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Former Mediacorp artiste and actor Shane Pow has joined veteran actor Li Nanxing's management agency, LNX Global, following his release from prison.

Earlier this year, he was jailed for five weeks and fined S$6,000 for committing a drink driving offence in September 2020.

In an interview with 8world, Pow expressed his gratitude for his friends, and for all of the support he has gotten online as well.

Had a lot of time to think in prison

In the video interview, Pow said that he had had plenty of time to think during his jail term:

"When I was in prison, I thought a lot. I was thinking every day."

He thought about what he wanted to do if he didn't continue acting; after Pow's drink driving charges came to light, Mediacorp had announced that they would be parting ways with him.

Pow had previously studied mass communications, and some ideas included being a travel writer for National Geographic, a chef, a fitness trainer, a director, or even an investor.

However, he said that he really enjoyed acting and hosting, and had been acting for the past 10 years, so giving it up would be very difficult.

"I made such a big mistake, and that 'stain' will always be there. I don't want everyone's final impression of me to be like that.

[...] I hoped that it wouldn't just be like, 'bye bye'."

After a lot of thinking, and encouragement from friends, he mustered up the courage to try again.

"We are all not perfect": Li Nanxing

Joining Li's agency was "fate", Pow told 8world:

"I think it was fate. When I was very young, I once celebrated my birthday with 'big brother' [Li]. And then this time, when my life was very lost, Li reached out, so I'm very grateful."

LNX Global also manages actresses Julie Tan and Constance Song.

Li said that he found that Pow has a lot of artistic talent when it comes to performing and looks very natural when he acts, so wanted to give him a chance:

"We are all not perfect. We hope to give him some time, give him a chance to start anew. This is very important. We must have faith in him."

Turning to Pow, Li said: "Whatever comes next will be up to you."

Grateful for friends getting him back on his feet

Pow expressed his gratitude to his friends who reached out to him with job opportunities, including host Pornsak Prajakwit, celebrity hairstylist Addy Lee, and actress Michelle Chia, who had founded livestream commerce platform Mdada.

At the time, Pow said, he had been at a loss:

"At the time, I didn't know what to do. And the mental pressure was very high, as well as life stress — money, needing to provide for my family, needing to eat. These invisible pressures were very great."

He said that at the time, he didn't have the courage to do live broadcasting, but thanks to Pornsak's encouragement and belief in him, he did it, appearing on an Mdada livestream on Aug. 17.

"[Pornsak] was very encouraging, staying with me until I was more used to it. Now I can do the live streams alone or with someone else."

Pow expressed his deep appreciation for his friends to 8world:

"During that time, I think if I didn't have them there when I was sinking, throwing me a lifebuoy and slowly pulling me back up, [...] I definitely wouldn't have gotten back up so fast."

He also thanked the many netizens who left him encouraging messages online.

"These small things, maybe people don't think are a big deal, but to me, it's really very important. Because without your encouragement and small shows of support, I wouldn't have courage (to be in the public eye) anymore."

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Top photos via Instagram / @shanepowxp and 8world. 

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