Quick Facts
Biography
Juno Mak is a Hong Kong singer, record producer, actor, and director.
Biography
Juno was born in Hong Kong. His father, CCT Telecom chairman Clement Ma, was instrumental in Juno's early success. Juno never had academic talent and dropped out of high school in 2002.
Without a high school degree, Juno leveraged his father's connections as a commercial pop singer with Universal Music. He then launched the first EP On the Road. Two albums, On the Road and Next Step, were released with Universal Music.
To pave his career, his father and management spared no cost to send him to Japan to improve his dancing and singing skill under the tutor Sam (Maruyama Masaharu), a member of famous Japanese pop group TRF (aka TK Rave Factory).
Juno immediately won many newcomer awards upon his debut. However, it was later revealed that his fans were hired professional groupies earning up to HKD150 an hour and he was constantly booed by audience every time he stepped on the stage. Over 100,000 copies of his first EP were purchased by his father.
The worst came in 2003 when he and his father were arrested alongside entertainment mogul Albert Yeung Sau-shing and senior executives from TVB and Universal Music HK, the record label Mak belonged at the time, during an ICAC anti-graft investigation into an alleged bribes-for-awards scam.
Career
Early years
After his arrest, Juno joined his brother's company, Silly Thing. After launching his Proto album, in 2005, Juno's management was able to establish a style of music based on dark elements, the album Otherside, which was considered an important landmark in his music career. He got awarded the "Commercial Radio Ultimate Song Chart Awards 2005" for his song "Hermaphroditism".
Music
In 2003, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) led an anti-corruption investigation against a number of entertainment icons including Juno. The case against Juno was eventually withdrawn for unknown reasons.
Fashion
In 2007, Juno founded his own clothing brand "Chapel of Dawn". The initial collection was launched in Hong Kong and Paris. The collaboration item with "Mastermind Japan", designed especially for his concert "Juno Mute Live Music Show 2007", was even immediately sold-out.
After the 2008 Sichuan earthquake, Juno launched a charity campaign, based on sales of "Chapel of Dawn" brand in Hong Kong, Japan, France and the United States. Later on, Juno kept developing projects under the concept of "Chapel of Dawn" collaborating with partners like "Colette”, "Hello Kitty", "Backbone", Mihara Yasuhiro and many others. The proceeds were donated to charitable causes.
Actor
In 2010, his new film "Revenge: A Love Story", directed by Wong Ching-po, Juno is both the main actor and creator of the original story. The film was a hybrid of slasher and love story. Japanese actress Aoi Sora has also been starring in the film. “Revenge: A Love Story” caught the attention of judging panels of international film festivals and was nominated for the main competition of both the 33rd Moscow International Film Festival and the 15th Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival. It was the only Hong Kong film nominated for the main competitions of the both film festivals. It was awarded “Best Textual Philosophy Award” by film media in the 33rd Moscow International Film Festival. “Revenge : A Love Story” achieved further success in the 15th` Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival. Juno’s impressive performance in the movie won Juno the title of “Best Actor”, another triumph for the film.
2011, Juno and Wong Ching-po, once again, work together in film “Let’s Go!”. Later, Juno took nine months to write his second film script “Rigor Mortis”. “Rigor Mortis” is Juno’s first directing debut. It was started shooting in June 2012. “Rigor Mortis” is a heavy drama. It is a film to pay tribute to 80s Hopping Vampire (Jiangshi) Genre. “Rigor Mortis” is currently going through the post-production process. Coming into theatre in 2013.
Discography
- August 17, 2002 - On The Road
- October 4, 2002 - On The Road (Special Version)
- March 19, 2003 - Next Step
- April 27, 2004 - Proto
- January 25, 2005 - Otherside
- December 6, 2005 - Walking Underneath + Archives
- April 20, 2007 - Chapel Of Dawn
- January 29, 2008 - Words Of Silence
- July 17, 2008 - Lam Man Lung (林民龍)
- November 21, 2008 - Why
- December 18, 2008 - Why (CD+DVD Version)
- September 17, 2009 - The Dream （天生地夢）
- April 22, 2010 - Nothing Lasts Forever
- January 12, 2011 - No-mind （無念）
- January 24, 2014 - Paradoxically, Yours（柔弱的角）
- September 20, 2015 - Addendum
- September 26, 2015 - Addendum (CD + Blu-ray Limited Edition)
Filmography
- 2003 - Truth or Dare: 6th Floor Rear Flat
- 2010 - Dream Home
- 2010 - Revenge: A Love Story
- 2011 - Let's Go!
- 2013 - Rigor Mortis
- Nominated - Golden Horse Award for Best New Director