“Don’t laugh…”
“Take it seriously…”
“I want to ask, will you hire me in the form of salary, or…” A year ago today, you may not have known them very well. But today, they are the “Youtube Hong Kong 2021 Most Popular Creator – First Place,” a web radio channel founded by Yau Hok, So Chi Ho, and Hui Yin, also known as “Trial and Error.” Thinking back to the day when Brother Ho performed, “Do you actually know who we are? Don’t ask about these things…” Now it seems like a rehearsal of a “divine prophecy.” Because now you will find that almost everyone around you knows them. A phone call, no second thoughts, a meeting of three people, the story of the establishment of “Try for Real” begins with “Try seriously, seriously try”, slowly becoming one of the most familiar stories behind the screen for you. The popularity of “Try for Real” is so powerful. With an experimental spirit, “Try for Real” has explored more aspects of the creative world in the past year, ushering in an expansion in production, a rapid increase in popularity, and even a subscription number far exceeding expectations. Different attempts also seem to intentionally or unintentionally respond to the saying “losing if you take it seriously”. Rather than saying that “Try for Real” was founded by them, it is more accurate to say that “Try for Real” was established by them – establishing a cohesion that has been long awaited in the local creative industry. Moving from a residential unit to an industrial building, setting up a proper studio; then gathering four long-time good friends, attracting brothers and like-minded people from all directions, now forming a team of more than ten people; even moving from an online platform channel to a real performance stage. After a whole year of rapid growth, how did the three brains digest all this? Separated and reunited again, dedicating more than a year of time and youth to the channel, what insights do Ah Sau, Ho Ge, and Hui Yin have on the attitude of “seriousness”? Even though they have received awards, they still self-deprecatingly acknowledge the possibility of winning awards. They have always hoped to bring out more, and how will the spirit of “Trial and Error” evolve? As 2021 comes to a close, why not take the opportunity to let Ah Sau, Ho Ge, and Hui Yin #TryToExplainWhySoSerious? About a week ago, “Try Really” finally received its first “official” recognition. “Channel just won the ‘YouTube Hong Kong 2021 Most Popular Creator – First Place,’ can you share your feelings with everyone?” They replied, “Hahaha, um…hahaha…” And that’s it, the three of them looked at each other with a relaxed laughter. Maybe it’s because they’re used to each other’s performances, just from these laughs, you can already tell that there are some words hidden in the laughter. Hsu Hsien shared: “I see the responses from the audience, one of which I resonate with. Because we have never made it to the ‘popular (videos)’ list, but the award we received is called ‘Popular Creator,’ meaning the work is still the work, the creator is still the creator, then I feel: ‘Ah, it turns out it’s very clear.’ ” When Hsu Hsien said this, the other two couldn’t help but continue to smile. Hao Ge added: “I feel very happy to be in first place. I have never tried to be in first place, is there anything I haven’t competed in? I really haven’t tried, so I’m very happy.” And Ashu’s feeling is: “At first, it was really funny. Everyone in our channel laughed when they heard about it. Because, throughout the year, we often joked about not being able to make it to the ‘trending’ list, and suddenly we not only made it, but we were also the first, so it really felt funny.” That being said, this award also inspired Ashu in some ways: “For me, the meaning of the award is the support of the audience, and the significance of this support is very important; because it feels like ‘Ah! It seems like I finally did something right’, ‘Finally, some achievements have been made’.” On October 26, 2020, with the founding principle of “Try seriously, seriously try”, “Try Seriously” finally made its debut amidst cheers. However, what seemed like an unprecedented success that day actually came from the competitive atmosphere. Ho-ge and Hsu Hsien shared that, compared to the current achievements, the phone call they suddenly received from Ah-siu about restructuring that day was even more profound. “I remember saying that I was very excited. Actually, after agreeing (with Ah-siu), I hesitated for a while whether I really wanted to completely shift my focus, but when it came time to actually start (the show), I already felt the need to completely ‘train myself’,” shared Ho-ge. In addition to Ho-ge, Hsu Hsien, who