Culture & Leisure
Gen Z Brings Back The Aussie Mullet
- 2024-10-31
- Culture & Leisure
- By: KURNIAWAN Trista VaniaEdited by: Yee Ling TSANG、Tsz Wing CHAN
- 2024-10-31
Generation Z is bringing back an iconic Australian hairstyle, redefining its style and challenging old stereotypes. In the '80s, the mullet rose to fame through rock stars and athletes. Now, it’s making a bold comeback in Australia, with Generation Z embracing and reinventing the iconic hairstyle. With a fresh, modern twist and the power of social media, Gen Z is changing the mullet’s rebellious stereotype into a symbol of individuality and confidence.
Digital Nomads: A journey of discovery between freedom and challenge
- 2024-10-31
- Society
- By: CAO Jiawen、WANG JingEdited by: Wai Sum CHEUNG、Lisheng CHENG
- 2024-10-31
In April 2019, Yung Yi-fu, 27, a YouTuber with 185,000 subscribers, published his first video on YouTube—“Nepal Mountaineering ABC”. His short escapades into the landscape of tourism snowballed into a full-time career as he garnered more subscribers. “At that time, I didn’t realize I was a digital nomad,” Yung said, “I just happened to start a YouTube channel when people couldn’t travel abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said. Digital nomads refer to people who rely entirely on the Internet to earn income, thereby breaking the strong relationship between work itself and time at work and moving around the world. According to Pumble, the number of digital nomads worldwide will exceed 40 million in 2024. “Digital Nomadism represents an attempt to ‘escape the cubicle’. These people create personalized and innovative life journeys and lifestyles,” said Olga Hannonen, a visiting researcher of social science at the University of Eastern Finland who studies lifestyle mobilities. “I have been to 66 countries up to now,” Yung said. “It’s fun for me to adapt to a different pace of life and make new friends whenever I go to a new country.” He plans to live in Ethiopia, Japan, and Turkey in the future. Hu Yicheng, 25, is a postgraduate student in Hong Kong. Once an employee for a well-known Chinese internet company, Hu left the company after it made a personnel adjustment. She originally wanted to take a break before returning to work, but she met a recruiter from a foreign company by chance. “He introduced the concept of being a digital nomad to me and said it could give me a work and life balance,” Hu said. She started working there for marketing duties. Hu once went to Dali, a city in Yunnan popular among digital nomads for its beautiful natural scenery, convenient …
Gen Z preserves Hong Kong’s nostalgia
- 2024-10-31
- Culture & Leisure
- By: LAI Uen Ling、WONG Hong NiEdited by: Wai Sum CHEUNG
- 2024-10-31
Deep in the heart of Kwun Tong is a treasure trove filled with vintage items, each with a Hong Kong story. From classic toys, school cabinets to piggy banks, each corner offers a glimpse into the past. The owner is 25-year-old Albert Lee. He was inspired by his father, who enjoys treasure hunting in flea markets with his family. Lee himself began his journey into nostalgia when he discovered a made-in-Hong Kong yoyo in Singapore. “Finding this Coca-Cola yo-yo reminded me of the one I used to have. Those memories were incredibly precious, which is why I wanted to continue collecting more toys like that,” he said. He found many nostalgia shops in Hong Kong gravitate towards items related to Japan, namely Shōwa Modan, a fusion between Japanese and Western styles. “I wondered why no young people started a Hong Kong nostalgia shop. Why do we have to buy nostalgic items from other places?” said Lee. To pay for his passion for collecting, Lee juggles with several part-time jobs. He originally focused on toys made in Hong Kong, but he now welcomes all sorts of items. Lee’s customers come from all ages. While Gen Z tend to look for pieces that evoke a certain aesthetic for decoration, older customers prefer items with historical value or things that bring back memories. Sometimes, he purchases items that seem valuable, only to realize they are not worth much. However, he believed it’s all about uncovering the stories behind them and learning from mistakes. “As I discover more about old stories of these items in my 20s, I can share them with the next generation, ensuring they aren’t lost,” Lee said. Lee is among the increasing number of Gen Zers who are keen to look into Hong Kong’s past. While some collect items, others …
Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival stops plastic cups following single-use plastic ban
- 2024-10-30
- Health & Environment
- The Young Reporter
