Editing Ruby Lin (section)

===Mainstream success: 2002–2005===
Since 2002, Lin focused on her career in mainland China. In 2003, she starred in three series - ''[[Half Life Fate]] ([[Pinyin]]: Ban Sheng Yuan)'' (adapted from [[Eileen Chang|Zhang Ailing]]'s novel ''Eighteen Springs''), ''[[Boy & Girl]]'' and ''[[Flying Daggers]]''. Lin was chosen for the female lead in the TV version of ''[[Affair of Half a Lifetime|Half Life Fate]]''; the film version was directed by [[Ann Hui]], a well-known Asian director. For Lin, it was a challenging role and she was under pressure.

Lin's work yielded good results; her performance enhanced her fame, earning accolades for capturing her screen character Man Zhen's 14 years of arduous life. The series was broadcast in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea.<ref name="rubykorea">{{cite web | url = http://news.naver.com/news/read.php?mode=LSD&office_id=044&article_id=0000043056&section_id=101&menu_id=101 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130129135120/http://news.naver.com/news/read.php?mode=LSD&office_id=044&article_id=0000043056&section_id=101&menu_id=101 | url-status = dead | archive-date = January 29, 2013 | title = Lin winning over Korea | date = April 6, 2004 | publisher = Korea herals }}</ref> The same year, Lin also appeared in the youth romantic TV series ''[[Boy & Girl]]''; it was broadcast in China by [[China Central Television|CCTV]], receiving the highest rating of all series aired in 2003.<ref name="boygirl">{{cite web | url = http://hello2ruby.lettersfrom.us/0104.htm | title = "Boy & Girl" Got New High Ratings JS Film | date = September 30, 2003 | publisher = hello2ruby | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070928050146/http://hello2ruby.lettersfrom.us/0104.htm | archive-date = September 28, 2007 | df = mdy-all}}</ref> With this series, Lin was selected one of the Top 10 actresses of the year; of those 10 actresses, she was the only one from Taiwan.<ref name="awards"/> She then appeared in the [[ancient]] martial arts TV series ''[[Flying Daggers]]'', based on [[Gu Long]]'s novel. It was her first 
martial-arts series, and Lin played against type – portraying a cold assassin, rather than her usual gentle damsel. These three series were released in 2003 throughout Asia, contributing to Lin's rise in popularity and recognition. Though Lin focused on TV series, she continued to appear in films such as the adventure drama ''[[Life Express (2004 film)|Life Express]]'' (with [[Richie Ren]]) and the romantic comedy ''[[Love Trilogy]]'' (with [[Francis Ng]] and [[Anita Yuen]]), which was relatively successful in China.

Lin sparked a trend towards China-Korea collaborations when she starred in the 2004 production ''[[Amor de Tarapaca]]'' (co-starring Korean actor Han Jae Suk). Lin was involved in another original Korean screenplay ''[[Magic Touch of Fate]]'', co-starring Taiwanese actor [[Alec Su]] and Korean idol [[Kangta]]. This series is the highest-budgeted miniseries in Asian television history (as of 2011). By this time, Lin had been in show business for almost a decade, with nearly non-stop filming. She wanted to go back to school; since high school, studying abroad had been her dream.<ref name = "coverstory"/> In the winter of 2004, after filming ''[[Magic Touch of Fate]]'', Lin decided to study language and acting for three months in New York City. While she was there, Lin studied English at [[Study Group International]]<ref name="studyny">{{cite web | url = http://www.studygroup.biz/news_2005/rubylin.asp | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20050211065700/http://www.studygroup.biz/news_2005/rubylin.asp | url-status = dead | archive-date = February 11, 2005 | title = Embassy CES New York welcomes Ruby Lin and Kyeong Rim Park | date = March 29, 2005 | publisher = studygroup.com }}</ref><ref name="studyny1">{{cite web | url = http://www.studygroup.com/embassyces/english/aboutus/meet_celebrities.asp | title = Ruby Lin at Embassy CES New York | date = March 29, 2005 | publisher = studygroup.com | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061118070155/http://www.studygroup.com/embassyces/english/aboutus/meet_celebrities.asp | archive-date = November 18, 2006 |df=mdy-all}}</ref> and performance at the [[New York Film Academy]].

Returning home to Taiwan with a new passion for acting in February 2005, Lin starred in ''[[Paris Sonata]]''.<ref name = "soundofcolors">{{cite web |url=http://english.sina.com/life/1/2005/0908/45155.html |title=Ruby Lin stars in "Sound of Colors" |date=March 29, 2005 |publisher=english.sina.com |access-date=December 2, 2006 |archive-date=May 11, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060511070354/http://english.sina.com/life/1/2005/0908/45155.html |url-status=live }}</ref> For her role in ''Paris Sonata'', she learned to play piano two months before filming. After ''Paris Sonata'', she selected the TV drama ''[[Sound of Colors (TV series)|Sound of Colors]]'' (a remake of [[Jimmy Liao]]'s book) as her next work, portraying a blind radio DJ. Lin's performance as a blind girl received good reviews from audiences and the news media.<ref name = "sosreview">{{cite web |url=http://www.spcnet.tv/reviews/review.php?rID=1465 |title=Sound of colors 2006 |date=March 6, 2007 |publisher=spcnet review |access-date=January 3, 2008 |archive-date=December 19, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071219183724/http://www.spcnet.tv/reviews/review.php?rID=1465 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="sosreview2">{{cite web | url=http://rubystation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=7753 | script-title=zh:《熱線你我他》地下鐵 反映商業社會現象 | date=May 30, 2006 | publisher=spcnet | format=web review | language=zh | access-date=January 3, 2008 | archive-date=February 26, 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090226051214/http://rubystation.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=7753 | url-status=live }}</ref> This drama was broadcast in many countries, including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Philippines, Vietnam and the United States. This was followed by the dramas ''[[Star Boulevard]]'' and ''[[Da Li Princess]]'', which were expected to be released in 2008 by [[China Central Television|CCTV]].