was also busy with TV drama scriptwriting at the time, admitted that shortly after the beginning, he encountered a moment of collapse. He said, “I remember very clearly when making the first ‘audition tape’, I still couldn’t achieve the basic goals to be completed two days before the release, and at that moment I thought, ‘this channel is in trouble’, ‘this channel can’t operate anymore’.” Looking back on that day, Ho-ge and Hsu Hsien couldn’t believe that those moments of being indecisive and wanting to consult with friends became the foundation for the team to reach where they are today. “The one who plays the ‘bad’ role is You Xue Xiu, and the ‘good’ one is them. That’s all, the audience will continue to support ‘True or False’.” As Xu Xian said in the first popular work “Channel Needs Women” in “Try Seriously”: “In fact, data never lies.” Being able to become the “Annual Popular Creator” is definitely not a fluke. It relies on persistently releasing “Preview Theater” and “Movie Preview Meetings” every week, and persistently thanking a group of “serious fans” every weekend. Data, indeed, is both fair and never lies, but old-fashioned data only makes operations more precise. For the three creators, they still focus more on creativity and beliefs. From debut to now, Ashiu’s growth has been inseparable from criticism and condemnation. With more experiences and maturity, especially after the chaos of the past year, he has learned that a change in mindset is more important than anything else. When asked if he ever worried that his past image would affect his two partners, Ashiu candidly explained, “I don’t think so. Because most of the time, criticism only says, ‘You two don’t need to stick with Ashiu,’ or even now they might think, ‘Sticking with Ashiu is the only way they can make a living.’ ” He further explained, “I think this kind of voice is good, it separates us; ‘bad’ is the one called Ashiu, ‘good’ is the two of them. That’s fine, it means the audience will continue to support ‘The Real Deal’.” As a result, a change in attitude has enabled Ashiu to shift focus and earn a higher level of concentration for “Try for Real.” Gradually stabilizing the channel, he has gradually recognized the feasibility of the future path, giving himself a better grasp in planning – if you want to do it, you should try. The so-called mindset determines the realm. From the internet platform to the stage, Ah Xiu once again admitted that “Taking It Seriously” was able to break through, with the key to victory lying in the attitude embraced by the entire team. “I often tell them, I have always believed that ‘professionalism’ is a kind of attitude. In terms of ability, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, you must slowly accumulate through practical experience, and what remains is attitude.” What is the winning attitude? Ah Xiu explained: “The place of victory or defeat lies in how you approach that matter, how you hope to pursue improvement, and for me, this is professionalism.” Hui Yin shared that Ah Sau’s attitude has become deeply ingrained from before the show started until now, implanted in the brains of every team member and forming a kind of atmosphere. But his most profound words surprisingly come from another popular figure. “I noticed on Anson Lo’s IG that he wrote ‘Go Hard or Go Home’ in his profile, and I really agree with this statement,” Hui Yin said with a smile. “In the past, I didn’t have the ‘Go Hard or Go Home’ attitude, I was just wandering around on the streets. But this attitude really influences each other within the ‘Triad of Truth’ team or among the members. For example, when I see the other person going hard during our scenes, I also have to go hard.” He even mentioned that this good atmosphere has made it so that no one in the company wants to go home anymore, as if they really don’t like going home. Ho Ge added, “In the past, I often felt that the phrase ‘big family’ was old-fashioned. But now I really agree, because they often eat, rest, and wash up in the company, and then it really feels like a family.” Ah Sau chimed in, “Recently, some people have even started resting under the table.” “I also saw that there were beds there.” Whenever Haoge recalls these daily details of the team, he can’t help but praise them, saying, “I really think they have a great attitude, haha.” After a year of non-stop work, the three of them unanimously believe that “Try for Real” can come this far. While the audience’s views and the platform’s recognition are important and worthy of gratitude, they hope to show more people how Yu Xiu, Xu Xian, and Su Zhihao embody the core values of “Try for Real.” Just as Haoge said, “Our attitude is