- By: WANG Ludan、YANG HaicenEdited by: Ji Youn Lee
- 2024-10-30
The Wine and Dine Festival last weekend stopped serving plastic cups following the government's plastic ban and encouraged guests to bring their own glasses or buy them on-site, as visitors increased by 10% from last year. The move aligned with the city’s' plastic-free initiatives, said Raymond Chan Chun-man, the Hong Kong Tourism Board's general manager of event and product development, “We encourage people to bring their own wine glasses. Instead, each visitor will receive a souvenir glass sleeve," he said. Wine glasses were also sold for $50. Participating restaurants and bars were allowed to pass out their own cutlery and cups to customers. “While we do recommend them to use the cups we provided, it is not within our purview to decide how they use them,” said Wong, a staff worker at the event who asked not to disclose his full name. Last year, plastic cups were sold at the festival for HK$5 each. The five-day festival at the Central Harbourfront expanded its opening hours until 11pm for the first time, with more than 300 participating booths offering thousands of global wines and cuisine, attracting about 155,000 visitors. Some visitors said the use of wine glasses enhanced their tasting experience, in terms of flavour and convenience. “Paper cups produce more bubbles in the middle of the drink and indirectly distort the flavour of the wine, whereas glasses do not,” said Kelvin Lee, a clerk at a non-profit organisation that supports children’s mental health. “If you finish a drink from one store and you want to go to the next one, the booth holder just needs to help you to swish the glass with water and then you can continue to use it,” said Jo Man, the CEO of the same NGO. “After guests have finished their wine, we clean their …
Gen Z entrepreneurs give new life to waste fabric
- 2024-10-30
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: LIU Yutong、MAO AnqiEdited by: Yuqi CHU
- 2024-10-30
Several toy bears in cute uniforms sat at a booth at Rethink HK 2024. Many passersby stopped to take photos and touched them gently. These bears were wearing clothes made from discarded old school uniforms. Their handbags and hats were also made from waste fabrics. Dress Green, a social enterprise founded by 29-year-old Emma Yu and her husband, has partnered with around 30 local schools to recycle used school uniforms into the UNI Green Series. The Series offers a wide variety of souvenirs for student graduation gifts, including bears wearing old uniforms, pencil bags, tote bags, pouch shoulder bags, fisherman’s hats, cushions etc. Since the startup's inception in 2021, it has recycled over 3,000 uniforms and pieces of clothing, and produced more than 4,500 upcycling products, according to Dress Green. The growth of Hong Kong's fast fashion industry has resulted in tons of textile waste being sent to landfills, and many Gen Z members have discovered the serious impact of textile industry pollution on the environment and have created sustainable brands in the hope of combating excessive fabric waste and drawing more attention to the issue. “I felt that Gen Z are more focused on sustainability issues than the previous generation,” said Howard Ling, 49, a social enterprise consultant and Professor of Practice at Baptist University. “This is because they are getting more information about environmental protection from diversified media channels and also from schools and communities.” With the rise of fast fashion, the amount of clothing produced and thrown away has skyrocketed. According to the European Parliament, the global fashion industry generated nearly 20% of the wastewater and about 10% of the carbon emissions in 2023. In Hong Kong, 404 tons of textile waste were sent to landfills each day in 2021, accounting for 3.6% of municipal solid waste, …
Gen Z mainlanders build community for compatriots in Hong Kong
- 2024-10-28
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: YANG Haicen、WANG LudanEdited by: Juncong SHUAI
- 2024-10-28
