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Society

Venues struggle to survive despite revival of Hong Kong’s live music

  • The Young Reporter
  • By: Dhuha AL-ZAIDI、Aruzhan ZEINULLAEdited by: Malick Gai
  • 2022-10-23

Live music returned to Hong Kong’s culture and entertainment venues after the government announced on Thursday that it is lifting the ban on live performances that was in force since April 2020. Performers must undergo Covid-19 PCR tests twice a week and conduct a Rapid Antigen Test before entering the venue, as announced by Under Secretary for Health Libby Lee Ha-yun in a press conference last week.  The announcement comes shortly after the government recognised the “ardent expectations of the live music sector for relaxing social distancing measures," according to a spokesperson for Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chi. The lifting of restrictions will quickly generate about 20% to 30% of business increase, according to Chin Chun-wing, chairman of the Hong Kong Bar and Club Association. However, the rule that there should be no eating or drinking during performances remains in force, impacting certain venues’ opportunities to make the profit they did pre-pandemic.  “We just want to go back to normal where people eat and drink when we have the live band because it’s a different experience,” said Michael Ng, the restaurant manager of Lau Bak Livehouse, one of the few music venues with approved licensing to host live events in the West Kowloon Cultural District.  Ng said his restaurant loses around HK$20,000 to HK$30,000 a day, which they try to mitigate through approximately 7,000 takeaways a week.  “Hong Kong is a step behind what the world is doing,” said Jasmin Sin, 26, a marketing executive at Chanel, who used to attend live music events at least once a week.  The ban on live music has burdened many musicians, who have lacked job opportunities since the ban was put in place over two years ago. The Musicians Foundation surveyed 465 musicians in June and found that over half of Hong Kong’s …

Politics

Policy Address 2022: Hong Kong’s new leader announces no new measures to boost international tourism; support for local tourism instead

  • The Young Reporter
  • By: Aruzhan ZEINULLA、Le Ha NGUYEN、Angela HuangEdited by: Malick Gai
  • 2022-10-19

Hong Kong’s leader John Lee Ka-chiu announced support for existing measures to boost local tourism in his maiden policy address, with no timeline as to when the city will fully reopen to international tourists.    The government will allocate HK$600 million (US$76 million) towards the three-year “Cultural and Heritage Sites Local Tour Incentive Scheme” to boost local tourism with an emphasis on cultural and heritage elements, a policy that was also mentioned in this year’s Budget Address.   “To re-establish Hong Kong's position as the region's premier travel destination, the Hong Kong Tourism Board will enhance its support for tourism in light of the epidemic development so as to attract more high value-added overnight visitors to Hong Kong,” said Lee.   A new round of “Spend-to-Redeem Local Tours” and “Staycation Delights,” campaigns providing the public with guided local tours and hotel staycation discounts, will be launched with an increased quota to enhance local consumption, the chief executive said in his policy address.    “I would prefer tourists over government subsidies. There's very little opportunity for sustainable business with just local tourism,” said Amy Overy, the owner of Hong Kong Greeters, a travel agency that provides private tours for tourists.    The city is still longing for further relaxation on quarantine requirements to attract mainland and overseas tourists.    “HKTB is yet to find any unique elements to promote the city,” said Dave Chan, an instructor from the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.    Chan said the government has been promoting cultural and historical elements but it failed to draw foreign tourists’ interest.    Chan added that around half of the travellers arriving in Hong Kong every year come from mainland China but because the border is yet to open, the recovery of the …

Society

Largest outdoor cinema in Hong Kong reopens after one-year closure

Hong Kong’s biggest outdoor cinema, The Grounds, welcomed guests again on Thursday after Covid-19 rules forced its suspension a year ago. The cinema is at Central AIA Vitality Park. “It’s very challenging to build this event and put it together in Hong Kong. We just try to reopen this cinema as soon as we can,” said Simon Wilson, managing director and co-founder of The Grounds. The government announced a relaxation of social distance measures starting from Oct. 20, including allowing live performances and outdoor eating at some premises such as theme parks. This cinema can accommodate up to 380 people in 100 upgraded private garden pods. The audience can remove face masks in their booths. But only up to four people are allowed in each booth in order to comply with social distancing rules. Guests can order food from a web-based app. The menu offers Vietnamese food, tacos and wines. Three different types of tickets are available, depending on the location and the types of seats, with prices ranging from HK$200 to HK$900. Only classic and nostalgic movies are playing this season, including Forrest Gump and the Harry Potter series.  Wilson said that movies in different Languages would be shown this season. The Grounds collaborated with Golden Scene Cinema to start the outdoor shows in 2021, and has shown  local movies, including Suk Suk. The cinema is opened for three months each year and the current season will end on Dec. 30. “Actually I have seen today’s movie before. It is a good romantic comedy,”  said Angela Shih, who invited four of her friends along. “ We just planned to spend our girls’ night here. I am really excited and looking forward to it.” Wilson said they had a great response in ticket sales, especially for musicals and blockbuster films. …

