Many may remember Feynman Ng as the adorable child who appeared alongside his father, Hong Kong actor Francis Ng, on Where Are We Going, Dad? 2 in 2014. 

Now 17 and having recently graduated from the Singapore International School Hong Kong (SISHK) with an International Baccalaureate diploma, Feynman opened up about a more difficult chapter of his childhood, sharing about the bullying he faced during primary school and how he eventually grew from those experiences.

Upon his graduation, he reflected on his school journey in a Weibo post on July 28, looking back on his primary school years, which coincided with the period when Where Are We Going, Dad? was coming to an end. 

“At that time, it felt like I had nothing. My kindergarten friends and the friends I made from the show were no longer by my side,” he penned, adding that he felt lost when he first stepped in school.

Feynman shared that he struggled to make friends, which often left him distracted during lessons and led to his form teacher complaining to his mother that he would zone out in class. He often felt out of place among his friends, who already had their own friend groups. 

Feynman also revealed that he was bullied by his peers. He believed it may have been because his personality was “different” or his interests were considered “unusual”.

He wrote: “I had my thumb trapped in a toilet door, had my schoolbag thrown into a swimming pool, and was mocked for my appearance and other things about myself.”

To cope with those experiences, Feynman turned to the internet more often, where he eventually found a group of friends he remains in touch with today. “I remember saying back then that the internet was my true home,” he added.

Where Are We Going, Dad?

By Primary 5, Feynman ended up in a fight with the classmate who had bullied him, which left him with a black eye. A teacher stepped in to halt the fight just as he picked up a chair and was about to swing it at his classmate. 

However, the incident had a surprisingly positive ending. Feynman revealed that he and the classmate quickly made up, with both agreeing that they did not want to keep spending their time sitting in the teacher’s office.

Things began looking up in Primary 6, when he made a close friend and saw his interest in anime become more accepted. When he entered secondary school, he turned back to the internet and a random game of League of Legends led him to a new group of online friends. 

Over time, he found his place in school and built a circle of friends he remains close with today.

Reflecting on what he had learned from his experiences, Feynman said everyone has their own quirks and “hidden sides”, and that the key is finding a group of people and an environment where they feel comfortable being themselves.

He also expressed his gratitude towards his family, grandparents, teachers, and friends for supporting him and accepting him along the way.

While some netizens expressed sympathy for the difficult experiences he went through, Feynman responded with a mature take, saying: “You cannot change what happened in the past. You can only change how you feel about it.”

It turns out, Francis had previously shared in an interview that Feynman was once harassed by classmates and left with bruises on his face. His first reaction was to ask his son whether he had fought back.

The actor said he wanted Feynman to learn to stand up for himself and face challenges bravely, rather than simply endure or avoid conflicts. He told his son: “If you don’t fight back, they will bully you every day,” believing that learning to confront difficulties was an important part of growing up.

Many commended Feynman for his honesty in opening up about his past, praising his thoughtful reflection on what was clearly a difficult chapter of his life. Others also sent their well wishes and congratulated him on his graduation.

Photos: Real吴费曼/ Weibo, HK01