Hong Kong is a place brimming with talented and intriguing people. In our new 27 Questions column, we get up close and personal with notable Hong Kong personalities, learning about their whims and aversions, pivotal life moments, and hopes and dreams — all revealed in roughly the same amount of time it takes to sit through a round of speed dating.
Some might think that models are just a pretty face with a tall, slim figure and nothing more, but that can’t be further from the truth, especially when it comes to Malaysian model Angie Ng. The 5’11” beauty started off her modelling career at the sweet age of 16, after being scouted by a talent agency in the UK — the same place where she later obtained a law degree. Since then, she’s been travelling the world, gracing the covers and pages of top magazine titles such as Elle, Marie Claire and many more. Thanks to her distinct character and positive attitude, she’s now considered to be one of the most popular Hong Kong-based models. Even so, her passion, as she always knew, lies way beyond the beautiful clothes and glamorous runways.
As a fitness fanatic, she’s professionally trained in tap dance, modern dance and ballet (that explains how she moves so well in front of cameras). She’s also certified in Schwinn cycling, and was previously a spinning instructor at XYZ and currently a boxing instructor at Lights Out. She recently took up the challenge of launching her own sportswear collection (in collaboration with athleisure label Rising Lotus) that consists of 88% recycled fabric, bridging together her two favourite worlds of fashion and fitness and, at the same time, making sure all fellow fitness lovers can both look good and feel good. Read on to learn more about Ng.
Name: Angie Ng
Age: 31
Neighbourhood: Tai Hang
Occupation: Model and fitness instructor
Be humble, be teachable and always keep learning.
My mother, she is a super woman. She brought my siblings and I up on her own, and put us all through university. It was tough for her to send me to law school in the UK back then, especially with the exchange rate, but she did her very best for us like she always does.
Coconut water or Malaysian coffee.
I am thinking 5-6 years ago, but I do still have a valid driving license. Be warned, I am not known for my driving skills; I drove my older sister once and she said ‘never again’.
The natural light that showers in through the window and all the green plants I have. I love greenery so I buy flowers all the time and have tons of plants (both outdoors and indoors) at home. My window also faces the garden so it really feels quite serene, which is a big contrast to the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong.
I switch between early bird and night owl on different days. Some days I need to stay up late when I am busy with work (research etc.), but other days I need to be up early for work (modeling and meetings) or my workouts. I am lucky to have the flexibility to switch between both.
Blinkist. It’s an app that summarises books, so you get all the main information and knowledge in a compact form. The gist of the book if that makes sense. It is the best! I’ve learnt so much in a short period of time, and if I love what I read, I can get the book and read the full version. It also comes with audio, so sometimes I just listen to the book when I’m traveling or have time to spare.
Steamed minced pork with salty fish or squid (very typical Chinese dish). It has been my favourite since I was little.
Space (or lack thereof).
I’m looking into Maldives, Egypt and Bali this year. I haven’t been to Bali yet but that will change this year!
Falling down/off. Maybe because I was dropped once when I was a baby. Haha… but I do ponder “what if I weren’t afraid?”
Recently, I’ve received this healthier version of peanut butter with chia seeds as a Christmas gift. It is so good I dug a spoonful of peanut butter and had it as it was. It got worse when I went in for round two. :)
Pulp Fiction.
Late morning. Some weekends I go for workouts, other times I stay home and cook breakfast, or just chill, meet some friends and watch a movie — reset for the new week ahead!
I am open to anywhere, as long as I feel happy, driven and growing. Somewhere near nature but still close enough to the city would be ideal.
There could be various definitions of a true Hongkonger (born and raised, living in, speaking Cantonese or with a Hong Kong identification card/passport). I think it is easier to define who is not a Hongkonger: Someone who is not invested in Hong Kong and won’t try to be a part of the Hong Kong culture certainly doesn’t qualify as a ‘real Hongkonger’.
“Michael Learns to Rock – 25 minutes” (embedded into my teen years).
Colourful.
Tap classes! I loved tap dancing when I was younger, and I enjoyed the music, the beats and the movements very much! I had the best time taking up classes, and just by talking about it causes my feet to start tapping. :)
The amount of lectures I’ve missed when I was doing my Law degree (a lot)… I was someone who digested information better by reading over sitting in a huge lecture hall. I was a rebel for sure.
I’m all about the all-in-one-pot/dish. It saves me time and everything gets done when the oven or the pressure cooker beeps. I do make a mean pork ribs stew and roasted spring chicken.
I wouldn’t say it is my catch phrase but in class I always say “Don’t think, just do”. During physical exhaustion, sometimes you just got to push through and not think or feel if you can or not; it’s that final leap that will surprise you on what you can achieve!
Connection during a first date… does that count? My partner and I just felt so close and connected starting from day one; as if we knew each other from before.
Yes! I have the word ‘smile’ tattooed on my left ribcage. I just think it’s amazing how a ‘smile’ can change your mood as well as someone else’s. Sometimes things do feel pretty crazy, and can make you feel quite overwhelmed; all I do is take a step back, take a breath and smile. Life is about perception, positive versus negative, and whichever we choose will most likely affect the outcome.
Until you asked, I’ve never thought of counting. I do have a lot of shoes…
Just counted, and I own over 130 pairs, which is a little embarrassing. However, I wear sneakers/sports shoes most as I am often in the gym, teaching or working out!
If it is either one — I would rather never be alone for a single moment! I think it is important to have connections with other human beings; feeling connected to each other to me is a basic human need.
We were moving sofas around to make it all look good, when there were obviously too many sofas around… wondering what it meant?