Affectionately known as “King Sir”, Chung was the founding Dean of the School of Drama at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and is best remembered for being a mentor to generations of performers.
In a career spanning decades, he worked as an actor, director, drama educator, television producer, host and voice-over artist.
On social media, Chung’s nephew, Chung Chi-kuen, wrote that he dedicated his entire life to theatre, nurturing countless students and earning deep respect and love from everyone.
Former RTHK programme host Serina Ha, who knew Chung for more than 20 years, described him as steady and graceful, and someone who took his work very seriously.
“He’s a gentleman. Very polite and genuine. Among all the people I know, he is a mentor who truly connected with the times. He gave me the kind of guidance that a senior should. And his attitude – his seriousness – that is something worth learning from,” she said.
Chung held a bachelor’s degree in speech and drama from Oklahoma Baptist University in the United States and and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Yale University.
A pioneer in staging Cantonese versions of absurdist dramas and Broadway musicals, he won Best Actor eight times and Best Director four times at the Hong Kong Drama Awards, along with many other accolades throughout his career.
In addition to the Academy for Performing Arts, he lectured at Hong Kong Baptist University for 23 years and worked in various local television outlets.
In a statement, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law expressed her condolences to Chung’s family, saying he dedicated his life to the performing arts with countless productions and contributions to Hong Kong theatre.
His passing is a great loss to the performing arts community, and he will be forever remembered as a drama master, she added.
