Taiwanese actress Joe Chen has always struck me as a strong woman with a good head on her shoulders. It’s regrettable that with her turning 40 this year, people only seem to focus on her age and why she’s still single at this “grand old age”, even callously calling her a 黃金剩女(huángjīn shèngnǚ). Thankfully, Joe takes this all in stride, confessing that she chose to prioritize her career over her love life when she was younger and that being considered a “leftover woman” was such an antiquated and close minded notion.
And although she’s been romantically linked to other men in the past, she didn’t want to “just settle” just because she’s reached the age when a lot of her peers are either married and have kids or are in a relationship. Despite it all, Joe still believes in love and is still looking forward to meeting “the one”.
While out on a date on the program Meeting Mr Right, Joe cheerily declared her age when she and her date exchanged the usual first date question of how old are you?, “very senior” she adds to which her date replies “but you look so young, really!”. Joe admits that being an actress had made her become more self conscious, since Netizens have often called her out for being old and fat after eating and drinking, even labeling her has Auntie Chen (Chen A-yi) which conjures an image of a woman the same age as your parents. She also reveals that “as a female actress of a certain age, they will surely tack in the description “the 40 year old” in front of your name, like “40 year old Joe Chen joins dating program” or “today, the 40 year old Joe Chen went to ..” . But they never do that for male actors. You won’t hear them saying “50 year old blah blah blah” when they’re describing male actors! It’s as if our only measure of worth as an actress is our age and that other areas of growth is insignificant. Present society is more demanding of us women, that’s why I’m telling you that I don’t need to hide my age, because everyone will say I’m already 40!” She goes on to add that she is learning to embrace her life because she can’t put work as the sole focus of her life, and that she wants more time to get along with herself.
Joe Chen: No matter how old you are, love yourself. Whether you’re happy or not, remember to embrace yourself. You are the most important thing.
Well said, Joe. It’s awesome to see her have all her priorities straight and manifesting a positive attitude despite all her critics. And I really hope that date went well!
hohliu
I have never enjoyed her dramas but I respect her professionalism. Anyway, who business is it she is single at 40. They should just mind their own business.