There’s a version of Grace Wong that the public knows quite well: the multi-hyphenate talent who has moved fluidly between acting, music and hosting, always appearing composed, always switched on. She’s graced covers, released singles, starred in dramas and established herself as one of Hong Kong’s most versatile entertainers. From the outside, her career looks like a measured climb shaped by clear choices.
But as our conversation settles into the afternoon at Kinsman, it becomes clear that Grace’s story is less about neat turning points than the experiences that gradually shifted how she understands herself. What began as an acting class eventually led to a coaching certification, while becoming a mum brought a period of panic and anxiety that taught her to meet her emotions with more patience, rather than rush to resolve them. Along the way, she came to see joy not as a fleeting feeling, but as something she chooses daily.
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Jewellery: Diamonds Gallery
‘I used to give myself a pretty tight timeline – what I wanted to accomplish in the first three months, the first six months,’ she says, leaning back in her chair. ‘But this year, I feel like God just wants me to enjoy the ride.’ That change in perspective, she explains, has opened doors she might have missed had her schedule been crowded with the usual ambitions. ‘I started taking classes for life coaching, and I realised it’s almost like a superpower. It allows me to guide people toward understanding themselves – and, in the process, understand myself so much more.’
The decision to pursue life coaching wasn’t random. It began with her acting teacher, who had studied psychology and later mentioned a life-coaching programme. Grace’s analytical side was immediately drawn to it. ‘I’ve always been very logical. I like figuring out the best way to help people,’ she says. ‘Counselling is more about emotions and working through trauma, but coaching? That’s for when you need a good kick in the bum bum – to motivate you, to see what possibilities are available to you, especially if you’re thinking about a career change.’
She pauses, then adds: ‘With AI making everything feel unstable, a lot of people have degrees and years of experience, but their jobs could still be taken over. Life coaching helps people dig into their gifts, their passions, their characteristics. There might be a dream they’ve never gone for because something is blocking them.’
Jewellery: Diamonds Gallery
Suitcase: Yashi via Travel Kingdom
That instinct to look beneath the surface is something she has had to practise in her own life, too. She credits motherhood with teaching her to stop powering through and start paying closer attention to what her emotions were trying to show her. ‘That baby will bring the worst side out of you – your patience, your energy, physically, mentally, emotionally,’ she says. Before, she would have kept going. Now, she pauses long enough to ask herself where the bitterness is coming from, why rage has surfaced, whether there’s hurt beneath it. ‘It took me time to just sit and figure out what those emotions were.’
The life-coaching classes gave her a framework for that kind of reflection. ‘The number one thing you learn as a life coach is to listen – intently, with all your heart, not just to understand but with real curiosity,’ she says. ‘When did that feeling appear? Was it from someone else? And at the end, you ask: Do I need to forgive someone? Forgive myself?’ She laughs softly. ‘I’m quite a perfectionist, so when I’m not doing the best job as a mum, I get hard on myself and hard on my husband. But literally no one is a perfect mum. You’re always learning, always growing.’
Jewellery: Diamonds Gallery
That self-compassion has changed how she sees success. ‘Success to me now is being really okay with yourself – constantly figuring out what’s truly important to you.’ Earlier in her career, she had hoped her music or dramas would motivate people to chase their dreams, become independent, even become ‘badass bosses’. ‘But I realise even in life coaching, I’m still doing what I’m passionate about: encouraging, uplifting, motivating people. Just on a one-on-one basis. And the older I get, the more I enjoy deep, one-on-one conversations where the world disappears and it’s just us.’
In an age of AI-generated images and curated feeds, she finds herself craving something more human. ‘When you start not knowing what’s real and what’s false, the genuine, deep connections you have with people – that’s the most important thing,’ she says. ‘Whether it’s with my daughter, my husband, my friends. Being there intentionally, having those real moments – that to me is success.’
Outfit: Weekend Max Mara
Jewellery: Diamonds Gallery
Suitcase: Yashi via Travel Kingdom
Shoes: Longchamp
Grace also reflects on how motherhood changed her relationship with herself as a woman. ‘Growing up in New York, I was always, “I have to be independent, I have to watch my back, I have to prove myself.” But when I became pregnant, I felt like my whole body became a vessel to protect this life growing inside me. And I realised: I really do want to be cared for.’ She pauses, as if the admission still feels vulnerable. ‘It’s weird to say, “Can you take care of me?” But now I love when my husband puts his arm around my shoulder when we walk down the street. I feel like he’s got me. I didn’t used to need that – I would just strut, do my thing. But part of being a woman is also wanting to be protected and taken care of.’
That gentler side has not made her weaker. If anything, she says, it has made her more aware of what she needs. Asked how she reconnects with herself in the small slice of time left after caring for her baby, she points to journalling and, more unexpectedly, looking at her own reflection. ‘I need to be really okay looking in the mirror with no makeup, no glam, no hair done – stinky breath, messy hair, baby on my arm. And I look at myself and say: You’re beautiful. Not like a cute, positive-affirmation thing. But really look at my wrinkles, my dim skin, and be like: You’re good. You look great.’
Pants: Marella
Jewellery: Diamonds Gallery
She smiles. ‘I didn’t think we would get that deep.’
But that depth is exactly what gives Grace Wong’s current chapter its weight. She’s no longer measuring herself against the next role, the next hit or the next public marker of success. She’s learning to listen – to others, to herself, and to the simple joy of being okay where she is.
Catherine Pun
A Hong Kong native with Filipino-Chinese roots, Catherine infuses every part of her life with zest, whether she’s belting out karaoke tunes or exploring off-the-beaten-path destinations. Her downtime often includes unwinding with Netflix and indulging in a 10-step skincare routine. As the Editorial Director of Friday Club., Catherine brings her wealth of experience from major publishing houses, where she refined her craft and even authored a book. Her sharp editorial insight makes her a dynamic force, always on the lookout for the next compelling narrative.
