Richie Koh
Richie Koh | |
|---|---|
 Koh in September 2023 | |
| Born | 16 June 1993 |
| Other names | Xu Ruiqi |
| Alma mater | Ngee Ann Polytechnic |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2017–present |
| Agents |
|
| Chinese name | |
| Traditional Chinese | 許瑞奇 |
| Simplified Chinese | 许瑞奇 |
| Hanyu Pinyin | Xǔ Ruìqí |
Richie Koh (born 16 June 1993) is a Singaporean actor who is signed to MediaCorp.
In 2023, Koh won the Star Awards for Best Actor for his critically acclaimed role as an intellectually disabled in the drama series Your World in Mine. At the age of 29, he is also the second youngest recipient of the award, after Christopher Lee who won in 1997 at the age of 26.[1]
Early life
Richie Koh was born on 16 June 1993. He graduated from Ngee Ann Polytechnic with a Diploma in Financial Informatics in 2014, following which he completed his national service in the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) with the rank of Lieutenant.[2]
Career
In 2013, Koh was scouted when Channel U’s Hey Gorgeous team went to various campuses in Singapore looking for suitable contestants. He garnered much support during the competition and emerged as first runner-up. He chose the stage name “Rui Qi” as his stage name on the advice of Singaporean host-actress Quan Yi Fong.[3]
In 2017, after serving National Service, Koh started his career by debuting in Channel 8’s army-themed drama When Duty Calls, a major role that charmed viewers' hearts. Fans sang praises of his natural acting and good looks, factors which landed him his first nomination for Best Newcomer in Star Awards 2018.[4] October that year saw Koh jetting off to Changzhou, Jiangsu for a month to film China-web movie The Legendary Detective of the Shanghai Bund where he played an assistant to the agency detective.[5]
The following year, Koh made cameo appearances in long-running Channel 8 drama Life Less Ordinary, & Toggle series Die Die Also Must Serve. In addition, he wrapped up filming on 118 Reunion and made a special appearance in local movie Wonderful! Liang Xi Mei directed by Jack Neo. His role as a gangster boss in the movie saw him gain new fans both here and across the Causeway.[6] Koh also acted in several Toggle Original productions such as Star Crossed, and he took the lead role in Divided as well as The Distance Between.[7] In addition, Koh acted in a Gilbert Chan movie 23:59: The Haunting Hour as a soldier tasked to kill a snake spirit.[8]
On 30 August 2018, The Celebrity Agency announced that Koh would be expanding his career to China after it signed a co-management contract with China’s LongAllStar Entertainment Group. Koh trained in China for 2 months to hone his acting skills before returning to Singapore.[9][10]
In 2021, Koh starred as Zhu Yongjie in Live Your Dreams,[11] where he was nominated MyPick! Favourite Male Show Stealer and Favourite CP in Star Awards 2022.[12]
In 2022, Koh soared to fame after starring in the immensely popular Your World in Mine as an intellectually disabled Zheng Tiancai. For this role, he received the Best Actor award at the Star Awards 2023, which was also his first time being nominated in that category.[13] Koh was also nominated Best Actor in a Leading Role at the Asian Television Awards in 2022.[14]
Personal life
Koh is in a relationship with fellow actress Hayley Woo. Woo confirmed she was dating Koh and called him a 'romantic boyfriend' on the Valentine's Day on 14 February 2024.[15]
Filmography
Television series
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | When Duty Calls | Lu Xianfeng | ||
| Life Less Ordinary | Song Baojian | Cameo | ||
| 2018 | Fam | Malcolm Wong | ||
| Star Crossed | Weng Leong | |||
| Die Die Also Must Serve (战备好兄弟) | Junkang | Cameo | ||
| 118 Reunion (118 大团圆) | Yang Wei | |||
| Divided (分裂) | Li Renyi | |||
| The Distance Between (下个路口遇见你) | Amos Song | |||
| 2019 | How Are You? | Shaun | Cameo | |
| Playground (游乐场) | Jackson Wong | |||
| If Only (离归) | Zhenfeng | Directorial debut project | ||
| 2020 | Crimewatch 2020 | Daryl Cheong Zhi Yong | Episode 10 | |
| 2021 | CTRL | Huang Xuezhong | ||
| Live Your Dreams (大大的梦想) | Zhu Yongjie | |||
| 2022 | It's All Your Fault! (都是你啦 !) | Kelvin Wong | ||
| Your World in Mine | Zheng Tiancai | |||
| Crimewatch 2022 | Eric Lim Yong Sheng | Episode 4 | ||
| Summer Wind (被风吹过的夏天) | Pan Borui | Singaporean-Chinese production | ||
| 2023 | Mr Zhou's Ghost Stories@Job Haunting II | Dr Fang | ||
| Cash on Delivery | Lin Juncong | |||
| Whatever Will Be, Will Be | Liu Birang | Dialect series | [16] | |
| Till the End | Peng You | |||
| 2024 | Artificial Kin (爱不虚拟) | Lu Xiao Ming | [17] |
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Wonderful! Liang Xi Mei | Big Boss | ||
| 23:59: The Haunting Hour | Recruit Desmond Cheng | |||
| 2020 | The Diam Diam Era | Ah Huat | ||
| 2021 | The Diam Diam Era Two | |||
| 2023 | Flying Tigers | Captain Ho Weng Toh | Short film | [18] |
| TBA | The Legendary Detective Of The Shanghai Bund (上海滩神探) | Xiao Ding |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Organisation | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Star Awards | Best Newcomer | When Duty Calls (as Lu Xianfeng) | Nominated | |