Go down an unassuming stairway on D'Aguilar Street in Lan Kwai Fong and you will be greeted by a pair of heavy Chinese-style doors. Further deep underground, you will face a wall of graffiti with the name of the bar, Bamboo. The owner of this Chinese style bar is Ran Guangwu, 25, a micro-influencer on the mainland's internet. He started the bar with a group of young mainlanders and most of their customers are also from the mainland. "We host different themed events almost every weekend," Ran said. "People come here to relax, It’s like visiting a friend’s house." According to government statistics, the number of mainland students applying for Hong Kong degrees has risen from a maximum of 20% to 40% over one year, and newly enrolled students from mainland China account for 41% of total enrollment universities in Hong Kong in 2023. Meanwhile, a set of key performance indicators shows at least 35, 000 mainland Chinese have entered Hong Kong under the government run talent import scheme since 2023. They can stay in the city for at least 12 months. Ran Guangwu hopes his bar can offer a home away from home for young mainlanders. Ma Xiaoshuai, 20, a mainland student from The City University of Hong Kong, is a client at Bamboo. “Most bars in Hong Kong are either too fancy or too wild, but this one is just right—very down-to-earth,” he said. He has made new friends there who share his background. Shi Zhengqi , 20, grew up in Fujian and moved to Hong Kong with his parents in recent years to restart his high school life. “We’ll be playing lots of table games here that you’d only find on the mainland, such as Miss Card and King’s Game,” he said. Shi said the life pace …
Oktoberfest sparks Hong Kong with authentic German vibe
- 2024-10-22
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: YANG Shuyi、WANG JingEdited by: Yuqi CHU
- 2024-10-22
A German man in traditional Chinese clothes performed the well known local song, “Waves Flowing”,with his band at Central Market. It’s their second Oktoberfest in Hong Kong. The festival runs from Oct.17 to Nov.2 giving German expatriates in Hong Kong the chance to enjoy their tradition. The event is celebrated with well-known beer brands,German delicacies such as pork knuckles and sausages. Carolyn Wright, from England came to the Oktoberfest in Hong Kong after having gone to the original Oktoberfest in Munich a couple of weeks ago. “The most important element of Oktoberfest is the beer, but the entertainment is also essential, especially the band. At the one in Munich, every one of the beer tents had a band as the main focus,” said Wright. “It is a good night. This event is well-organised. It has all the elements of the original German Oktoberfest, which brings it here in a fantastic venue.” Alex Arkin, 25, from Germany, was participating in Oktoberfest in Hong Kong for the first time. “In Germany, it's more crowded and you can feel the vibe more because it's a German tradition. ” said Arkin. “But in Hong Kong, it's also nice because you come with your friends, and you enjoy the friendly atmosphere here.” Arkin liked the multicultural aspect of Oktoberfest in Hong Kong.“You can see people from different countries. It's so unique because in Germany it's mostly Germans who participate,” said Arkin. “However, the seating arrangement here at the competition area could be more reasonable. It was a bit too crowded during tonight's competition,” he added. Ken Tse, 47, a local journalist, attended the Oktoberfest at the Central Market for the first time. “Although I don't know the culture of Oktoberfest very well, I like this event. It's just like a party. Everyone gets together, enjoys …
Gen Z Cantonese opera performers bridge modernity and tradition
- 2024-10-18
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: LI Sin Tung、CHEN Yik NamEdited by: James Ezekiel Kalaw MODESTO、Ben Rong Li
- 2024-10-18
In a small practice room in Mong Kok, 17-year-old Li Man-chit stages a performance, combining martial arts and singing. As an aspiring Cantonese opera actor, he is part of the generation of new blood carrying forward the traditional culture. Despite his busy schedule as a Form Six student, Li continues to devote time to his passion, crafting his art. Having begun practising Cantonese opera when he was five, he said: “When my peers were watching cartoons, I was deeply attracted to Cantonese opera on television. I was mesmerised by the performers, their elegant costumes and the style of the art. And I still cherish that to this day.” Since he was eight years old, Li has travelled around the world to cities, including Vancouver, Los Angeles and Beijing. A highlight of the aspiring Cantonese opera singer was in 2017 when Li performed before President Xi Jinping and several mainland and local government officials at the West Kowloon Cultural District. “At that time, he was standing almost right in front of me and I was incredibly nervous, but this nervousness also pushed me to do my best,” he said. “After the show, Xi Jinping expressed his gratitude that Cantonese opera had ‘young inheritors’, which greatly inspired me,” Li added. “I am one of the Generation Z bearers of this culture,” he added. “Although it is sometimes a bit hard to go back and forth to perform, I don't feel tired because this is what I truly love.” Cantonese opera actress Wong Ho-yau believes that the lack of interest among young people in Cantonese opera is because of the gap between tradition and modernity. Wong, in her 20s, pointed out that the ancient values behind Cantonese opera scripts may conflict with a young audience. “While the general content of Cantonese opera performances …
