# Star Search (Singaporean TV series)

Star Search (Chinese: 才华横溢出新秀; pinyin: Cai Hua Heng Yi Chu Xing Xiu) is a television show organised by Mediacorp to scout for Chinese language-speaking acting talent. The first season premiered in 1988 and has produced 12 installments since. The most recent twelfth season premiered in 2024.

## History

Star Search started out as a Singapore local talent show, initially restricted to residents of Singapore. After the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation discontinued its drama training courses in the early 1990s, Star Search became one of Channel 8's main sources to scout for talent, which was met with several successes where many "alumni" have embarked their career with Mediacorp after the competition, whereas certain contestants deemed better may also be awarded a contract after competition ended. In 1999, the show expanded to include regions such as Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Guangzhou (China), then via China and across Asia towards the 2000s millennium. From 1999 to 2003, the show took the format of a knockout competition where the male and female champions and first runners-up from each country will go to Singapore compete for the overall champion prize in their respective genders; however, when the show returned for a ninth season in 2007, the champions per gender and its international tournament format was abolished, reverting back to the traditional format while retaining international contestants till this day.
Each season of the shows had a period of hiatus of at least two years, and up to nine years between the tenth and the eleventh season. The upcoming twelfth season will premiere in 2024 after five years.
While there is no official theme music released from the first three seasons, its titular theme, "飞高梦远" was introduced starting from the fourth season in 1995, and was still used to the day. The title is composed by Iskandar Ismail and lyrics provided by veteran Chen Jiaming.

## Format

Auditions typically take place several months beforehand. The chosen contestants are sent for training and begin rehearsing. Finalists are usually mentored by veteran Mediacorp artists. There are different segments to test the contestant in several areas, as scores are weighed and factor towards it to determine the result. Examples such as acting out on a skit featuring certain artists; while it is scripted, the artists may improvise to test the contestant's ability to do so; a Q&A segment where contestants are tested on their oratorical skills through a randomly chosen question; a performance segment whereas contestants performed a special item (such as a drama skit) and judged based on their charisma, confidence and ability to perform under pressure; and appearance such as First impression, fashion and talent performances besides acting. Between 1999 and 2003, televoting are also applied whereas contestants are also tested on popularity as well; televoting reappeared in 2007 but only through a fan-based award, and did not return in 2010 since.
They are judged by a panel consisting of both local and foreign celebrities such as Anita Mui, Chow Yun-fat, Alfred Cheung, Andy Lau, Stephen Fung, Simon Yam, Carina Lau, Raymond Lam and Sandra Ng, and since the 1990s, former alumnus, such as the first season winner Zoe Tay also accompanied as a judge, a mentor or an advisor, depending on the season.
Between seasons four and eight, in corporation with international contestant's participating since then, eliminations applied based on gender and that one winner from each gender will be decided. However, beginning on the ninth season, the gender-based category format was scrapped and that any contestants regardless of gender can win and become the final three for the season.
Depending on season, each winner (and up to third place) would be awarded a full-time contract with Mediacorp besides other prizes (such as contingent and character awards), though other finalists deemed suitable enough are often given contracts as well.