something that people can see.” On October 26, 2021, “Shi Dang Zhen” celebrated its first anniversary by holding two live performances of “Shi Dang Zhen One-Year Anniversary Live Version” on the real stage, breaking tradition by selling tickets through a “Dutch-style auction” method, embodying the team’s spirit of experimentation. Ultimately, tickets for both performances sold out within two days amid much discussion. Now over a year old, has the team’s experiences and creations over the past year led to a different understanding of “trying” for them? Xu Xian shared a little story. He said, “When Ah Xiu invited me to start a show together, I was actually against his suggestion of naming it ‘Try for Real’.” Xu Xian explained that he had been making films for many years, and had experience with “CapTV” and “King Kong Crew,” so he was a bit reluctant to start again with the name “Try.” However, after hearing Ah Xiu’s introduction and explanation, he and Haoge also learned that Ah Xiu’s “Try” already contained about sixty to seventy percent certainty, and the rest was just hope to move forward with the two former good partners. Hao Ge shared: “Perhaps no one has been doing this on the streets or in the market all along, which may make you hesitate and not do it. However, since we all think that if we want to do it and feel somewhat confident, we should give it a try.” Ashiu added: “I believe that ‘trying’ is a kind of adventurous spirit. To be honest, many times I receive feedback like ‘hey, it seems like this shouldn’t be done this way,’ but I think the key is to review. That is, after each attempt, you must review. Are there areas that can be improved, or things that should not be done, etc.” Without grand goals or a strong team, “Try Really” has been walking with the motto of “trying seriously, seriously trying” to this day. To understand these eight words, the meaning is quite simple and straightforward, but for interpreting the essence, the three of them are very clear that what the channel needs is not women, bridges, or money, but a consistent feeling of various experiences. But what is the difference between “trying seriously” and “seriously trying”? What kind of level is established between these two sentences? “Yes.” Ashiu shared and popped out a sentence “Prepare for the Worst but hope for the Best”, pointing out that the real hoof of “trying” is Prepare for the Worst, he explained: “When you face everything seriously, you have to bear that reaction force, that blow.” Ashiu believes that when there is a spirit of “trying” while being serious, mentally it will make oneself anticipate the appearance of failure, and even force oneself to endure the result of no harvest or return, “I think in today’s world, being too serious is too hard, because the success rate is too low. Adding the two words ‘trying’ will make life a little better.” This sounds overly pessimistic to others, but for Ashiu, the existence of pessimism is also a way to protect oneself, or to be seen as a motivation to keep moving forward. “Try seriously” and “seriously try”. They come together. Since the launch of “Try for Real”, I have been watching their works every week. Their humor is outstanding, but when it comes to expressing thought-provoking ideas in some works, I feel that “trying seriously” is more important than “trying casually”. “I think it’s a tie,” Ashu said. “Fight? Why?” Hsu Hsien asked back. “Imagine, these two sentences must exist together to make sense; when you remove one of them, only ‘seriously try’ or ‘try seriously’ is not enough, you must ‘seriously try’ and ‘try seriously’ at the same time. They come together, I don’t think there is any important difference between the two.” Ashu explained. “Agree,” Xu Xian, who had been smiling brightly throughout the visit, suddenly lowered his head and said, “Oh no, it took me so long to realize this truth. It turns out that they really have to coexist. Well, let’s make peace.” Regarding the “Seriously Anniversary Live” concert, of course, the audience hopes to be able to personally attend and support it, but compared to spending an evening with the team in person, filled with laughter and tears, the post-uploaded production special series has aroused even greater curiosity. Presented in a documentary format, the production special began recording forty days before the concert, and the camera even peeked into the most authentic side of the three brains of “Seriously” and the entire team. Without a script, without staging, what is presented in front of the camera is the most unknown side, all these scenes are revealed to everyone. In the special, the three brains shared many personal feelings, and the most precious