DON'T judge me based on my looks, she told a press conference.

She may be skinny, but she's tough. And Charlene Choi, 25, one half of the Cantopop duo Twins, proved it.

In town on Friday to promote the clothing label Heroic Rendezvous, the willowy and delicate-faced Hong Kong singer was calm in answering all questions, even the ones concerning "Ah Jiao".

That's the nickname for the other Twin - Gillian, 26, who's infamously embroiled in the recent Edison Chen scandal.

Asked about talk in Hong Kong that the duo will disband, Charlene stressed: Twins "will never break up".

"We're friends forever," she added.

Of the difficult last two months since the scandal broke, Charlene said: "Every day you'll grow. What won't kill you only makes you stronger."

But, she revealed: "I do wish to go back to the more innocent days."

Her answers came from within a wall of minders and five large men who surrounded her when she met the media just before a Heroic Rendezvous fashion show at a local club.

Before the press conference, we were told, if possible, "don't ask sensitive questions".

They were determined to protect her from being the Edison scandal's collateral damage.

But it was not as if Charlene had anything to worry about.

She took pains to talk about her partner, sharing little nuggets.

"When we were starting out and we didn't have money, Ah Jiao and I would design our own clothes and share them," she said.

"I like the cartoon characters from Heroic Rendezvous - they look like Ah Jiao and me."

Asked what Twins planned to do, Charlene revealed she is waiting for her partner to return from extended leave.

"We were midway into the recording of our new album but Ah Jiao is now on leave."

As to when they'll be back in the studios to complete the album, Charlene replied: "I don't know too. I hope it's as soon as possible."

UPCOMING MOVIES

She is preparing to film two movies in the next month - a sequel to Storm Riders II (with Ekin Cheng and Aaron Kwok) in Thailand and another action movie in Shanghai.

She said she is used to being solo while acting; but it does get lonely when it comes to the other engagements.

"When I'm doing music-related things, it feels strange to be standing on stage alone."

WHEN WE WERE STARTING OUT AND WE DIDN'T HAVE MONEY, AH JIAO (GILLIAN) AND I WOULD DESIGN OUR OWN CLOTHES AND SHARE THEM. - Charlene Choi (above), one half of HK pop group Twins. The other half, Gillian Chung, was involved in the Edison Chen scandal

It seems that not only are the people with Charlene determined to protect her, her fans are too.

It was tough not to spot the 40 odd members of Twins Alliance Singapore.

They were dressed in lime-green T-shirts and holding placards.

The three-year-old club has about 100 members.

Ms Adeline Wee, 25, an accounts executive, gushed about her idol.

"She is well mannered, very lively and very sincere."

But mention the Edison scandal and she had the ready reply: "It's over and we won't talk about it."

Another member, Edmund, who refused to reveal his surname or his age, said: "It's a private matter and I have nothing to say."

It is understandable why the fans are devoted to Charlene and Gillian.

Just before the fashion show started, a member of the fan club came running to the other members excitedly, holding in her hands, "a note from Charlene!"

Then came the urgent whispers: "And she said to keep it private."

But that fan wasn't very good at concealing the note. While they turned towards Charlene - seated in a balcony above them - to scream their thanks, the fan accidentally turned the paper around.

NOTE OF APPRECIATION

Let's just say the brief note, which was handwritten in English, thanked the fans for their support.

The note elicited more squeals of appreciation and prompted them to wave the placards with boosted energy.

But not everyone was taken in by the Choi charm.

Retiree Johnny Yap insisted he was not a fan.

"I'm here only to check out the disco and for the ang mo (Caucasian) models," he proclaimed, although I saw him grinning from ear to ear when Charlene was on stage.

"I don't even like her. I hope Edison didn't have a thing with her too!"

This article was first published in The New Paper on Mar 23, 2008.