Jimmy Lin photographs his 4-year-old son Kimi. Photo: CFP

Lin promotes his collagen drink Ibelieve. Photo: Courtesy of Ben Lin.

With his fresh face, big eyes, bushy brows and signature dimples that pop every time he smiles, Taiwanese actor, singer and race car driver Lin Chih Ying, or Jimmy Lin, has always seemed rather boyish, despite the fact that he's now 39 and father to a 4-year-old son.

The news of Lin's marriage once let down his predominantly female fans, but now that Lin and his son Kimi have appeared on the popular Hunan TV reality show Where Are We Going, Dad?, Lin is gaining popularity with a new image - as a great dad.

This new role in the public eye has been tested by Lin's backing of the controversial collagen drink Ibelieve, produced by his own company. There are concerns about the effectiveness of the product and Lin himself has been questioned for doing too many commercial promotions on his Sina Weibo.

In a face-to-face interview with the Global Times, the eternally young Lin shared his personal stories, parenting tips and secrets for staying young.

Race to the top

Lin started his career as a singer at the age of 17, and soon found fans across Asia that loved his pretty boy look and sweet voice. He was known as one of the "Little Four Heavenly Kings" in the Taiwanese pop music scene in the 1990s while at the same time Hong Kong singers Andy Lau, Aaron Kwok, Jacky Cheung and Leon Lai were regarded as the "Four Heavenly Kings of Cantopop."

After the start of the new millennium, Lin successfully turned himself into an actor and started up various companies of his own, in fields such as technology.

Lin had also dedicated himself to philanthropic efforts such as fund-raisers for schools and serving as an anti-drug ambassador. Lin received the International Outstanding Youth Award from the mayor of San Francisco on October 17, 2003, which became Jimmy Lin Day.

Yet, behind this celebrity profile, Lin said being a race car driver is what's rooted deep in his heart. When speaking, Lin often sprinkles his stories with examples from driving and racing. Even the name of his son Kimi seems to be in honor of a race car driver, the Finnish legend Kimi-Matias R?ikk?nen, though Lin explained that it's a combination of Jimmy and his wife's name Kelly.

"Being a race car driver was a dream since childhood," Lin revealed to the Global Times. "Since I entered the entertainment industry at 17, I was very busy, but what always stuck in my mind was becoming a professional race car driver."

Lin first had the chance to live his dream at the age of 23, but just one year later, he was badly injured in a race, breaking three bones on his right foot. Recovery lasted half a year.

Lin once said in an interview that he used to like the feeling of speed and getting ahead of others, but now his main concern is whether he can surpass himself.

"It was also at a low point in my career. I was too stubborn to make a change," Lin recalled. As his foot was healing, he began to think, "Am I running too fast?"

When he returned to the race track, Lin set aside all expectations and focused on the moment.

"There are too many unpredictable things in racing," Lin said. "Maybe a tire blows out or a wire breaks after you have put several months into preparing for that race." Lin related this to the sudden changes that can upend a person's life. "To me, the most important thing is whether I have done something with 200 percent of my effort."

The attitude of taking things day by day, step by step, is what welcomes success, Lin said.

Celebrity dad

After Kimi was born, Lin, like many fathers, poured his heart and soul into his child. For more than three years, Lin spent almost all his time with Kimi for he believes in the idea that the first three years of a child are the most formative.

Lin tried his best not to let his son be exposed to the public at too young an age, but found he failed. "Because I'm recognizable, everywhere I go with him, he gets attention, too," Lin explained.

Coming to terms with this fact, Lin decided it would be better to warm up to the spotlight rather undertake any more failed attempts at hiding his son.

Lin said that he watched the original South Korean version of Where Are We Going, Dad? and found it very educational.

"[The show] helps remind people of the dilemmas parents face and which have been neglected today," Lin said. "The most important lesson I learned was how to better communicate with a child."

Lin explained that before the show, he only spent time playing with his son, but after the days living alone with Kimi, he realized that even a child of only 3 or 4 years already has his own thoughts and wishes, and the parent needs to communicate with him.

The adorable and well-behaved Kimi, together with Lin's caring father image brought a lot of positive press for both father and son, though the marriage of Lin may still cause a little heartbreak for female fans.

Lin joked that Kimi now is a bigger star than he is, and he's now just the "dad of Kimi."

With the emphasis now on his fatherly role, Lin shared his thoughts on parenting.

"Every child is suited for a particular educational approach," he said. "As long as one has patience, anybody can be a good parent."

Fountain of youth

Having almost the same boy-like face for more than two decades, Lin said one of the questions he gets all the time is, "Why do you never grow old?"

"The makeup artists used to tell me how to remove makeup properly, and I also learned from actresses like Brigitte Lin and Maggie Cheung. They often stewed chicken soup," he explained.

To share what he's learned, Lin recently set up a company to produce a collagen drink and is about to release a book.

Lin said his real "secret" for staying young is drinking plenty of water, getting good nutrition, sticking to a normal routine and - last but not least - to keep a bright outlook on life, no matter what.

Lin faces critics of his product endorsements

While idolized by many, Lin has critics as well, particularly when it comes to his collagen drink company, Ibelieve.

At a promotion in Shanghai last week, Lin said the drink is the key to maintaining a youthful look. But Fang Zhouzi, a Chinese mainland scholar and founder of online magazine New Threads, posted a blog on Monday that criticized Lin for "promoting fake healthcare products."

Fang argued that collagen products have no effect on one's appearance and that Lin's products are overpriced. Lin's company responded to these claims Monday night on its website and Sina Weibo, but Fang shot back with more venom the next day. (Fang has also been scrutinized for promoting himself by criticizing public figures.)

Criticisms surrounding Lin also stem from his frequent endorsement of products on his Sina Weibo. Lin said he is only sharing good advice, yet some Weibo users question whether he is taking advantage of his influence to do paid product promotions.