Mirror’s Edan Lui turns 27: the Cantopop star’s career so far, from ViuTV’s King Maker with Keung To and Anson Lo, to award-winning solo music, praiseworthy acting roles and rocking Bulgari jewellery

Jan 21 , 2024

Edan Lui, who turns 27 on January 21, is one of the most successful members of Hong Kong boy band Mirror. Photo: @edanlui/Instagram

Mirror’s Edan Lui is celebrating his birthday today, on January 21 – and he has come a long way since his days as one of 99 participants on the talent show Good Night Show – King Maker hosted by Hong Kong television station ViuTV in 2018.

Before breaking into Cantopop, Lui was a seasoned pianist who sang as he played, wowing audiences. The talented, all-round musician is not only well versed in the piano, but has mastered the violin – another instrument that he incorporated into his performances during the TV competition, setting him apart from other contestants who mostly excelled in dancing and singing.

Edan Lui (pictured) rose to fame alongside other King Maker contestants Keung To and Anson Lo. Photo: @edanlui/Instagram

Lui became a top 10 contestant, ultimately landing him a spot in the boy band Mirror alongside 11 others, including Keung To and Anson Lo.

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From making it into the final rounds of the reality competition show and becoming a Mirror member, to launching a solo career as a singer and actor, we reflect on some of the star’s most glorious career highlights as he turns 27.

Edan Lui, from King Maker to Mirror

Edan Lui did not win Kingmaker, but his talent earned him a spot as one of 12 members of Mirror. Photo: @edanlui/Instagram

While Lui did not emerge as the champion of King Maker – it was To who grabbed that honour – his undeniable singing talent and charming good looks landed him a spot in Mirror, the massively popular boy band consisting of winners and runners-up of the show. The group debuted in November 2018, riding on the hype the television show generated. Lui had already amassed a substantial fan base throughout the competition, and being chosen to be a part of Mirror further proved his star power.

Lui quickly rose to fame with the band, which gained popularity with its debut single “In a Second”, with their faces soon plastered across Hong Kong’s billboards.

Launching his solo music career

Primarily known as a singer, Edan Lui is also proficient on the piano and violin. Photo: @edanlui/Instagram

One of the group’s more prominent members, Lui released his first solo single in 2021, following in the footsteps of his fellow bandmates To, Lo and Jer Lau. His first single, “Mr. E’s Series of Unfortunate Events”, was positively received and got him voted best favourite new artist of the year by netizens for the 2021 Metro Radio Music Awards.

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His ability to captivate an audience as a solo artist led him to hold his first sold-out solo concert, “In My Sight of E”, in 2023 at the AsiaWorld Expo. He continues to split his time between recording for Mirror and as a solo act.

From television to the silver screen

Edan Lui (left) also has a career as a budding actor, and starred in ViuTV’s Ossan’s Love with fellow Mirror member Anson Lo. Photo: @edanlui/Instagram

No stranger to the camera, Lui naturally branched out into acting thanks to his time on King Maker. His first major role had him starring in the ViuTV drama series Ossan’s Love, an adaptation of a Japanese television series of the same name from the booming BL genre. Lui’s character is part of a same-sex couple alongside his bandmate Lo, and the two’s dedicated performances earned plenty of praise.

Edan Lui is now also an award-nominated film actor. Photo: @edanlui/Instagram

His stellar television performance landed him further roles in feature films. In 2023, he was nominated twice in the best new actor category at the 41st Hong Kong Film Awards for his roles in the comedy Chilli Laugh Story and the drama Hong Kong Family.

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Serving high fashion looks

Edan Lui is photographed here with the Serpenti necklace from Bulgari. Photo: @edanlui/Instagram

His popularity naturally resulted in him working with some of the world’s leading luxury brands in fashion, beauty and jewellery. While he appears to prefer to spend his days off in jeans and T-shirts, he’s all about looking the part when he steps on stage, sometimes with a bit of help from stunning high jewellery designs.

Mirror’s Edan Lui has also become a fashionista and has worked with Bulgari. Photo: @edanlui/Instagram

The singer wore diamonds from luxury Italian jeweller Bulgari on stage during his solo concert, including a necklace from the snake-inspired Serpenti collection. He also walked the 41st Hong Kong Film Awards red carpet wearing the brand’s B. Zero designs.

Last January, he was seated in the front row at the Kenzo autumn/winter 2023 show during Paris Fashion Week. His youthful energy resonated with the brand’s playful designs. Wearing a chunky blue knit jumper and a shirt and tie printed with an illustration of an elephant, he bumped shoulders with international fashion faces and celebrities.

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The singer, pianist and violinist has since gained recognition for his acting roles in Ossan’s Love and Chilli Laugh Story, even earning nominations at the 41st Hong Kong Film Awards
In 2023, the ‘Mr. E’s Series of Unfortunate Events’ singer held a sold-out solo concert, ‘In My Sight of E’, and attended the Kenzo autumn/winter show during Paris Fashion Week