Ryan Choi Chun-yin officially stepped onto the stage as a singer for the first time at YouTube Music Night on Sunday (May 24), joining MIRROR’s Edan Lui Cheuk-on and singer Phil Lam Yik-hong for a live performance attended by more than 400 fans.
The trio performed several new songs live for the first time, including Choi and Lui’s duet “1206.” The title coincidentally matches Lam’s birthday when written as a date, leading the three artists to jokingly form a temporary group named “120685.”
Previously known for his fencing career, Ryan admitted he was overwhelmed with nerves during his debut as a singer.
“You can count my live singing experiences on one hand,” he said after the show. “I was very nervous.”
Ryan revealed that his hands were shaking throughout the performance and joked that he urgently needed the restroom afterward, drawing laughter from the audience.
At one point on stage, he compared singing to competing as an athlete, saying performing under the heat felt even more exhausting than fencing.
“Being a singer is harder than being an athlete,” he laughed while drinking water on stage. “Fencing isn’t even this hot.”
The athlete-turned-singer also shared that he had recently been suffering from persistent coughing and a respiratory infection, which affected both rehearsals and the final performance.
Lui and Choi, who were former roommates at the University of Hong Kong and remain close friends, also collaborated on the new song “1206.” The MV was partly filmed at their old dorm room (1206), recreating memories from their student days.
Lui also directed the music video and joked that Ryan had become a “big-name actor” who would only appear in projects directed by him.
Despite beginning his music career, Ryan said he continues to train in fencing from Monday to Friday while balancing both identities, describing it as a busy but fulfilling schedule.