| 2022 | Star Awards | Favourite Male Show Stealer | Live Your Dreams (as Zhu Yongjie) | Nominated | [19] |
| Favourite CP | Nominated | ||||
| Asian Television Awards | Best Actor in a Leading Role | Your World in Mine (as Zheng Tiancai) | Nominated | ||
| 2023 | Star Awards | Best Actor | Your World in Mine (as Zheng Tiancai) | Won | [20] |
| Favourite Male Show Stealer | Won | ||||
| Top 3 Most Popular Rising Stars | — | Won | |||
| 2024 | Star Awards | Best Actor | Cash On Delivery (as Lin Juncong) | Nominated | [21] |
| The Show Stealer | Nominated | [22] | |||
| Favourite CP | Cash On Delivery (as Lin Juncong with Qiu Si Ting) | Nominated | |||
| Till The End (as Peng You with Lin Huiqi) | Nominated | ||||
| Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes | — | Nominated | |||
| Bioskin Most Charismatic Artiste Award | — | Won |
References
- ^ "【红星大奖2023】25年来最年轻视帝出炉！许瑞奇首度入围就摘奖". 8world Entertainment Lifestyle (in Chinese (Singapore)). Archived from the original on 12 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
- ^ "THOSE WERE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ TIMES — Yesteryear Once More". Pioneer. Ministry of Defence (Singapore). 1 July 2017. Archived from the original on 16 June 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2019.
- ^ "Why Richie Koh isn't holding his breath to win Best Actor at Star Awards and 8 things you didn't know about him". CNA Lifestyle. Archived from the original on 6 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
- ^ "More about Richie Koh". Toggle. 19 February 2018. Archived from the original on 18 October 2017.
- ^ Lee, Wei Lin (27 October 2017). "Richie Koh makes big screen debut in Chinese film". Toggle. Archived from the original on 30 October 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
- ^ "许瑞奇成女人"杀手" IG追随者暴增 | 早报". www.zaobao.com.sg (in Simplified Chinese). Archived from the original on 9 March 2022. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
- ^ "Richie Koh: A face to watch - Toggle". 29 October 2018. Archived from the original on 29 October 2018. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
- ^ "Richie Koh strips down for horror flick '23 - Toggle". 18 August 2018. Archived from the original on 18 August 2018. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
- ^ "Richie Koh signs with China agency - Toggle". 4 September 2018. Archived from the original on 4 September 2018. Retrieved 28 April 2022.
- ^ "Richie Koh On His "Very Tough" Days As A Trainee In China, And Why He's Not Afraid Of Competition From Peers Like James Seah & Zhang Zetong". TODAY. Archived from the original on 6 May 2023. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
- ^ Toh, Ziyi (13 October 2021). "Richie Koh On His "Very Tough" Days As A Trainee In China, And Why He's Not Afraid Of Competition From Peers Like James Seah & Zhang Zetong". 8 Days. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
- ^ Teo, Melissa (10 March 2022). "Star Awards 2022: Chantalle Ng and Xu Bin nominated for Favourite CP, Top 40 Most Popular Artistes revealed". AsiaOne. Archived from the original on 6 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
- ^ Koh, Jiamun (10 April 2023). ""Button Suit Before Standing Up": Best Actor Winner Richie Koh On What He Was Thinking Before Name Was Called". 8 Days. Archived from the original on 10 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
- ^ 蔡欣盈 (26 October 2022). "以"郑天才"角逐亚洲电视大奖视帝 许瑞奇：感谢作品被看见". Lianhe Zaobao. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
- ^ "Making it official on Valentine's Day: Actors Richie Koh and Hayley Woo are dating". The Straits Times. 15 February 2024. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
- ^ "与陈汉玮林湘萍合作方言剧 许瑞奇当憨人 - 地方 - 狮城二三事". 星洲网 Sin Chew Daily Malaysia Latest News and Headlines (in Simplified Chinese). Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
- ^ "Carrie Wong, 30, Was Moved To Tears The First Time Richie Koh, 31, Called Her "Mum" For Upcoming Drama". 8days. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ "Short film on S'pore's last surviving Flying Tiger, Captain Ho Weng Toh, featuring Richie Koh to be released in Dec. 2023". mothership.sg. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
- ^ "Star Awards 2022: Chantalle Ng and Xu Bin nominated for Favourite CP, Top 40 Most Popular Artistes revealed". AsiaOne. 10 March 2022. Archived from the original on 6 July 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
- ^ "Star Awards 2023: Richie Koh, Huang Biren named best actors as Your World In Mine continues winning streak". CNA Lifestyle. Archived from the original on 11 April 2023. Retrieved 11 April 2023.
- ^ "Nominees For Star Awards 2024, Which Will Happen On Apr 21". 8days. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
- ^ "Taiwanese Host Matilda Tao, Korean Actor Kim Jae Hoon Among 94 Nominees Vying To Be Star Awards 2024 Most Popular Artistes". 8days. Retrieved 21 March 2024.