Society

Hoover Cake Shop closes tonight, bids farewell to Kowloon City after 45 years

  At the corner of Nga Tsin Wai Road in Kowloon City, dozens of people are lining up under the eye-catching red and white plaque which bears the history of a traditional Hong Kong-style cake shop, Hoover Cake Shop, looking forward to their last nostalgic taste of the bakery’s products. “People do not know how to cherish our products,” said Kau-Je, 73, who has worked at the bakery for 20 years. “No one lined up in front of our shop before, but when we announced the closure of the shop, many people said they did not want the shop to close.” Hoover Cake Shop, a family business owned by Chau, is one of the few remaining traditional cake shops that opened in 1977 in Hong Kong. On September 17, it posted a closure notice on its front doors, marking the beginning of the end of this half-century-long traditional cake shop. At 7 p.m. tonight, accompanied by countless supportive citizens, the stories belonging to this place come to an end in Kowloon City. Due to his old age, Chau decided to close the shop as he is no longer able to manage the business. His children have no plans to take it over. Hoover Cake Shop is the third cake shop reported to close this year after the closure of two other historic traditional cake shops, Happy Cake Shop in Wan Chai, and Jenny Bakery in Tsz Wan Shan. Throughout the decades, Hoover Cake Shop has insisted on making fresh bread and pastries every day. It sells 86 products, including tarts, bread, cookies, and cakes. Kau-Je said egg tarts sell the best, and the store’s homepage declares ‘Egg Tarts, Number One,’ according to the shop’s official website. Kau-Je said the reason for the popularity of egg tarts is due to “traditional …

Society

Goodbye to the last sawmill in Hong Kong

Chi Kee Timber and Sawmill was bulldozed on Sept 27 to make way for the Northern Metropolis project. The Wong family who owns the mill was asked to leave. They were offered HK$14 in 2019 to relocate, but the family said that’s not enough. They started the mill in 1947 in North Point. It moved to Ma Tso Long in 1982. It was the last sawmill in Hong Kong.

Society

Hong Kong Pet Show promotes love and respect for animals

The Hong Kong Pet Show 2022 began on Thursday at the Convention and Exhibition Centre. More than 500 exhibitors have participated in this four-day Pet Show, showcasing over 1,000 brands of pet food, supplies, and services from around the world. In addition to merchandising, there are also pet pageants, dog obedience demonstrations and charity talks at the venue. Tickets cost HK$30 per person, the same for adults and children, and can be purchased both online and at the counter. Pet owners can bring one pet each but the animal must either be on a leash or in a stroller Carl Wong, Director of Hong Kong Pet Show 2022, said he hoped the show can promote products as well as foster people’s understanding of pets as part of the family through lectures and sharing. Some people abandon their pets because of economic problems, especially during the pandemic, according to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) of Hong Kong. 78% of the surveyed 777 adult Hong Kong residents said their household income has dropped since the outbreak and 52% claimed they would reduce their expenses besides buying necessities, according to Credit Institution TransUnion’s statistics. “I spend HK$6000 to HK$7000 every month on my dogs,” said Shada Shum, a visitor who raises two Bichon Frises. “A single pet grooming session can cost around HK$500.” Shum said although her financial situation has been affected by the epidemic, she still takes good care of her pets because they are precious family members and her companions in times of trouble. Apart from cats and dogs, many pet owners in China, especially those in their 20s, prefer exotic animals such as lizards or snakes according to China Pet Consumer White Paper 2021 by iResearch. However, keeping exotic pets such as a chameleon requires …

Culture & Leisure

Hong Kong comics started a new page with uncertainty

http://youtu.be/o0DEGvl82GQ Hong Kong comics had its glory days in the 1970s to 90s, its popularity has declined since then. But some local comic writers are still drawing new pages, Jerry Cho Chi-ho is one of them. HK Comics Support Programme, a first-year government subsidised programme aimed at helping artists to publish new long comics encouraged Cho to draw again.  

