By Hazel Tan

A BOYFRIEND? WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL, FANN?

So, Fann, you want be left alone? You want to turn your back on the local media, the same media that helped make you what you are today.

No big loss really.

All we get from you anyway are bland-as-tap water quotes on how happy you are with your work.

You say you'll answer questions about your work, not your personal life.

But what do we get when we ask what you think of your new album, new serial, new movie?

It's always along the lines of "I'm very happy blah blah blah."

And if we try touching on your personal life, it's hide-and-seek time again.

You go missing. You don't respond to paging.

Those of us who remember your double-contract woes - when you signed with TCS while still contracted to a Taiwan modelling agency - would ask: What's new?

When news of that broke, you went into hiding to avoid facing the media.

But what I really fail to understand is, why be so secretive about your boyfriend? Or is it ex-boyfriend now?

What's wrong with having a boyfriend? Most women do - and are proud to show him off. I hear from your friends and colleagues that even they have not met him, nor have you talked about him.

Isn't this a bit extreme, hiding him away as if you have some terrible secret to hide?

Even superstars in Hongkong or Hollywood who won't discuss their private lives are not afraid to be seen in public with dates on their arms.

I understand that you need - and deserve - some privacy. If we hound you for intimate details of your relationship, you have every right to tell us to back off.

But is confirming that you have a boyfriend, or that you have broken up too much to ask?

After all, you are a public figure.

Which means, the public is interested in you, your work AND your personal life.

People have described you as intelligent. You must know that this is part of the package of being a star.

Beside, many bigger names have admitted to having relationships.

Think Jacky Cheung, Tony Leung (with Carina Lau), Namie Amuro, Julian Cheung and Anita Yuen, Ekin Cheng and Maggie Siu.

The Singapore press is no papparazzi.

We don't tail you to try to catch you with your secret beau. Or go through your rubbish for tell-tale clues.

If you can't take the heat here, you should think twice about carving a career in Hongkong, which is known for its persistent, round-the-clock newshounds.

Have you ever considered what bad press can do to your career?

Maybe you don't have time to. We hear you don't even have time for sleep, so busy are you.

But you obviously have not learned from your contract controversy.

Which makes me wonder when the wayward princess of Caldecott Hill will grow up? And whether you will ever be queen.

HER SECRET LIFE

Beneath Fann Wong's facade of a bubbly person lies an extremely private person, it appears.

But, it seems she's evasive not only with the media. Even her friends and colleagues claim not to know the real Fann Wong.

Her colleagues - at least those we spoke to - say they have never seen her in public with her reported boyfriend.

Nor do they know whether they have recently broken up.

Actor Lin Yisheng, who worked with her on the serial, Out To Win, said he has "heard about her having a boyfriend".

"But I have never seen him. We are always joking when we are together. But she has never mentioned her boyfriend."

Mr Jonathan Tan, promotions manager of Hype Records, who has worked with Fann on her albums, also knew little from her about her personal life.

He told The New Paper: "On the work front, she is a pro. You would never hear her complain, even if she works 24 hours a day without sleep. We respect her for her work attitude. But off work, she's always been a private person.."

Even Fann's close friends in showbiz claim they don't know much about her personal life.

TS actress Lina Ng, who co-hosts City Beat, said she has never seen Fann out on dates.

Describing Fann as amiable, she said: "We are good friends, but we haven't reached the stage where we confide in each other."

Another close friend, Carole Lim, said Fann hardly volunteers any information about herself.

"(But) she's very sincere and cares about her friends," Carole said.

From what we know, Fann is currently in Singapore.

But being such a private person, she naturally didn't respond to our paging.