Policy Address 2024: Working Group on Developing Tourist Hotspots formed to expand specialty tourism
- 2024-10-16
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: CHEN Yik Nam、LI Sin TungEdited by: James Ezekiel Kalaw MODESTO
- 2024-10-16
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced the setup of a working group to develop hotspots in his policy address today, as the government tries to boost a flagging economy. The Hong Kong Tourism Board announced earlier that the visitor arrivals reached 21.1 million from January to June this year. In contrast, about 30.6 million visitors arrived in the first half of 2018. "We will develop Hong Kong into a premier tourism destination through innovative thinking and leveraging our rich and unique resources, such as Victoria Harbour, outlying islands, cultures and cuisine," Lee said. "It will help to instil the concept of 'tourism is everywhere in Hong Kong.'" The government will publish more details in an upcoming blueprint, Lee said, with a focus on several areas designed to enhance tourism in Hong Kong, including ecotourism in South Lantau. Lee also announced measures to attract visitors from the Middle East. These include compiling a list of halal restaurants and getting commercial venues to provide prayer rooms. This comes as Saudi Arabia plans to establish an economic zone and logistics hub in China to strengthen ties between the two states announced during a meeting in September. Lee also emphasised the coordination of organising mega events in the city. Half of mainland tourists said they enjoyed “getting close to nature” and “tasting local snacks,” according to a survey of 287 visitors by mainland questionnaire platform Wenjuanxing. Lawmaker Kwok Wai-keung said that Hong Kong’s tourism model used to place too much emphasis on "commercialisation" and was committed to maintaining its reputation as a "shopping paradise," but according to the research, this is no longer a strong promotion to attract mainland tourists “Tourists will be more interested in some in-depth tourism now, which means learning more about local culture and featured scenery. It is hoped that …
Hong Kong Policy Address 2024: government to fuel fencing fad after Paris Olympics
- 2024-10-16
- Society
- The Young Reporter
- By: YANG Haicen、WANG LudanEdited by: Juncong SHUAI
- 2024-10-16
Hong Kong will build a sports arena with fencing training and competition facilities after two Hong Kong fencing athletes won in the Paris Olympics, said John Lee Ka-chiu in his third policy address. Hong Kong's Edgar Cheung Ka-long and Vivian Kong Man-wai each won gold medals in the men's foil and women's epee events in Paris, sparking an increase in Hongkongers taking local fencing classes. This is part of the government’s broader plan to increase Hong Kong’s international competitiveness. “We will make full use of the Kai Tak Sports Park and other existing venues to host large-scale international competitions so that Hong Kong teams can compete on home soil, building their own audience,” said Lee. “These will be conducive to the long-term development of the sports industry.” Hong Kong is set to host the World Foil Championships in 2026 and co-host the 15th National Games with Guangdong and Macou, during which Hong Kong will be responsible for organising eight events, including fencing. "After the Paris Olympics, the number of people inquiring about fencing increased by approximately 50% to 80%. In the past, most were children below secondary school age, but now there is a noticeable rise in interest from university students and adults as well," said Rever You, Administrative Director of the Hong Kong Fencing School, where this year's Olympic fencing champion Cheung spent six years learning the basics of fencing. There are 46 fencing training institutions in Hong Kong, including the Asian Fencing Academy, Hong Kong Fencing School, and Fencing Formula, that offer a range of fencing courses, according to the Hong Kong Fencing Association. "After seeing Vivian Kong and Edgar Cheung win championships this year, my child has raised a strong interest in fencing," said Liu, who preferred not to disclose his full name. You said that after …