Mediacorp actress Fang Rong, who quite literally grew up on screen, has hit pause on her acting career to embark on what she describes as a “profession dedicated to helping and supporting others”.

In an Instagram post last week, the 29-year-old announced that she’ll be stepping away from acting “for now” to focus on a new chapter in her life. The decision, she shared, had been “many years in the making”.

“I just felt like now is the right time to pursue my heart’s calling to be of service to others,” Fang Rong, who is still signed under Mediacorp, told 8days.sg via text.

The psychology graduate shared that her choice was shaped by several turning points: “When I was a teen struggling with life, my counsellor deeply believed in me and my potential. That was such a transformative and heartwarming point in my life — I wanted to make that kind of lasting impact on others. That’s why I studied psychology at university.”

She added that she has always had plans to further her studies in psychology or counselling, and that in her 20s, her journey of “self-discovery and self-love” reinforced her belief in “the healing quality of people supporting people”.

In recent years, volunteering for causes close to her heart made her feel even more called to the helping profession.

Though she has kept the specifics of her new job private — to “honour and respect” the work she does — Fang Rong revealed that she has already started work and feels “very happy” and “aligned” with her role.

She's also very pleased she’s finally fulfilled her “lifelong dream of having a desk that [she] can decorate”.

While she remains open to returning to acting if time permits, Fang Rong stressed that she wants to give her full attention to her new path for now.

Fang Rong first started out as a child model before moving into acting at seven.

Over the years, she has appeared in nearly 50 English and Mandarin productions, including The Pupil, Fried Rice Paradise, Last Madame: Sisters of the Night and Recipe of Life. She also starred in films like Money No Enough 2 and Wonder Boy.

The Pupil

Photos: Fang Rong/Instagram, Mediacorp