Lee Ka Ding: Iron Man With A Tender Heart
The public announcement of Shirley Yeung (楊思琦) and Gregory Lee’s break up occurred three weeks ago. Aside from news that Shirley’s new boyfriend, Andy Ng (吳帥), owned numerous debts, the most fascinating person to watch was Gregory’s father, Lee Ka Ding (李泳豪), whose angry words were controversial and sparked many discussion topics. However, it turned out that 65-year-old Ding Yeh had a tender side.
In a telephone interview last Friday, Ding Yeh could not hold back his tears when discussing Gregory, “I was afraid that he would commit suicide when his mind strayed! At the time of the break up, Gregory was numb all over. I was afraid he would act upon foolish impulses!” Ding Yeh possessed fire and love. Perhaps Ding Yeh’s tendency to curse explosively was due to his love for his son, hoping Gregory would act rationally and not cause the elderly to worry!
Since Shirley and Gregory broke up, lovelorn Gregory did not wish to comment on the situation. Since Ding Yeh could not resist commenting, he became Gregory’s spokesperson. Each time Ding Yeh spoke, he cursed profusely, claiming that Shirley lied, that she had eyes but could not truly see and chose the wrong man, Andy Ng. Ding Yeh’s comments were more interesting than dialogue found in a television series!
When discussing Beijing diver, Yu Yue (俞越), speaking up to defend good friend, Andy Ng, Ding Yeh said explosively, “This discussion was between two families; why did the butthead (Yu Yue) have to chip in? What [expletive] business does he have in this? That guy (Andy Ng) did not even speak up!”
Although Ding Yeh scolded Yu Yue, he toned down when speaking of Shirley Yeung. “Shirley’s method of handling matters was very poor. It was a pity that she was stuck in the middle. You cannot force a cow to drink water by pushing its head down. Shirley was only listening to her mother on what to do!”
Speaking about his son, Gregory, Ding Yeh shed manly tears, “When Shirley and Gregory split up, he did not sleep or eat. I was afraid the foolish boy would think crazy thoughts. I asked him to make a promise that when I die in old age, there will be someone carrying my coffin. I was very scared that Gregory would do something foolish in a weak moment. I do not know what he is capable of doing in a rash moment.” (Are you afraid he would commit suicide?) “At the time, he was numb all over. I was afraid he would be unable to remove himself from the situation. While thinking depressing thoughts, he could take the car and …. I made sure to pick him up with my car instead. At the time, I did not sleep for several days. However, Gregory’s situation has improved a lot now! I am no longer as worried as before!”
When Gregory spoke about car racing before an audience, many women rushed to get his autograph. No wonder Ding Yeh said, “If Gregory wanted to eat ‘soft rice,’ there was no need to date Shirley Yeung for nine years. When he was studying in the United States, there were many rich American and Japanese girls pursuing him!”
On July 16th, Gregory took a risk with the rainy weather and headed to Huizhou to perform car drifting. When the reporter pointed out that Ding Yeh started crying when he spoke about his fear that Gregory would commit suicide, Gregory replied, “I felt very guilty and sad in making my family so worried about me. I can handle the situation now. I feel okay. Going forward, I will focus on my career and car racing. It is normal for my family to want to protect me due to their love. I do not want anyone to misunderstand or hurt my family!” Since Gregory had income streams in mainland, perhaps it would be appropriate for him to shift his career to China.
Iron Man With A Tender Heart
Aside from possessing fire, “Iron Man” Lee Ka Ding was a stubborn man in his youth. Allegedly, in 1973, when Ding Yeh pursued Gregory’s mother, Shih Ming (施明), he fought multiple martial artists single-handedly in combat. Ding Yeh said proudly, “When filming The Big Removal <大除害>, a gangster was pestering Shih Ming. I could not withstand the situation, so I punched him. I did not fight multiple opponents; the rumor exaggerated the situation.” Since Ding Yeh was so heroic, no wonder he successfully won the heart of Shih Ming, who was a “hot babe” in her youth.
When Ding Yeh was 18-years-old, he trained under a martial arts master. At 20-years-old, he took up lion dancing. The young, muscular Ding Yeh measured up against Bruce Lee. Later, Ding Yeh became a horseback riding trainer. In his lifetime, Ding Yeh won 200 trophies. Overseas, he was known as “Crazy Steve” [due to film credentials as Steve Lee). Ding Yeh taught horseback riding to many artists. Even Kelly Chen (陳慧琳) was his horseback riding student.
