…becoming an athlete, a police officer and a pilot. JJ attributes these dreams to his “vivid imagination”, thanks to the countless movies he’d watched when he was young. For instance, he wanted to become a boxer after watching Rocky.

“The only difference is I got older and learned how to think and put these little dreams into action and fulfill them step by step. That is the process of chasing your dreams,” he tells us at the Osim event.

“You must believe that they will happen, that you will achieve, that you will reach it. On top of that, you have to put in enough effort and determination to fulfill them.”

… a journalist! More specifically, a photojournalist. At our interview with the star, he reveals that photojournalism is his “secret dream”, that he wishes to be able to go out into the world and record it in photographs. The shutterbug reveals that he wants to capture moments and share them with the world, although he finds that dream unrealistic and hard to achieve. Well, never say never, JJ!

JJ is often seen schmoozing with celebrities, both Asian and Western. From Janet Jackson to Jay Leno, Jacky Cheung, Karen Mok and Nicholas Tse, he has rubbed shoulders with some of the biggest names in the industry, but the one celebrity he really looks up to is Justin Timberlake.

“He’s my hero. Musical hero. I’ve always been a fan, and the fact that I bumped into him the last trip I was in LA – we exchanged a few words, and that was it;  I had to control myself,” he gushes. “I couldn’t be too persistent or aggressive or I would scare him. We were in a very high class restaurant so I had to be composed. Bu neng lao kui.“

“Health and happiness are the most valuable things in life, and they impact each other – if you have health, it’s easier for you to be happy,” he says. “To be a better person, to chase your dreams, you must know how to balance your life so that you can get the rest you need before you set off again.”

“Personally, I’m always on the move, flying – I rarely stay in one place for long, so I don’t get the best or the most sleep. I probably sleep less than most people … so it’s about being able to raise my quality of sleep in that short amount of time,” says the Osim global brand ambassador, who dishes that he the two most used massage functions he uses from the uDivine V are the sleeping and sports programmes.

… his current world tour, the JJ Lin Sanctuary 2.0 World Tour. “I am extremely grateful for when I am today and right now, especially as we are doing our world tour concert. Because we’re doing bigger and bigger shows, more and more shows, for every show, I’m just really grateful.”

While he’s better known by his stage name, JJ’s English name is actually Wayne. The JJ in his stage name are actually the initials for his Chinese name, Jun Jie.

Just musicians Bruno Mars, SIA and many more, JJ started his music career by writing songs for others before becoming a star on his own. While interning at local Mandarin music label Ocean Butterflies, JJ wrote songs for Taiwanese artists A-Mei and Harlem Yu.

Inspired by his love for pop art and street fashion, JJ launched “Still Moving UnDer Gun firE”, in short, SMG or Smudge. According to its website, it’s a lifestyle label that recognises the stressful moments and volatile nature of life and how one literally feels that he or she is “under gunfire” in life’s daily grind. It sells mostly military-inspired pieces such as t-shirts, jackets, bags and caps, and stores can be found in Taiwan and China.

JJ also founded music production company JFJ Productions in 2007, and in 2017 launched a cutting-edge studio JFJ Sanctuary in Taipei, as part of a joint venture with UnUsUaL Entertainment. It boasts a multi-functional recording studio combined with a multi-media film studio, and has LED walls and an interactive LED floor installation that allows virtual reality and all-rounded 360 degree, customisable graphic effects and visuals.

Then there’s his coffee joint, Miracle Coffee, of course. Talented much?

JJ’s mummy frequently appears on his social media feed, and they are often seen doing regular family stuff, such as going for tea, travelling and having karaoke sessions. The filial son has also invited his mum, dad and elder brother onstage to sing with him during his concerts. How sweet.

Singaporeans went into a tizzy in September 2018 when JJ and fellow Mandopop heavyweight Jay Chou were spotted going around Singapore while purportedly filming for a variety show.

They were seen exploring Sim Lim Square and fooling around with each other’s wax figure at Madame Tussauds, before going for a karaoke session and singing a duet at Voice Art Karaoke Lounge at Bishan, which is opened by JJ’s parents. At one point during the song, the cheeky pair even formed a heart shape with their arms.

Besides this ‘tour’, the two also display their friendship by regularly “liking” each other’s posts and appearing in photos together, such as this February post which shows them just hangin’ in Los Angeles with cups of coffee. Love.

A Taiwanese busker’s day was made when JJ jumped in for an impromptu duet after he heard a familiar tune. Posting a video (see below) on his Facebook in November 2015, he said he was out shopping when he heard the busker singing his song, Jiang Nan (2004). Impressed, he decided to join in, much to the excitement and surprise of the fangirls nearby. He sang the second verse, before harmonising with the busker during the charming performance. After that, he declared it a “success”, quipping: “Let’s continue shopping.” What a champ.

In August 2018, JJ staged four straight gigs at the Singapore Indoor Stadium for his JJ Lin Sanctuary World Tour, all of which were sold out within hours. It was a feat eclipsed only by Hong Kong’s Heavenly King Jacky Cheung, who pulled off five nights at the same venue in 2011.

And fans were fully entertained during the three-hour-long performance, with JJ entering with a flourish, suspended in mid-air while cocooned in white and spinning head over heels slowly. He then transformed into a white butterfly, complete with white “wings”, as he launched into the opening hit ballad A Thousand Years Later. He danced, played the piano and guitar, and even jammed with guest star, veteran Canadian songwriter and music producer David Foster, with David playing the piano as he belted out a soulful All By Myself. Impressive.

Every once in a while, we get a glimpse of JJ’s love of Star Wars with posts like the one above.

Just like his love for Star Wars, it’s obvious on his Instagram account that JJ loves the work of New York contemporary artist, KAWS. From brands like Nike and Supreme, KAWS has worked with many influential brands. Most recently, KAWS collaborated with Uniqlo and Dior.

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Text: Elizabeth Liew, Additional reporting: Joy Fang and Atika Lim