A ‘heavenly king’s’ reign: Jacky Cheung at 62 – his movie and musical highs

The album’s title track has since been covered by musicians such as Taiwanese singer Jay Chou and China’s Hu Yanbin – formerly known as Anson Hu.

Cheung was recognised in 1996 and 1997 as the bestselling Asian artist in the world by the World Music Awards in Monte Carlo, Monaco. The Billboard Music Awards similarly named him the most popular singer in Asia in 1994.

Cheung’s fame was immortalised with a Guinness World Record in 2012, awarded to him for having the largest combined audience for a live act in 12 months.

The “Jacky Cheung ½ Century World Tour” in 2010 saw him perform for over 2 million people in more than 100 live concerts in 61 cities.

Two years later, Cheung played the role of Frank in the critically acclaimed Hong Kong action film Bullet in the Head.

The movie revolves around Cheung, Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Waise Lee Chi-hung’s characters as they flee to wartime Vietnam to pursue a life in crime.

In 2002, Cheung starred as the main character, Lam Yiu-Kwok, in Ann Hui On-wah’s July Rhapsody. He was nominated for several awards in Hong Kong and Taiwan, including best actor at the 2002 Chinese Film Media Awards, the 2002 Asian Film Critics Association Awards, and the 2003 Golden Bauhinia Awards.

That same year, the singer released his 14th album in Mandarin Chinese and also appeared in Taiwanese miniseries Love Scar.