Love Life
Shih Ming was an actress at Shaw Brothers in the 1970s. In 1977, Ding Yeh and Shih Ming got married. Two years later, Shih Ming gave birth to a pair of twin boys, Augustine Lee and Gregory Lee. Allegedly, due to Ding Yeh’s rough manner, he and Shih Ming got divorced in 1994. Asked whether he wanted to reconcile with Shih Ming, Ding Yeh sighed, “Let nature take its course!”
Ding Yeh’s Explosive “Golden Phrases”
In the immediate aftermath of Shirley Yeung and Gregory Lee’s break up scandal, Ding Yeh was extremely angry over Shirley’s allegedly lying and cheating about the situation. Below were Ding Yeh’s quotable lines in his interviews to the media:
“She [Shirley] is framing [expletive] us, saying that she celebrated Gregory’s birthday [and pretended to be a couple while in fact they had broken up].”
“If my son [Gregory] ratted out to the press, I will fall on the street and die!”
“Shirley’s strength was to cry, scream, and hang herself…. She’s saying [expletive] nonsense.”
“Tell Andy Ng to watch out. Since his debt-filled past was uncovered and he has a bad past, that means he’s an empty shell. She [Shirley] had eyes but could not see and boarded on the wrong pirate ship!”
“Before they [Gregory and Shirley] were fine. I don’t understand why Shirley’s mother has to separate the lovers…. I don’t see her mother much.”
Since Gregory and Shirley broke up, Ding Yeh’s outbursts have been fascinating. Jim Chim (詹瑞文), who was promoting his theater project, The Pain of a Man <男人之苦>, made a spoof of Ding Yeh scolding Shirley’s mother on Youtube.com. Tai Son (泰神)even played the role of Gregory in the spoof. After Ding Yeh watched the spoof, he laughed, “Tell the bad boy (Chim) that my gestures are no longer as exaggerated. The spoof was very funny though!”
Source: Face Magazine
Jayne: Lee Ka Ding is indeed a colorful and blunt personality, compared to the typically bland Hong Kong magazine interviews, where artists are afraid to voice their true opinions. Lee Ka Ding was a fine looking man when younger and Shih Ming was very beautiful as well.
I really liked how Face Magazine described Lee Ka Ding as a “鐵漢柔情” which I loosely translated as “Iron Man With a Tender Heart.” Hehe don’t we all find appeal in such a man, minus the profanity and explosive temper? 🙂
Wow, Lee Ka Ding looked very handsome when he was young.
Haha, without the big nose he would have been handsome. Shih Ming is actually very pretty. Wonder why she never had any significant roles in TVB series.
Shih Ming and Augustine should step aside and let Lee Ka Ding do the talking… he seems quite genuine in his interviews. I have to agree that Lee Ka Ding and Shih Ming were both very good looking in their youth. Seems like he blames Shirley’s mom more than Shirley.
I agree and Lee Ka Ding and Shi Ming were both very handsome and beautiful when young. I think that Gregory looks more like his dad while Augustine looks more like his mom. I am glad that they are a close knit family despite the fact that they are divorced.
I saw him in real life multiple times at wong tai sin…in hk having dim sum…i think he lives by there!
“At the time, he was numb all over. I was afraid he would be unable to remove himself from the situation. “
This tally with what Augustine said in his interview. Greg was numb. The canto term he used is ‘gau sai’.
“At the time, he was numb all over. I was afraid he would be unable to remove himself from the situation. “
This tally with what Augustine said in his interview. Greg was numb. The canto term he used is ‘ngau sai’.
It also interesting that when Yu Yeut was first mistaken as Andy Ng, he said that he were friends with Greg. But, now, he came out to defend Andy and diss Greg’s brother.
The interviewer has asked Augustine about this and Augustine said he has asked Greg and Greg confirmed that he knew Yu Yuet, have spoken to him a couple of times. I remember he said ‘gei hou king’.
So, YY knew both Andy Ng and Greg.
I know Ding Yeh trained horseback riding, but, I was surprised that he’s a horse racer too. I always thought horse jockey have to be small size so that they can race fast (not weight on the horse too much).
good names and suitables, true to calling iron man,really strong man.
If Shirely was really lying thru out her relationship wiht Grey…why can’t mr. lee and Grey let her go peacefully and seek a better life without her? isn’t that a bit better than doing interview with the reporter over and over again on the same old topic?
