a mother at 44. Like some of the other first-time mums on this list, she said she got highly emotional when she heard her newborn’s first cry. And when “Little Brother” passed the 3-month mark, Tarcy wrote on Facebook, “The things [you] like to do lately: gnaw your hands, tug on clothing, converse in alien-speak, and pretend to cry so that you will be held.”
Related:
Blackie Chen, Christine Fan share photos, video of their twin boys
Tarcy Su gives birth to baby boy
Taiwanese multi-hyphenates
New parent: René Liu
Bundle of joy: referred to as “Little Pearl” (born on January 29)
The singer and actress has been intensely secretive about her son and hasn’t even released an official nickname, so creative netizens have taken to calling the baby “Little Pearl” to go with René’s nickname, “Milk Tea.” Now those are mother-and-son names we could get behind.
René announced her pregnancy last September on Weibo, and afterwards she cut down her workload by 50 percent. She was reportedly still practicing yoga while 7 months pregnant.
New parents: Jimmy Lin and Kelly Chen
Bundles of joy: Jenson and Kyson (born on December 5)
Actor, singer, race car driver and 90s heartthrob Jimmy Lin added two to his brood this year, twins Jenson and Kyson. The boys were named using the first letters of their parents’ names. Jimmy’s eldest, 6-year-old Kimi, was initially worried about being neglected once the twins were born, but the little big brother came around eventually — he brought in a fabric race car steering wheel toy to share with his brothers when he went to visit the twins in hospital after they arrived.
Related:
René Liu loses weight after giving birth
Jimmy Lin welcomes fraternal twin boys
Hong Kong actors
New parent: Kathy Chow Man Kei
Bundle of joy: Jacques (Chinese name: Kai Yu) (born on July 3)
The actress and model (and sister of Niki Chow, also an actress and model) demonstrated how to rock a baby bump when she was pregnant with Jacques. Her French husband, Julien Lepeu, was the attentive exemplary spouse when Kathy was discharged from hospital after delivering Jacques: “My job is to take care of my wife,” he replied when asked whether he’d go to work the next day.
The first-time mum hired a nanny to take care of the baby. “I am still not used to the feeling of being a mother,” she said. “As of now, the baby only knows how to drink milk, cry, and sleep.”
New parents: Moses Chan and Aimee Chan
Bundle of joy: Nathan (born on February 26)
Nathan joins his big brother, 2-year-old Aiden, in the Chan household. Moses previously indicated his intention to try for a daughter next. And after a roughly 4-month break, Aimee is already pregnant with the couple’s third child, due April 2016.
Aimee said she and Moses both want a large family so that the house will be lively, but she added that three was enough, because she hopes to return to acting in the future and having more than three kids would be too taxing on the couple, who prefer to take care of their offspring themselves.
New parent: Cathy Tsui
Bundle of joy: Kin Hei (born on October 1)
The former actress was richly rewarded for bringing forth descendants for her father-in-law, Hong Kong’s second richest man and real estate tycoon Lee Shau Kee, who’s estimated to be worth US$23.9 billion (approximately S$33.7 billion). Cathy delivered her fourth child at the young age of 33, and her past baby bonuses include a multimillion-dollar mansion in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles.
But the wonder of conception hasn’t worn off for her yet. “I am still so amazed with the science and process of creating a child,” she wrote on Instagram before she gave birth to her second son, Kin Hei. “Seeing my belly grow is like a miracle. Two bodies under the same skin. Being a mother is the most rewarding experience.”
Related:
Kathy Chow Promises to Be Careful as a New Mother
Moses Chan and Aimee Chan welcome second son
Cathy Tsui delivers her 4th child
Hong Kong actors
New parents: Chin Ka Lok and Angela Tong
Bundle of joy: Kassidy (born on September 23)
Actor and stuntman Chin Ka Lok’s second daughter was born after his wife, actress Angela Tong, spent just 45 minutes in the delivery room. With Kassidy’s arrival, Ka Lok joked about having no more power in a house filled with women. Asked whether he and his wife would try for another child, he said it would be her choice. “I’d like to take a break, because if you count our helper, there are now four women in my household!” he said.
