'My family was not rich': Charlene Choi tears up while recounting childhood memory

Hong Kong star Charlene Choi teared up while sharing a childhood memory in Chinese variety show Youth Periplous season 5, which aired on Saturday (June 15).

"This was something that I was very happy about [when I was young]. After I grew up, I become upset whenever I think about it," the 41-year-old told the other cast members of the show.

Charlene said that when she was young, her mother would bring her to a western diner after her ballet lessons.

'My family was not rich, but my mother would want me to order food there. While I was eating happily, she would only take a few bites from my plate," Charlene said as her eyes welled up with tears.

The other cast members tried to comfort her, including host Yang Di, who told her: "It's a mother's love, that's what family members who love each other would do."

She should have been more considerate as a child, Charlene added.

"I would think about why I didn't notice it when I was young? I only cared about myself, how I enjoyed the food and didn't realise that my mum didn't order for herself.

"I also didn't say things like, 'You should also eat'," she said.

Although they were not well off, Charlene's parents doted on her and treated her well. 

According to a report by Epoch Times in 2022, the actress said that when she was in secondary school, she made an appointment with her friends to get their hair permed without informing her parents.

When she asked them for money, her father told her that they couldn't afford it. Charlene, however, insisted on going to the salon.

While she eventually received the money, she only found out years later that father had pawned his gold chain so he could pay for the hair treatment.

Recalling the memory, Charlene said: "I was really unfilial at the time!"

Reflecting on these experiences, she said she learnt to treat her parents better.

Charlene also learnt to be more careful with her money and was reportedly told that she was "stingy".

Addressing this, she said: "Money that should be spent would be spent.

"For two similar items with different prices, why should one buy the one that is more expensive?"

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yeo.shuhui@asiaone.com