Maybe they are trying to gain more fame and attention from the break up?? Who knows??
yeah. Maybe the older Lee wanted to seek fame and attn. to boost Grey’s in showbiz field…
Or could it be…the reporters are asking them these same old questions?
The Reporters could be asking the Lee the same old questions but Lee Opt to reject the interview but he didnt. That means he is either desperate for media attention OR he’s just too stubborn and felt unjustistfy with Shirley’s treatment to Grey. Well, like what HTS said, it could be anything. But to me..this news has been dragged for too long and I think Shirley already moves on to her new life with Andy.. People will start to view them as attention grabber now.
No matter what, I’m glad LKD did this interview. This is not only about Greg, but, also about LKD.
If he’s fame whoring, this is one fame whoring I appreciate. Glad to know about his past. Us younger generations don’t always have a chance to do so.
Second reason I like his interview is you can see a progression in the happenings. Unlike Augustine who kept harping on the past, in LDK’s interview, you can see from him being worried to feeling better now. You can actually track Greg’s emo stage from his interview.
Also, all the time, he’s just responding to new accusation.
” I think Shirley already moves on to her new life with Andy.. ‘
It’s always easier for the one who do the dumping to move on (since he/she already prepared to move on before he/she do the actual dumping). Although moving on is good for Greg, it’s ridiculous to expect to one who get dump to move on with the same pace as the person who do the dumping.
Soooo… that’s Andy!
Funn,
Andy Ng’s photos have circulated for over a week. 🙂
Maybe the Lee family should know that it’s time for them to let go. Shirley let go, they also need to let go. If they continue this, they will be flamed. From victim, ppl will view of them as attention seekers.
“If Gregory wanted to eat ‘soft rice,’ there was no need to date Shirley Yeung for nine years. When he was studying in the United States, there were many rich American and Japanese girls pursuing him!”
Who said such thing? Shirley dun say that. She only said that if she is a gold-digger with Andy, she should do that sooner.
Now Lee Ka Ding is repeating Shirley’s words?
Uh, where in the article did LDK say Shirley said that?
The ‘eat soft rice’ label is given by the HK media and the public.
When Gregory spoke about car racing before an audience, many women rushed to get his autograph. No wonder Ding Yeh said, “If Gregory wanted to eat ‘soft rice,’ there was no need to date Shirley Yeung for nine years. When he was studying in the United States, there were many rich American and Japanese girls pursuing him!”
This part. In the first part of the article, phragraph 7th.
You said
“Who said such thing? Shirley dun say that. She only said that if she is a gold-digger with Andy, she should do that sooner.”
I ask:
“Where in the article did LDK say Shirley said that?”
From my understanding of your sentence, you seem to be saying that LDK said Shirley think/call/say Greg eat soft rice. But, LDK never said that or even implied that.
If I get you wrong, please explain to me what do you mean by
“Who said such thing? Shirley dun say that. She only said that if she is a gold-digger with Andy, she should do that sooner.”
Oic.
I only meant that Shirley didn’t say such thing.
Enough already. This is an overkill.
Kidd supplied interesting background info about Lee Ka Ding in an earlier comment, that his ancestors used to have money but lost it in the Cultural Revolution.
I found the biographical details about Ding Yeh and Shih Ming quite interesting. I didn’t know Ding Yeh was such an accomplish horseback riding trainer, winning multiple trophies and even instructing very famous artists such as Kelly Lin!
Despite his profanity, I suspect Ding Yeh is well respected in the industry. He has his place in accomplishments, among the older Shaw Brother artists such as Gordon Liu, Bak Biu, etc. However, all those horseback riding trophies does not equate to a lot of money, but did gain him respect in the circle.
@ Jayne
I found the info from wikipedia. 🙂
http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%9D%8E%E5%AE%B6%E9%BC%8E
Shih Ming’s detail is harder to find.
Wow, prior to all this Gregory/Shirley business, I didn’t know much about Lee Ka Ding. I just thought that he was another ordinary character actor and not a very well-known one at that. He was certainly quite a good looking young man and Shih Ming was quite a beauty in her young day also.
Ka Ding certainly loves his son and would stick by him no matter what, which is what a good father should do.
Video on LKD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6XRk90i4_0
He has even filmed a Hollywood movie before. The film is called ‘Kickboxer’ starring Jean-Claude Van.
Look at the number of replies, this scandal is fading.