New parents: Timmy Hung and Janet Chow
Bundle of joy: JT (born on April 28)
You’d think a grandson of kungfu star Sammo Hung would have a more kickass name than one that’s made up of his parents’ initials, especially since his older brother is called TJ. But grandpa Sammo was thrilled with JT, and remarked that the newborn resembled him in being a large baby (3.45 kg!) Janet, an actress, was reportedly exhausted after delivering the giant parcel by c-section, and she said she dreaded being bored during the month-long postpartum confinement period.
Related:
Chin Ka Lok visits newborn daughter in hospital
Timmy Hung welcomes the birth of his second son
Hong Kong multi-hyphenates
New parent: Ella Koon
Bundle of joy: Gabriel-Antonio Maurellet (born on October 4)
Nicknamed “BéBé G,” which will make him possibly the coolest kid in the sand pit, Gabriel-Antonio is Ella’s first child with her Eurasian doctor husband. The Hong Kong actress, model and singer released only a snapshot of the infant’s feet to announce its birth, but she has since followed up with more intimate photos of the baby and her life as a first-time mum.
New parent: Gigi Leung
Bundle of joy: Sofia (born on February 28)
Sofia is Gigi’s first child with her Spanish husband, Sergio Crespo Gutes, whom Gigi married in October 2011. A first-time mother at 38, Gigi couldn’t keep her mind off her daughter when she returned to work after giving birth. “I missed Sofia terribly during the day-long shoot and I kept thinking about her,” she wrote on Facebook in April. “And after a long day, the moment I’m most looking forward to is seeing my daughter smile at me when I get home.”
Gigi, an ambassador to a string of charities and organisations, got Sofia started on philanthropy at the early age of 3 months: The actress and singer donated the money gifts Sofia received during her 100th-day celebration, totaling HK$53,500 (approximately $9,734), to disaster relief efforts in Nepal and a number of Hong Kong charities.
New parent: Daniel Chan
Bundle of joy: “Duo Duo” (born on August 15)
The singer and actor’s first daughter, Katelyn, is also nicknamed “Duo Duo” but with a different intonation, so we can expect it to get a little confusing in the Chan household with two girls nicknamed “Duo Duo.” Daniel entered the delivery room with his wife, Taiwanese nurse Wang Yuxian, a second time but this time he worked up the courage to ask the doctor if he could cut the cord, which he said he did rather well despite the nerves.
Related:
Ella Koon gives birth to her first child
Gigi Leung’s pet dog pacifies her baby daughter
Daniel Chan to Move into Luxurious Home in Taiwan
South Korean celebs
New parents: Ji Sung and Lee Bo Young
Bundle of joy: Ji Yoo, also nicknamed “Bo Bae” (born on June 13)
The least secretive of our South Korean parents this year, actors Ji Sung and Bo Young welcomed their first child and revealed the interesting backstory of how she got her nickname, Kwak Bo Bae: Kwak is Ji Sung’s birth surname, Bo stands for Bo Young and Bae is for baby. Ingenious, we say.
A statement issued by Bo Young’s management agency to announce Ji Yoo’s birth said: “The couple have waited for this moment for a long time. They are very grateful to welcome a healthy baby daughter and they hope to meet their fans on-screen again in the near future.”
New parents: Won Bin and Lee Na Young
Bundle of joy: name undisclosed (born around December 19)
They dated in secret, they married in secret and now the actors are new parents just seven months after they wed. At that time they denied it was a shotgun marriage, but you do the math. The intensely private couple announced their baby boy’s birth on December 19, but his actual birthdate is not known and no photos of him were released, so we’re starting to wonder whether this baby even exists.
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New parent: Kim Hyun Joong
Bundle of sorrow: name undisclosed (born in early September)
We’re not sure how we feel about this celeb baby. Even before it was born, the 3-month-old was embroiled in a legal morass involving its parents, actor Kim Hyun Joong of Boys Over Flowers and SS501 fame and a certain Ms Choi, with allegations of domestic abuse and fraudulent miscarriage and demands for DNA testing flying all over. Now that its parentage is 99.9999 percent certain and Hyun Joong said he would be responsible for it, we sure hope the dust settles on this one eventually.
Related:
Ji Sung Says His Daughter is a Gift from Heaven
Won Bin, Lee Na Young welcome baby boy
Paternity Test Reveals 99.9999% Percent Probability Kim Hyun Joong is Father of Ex-Girlfriend′s Child
