Actor Dai Xiangyu, who rose to fame here in the 2008 Channel 8 blockbuster drama The Little Nyonya, will marry Chinese actress Chen Zihan in December.

The 31-year-old proposed to Chen, 38, on Wednesday and registered their marriage yesterday.

Speaking to the Singaporean press by telephone from China yesterday, he said: "I was quite confident that she would say yes because I had everyone in for the surprise. Her family members flew over and wore 'Marry Dai' shirts.

"I also prepared a video, which had her friends in it to ask her to marry me. She was moved to tears."

The two star in the upcoming Chinese drama Pearl Earrings, but met before working on it.

"We've been dating for about a year and we feel that now is the right time to settle down and have kids," said Dai, who added that he would like to have two children, preferably a boy and a girl.

"She may be a few years older than me, but she's like a cute little schoolgirl to me," he added.

Chen is best known for her roles in Chinese television series Madame White Snake (2005) and The Return Of The Condor Heroes (2006).

The wedding will be held in China and Dai, who used to be known as Dai Yangtian, says he will invite his friends from Mediacorp to the celebration.

Gina Peh