Li Yapeng and Faye Wong show up at the play's premiere last week. [File photo]

Mainland actor Li Yapeng is today better known as the husband of singer and acting superstar Faye Wong, but 10 years ago he was an icon among young people and even bigger than his wife.

His glory is largely attributed to the teen television drama Cherish Our Lover Forever (Jiang Aiqing Jinxing Daodi). The show focused on the lives and loves of a group of university students and was a huge hit in the late 1990s.

Li was the leading star and quickly became a teen idol.

But Li, who studied at the Central Academy of Drama, has never forgotten his roots and on New Year's Eve launched a play based on the old TV series. The Li-produced theater production made its debut at the TNT mini theater in Beijing.

Something about Love is the first presentation of Li's Spring Drama Studio and the plot is a sequel to his smash-hit television show.

Li has kept the production young and fresh. Director Rao Xiaozhi and all the actors are less than 30 years old.

"As a graduate of the Central Academy of Drama, some part of me never gives up the love for theater after all these years," Li says.

"So I want to help young aspiring directors and actors. Theater is not as popular as movies and TV now, but I hope more people will find its charms."

Featuring good-looking young actors and a romantic-dramatic storyline, the TV show resembled the currently popular American TV series One Tree Hill and High School Musical.

For many people born in the late 1970s and early 80s, Li's old TV series was part of their collective memory and first guidebook on love.

The play follows the original characters 10 years after graduation from university. Director Rao says the play also explores the path of love taken by young people today.

For Li, now a father of two girls, love is about family. After marrying Wong in 2005, the couple always made headlines. Some reports would scream their marriage was in danger, other articles focused on their daughter's cleft lip, or on their charity fund set up to help children with the same disease.

The two stars recently returned from a trip to Tibet where they financially helped some sick children.

About six months ago, Li made headlines after attacking the paparazzi at a Thailand airport. But he insisted he was just protecting his beloved family.

Last week, Wong showed up to the play's premiere, attracting the flashlights of press photographers. She gave no comment on her husband's production.

But her voice was heard on the night. The play's opening music was her song, To Love.

Something about Love will be staged until Jan 17.

(China Daily January 6, 2009)