One Million Star Finalist An Bo Zheng Left Showbiz A Decade Ago And Is Now An Aircon Technician
Remember former Taiwanese singer An Bo Zheng?
The now 40-year-old, who was one of the finalists of the first season of Taiwanese singing competition One Million Star in 2007, disappeared from the limelight in the early 2010s and is working as an aircon technician.
Bo Zheng, whose English name is Zack, was known for with his cover of ‘Bicycle’ and was praised by judge Phil Chang for having the best vocals amongst the finalists, who included Yoga Lin and Aska Yang.
Bo Zheng on now-defunct talkshow Kang Xi Lai Le
Unfortunately, his showbiz journey wasn't smooth sailing.
After emerging 10th in the competition, he went on to release a single and an album, but they made little impact on the charts and his career.
At that time, he only did a couple of commercial performances a year, earning NT$3,000 ($148) each time.
According to Apple Daily, he stayed in his uncle’s home in Taipei and even lived in a 72 sq ft storeroom next to the recording studio.
After the dismal performance of his solo album in 2011, Bo Zheng had no choice but to give up his dreams of being a singer.
Bo Zheng hard at work
Recently, Facebook fan page Life is Moving Forward posted an update on Bo Zheng, revealing that he is now working as an aircon technician.
“Once praised by Phil Chang for his good vocals, male singer’s 10-year dream shattered. He has switched careers to become an aircon technician. His sad situation revealed,” it wrote.
Some netizens were not pleased that the word "sad" was used to describe Zack’s life.
There were comments like "What is so sad about it? What’s wrong with being an aircon technician?", and “There’s nothing sad about it. [It’s] very inspirational! At least he’s not daydreaming at home but being down-to-earth”.
A recent photo of Bo Zheng
The post also caught the attention of Bo Zheng, who commented: "Thank you for your encouragement and support. All the experiences are good! Just live your life seriously."
Fans were surprised to see his response, and left messages of support.
"Being a star may not necessarily be a good thing, You can excel in any trade," wrote one netizen, while another said, "Relying on your own abilities and living a down-to-earth life is the most important".
Photos: Zack An/Facebook