Society

Sunset traditional culture: Hong Kong’s last homemade “Yuk Bing Siu” liquor store, Kwong Yu Yee Winery

Tucked away in a tenement building on Pei Ho Street in the Sham Shui Po District is a time-honoured winery store, Kwong Yu Yee. While the simple façade looks no different from the other stores in the neighbourhood, the intoxicating aroma of rice wine from within draws visitors to stop by every time. The winery moved from Guangzhou to Hong Kong more than 70 years ago. The old shopfront originally had two stories. After being demolished in the 1960s, it was rebuilt into a six-story tenement building on the original site. The golden lacquer signboard which reads “New Kwong Yu Yee” and the wooden beamed ceiling, together with the paint-peeled floor have been well-retained. 65-year-old Wong, who claims to be very low-key and would not give away his full name to anyone, is the second generation of the shop owner. “My father was the owner and I started to run it more than 40 years ago when it was in its golden age,” he said. Wong recalled during that time, there were four restaurants nearby and his shop wholesaled wine to them. “Back then, they had to register to buy our wine,” Wong said, “And let’s say if you tie your shoelaces in front of our door, the whole street would be blocked by our customers soon.” “There’s no restaurant now,” he said, “It’s really hard for us to do business now.” Wong said that nearly 60% of the shop's business nowadays comes from neighbourhoods. “Our regular customers contribute to our business most now, but the epidemic situation is putting us in a tricky situation since every customer is being more sensitive and concerning more about the price," Wong said, "But it seems to be better now." In addition to the foreign wine wholesale business, the winery also sells the …

Politics

Hongkongers’ Book Fair goes online after last-minute cancellation

A private book fair was forced to go online after the owner of the venue where it was to be held threateend to take legal action against the organiser.  Raymond Yeung Tsz-chun, organiser of the Hongkongers’ Book Fair, received a notice of from Mall Plus in Wan Chai on July 12. The venue owner, Permanent Investment Company Limited issued a lawyer's letter through Man Hing Hong Properties Company Limited the following day, accusing Yeung of “sub-letting” and “causing nuisance, annoyance or danger to occupants or visitors” and would no longer rent out the premises. As a result, the online version of “Hongkongers’ Book Fair” can only showcase products from  Yeung’s bookstore, Hillway Culture. Publications from seven other publishers and at least six commercial outlets which originally participated in the book fair are not in the online event. “I believe that anything related to the name “HongKongers’ Book Fair” is considered politically sensitive now,” said Yeung. Yeung organised the private book fair after the Hong Kong Trade Development Council being rejected his application to take part in the Hong Kong Book Fair by on May 16. Yeung claimed he then invested more than HK$500,000 to run his own fair instead. He said he contacted Man Hing Hong Properties after receiving the notice and scheduled a meeting with the property agent on July 12 at 10:30 a.m., but the agent did not show up. He did not have the contact number of Permanent Investment, the venue owner. TYR tried to contact Man Hing Hong Properties Company Limited and Permanent Investment Company Limited through email. They did not respond to our inquiries. “We made sure we followed all laws and regulations. We believed we can hold an independent book fair under the Rule of Law in Hong Kong,” Yeung said. “But it seems …

Society

Hong Kong virtual social platform offers escape from reality

Buying train tickets, karaoke with friends, feeding ducks by a lake, or visiting art exhibitions. Those are some of the activities that “Siubak” and “Winter” enjoy with each other, not in reality, but in a virtual world. Both of them are young men in real life.   They are administrators of LIHKG VR (連登VR群), a Hong Kong VRChat Telegram group. They organize online activities regularly through instant messaging. Members log in to the virtual world to hang out with each other’s avatars and chat on the audio channels.     But there are no regulations on how users portray themselves in the virtual world. A middle-aged man can appear as a young girl, or a teenager can become a superhero. The origin of VRChat and virtual social platform  The first avatar-based social platform was launched in 2003 by the San Francisco based online multimedia platform, Second Life. Similar products have since appeared, such as Roblox and Mole Manor in the US and China respectively.   Created by Graham Gaylor and Jesse Joudrey in Texas in the US, VRChat started in 2017 as early access. Similar to Facebook and Instagram, avatar based social networks like VRChat enables users to build social connections online through a video game platform “steam”. In 2020, Siubak rallied for people from LIHKG to join VRChat in a telegram group . Since last year, he has been administrating a chat with 1700 users. Today, LIHKG VRChat has an average of 200 daily users. The identity crisis Siubak and Winter manipulate an avatar of a white-haired Japanese anime girl. A male character with purple hair speaks in Cantonese, asking the girl to make cute poses. In the virtual world, users can be anybody they can imagine.    Clinical psychologist Adrian Wong believed some users gain self-esteem in virtual reality when they fail …