Hong Kong actor Vin Choi's star was on the rise when he left TVB in 2014 to venture into F&B.

Then, Vin, who had just finished shooting Tiger Cubs II, said he couldn't deal with the intense competition and pressure in showbiz. 

Turns out, there was another reason for his departure.

The 39-year-old, who was popularly known as the “pirated” version of Nicholas Tse, recently uploaded a video on Douyin where he opened up about his struggles as an actor.

Like many of his peers, he simply could not make ends meet.

It was so bad that TVB suggested that he take on side jobs to supplement his income.

"I just loved to act. I didn’t have any dreams of becoming a star, I just wanted to work hard to make money," he said, adding that actors take on part-time jobs simply because they have no choice.

His decade-long stint as an actor has taught him to be practical. Unless you have projects back-to-back, there was a lot of waiting around.

“You can't just sit around and wait. You still have to find a side job to earn money... you have to accept the reality,” he said.

Following his departure from TVB, Vin has found success in F&B.

He relocated to China where opened a chain of 10 noodle shops, a hotpot restaurant and cafe.

However, due to the pandemic, all but the café have shuttered.

Undeterred, Vin embarked on a new venture last year, starting a street stall selling chicken feet in Guangzhou.

Vin got his start in showbiz at 17 after winning a contest hosted by TVB Weekly in 2001.

He went on to star in many popular dramas such as The Brink of Law (2007), Best Selling Secrets (2007) and Beyond the Realm of Conscience (2009).