Linda Chung (鍾嘉欣) will launch her debut photo book Bliss <幸福> at the Hong Kong Book Fair on July 17, joining fellow idol singers and models in the annual pictorial war. The Hong Kong Book Fair became the battleground for many local pseudo models in recent years. Following the successes of Angelababy and Chrissie Chau (周秀娜) in the late 2000s, many up-and-coming “leng mos” did whatever they could to win the show floor, whether by posing sexily or making controversial comments. Some of these promotional tactics were heavily criticized by public groups, and in 2010 the organizers of the Book Fair banned models from holding autograph sessions inside the venue. This year, a new group of models will be joining the fray. Idol singers Linda Chung, Miki Yeung (楊愛瑾), and Rainky Wai (蔚雨芯) will each release a photo collection at the fair. Linda, who earlier traveled to Guam for the photo shoot, aims to show off the island’s exotic beauty instead of her fit physique. Even though Linda’s pictorial is more toned down in comparison, her publisher is confident that the book will perform well at the show. Linda is currently preparing for her upcoming solo concert, to be held on August 22 and 23 at the Kowloonbay International Trade & Exhibition Centre. Although the concerts have yet to sell out, Linda remains enthusiastic and focused during rehearsals. Miki Yeung, former member of idol girl group Cookies, will release a photo and essay collection titled Mikitopia this year. While the singer claims that she is not selling sexiness in the book, she does appear in a red bikini and took several underwater photos that showed off her fuller chest. When asked about her increased bust size, Miki said that while many things had changed in the ten years since her debut, her body shape however, remains the same. Singer Rainky Wai’s photo book is less tame in comparison. The 19-year-old is promoting her second photo collection R, and some predict that the book will be a highlight at the Book Fair. Rainky visited Phuket for the photo shoot, posing in revealing outfits in front of the tropical backdrop. Known for her chest size, Rainky’s pictorial featured many cleavage shots. She even appeared topless in several photos, covered only by strategically placed arms and legs. When asked to comment about competing with other sexy pseudo models, Rainky said, “I am, and have always been, just a singer, not a leng mo. How can I compete with them? It is difficult for artists to survive in today’s entertainment industry, we must all branch out and develop in multiple areas.” Creds: Ming Pao
