Million Star Gang

The hottest topic among young adults--Million Star Gang
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POP STOP

It is amazing to see how the entertainment apparatus turns a nobody into a star and its efficiency to produce, consume and cash in on its creations is flabbergasting. Right now the machine is working its magic on Aska Yang (楊宗緯), its latest product. A local version of China's Li Yuchun (李宇春), Yang rocketed to stardom after participating in the singing contest One Million Star (超級星光大道), on national TV. Two months on, the college student-turned-household name keeps the nation enthralled with no more than a reasonably nice voice and a bent for getting teary eyed over defeated contenders.

Nicknamed cry baby for his tears and caveman for his rugged appearance, Yang has quickly become the gossip rag's new favorite as paparazzi digs out dirt saying the contestant once flunked out of college, subtracted five years from his real age and has developed a predilection for young, pretty assistants.

The show has been accused of deliberately eliminating Yang from the competition so that it can invite him back later in the game, adding a bit of suspense and drama to the show even as the star in the making ensures that gossip fodder is in ample supply.

The Aska craze is predicted to reach a climax in a couple of months as Yang and the nine other finalists, now dubbed as the Million Star Gang (星光幫), are working on their first compilation album slated to hit the market in the summer. Whether or not the gang are successful products like Hello Kitty or Jolin Tsai (蔡依林), only time will tell.