## Past winners

1988 :
| Champion | Zoe Tay | 郑惠玉 |
| 1st Runner up | Aileen Tan | 陈丽贞 |
| 2nd Runner up | Jazreel Low | 刘琦 |
| Most Photogenic | Aileen Tan | 陈丽贞 |
| 1990 |||
| Champion | Chew Chor Meng | 周初明 |
| 1st Runner up | Margaret Lee | 李美玲 |
| 2nd Runner up | Rayson Tan | 陈泰铭 |
| Most Photogenic | Margaret Lee | 李美玲 |
| Most Charismatic 最有性格新秀 | Cassandra See | 薛素珊 |
| 1993 |||
| Champion | Ivy Lee | 李锦梅 |
| 1st Runner up | Lina Ng | 黄嫊方 |
| 2nd Runner up | Eugenia Lee | 李月仪 |
| Most Photogenic | Ivy Lee | 李锦梅 |
| 1995 |||
| Female Champion | Jacelyn Tay | 郑秀珍 |
| Male Champion | Ix Shen | 沈倾掞 |
| Female 1st Runner up | Ziozio Lim | 林倩萍 |
| Male 1st Runner up | Christopher Lee | 李铭顺 |
| Female 2nd Runner up | Phyllis Quek | 郭妃丽 |
| Male 2nd Runner up | Aric Ho | 何志健 |
| Most Photogenic | Ziozio Lim | 林倩萍 |
| 1997 |||
| Female Champion | Florence Tan | 陈秀丽 |
| Male Champion | Jerry Chang | 常鲁峰 |
| Female 1st Runner up | Amanda Ho | 何芸珊 |
| Male 1st Runner up | Sean Tang | 陈思恩 |
| Female 2nd Runner up | Michelle Liu | 刘铃铃 |
| Male 2nd Runner up | Andi Lim | 林伟文 |
| Most Photogenic | Florence Tan | 陈秀丽 |
| 1999 |||
| Overall Female Champion | Vivian Lai | 赖怡伶 |
| Overall Male Champion | Jeff Wang | 王建复 |
| Overall Most Photogenic | Samantha Toh | 卓淑怡 |
| Overall Most Charismatic | Jeff Wang | 王建复 |
| Singapore Female Champion | Vivian Lai | 赖怡伶 |
| Singapore Female 1st Runner Up | Carol Tham | 谭淑君 |
| Singapore Female 2nd Runner Up | Ng Sue Ling | 黄淑玲 |
| Singapore Male Champion | Nick Shen | 沈暐峻 |
| Singapore Male 1st Runner Up | Oh Say Tuck | 胡世达 |
| Singapore Male 2nd Runner Up | Raymond Tham | 陈俊光 |
| Malaysia Female Champion | Samantha Toh | 卓淑怡 |
| Malaysia Male Champion | Dixon Loo | 罗斯益 |
| Hong Kong Female Champion | Pink Lai | 黎洁屏 |
| Hong Kong Male Champion | Fu Xiaoming | 付小明 |
| Taiwan Female Champion | Liu Xiaomei | 刘晓梅 |
| Taiwan Male Champion | Jeff Wang | 王建复 |
| Guangdong (China) Female Champion | Elaine Liu | 刘凌 |
| Guangdong (China) Male Champion | Qi Yuwu | 戚玉武 |
| 2001 |||
| Overall Female Champion | Michelle Liow | 廖莹莹 |
| Overall Male Champion | Shi Bin | 施斌 |
| Singapore Female Champion | Joey Ng | 黄玉霞 |
| Singapore Female 1st Runner Up | Jeslynn Wong | 黄玮珮 |
| Singapore Male Champion | Alan Tern | 唐育书 |
| Singapore Male 1st Runner Up | Paerin Choa | 蔡昊哲 |
| Malaysia Female Champion | Michelle Liow | 廖莹莹 |
| Malaysia Female 1st Runner Up | Lim Chia Chia | 林佳佳 |
| Malaysia Male Champion | Gary Yap | 叶俊岑 |
| Malaysia Male 1st Runner Up | Zhang Yao Dong | 张耀栋 |
| Shanghai Female Winners | Sun Li, Le Yao | 孙俪、乐瑶 |
| Shanghai Male Winners | Hu Wensui, Shi Bin | 胡问遂、施斌 |
| 2003 |||
| Overall Female Champion | Felicia Chin | 陈凤玲 |
| Overall Male Champion | Cui Peng | 崔鵬 |
| Overall Mr Charisma | Li Qiyang | 李企扬 |
| Overall Ms Vitality | Felicia Chin | 陈凤玲 |
