Jasper Liu

Biography

Jasper Liu Yi-hao (Chinese: 劉以豪; born August 12, 1986) is a Taiwanese actor, model, and musician. Liu started out as a model before crossing over to acting and gaining recognition across Taiwan and other parts of Asia. Some of his notable works include More than Blue (2018), Before We Get Married (2019), Triad Princess (2019), and Pleasantly Surprised (2014). From 2009 to 2016, Liu was a member of the electronic post-rock band Morning Call, playing guitar and backup vocals. He released his debut extended play U on September 4, 2020.

== Early life == Liu was born on August 12, 1986, in Taipei, Taiwan. He has one older sister and is the younger cousin of actor Angus Hsieh, who is best known for starring in the drama The Outsiders (2004). Liu attended and graduated from Dayeh University, majoring in visual design. Liu's father highly influenced his life. His father was a swimmer and volleyball player in his youth, his healthy and active lifestyle encouraged Liu to workout regularly and body build his physique during his late teens. His father also played the guitar and influenced Liu to take up the instrument himself. Liu has said one of the reasons he entered show business is because he often felt over shadowed by his father and older sister who both hold higher college degrees than him. Though a fair student, he was never able to beat his sister at school and sometimes barely passed his grades. Although his mother would help him cover up his bad grades from his father, he was also never a student that needed to attend tutoring school. He has said that instead of studying for his tests he would spend time in his hobby of drawing or painting. 2010 was one of Liu's lowest and most depressing year in his life. Besides receiving few work offers, his grandmother died, his mother battled breast cancer, his older sister suffered high blood pressure and his pet Pomeranian dog "ChiChi" that he'd raised for 17 years (and often referred to as his first girlfriend) died. The turning point in his life and the start of his career came in 2011 when he was cast in a minor role in the idol drama In Time with You. Although naturally straight haired he decided to keep the curly permed look of his character "Mei Nam" after filming of the drama completed since the curly hair style had become his signature look.

== Career ==

=== Modeling ===

==== 2008–2010: Pre-debut ==== During Liu's senior year in University, he entered the "2008 Eelin Male Model Search" contest which he came in 3rd place. Liu's father was highly against him entering showbiz as he was unfamiliar with the entertainment industry, but Liu pleaded with his father to give him a 2-year time period in the industry. He was signed to the agency, but found little success in his first three years as a model earning an average monthly salary of NT$20,000 (estimated US$658.00). In 2011 his modeling career took off after starring as "Mei Nam" in the 2011 idol drama In Time with You where he had to perm his naturally straight hair into short curls. Soon he was known for his signature curly hair which resembled the top of a broccoli head giving him the nickname "Village Chief of Broccoli Village" and quickly became a popular male model in demand in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea, walking the runways for major fashion designers and appearing in magazines such as FHM, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar Magazine, and GQ.

=== Acting and popularity ===

==== 2011–2012: Acting debut ==== After playing non-credited roles and starring in micro films Liu's big break came in 2011, when he starred in the minor supporting role as "Mei Nam" in the popular GTV drama In Time with You, playing a high school classmate to lead actors Ariel Lin and Bolin Chen. His character was known as the handsome male student with curly hair. After recognition and success of In Time with You, Liu decided to keep the curly hair look of his character which would eventually become his signature look in the industry, and continued to play supporting roles in idol dramas, such as 2012's Once Upon a Love in a small cameo role and the teen comedy drama Confucius as one of the rebellious high school students.

==== 2013: The Patisserie with No Name ==== In 2013, Liu landed his first male leading role in PTS's critically acclaimed and award-nominated drama The Patisserie with No Name as "Allen", a stranded backpacker, who accidentally stumbles into a small French pastry shop while trying to recover his stolen belongings and then requests to stay at the pastry shop by working for room and board. He also appeared in IUUI as "Luo Jia He", a man who falls in love with a girl who was raised like a sibling to his character. In 2014, his popularity crossed over to Japan when he starred as a foreign exchange high school student in one episode of NTV's franchised mystery drama, Kindaichi Case Files. Even though Liu knows some Japanese, his voice was dubbed by a Japanese voice actor in the drama.