thing is seeing the most serious side of the three brains. From the opening to now, what cannot be separated is how they practice the spirit of experimentation, and how do the three interpret “seriousness”? Hao Ge admitted that after a year of performances, he realized that the more seriously he took things, the more the struggle between tension and relaxation in his heart became apparent, and this struggle ironically produced the best performances. “In fact, many things are like this, whether it’s conceptualizing or any creation, when you tell and express it seriously, sometimes you will use the wrong force; but if you remind yourself to interpret it in a relaxed and enjoyable way, the audience will be infected by you and can enjoy it.” “I recently came to a realization that what Ho-ge just said is actually the essence of comedy,” Ah-siu continued. Compared to Hui-yin and Ho-ge, Ah-siu, who comes from an acting background, definitely has richer experience in interpretation, from TV series, movies to stage plays. However, in creating “Seriously Speaking” to tell different stories in a humorous way, he also admitted that comedy has given him more insights. “Comedy is actually more likely to make others cry. Because the essence of comedy requires you not only to get into the role, but to understand during interpretation: ‘It is not enough for me to enter the world of the script,’ I must detach myself and make comments on something or someone, such as how to mock that subject, learn to pop out and pop back in, and that’s what comedy is all about.” Although they are all talking about their experiences after the performance, friends who have paid attention to the production of “Seriously Speaking” should know that no matter who they are, they all aspire to this kind of humor and slightly satirical “black humor.” Or, it should be said that it is a kind of infectious power that can infect oneself and infect others. As creators and video producers, the three of them are accustomed to sharing their thoughts and feelings through videos. It is rare to sit down and have an in-depth conversation with them, and what they most hope to hear are some personal feelings spoken from their mouths. Without a script, without a plot, directly express the most personal feelings from the heart. Looking back on the past year, if they were to have a conversation with themselves, what would the three of them say? Unfortunately, Ashiu decided to stop talking and answered the question with acting. “It’s what ‘Mirror of Learning’ wants to interpret,” he paused and continued, “I most want to tell myself: be calmer. Be calmly angry; or maybe I’m too young, because now there are many things to consider, and many times I still feel that I’m not calm enough.” As Ashiu spoke, Haoge nodded, and Xuxian responded to him, “Understood, understood.” It is these details of communication that allow the three to establish a tacit understanding, which is not something that can be seen in the “preview theater” or the “trial ticket booth.” I don’t have the adventurous qualities in my personality. In “Try It for Real,” Hsu Hsien, who experienced another life, shared: “I will tell myself to be bolder. I feel that in terms of personality orientation, both myself and Ashu are sometimes quite extreme. Because in the early days of establishment, we were quite worried about resource allocation issues, but the fact told me that those worries were unnecessary, so I hope to worry more accurately, and be bolder to let other colleagues play their part. I still have too much burden on my shoulders.” Haoge also agrees with this view, “Because I tend to come up with a lot of ideas easily, and then I want to try everything, but many times it ends up wasting energy. I should learn to plan more carefully.” They acknowledge that the past year has indeed wasted a lot of time, energy, manpower, and resources, but they are grateful to be able to reunite and try new things again. Xu Xian said, “We have really gained a lot from it. In this generation, not everyone has the opportunity to exert themselves.” Ashiu couldn’t help but add, “Yes, many people don’t even know where they can exert themselves.” Xu Xian continued, “And for us, every day in the past year, we have been going hard. Being able to use our strength in the right place is already a blessing for us.” “I feel it is my hope.” Throughout the conversation with them, the atmosphere has always been quite relaxed, but what is even more interesting is that even when sitting solemnly on the stone stool, you will find that the three personalities have unconsciously revealed themselves. The taciturn Haoge is a reserved but sincere person; Xu Xian, who appears dull and