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Their staggering appeal is not easy to explaineven among music experts. A la N Sync, they dont play any instruments and they are not great singers. Few people even know what theyre singing about. But the four twentysomething band membersJerry Yan, Vic Zhou, Ken Zhu and Vanness Wubelt out frothy tunes with a bubble-gum beat, and possess clean-cut good looks that have landed them on magazine covers, posters, key chains, T shirts and the bedroom walls of countless teenage girls. Indeed, their most committed fans know not just their birth dates but their blood types as well. They seem to possess that elusive blend of charisma and good timing that strikes only rarely among musicians. In life, there comes only one Elvis Presley, one Ricky Martin, one F4, says Varma.
Their wholesome image is a big selling point. In person, the bandmates tend to be exceptionally polite. During an interview, Wu, the only F4 member who speaks fluent English, tosses off lines like, The Vanness dream is to take care of my family one day so they dont have to work so hard. Such emphasis on family values plays well with young Asians. F4 represents something they can aspire to within reach, says Ian Stewart, CEO of The Filter Group, an Asian trend consultancy. Compared with Robbie Williams, Asians can connect more with F4.
The bands rise began with Meteor Garden, a slick television drama launched in Taiwan two years ago. Based on a Japanese comic book, the series revolves around a group of Taiwanese students nicknamed F4Flower Fourbecause they are so pretty. The show, massively popular in Taiwan, also turned into a runaway hit on Southeast Asian TV when dubbed or subtitled in local languages.
The program ran for two seasons. Like many Asian actors, the four boys also sang and danced. They quickly released two albums under Sony Music, and began playing to sellout crowds from Hong Kong to Manila. Today, in addition to touring, making TV appearances and hanging out together, the members are also busy working on solo careers. We want to grow, says Wu, who just finished shooting his first film, a Hong Kong martial arts movie.
Wu laughs when asked if he feels famous. Three years ago, he was living in his native Los Angeles (he is named after the famous street in L.A. and San Francisco) and working as a customer-service rep for a phone company. Then he decided to indulge his passion and pursue a show-business career in Taiwan, where his parents were born. For the first year, he slept on friends couches in Taipei. Now, though hes glad to have his own place, he says the band is still adjusting to its stardom. We had never met until Meteor Garden, he says. Our personalities are so different, which is probably why our fans like us. Indeed, there seems to be something for everyone. Wu says he thinks hes seen as the extrovert, Jerry Yan is the funny but mercurial one, Vic Zhou is quiet but off the wall and Ken Zhu is cool and collectedbut a deep thinker.
The members have turned into unwitting ambassadors for greater China. Thanks largely to F4, Thais, Filipinos and Indonesiansnot generally known for their interest in contemporary Chinese cultureare embracing it with a vengeance. In Jakarta, There is growing acceptance that Chinese boys are good looking, says Tumiwa. Its quite a shift here. Indonesia has had a checkered history with its Chinese population, highlighted by anti-Chinese riots and targeted violence. Now, the only mobs are those lining up to see F4 perform in concert. Young people are adopting F4s style of dress, which tends to be casual with a flair, such as tight jeans and fitted white shirts. Fans have also copied their trademark long hairstyles. Says Bangkok hotel clerk Praphaphorn Sithuha, an admitted F4 fanatic: F4 has good style, they sing well and are very funny.
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จูเจ๊ยบ (jexiao) 
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