At the media screening of The World Between Us: After the Flames <我們與惡的距離 2> on May 7, Vic Chou (周渝民) made headlines with an unexpected tribute to his late ex-girlfriend, Barbie Hsu (徐熙媛).

The drama, which opened with the powerful message “No man is an island,” explores themes of grief and emotional healing. Vic plays a man deeply affected by the loss of a loved one, supported by close friends portrayed by Hsueh Shih Ling (薛仕凌) and Derek Chang (張軒睿).

During the press event, Vic reflected on those who helped him during difficult times. “When I wasn’t in a good mental state, Barbie supported me,” he said, acknowledging Barbie’s role during his early acting days, particularly during the filming of Meteor Garden <流星花園>. “I feel very lucky. I’ve had so many supporters in my life. Maybe because I treated people sincerely, they stayed by my side.”

Vic’s emotionally intense role demanded a great deal of mental stamina. “Transitioning out of character was hard,” he admitted. “I often needed time alone—just to sit in silence and talk to myself.” He noted that filming took a toll on him, and it took nearly a year before he could comfortably share his experience with some humor.

A major part of his performance involved working with child actor Bai Run Yin (白潤音). While Vic had experience with younger co-stars, he found it challenging to support children through emotional scenes. “I gave them chocolate to boost positive feelings,” Vic explained. “Bai Run Yin was incredibly professional—he could separate himself from the character better than I could.”

Bai Run Yin shared that the filming experience was fulfilling and fun. “I played and chatted during breaks. That helped me recover emotionally after heavy scenes,” he said.