humorous, is actually very organized in his thinking; and intuitively, Axiu sitting in the middle is the wise one, the internal combustion engine that drives “Try for Real” forward. “I hope to have a capital to change this industry. Many things and situations have been stuck for a long time,” shared Ah Xiu. When asked what they hope to gain from “Try It for Real,” both Ho Ge and Xu Xian, who have been dedicated to creation for many years, hope to bring together all like-minded individuals who love creating and are willing to go hard. They hope that “Try It for Real” can continue to go further. However, from Ah Xiu’s perspective, what he hopes to gain is a force: “That is, now it seems that I can start something, or I can generate or gather a force from myself, and that force can overturn some things that have been stuck for a long time. I hope that the capital I receive, whether it’s fame, money, people, or influence, can be the capital to try to change this industry, and that is what I most want to get.” As a new generation, “Try Really” has set a precedent for today, but after experiencing many setbacks, Axiu understands very clearly that determination is the key. However, when it comes to the practical part, how to continue with “Try Really” under the leadership of the two partners is the real test. “I don’t hope to continue to be number one on (Youtube) next year, or pray not to drop too much, like second or third place. What I really hope is that, next year when you look at the year-end report of “Try Really”, it is no longer the scoring paper you see now, but when you see “Try Really”, even if it falls off the list, I have other different scoring papers for you to see. I hope it’s like this.” Starting anything is difficult, breaking through is even harder. “Try for Real” has overcome this obstacle, are they ready to face the next challenge? Hsu Hsien shared: “I think it’s about people. From the beginning when it was just the three of us plus ‘Matches,’ to today’s team of more than ten people, each one is someone I really admire. At first, I wasn’t very happy that they often don’t Go Home, because I think people always need to go home and freshen up, I always felt they should go home and then come back. Although they still don’t Go Home now, I appreciate them more, because they all have a strong commitment to their work, birds of a feather flock together, they are really the people who come together for us, and this year is very precious.” As for Ho Ge, he believes: “I think the key is: the exchange between loose and tight. Whether it’s performing, creating, or making short films, this principle is very important. In “Try to be Real,” you have to make people feel like it’s funny and light-hearted at the same time, but you also have to arrange a lot of things seriously. I think this is the hardest to maintain, but it’s also the most important to maintain.” “I think it’s ‘anger’,” Ashu shared. He explained, “That kind of resentment comes from, I think, a sense of ‘innocence’.” Ashu believes that not only Xu Xian, Haoge, and himself, but everyone in the company has a sense of innocence, which allows them to come together and build mutual, two-way trust. He bluntly stated, “In a company, they often tell you, ‘The most important thing is innocence, the most important thing is to have a childlike heart,’ most of these people are servants, because this represents their exploitation. But I am not, and I believe they are not either; one of the things contained in this innocence is the hope that everyone has always held.” Ashiu uses comics as an analogy: “When the whole world says that something is impossible, you have to be naive enough to try, to create some ‘impossibilities’, and the innocence or power to create that you need, what comes next is anger. Precisely because you are not angry, you will have the motivation to try to change what is in front of you.” In the eyes of others, maintaining the spirit of “Try Seriously” may mean constantly maintaining popularity, increasing the number of clicks, or even performing at the Hong Kong Coliseum with a full house for a live version of “Try Seriously”. However, the three brains tell everyone that they must maintain and uphold the spirit of “Try Seriously”, internally it means “seriously try it out”, and externally it means “try it out seriously”. Current goal? Using Xu Xian’s representative “football philosophy” as an example: “Although Guardiola often says: attack is the best defense, but in this game there will definitely be players for both attack and defense, and to maintain this attack, it really requires the whole team to cooperate and perform together.” “Everyone is eager to volunteer for the