Aaron Kwok: a look at the Heavenly King’s showbiz reign as he marks his 53rd birthday

Aaron Kwok Fu-shing pictured in 2009. The Canto-pop star and actor celebrates his 53rd birthday on Friday. Photo: Ricky Chung

He may appear to have found the secret to eternal youth, but Hong Kong singer-actor Aaron Kwok Fu-shing celebrates his 53rd birthday today.

One of the famed “Four Heavenly Kings” of Canto-pop – alongside Jacky Cheung Hok-yau, Andy Lau Tak-wah and Leon Lai Ming – Kwok has enjoyed phenomenal success since he joined the Hong Kong entertainment industry in the late 1980s, releasing more than 30 albums.

Project Gutenberg director on Chow Yun-fat and Aaron Kwok

He has also appeared in almost 30 films, including Hong Kong classics The Storm Riders, Divergence, After This Our Exile and, most recently, the lead role in The Monkey King 3.

To mark the birthday of the Hong Kong entertainment icon, we take a look at his career so far in this series of rare images taken from the South China Morning Post archives.

Kwok performs in a concert for RTHK’s Solar Project at the Shanghai School of the Blind in China in 1993. Photo: SCMP

Kwok performs at his birthday concert in 1995. Photo: Ricky Chung

Kwok in action at the JVC Hit Radio Award presentation ceremony at the Hong Kong Coliseum in 1997. Photo: Tony Aw

Kwok attends a press conference on 1999 amid rumours he had been secretly filmed having sex in an Australian hotel room with a young woman. Photo: SCMP

Kwok during the 2000 Olympic torch relay in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. Photo: Dickson Lee

Kwok performs at the closing ceremony of RTHK’s 2001 Solar Project at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Wan Chai. Photo: Edmond So

Kwok with former Hong Kong government No. 2 Anson Chan Fang On-sang at the opening ceremony of the Youth Outreach Charity Sale in 2005.

Shu Qi and Kwok after winning best leading actress and best leading actor at the 42nd Golden Horse Awards in 2005. Kwok won his award for his part in Divergence. Photo: Patrick Lin/AFP

Kwok (centre) in a still from Divergence (2005).

Kwok arrives at the 43rd Golden Horse Film Awards in Taipei in 2006, where he won his second consecutive Golden Horse for best actor. Photo: AFP/Sam Yeh

British actor Hugh Grant chats with Kwok as they take part in the Mission Hills Star Trophy golf tournament at the Mission Hills Golf Course in Haikou, China, in 2010. Photo: AFP

Kwok with his horse Race 6, Calling With Love, ridden by Brett Prebble, after they won a race at Sha Tin racecourse in 2012. Photo: Kenneth Chan

Kwok and his wife, Moka Fang, at their wedding at The Peninsula Hong Kong hotel in 2017.

Kwok (centre) attends a Chinese New Year dragon and lion eye-dotting ceremony at Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui in February 2018. Photo: Xiaomei Chen