| Overall Best Singing & Dancing Potential | Tai Chien Yuen | 戴倩芸 |
| Overall Best Acting Potential | Felicia Chin | 陈凤玲 |
| Overall Best Hosting Potential | Cui Peng | 崔鵬 |
| Singapore Female Winners | Cheryl Chin, Felicia Chin | 秦依凌、陈凤玲 |
| Singapore Male Winners | Huang Shiyu, Li Qiyang | 黄仕昱、李企扬 |
| Malaysia Female Champion | Chua Poi Suan | 蔡佩璇 |
| Malaysia Female 1st Runner Up | Tai Chien Yuen | 戴倩芸 |
| Malaysia Male Champion | Ng Hong Shen | 伍洪升 |
| Malaysia Male 1st Runner Up | Ling Hung Liong | 林训良 |
| China Female Winners | Zhang Lingling, Yang Han | 张琳琳、杨晗 |
| China Male Winners | James Lee, Cui Peng | 李健逊、崔鹏 |
| 2007 |||
| Champion | Chen Bangjun Andie | 陈邦鋆 |
| 1st Runner up | Yeo Wee Lie Jerry | 杨伟烈 |
| 2nd Runner up | Pan Hung Hsi Celia | 潘虹熹 |
| Finalist | Tan Sia Chong Jackson | 陈侠中 |
| Finalist | Koh Yah Hwee | 许雅慧 |
| Finalist | Tan Chin Jiang Desmond | 陈泂江 |
| Ms Telegenic | Koh Yah Hwee | 许雅慧 |
| Mr Personality | Tan Sia Chong Jackson | 陈侠中 |
| Most Popular | Yeo Wee Lie Jerry | 杨伟烈 |
| 2010 |||
| Champion | Jeffrey Xu | 徐鸣杰 |
| 1st Runner up | Peggy Lin | 林佩琪 |
| 2nd Runner up | Adeline Lim | 林赞银 |
| 3rd Runner up | Romeo Tan | 陈罗密欧 |
| 4th Runner up | Sora Ma | 马艺瑄 |
| Grand Finalist (Not in any order) | Vivi Hu | 胡薇 |
| Grand Finalist (Not in any order) | Jeff Lim | 林志杰 |
| Grand Finalist (Not in any order) | James Seah | 谢宏辉 |
| Grand Finalist (Not in any order) | YiLynn Teh | 郑伊琳 |
| Grand Finalist (Not in any order) | Darryl Yong | 杨子文 |
| 2019 |||
| Champion | Zhang Zetong | 张哲通 |
| 1st Runner up | Herman Keh | 郭坤耀 |
| 2nd Runner up | Ye Jiayun | 叶佳昀 |
| Samsung's Galaxy Leap Forward Star | Vanessa Ho | 何鎂琪 |
| Finalist | Zane Lim | 林子颖 |
| Finalist | Kiki Lim | 林昭婷 |
| Finalist | Zhai Siming | 翟思铭 |
| Finalist | Jernelle Oh | 胡煜诗 |
| Finalist | Juin Teh | 郑六月 |
| Finalist | Tyler Ten | 邓伟德 |
| Finalist | Gini Chang | 曾晓晴 |
| Finalist | Sheryl Ang | 洪丽婷 |
| 2024 |||
| Champion | Tiffany Ho | 何睿烔 |
| 1st Runner up | Gladys Bay | 马䲰娗 |
| 2nd Runner up | Jona Chung | 仲伟杰 |
| 3rd Runner up | Chua Seng Jin | 蔡承峻 |
| 4th Runner up | Marcus Sim | 沈伟洋 |
| Finalist | Amy Ang | 洪依嬣 |
| Finalist | Ler Ka Ying | 吕佳颖 |
| Finalist | Gladys Ng | 黄慧燕 |
| Finalist | June Tan | 陈瑞敏 |
| Finalist | Jadon Lim | 林义豪 |
| Finalist | Tan Zi Sheng | 陈子盛 |
| Finalist | Clement Yeo | 杨岳翰 |

## Past contestants

* Chen Hanwei 陈汉玮 (1988)
* Peter Yu 余宏荣 (1990)
* Bernard Tan 陈传之 (1990)
* Ann Kok 郭舒贤 (1993)
* Yao Wenlong 姚玟隆 (1993)
* Collin Chee 钱翰群 / 钱昶均 (1993)
* Carole Lin 林晓佩 (1995)
* Brandon Wong 黄炯耀 (1995)
* Yvonne Lim 林湘萍 (1997)
* Vincent Ng 翁清海 (1997)
* Deborah Sim 沈依灵 (1997)
* Constance Song 宋怡霏 (1997)
* Joey Swee 徐绮 (1997)
* Evelyn Tan 陈毓芸 (1997)
* Apple Hong 洪乙心 (1999)
* Priscelia Chan 曾诗梅 (1999)
* Zen Chong 章缜翔 (2001)
* Melvin Sia 谢佳见 (2003)
* Tracy Lee 李美玲 (2007)
* Robin Goh 吴罗宾 (1995)
* James Seah 谢俊峰 (2010)
* Dennis Toh 卓庆成 (2001)