Elaine Wong
Elaine Yuki Wong (born 1988) is a Singaporean actress and model who became a local hot topic in January 2023 after she was revealed to be a contestant of the Netflix reality television series, “Physical: 100”.[1][2]
As of February 2023, Elaine has gained over 64,500 followers on Instagram and 183,900 followers on TikTok.[3][4]
Background
Personal life & family
Raised in Singapore, Elaine Wong was born to a Hong Kongese father and Singaporean mother.[1]
As of 2023, Elaine has been residing in South Korea for at least 12 years.[5] She also owns a white pomeranian named Sogeum.[6]
Career
After kick starting her career in the entertainment industry through a K-POP audition in 2010, Elaine Wong has since become an actress who is active overseas in both South Korea and China.
Between end-2022 and early 2023, she gained much attention after it was revealed that she was a contestant on the Netflix reality survival show, “Physical: 100”.
Actress and model (2008 to Present)
Elaine Wong is an actress and model currently signed to Chang Factory, a South Korean entertainment company.[7]
Modelling as a race queen in Singapore (2008)
In the past, Elaine was a Racequeen for the CATS Classified Carnival 2008.[8]
Debuting as an actress in the Chinese film industry (2016 to 2018)
After leaving idol trainee life, Elaine decided to delve into the film industry, securing gigs like Fight In Causeway Bay 2 and the series Undercover 1000.[9]
| Year | Programme/Show | Character | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 决战千王/The Epic Battle | Deng Min | Supporting | [10] |
| 2017 | 卧底归来 1000/Undercover 1000 | Tang Ling | [9][10] | |
| 2016 | 血战铜锣湾2/Fight in Causeway Bay 2 | Zhi Zhi | [10][11] |
Modelling for Korean skincare brands (2016 to Present)
Over the years she’s lived in South Korea, Elaine has modelled for skincare brands like Puriskin and ELARA.[12][13]
Appearing on well-known South Korean television shows
Besides Physical: 100, Elaine has appeared on a few prominent South Korean reality programmes. Oftentimes, the programmes are either dating shows or angled at getting to know the lives of foreigners living in South Korea.[1]
| Year | Programme/Show | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 to Present | 대한외국인/South Korean Foreigners | [1][9] |
| 2023 | 피지컬: 100/Physical: 100 | |
| 2022 | 어서와 한국살이는 처음이지?/Welcome, First Time Living in Korea? | [3] |
| 심장이 뛴다 38.5/My Heart Beats 38.5 | [1][9] | |
| 잠만 자는 사이/Sleeping Only Relationship |
Casted for the Squid Game-inspired Netflix series “Physical: 100” (2022)
The South Korean Netflix series, “Physical: 100” first released its trailer on 27 December 2023, garnering the attention of Singaporean netizens after they realised that the lineup included a Singaporean contestant, Elaine Wong.[9] Introducing herself as an actress from Singapore, her appearance on the show quickly piqued the interest of other locals.
When asked about her casting experience for the show, the actress shared that the production team kept details vague and only mentioned that the show would be “something like the drama Squid Game”.[9] As a result, Elaine had the impression that she would be playing similar children’s games like Red Light, Green Light.
“When I was approached to join the series, the production didn’t tell me what the games were going to be. They just asked me if I thought I have what it takes, if I have the ideal physical body. To me, beauty is subjective. If I’m confident, I think I look good."[9]
However, upon reaching the set, she realised that she had underestimated how physically demanding the show would be. In fact, she quickly realised the stark contrast between her slimmer build and that of most of the other contestants, who had a bulkier physique.[9] The show turned out to be a series of physical competitions, whereby the winner will be able to take home a grand prize of approximately S$320,500.[9]
“I was very intimidated. After I went in and stood behind the clay sculpture of my torso, the next contestant – a lady who’s a bodybuilder, who is even more muscular than some of the men – showed up. Her clay sculpture was directly in front of mine and I was like, ‘Oh no, can I just take my sculpture and run off now?’”[9]
True to its name, the show’s lineup included professional athletes, mixed martial artists, and bodybuilders. Some of the most prominent contestants include MMA fighter and Judo athlete Choo Sunghoon and former Republic of Korea UDT/ SEAL, Agent H.[14]
In the first quest alone, the actress managed to place 80th among the 100 contestants, where she had to hang on to a pull-up bar for as long as possible.[9] However, between the Episode 3 and 4, Elaine seems to have been eliminated after a 1-on-1 challenge during the Death Matches, in which she went up against fitness YouTuber, Shin Eu-ddeum.[15]
K-POP idol trainee (2010 to 2012)
Dropping out of Skarf and the trainee system
