Huang Pin Yuan’s chanting freaked 5566 out while filming ‘The Hunger Games’

5566’s Tony Sun, Zax Wang, and Jason Xu held a press conference in Taipei yesterday (Oct 10) to promote the third anniversary special of variety show The Hunger Games, which was filmed in Singapore.

When asked if anything interesting happened during the shoot, the group revealed that Taiwanese singer Huang Pin Yuan, who joined them on the trip, was often heard reciting Buddhist scripture between takes. He was even said to have chanted for as long as six hours on the first day of filming.

“It looked like it was going to rain, but at as soon as he started chanting, the weather began to clear up,” Zax explained. “So he probably thought the chanting was helpful, and kept on doing it! (Laughs)”

Zax’s bandmates, however, didn’t always find it so amusing. “He started chanting when we were about to go on a roller coaster, which made it feel like it might be the last time we ever ride on one - it was terrifying!” said Jason. Tony concurred, saying, “When you’re so high off the ground and you suddenly hear Buddhist scripture being chanted next to you, it’s a very weird feeling.”

The band also recalled being followed around by hundreds of excited fans who had recognised them, some of whom even attempted to sneak them food (as the title of the show suggests, The Hunger Games challenges the casts’ ability to withstand hunger while completing various tasks, after which the winners will be rewarded with a meal). However, the singers were very disciplined and refrained from accepting their fans’ kind gestures.

Photos: TPG