Ekin Cheng Yee-Kin is a renowned Hong Kong actor and Cantopop singer, previously known as Noodle Cheng, but has since reverted to a more conventional-sounding first name. Occasionally, he uses Dior as a first name, a nickname derived from his younger sister's attempts to pronounce his name.
Ekin began his acting career in commercials during his high school years, with the most notable being for Hi-C Lemon Tea. Following high school, he enrolled in TVB's Martial Arts school but switched to their acting school after finding it unsuitable. He then started landing TV roles, with his latest TVB series being Always Ready, alongside Charmaine Sheh, Bowie Lam, and Linda Chung.
Ekin's personal life has been subject to media attention, particularly his high-profile breakup with Maggie Siu, an actress he dated for many years. The scandal surrounding his departure from Maggie for a decade younger actress and singer, Gigi Leung, was widely reported. The pair broke up in 2006, ending their seven-year relationship.
Ekin later began dating 'Yoyo Mung' in September 2006, reportedly due to their shared interest in badminton.
Ekin's film career began with Girls Without Tomorrow in 1992, under his former name Dior Cheng. He changed his name to Ekin before his breakout role in the Young and Dangerous series as Chan Ho Nam, which led to six sequels and a lucrative partnership with director Andrew Lau. Together, they created The Storm Riders, the highest-grossing Hong Kong film at the time, and the first to utilize a large number of special effects.
Ekin has since expanded his range, taking on comedic roles in films like My Wife is 18 and Six Strong Guys, while also starring in more action-oriented films such as The Twins Effect and Tokyo Raiders.
After a brief hiatus in 2005, Ekin returned to the movie scene, making a cameo appearance in My Name is Fame as himself. He then starred in Heavenly Mission, a triad/cop thriller alongside Stephen Fung and Alex Fong. He has completed a Pang Brothers film called The Forest of Death, set for release in March 2007, and is currently filming a serial in Mainland China based on the life of martial arts master Huo Yuanjia with former Young & Dangerous co-star Jordan Chan.
