The disappearance of Hong Kong singer Hins Cheung from the promotional material of the singing competition “I Am A Singer” from the show’s Weibo account has triggered rumors of the singer being kicked out of the program.
Confirmed Contestant
As of Jan. 9, he was still included in the poster on the show’s Weibo account promoting the fifth season where Hins Cheung was confirmed a contestant. An article on qingnianli.com by Zhao Liangchen on Jan. 14, reposted by the Central Committee of the China Communist Youth League, reported on the singer’s inclusion on the poster, according to Global Times.
According to Straits Times, Hins Cheung was supposed to compete with other known professional Chinese singers in the show’s fifth season such as Sandy Lam, Teresa Carpio and the Lion band of Jam Hsiao. He recorded the song “Kissing Too Realistically” for “I Am A Singer’s” Episode 1.
But on the same day, TV critic Mangguo Nuhanzi wrote on his Weibo account that the scenes and songs of Hins Cheung were removed from Episode 1 of “I Am A Singer” slated to air on Saturday, Jan. 21. The incident triggered speculations on social media that the singer’s alleged previous remark that supported the “Occupy Central” movement in Hong Kong.
Born in Guangzhou
Although Hins Cheung is now based in Hong Kong, he was born in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province in 1981. His song “Break Point” became a hit in 2002 which led to a career move for him to live in Hong Kong where he became a Cantopop singer. In a post on Sina Weibo, Hnis Cheung clarified, "Words and materials were made up to label me as a supporter of 'Hong Kong Independence … I want to reaffirm that I am Chinese and definitely not a supporter of 'Hong Kong Independence.”
But the Jan. 14 article reposted by CCYL claims it has screenshots of posts allegedly made by Hins Cheung on Facebook supporting Hong Kong’s bid for independence from China. It is his second time to be removed from Hunan TV’s “I Am A Singer” show because of accusations he supports the Hong Kong independence movement. The first was in late 2015 for the show’s Season 4.