survey corps. That’s the happiness of ‘Shi Dang Zhen’.” Ashiu shared that about a month after the one-year anniversary performance, the team has been actively trying new things. As everyone reads this interview, “Try for Real” has already released a brand new episode of the variety show – inspired by the super popular Korean drama “Squid Game”, with a more star-studded lineup and larger scale. Innovation differs from creation, with the former focusing more on breakthroughs, while the latter focuses on details and thoughts. However, “Try for Real” greedily hopes to combine both as basic elements. “If I continue to do things in one direction, I may continue to receive praise, but eventually it will be completely exhausted. Instead of waiting for it to bounce back later, it’s better to let it bounce back sooner, at least I know it’s changing, and it can change for the better. This is necessary, it’s just a matter of when it happens.” Having achieved unprecedented success, for the team, the next step is another challenge. Will their belief in trying everything be affected by this success? Hsu Hsien shares: “If you ask if we are afraid to try new things, in fact, we are more like ‘afraid not to try new things.’ The best defense is a good offense, haha.” Ho Ge described that the team is like the Survey Corps in “Attack on Titan”. Even though they face great risks every time they go outside the walls to carry out difficult missions, and even if they don’t receive support from the residents inside the walls, every member of “The Uncanny Counter” is willing, even eager, to join the Survey Corps. “Everyone is eager to raise their hands to join the Survey Corps. I think this is the happy place of ‘The Uncanny Counter’.” Ho Ge does not deny that being part of this Survey Corps in “The Uncanny Counter” has taken up all of his time, energy, and even affected his personal well-being. He even jokes that if he could find the time, he would need to undergo a comprehensive physical examination. But all these sacrifices are worth it, and they bring happiness. “Actually, it shouldn’t be called a sacrifice, but rather exchanging for something.” I am used to their noisy laughter, but I never expected to hear their heartfelt emotions during this interview. It’s indeed unusual, but it feels very sincere. As the visit comes to an end, I really want to know how much significance “Try for Real” holds in their hearts. Once again, they fell silent. “It actually takes up everything. How do you measure it? How much is a pound of love? Haha,” Brother Hao joked. “I think it’s my hope,” Ashu glanced at the two partners and said firmly. “After completing the performance, especially when I can open my eyes and see a large audience, I gain a lot of strength from them. I feel that this channel does not belong to us alone. It is a kind of hope.” shared by Xu Xian. Finally, Ho Ge added: “It’s just hope. Now I will think, from time to time, about how our lives will unfold in the future, and it will all start from here. It’s something so significant.” The film is good-looking, some say it comes from its visuals, sound, and story. From “CapTV” to today’s “Try for Real”, it is probably the will of heaven that You Xiu Xiu, Su Zhihao, and Xu Xian have come together after experiencing different growth experiences. With a seven-point serious and three-point trial attitude, “Try for Real” has gained everyone’s support, but the three brains are very clear in their hearts that they want to realize more possibilities, not just in the refinement of content or the scale, but in finding the best balance between seriousness and experimentation. Is it true that “seriousness loses”? They dare not agree at the moment, but at least they are willing to take a step to try, to be serious. Just as Axiu said: “If it doesn’t work, then adjust back to 70% seriousness, and if the result is unexpected at 30%, then think about giving up.” And this is the great vitality that sustains “Try for Real”. The movie is actually more three-dimensional. −
“Ah Ping~”“I have always believed that ‘professionalism’ is an attitude.”
“In today’s world, being too serious is just too hard. Adding the word ‘try’ makes life a little easier.”
“The future development of life will be remembered starting from here. It is such a heavy thing.”
Executive Producer: Angus Mok
Producer: Vicky Wai
Photography: Ken Ngan
Videography: Andy Lee, Man Tam
Styling: Vicky Wai
豪哥、許賢 Makeup: Agnes Yeung
修 Makeup: Yvonne Yeung
豪哥、許賢 Hair: Lupus Chui
修 Hair: Vic Kwan@ii Alchemy Hair
Video Editor: Andy Lee, Man Tam
Editor: Carson Lin
Designer: Edwina Chan
Wardrobe: Club Monaco、Carhartt WIP、Harvey Nichols、Solid Homme、NOMA、PERKSANDMINI、H&M、Shek Leung、Swarovski
