Jessica Hsuan opens up about her departure from TVB, revealing the real trigger behind her exit.

(Hong Kong, 3rd)
The classic drama A Step Into the Past, starring Jessica Hsuan and others, has recently sparked renewed viewing buzz, with Hsuan making frequent appearances at events and fan meet-ups. In a recent interview, she reflected on the ups and downs of her 33-year career and revealed that her decision to leave TVB had nothing to do with money—rather, she simply could not force herself to please management or “play along” for work.

According to Hong Kong media, producer and host Chan Chi-wan’s late-night talk show It’s Time to Say Goodbye Again features guests from different fields sharing personal stories. In the latest episode, the show invited TVB Best Actress winner Jessica Hsuan as the featured guest.

During the conversation, Hsuan revisited an incident from the 1990s, when she publicly challenged TVB management on the program K-100. At the time, she criticized the network for heavily casting pop singers in dramas, saying some of them frequently arrived late, which disrupted schedules and slowed down production.

Hsuan said she spoke up back then because of her strong sense of professionalism. She described how, when problems occurred, “insiders” were more likely to be pressured, while outside “singer” talents were less likely to face consequences. She stressed that it was never about money, but purely about professional standards. The story has resurfaced online and sparked discussion again, with many netizens praising her straightforward personality.

When asked why she left TVB, Hsuan answered candidly, “It’s simple—the whole way the system operated made me uncomfortable.” She explained that she once believed ability alone would naturally lead to recognition and opportunities, but reality does not always work that way. She added that she keeps personal feelings separate from work, focusing on whether someone is truly suitable for the job and whether decisions are fair.

However, as the work environment increasingly required people to “polish shoes” (a local slang for flattering or sucking up) and cater to individuals she did not want to please, she found it difficult to adapt. Hsuan said she asked herself whether she could do that, and her answer was no. For her, relationships depend on compatibility—and when that’s missing, working together becomes exhausting.

She also noted that her departure was closely tied to internal changes at the company, as familiar colleagues left and new faces arrived. When the earlier sense of chemistry was gone, more issues began to surface. Hsuan admitted she relies strongly on intuition, and whether she feels happy at work is a major factor: “If I’m not happy, I leave.”