Wu Chun turns down second shot at fame on Call Me By Fire because family is 'priority'

Wu Chun may have been part of one of the most popular boybands back in the 2010s, but his priorities have changed since then. 

The former Fahrenheit member recently told Lianhe Zaobao on June 7 that he turned down an invitation to join the second season of Call Me By Fire as he did not want to be separated from his family. 

He revealed that he also received an invitation to be a part of the first season, but declined for a similar reason. 

"The show was going to be filmed in Changsha and it would take quite a while. I don't want to be away from my family for too long. The producer even told me, 'I can make you famous again!'" Wu Chun, 42, said. 

Call Me By Fire is a Chinese singing reality show on MangoTV that features male celebrities who are past the peak of their careers, vying to become members of a boy band.

The show is a spin-off from a similar show featuring female celebrities, Sisters Who Make Waves, which is currently in its third season. 

Wu Chun, who relocated his family to China in March, also shared: "My family is my priority now, we don't have a helper with us now, so my wife and I have to do everything ourselves, including taking care of the kids and doing housework." 

He added that the pandemic also allowed him to spend more time with his children.

"I've always wanted to spend more time with my family, but I was always separated from them because of work. The pandemic has given me an excuse not to leave the country. Now that I'm in Shanghai, I don't need to be away from them because of work." 

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/CX5lPryByku/?hl=en[/embed]

Now, Wu Chun only takes on jobs that can accommodate his fatherly duties. He's currently filming two shows in Beijing, adding that he only agreed to film them because filming wraps in September, just before his children begin the school term. 

Although he could not reveal the name of the two shows, he shared that one was about sports and the other was food-related. 

[[nid:550504]]

When it comes to bringing his children on TV, Wu Chun says that he's holding off from doing so for now. He said: "I hope they can focus on their studies. Living in China, if they're on TV, they'll inevitably receive more attention at school, I don't want them to be affected by these things. 

"Previously when they appeared on Where Are We Going Dad, we were still in Brunei, so it didn't really affect them." 

Wu Chun may not be part of a boy band anytime soon, but he admits to missing his Fahrenheit days. 

"If there's an opportunity [to reunite], of course I would want to! I feel that everyone would be quite touched. After all, it's been so many years, it was an unforgettable experience. Fahrenheit was one of the most important parts of my career in showbiz." 

"My children haven't seen me during my Fahrenheit days, if there's a concert, they can come watch, it'll be great. That has always been my wish," said Wu Chun.

ALSO READ: 23 pieces of luggage, 450kg: Wu Chun and family move to China

claudiatan@asiaone.com