Both the Hollywood Walk of Fame in California and the Avenue of Stars in Hong Kong's Tsim Sha Tsui attract streams of visitors who wish to pay tribute to their favorite celebrities. Last November, Love River Avenue of Stars, on the bank of Love River at Hedong Road, officially opened to the public. Love River, one of the city's most popular tourist attractions, is now more romantic than ever thanks to the dizzying collection of celebrity handprints along Avenue of Stars.
Kaohsiung's Avenue of Stars was part of the Chen Chen Gala 2019. Ms. Chen Chen is an actress of global renown, and famous in ethnic Chinese communities on different continents. She was honored as the Best Leading Actress at the Asia Film Festival (now called the Asia-Pacific Film Festival), and she received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 50th Golden Horse Awards in 2013. On top of that, Ms. Chen Chen is now Kaohsiung City Government's Charity Ambassador.
Last July, Ms. Chen Chen led a group of film and entertainment celebrities from both Hong Kong and Taiwan to participate in the Chen Chen Gala 2019 in Kaohsiung. This series of activities included an opening ceremony and red carpet, a film industry discussion, the Chen Chen Film Festival, the Chen Chen 55-year Film Career Exhibition, as well as a visit to the Early Intervention Center for Children in Kaohsiung's Fongshan District, and meeting elderly folks at Kaohsiung Senior Citizen Service Center.
Love River Avenue of Stars and its celebrity handprints have become the city's latest attraction. Currently, there are 50 handprints, including Ms. Chen Chen; Mr. Wang Toon (another recipient of the Golden Horse Awards' Lifetime Achievement Award); Ms. Chang Hsiao-yen (Lifetime Achievement Award, Golden Bell Awards); Mr. Blue Lan (Best Leading Actor in a Television Series, Golden Bell Awards); actresses Ms. Gingle Wang and Ms. Wu Ke-xi; directors Mr. Lee Hsing and Mr. Chu Yen-ping; Akira, a Japanese actor, dancer, and pop star; beloved Taiwanese dancer Ms. Lee Tsai-o; Mr. Pi Wu, Pokemon Video Game Junior Division Finals Champion in the 2019 Pokemon World Championships and Kaohsiung's tourism spokesperson for October 2019; Mr. Chuang Chih-yuan, a famous Taiwanese table tennis player; and Ms. Chen Zi-yu and Ms. Lin Tai-chen, both survivors of the 2014 Kaohsiung gas explosions and inspiring wheelchair athletes.
On November 29, 2019, Deputy Mayor Yeh Kuang-shih, Ms. Chen Chen and Mr. Pi Wu attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony that marked the official opening of Love River Avenue of Stars. Deputy Mayor Yeh pointed out that Kaohsiung manifests its romantic side through Love River and its joyful engagement with the ocean. Accompanied by the distinguished guests, the deputy mayor strolled along the Avenue of Stars to appreciate the scenery. Deputy Mayor Yeh expressed his gratitude to Ms. Chen Chen, who called on other stars to participate in various philanthropic activities in Kaohsiung, including the Home for the Disabled, the Senior Citizen Service Center, and the Early Intervention Center.
The Chen Chen Gala 2019 brought many film, entertainment, and cultural-creative industry professionals to Kaohsiung. The Chen Chen Film Festival showed 14 movies starring Ms. Chen Chen, signifying the city government's enormous respect for her and the film crews who have contributed to the movie industry. The gala also raised NT$4.1 million from its participants, and this fund was donated to Kaohsiung City Government's Social Affairs Bureau to assist children who are in need of help. Also, on July 13 Ms. Chen Chen led more than ten stars to Kaohsiung Senior Citizen Service Center, where they had a great time with over 200 elderly citizens. Even though the Chen Chen Gala is over, Love River Avenue of Stars is a permanent witness to the romance of Love River.
Love River Avenue of Stars
On the bank of Love River at Hedong Rd., between Minsheng 2nd Rd. and Wufu 3rd Rd.
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