As Elaine Wong became a trainee alongside the ex-Skarf members Tasha Low and Ferlyn Wong, it was expected that she could have debuted in the same group in 2012. However, she left the project before she could debut.[1]
Not much is known about what happened after Elaine Wong began her trainee life under JYP Entertainment in South Korea, but she also revealed that she had once been a trainee under another prominent label, MBK Entertainment.[9] MBK is known for birthing girl groups like T-ARA and DIA.[9]
In a blogpost that is now deleted, the ex-trainee shared that she had left Alpha Entertainment in February 2012. According to Elaine, it was due to medical reasons and homesickness.[16]
Beat thousands of contestants to pass the JYP & Alpha Asean Region Audition (2010)
In 2010, Elaine Wong participated in a joint audition held by local company Alpha Entertainment and South Korean entertainment and record label JYP, beating 3,000 candidates to travel to South Korea to be an idol trainee.[1]
She was joined by 3 other Singaporeans, Alfred Sun, Tasha Low, and Ferlyn Wong; the latter two would later debut under the Korean-Singaporean K-POP group, Skarf.[1]
Content creator (Present)
Elaine Wong is a popular TikTok creator with over 1.5 million views, as of February 2023.[4] Many of her TikToks feature dance challenges and short comedic skits, which have gotten viral with as many as 200,000 to 4 million views.[4] Elaine is also active on Instagram as a beauty and fitness influencer, where has gained nearly 70,000 followers.[3]
Media coverage
Featured on The New Paper as a K-POP hopeful (2011)
In 2011, The New Paper published a short clip on their YouTube channel, featuring Elaine Wong, Alfred Sun, Tasha Low, and Ferlyn Wong as “Singapore’s K-pop hopefuls”.[17] All four had successfully passed the JYP & Alpha Asean Region Audition the year before and had been asked to sing a few short verses from mainstream Chinese songs.[1][17]
Interview with The Straits Times (2023)
On 31 January 2023, The Straits Times published an article where they spoke to Elaine Wong on being casted for the popular Netflix series, Physical: 100.[9]
In the interview, Elaine shared about her humble beginnings as a K-POP trainee and how it led to her career in the entertainment industry. She also spoke about how she felt when being offered a spot on Physical: 100, and her initial thoughts on set.
“I know I’m like a tiny rabbit compared with everyone else, but who would say no to Netflix? It’s a good experience to have and I want to win. Even after seeing the rest of the cast, I didn’t give up. I still wanted to give it my best shot.”[9]
References/citations
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Jou Teng, Tan. “14 Facts About Elaine Wong, The Singaporean Contestant On Netflix’s Physical: 100 & Ex-Idol Hopeful”. ZULA. February 1, 2023. Accessed 3 February 2023.
- ↑ Netflix Asia. “Physical: 100 | Official Teaser | Netflix”. Netflix Asia. December 27, 2022. Accessed 3 February 2023.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 elainew__. “elainew__”. Instagram. n.d. Accessed 3 February 2023.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 elainew__. “elainew__”. TikTok. n.d. Accessed 3 February 2023.
- ↑ Yeji, Ryu. “[방송] 일레인 “중국 출연 영화, 1억 명 봤다””. NBN TV. September 23, 2020. Accessed 3 February 2023.
- ↑ saltysogeum. “saltysogeum”. Instagram. n.d. Accessed 3 February 2023.
- ↑ Chang Factory. “일레인 배우”. Chang Factory. n.d. Accessed 6 February 2023.
- ↑ En Ming, Teo. “CATS Classified Carnival 2008 Racequeens featuring Elaine Yuki Wong”. YouTube. September 29, 2013. Accessed 3 February 2023.
- ↑ 9.00 9.01 9.02 9.03 9.04 9.05 9.06 9.07 9.08 9.09 9.10 9.11 9.12 9.13 9.14 Lee, Jan. “‘Why are you in this?’: Singaporean contestant Elaine Wong of hit Netflix show Physical: 100 felt like ‘tiny rabbit’”. The Straits Times. January 31, 2023. Accessed 3 February 2023.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 HKCinema. “Huang Yuan-Ling (黄苑玲)”. HKCinema. n.d. Accessed 3 February 2023.
- ↑ elainew__. “elainew__”. Instagram. October 22, 2016. Accessed 3 February 2023.
- ↑ elainew__. “elainew__”. Instagram. July 14, 2021. Accessed 3 February 2023.
- ↑ elainew__. “elainew__”. Instagram. December 27, 2016. Accessed 3 February 2023.
- ↑ Lim, Ainslyn. “15 Of The Hottest Contestants On Physical: 100 & Their Instagram Accounts”. 8 DAYS. February 4, 2023. Accessed 3 February 2023.
- ↑ Yi-hang, Khoo. “'Who thinks they're the strongest?' 5 jaw-dropping fights in Physical: 100's 1-on-1 Death Matches”. asiaone. February 1, 2023. Accessed 3 February 2023.
- ↑ Soh, Elizabeth. “The cold stark reality behind the bright lights of K-pop stardom”. yahoo!life. May 21, 2012. Accessed 6 February 2023.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 The New Paper. “Singapore's K-pop hopefuls sing for TNP”. YouTube. June 10, 2011. Accessed 3 February 2023.