TOP STORIES
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, …
Hong Kong Fintech Week 2024: Virtual banks call for customised policy rollout to enhance competitiveness
- 2024-10-29
- Business
- By: ZHAO Runtong、BO ChuxuanEdited by: Chi On LIU
- 2024-10-29
Hong Kong’s virtual banks need more regulations that would make them more competitive compared to the conventional brick-and-mortar banks, the experts said on Tuesday. Digital banks, which deliver banking services exclusively or primarily through the internet or other forms of electronic channels, are subject to the same set of regulatory requirements that apply to traditional banks according to HKMA. The eight licensed digital banks of Hong Kong together gained HK$49.9 billion in assets last year, which accounts for only 0.3% of the total market shares, according to the HKMA’s data. Total deposits of the eight banks amounted to 2.2 million at the end of 2023, accounting for 8.8% of the total depositors in Hong Kong and reported zero profits according to HKMA. Paul Tang, the chief operating officer of Payment Asia, echoed the proposal that virtual banks need more pertinent regulations to support their business expansion in the short term. "The investment cost of virtual banks is high in the early stage, while the operation mode is also different from traditional banks," said Tang. The virtual banks in Hong Kong were established with the mission of stimulating more innovations, fintech adaptations, and competitiveness. Nonetheless, all eight licences haven't started to make profits and have to follow the exact requirements as brick-and-mortar banks, according to the city's de facto central bank. Virtual banks, such as Air Star, provide up to 6.88% of annual interest rates, offering higher interest rates to attract people's deposits. "Digital banks are different from traditional banks, so old ways don't fit. Only with new policies can digital banks leverage their unique advantages," said Oliver Hughes, Head of International Business at TBC Bank Group, highlighting that virtual banks in Hong Kong expect new regulation to support them as they compete with traditional banks. "We try to remove that …
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 …
Pasta Run unites community to support mental health awareness
- 2024-10-21
- Society
- By: Chun Hei LUK、Wing Chi HOEdited by: Yau To LUM
- 2024-10-21
Ten runners dressed up as chefs, bacon, ketchup, and mustard ran together from Harbour Fun Restaurant & Bar in Causeway Bay to Pici Taikoo Place in Quarry Bay along with more than 500 runners on Sunday morning. Among them, Lee Ka-wing, 34, who dressed up as a chef, said he wanted to bring joy to the community. "I want to bring a smile to everyone's face and the costumes add an extra layer of fun to the race, and it’s all for charity,” Lee said. "Every costume tells a story, and I hope mine inspires others to join in the spirit of the run and support a great cause." The Pici Pasta Run, returned on Sunday for the fourth consecutive year to gather runners, families, and food enthusiasts dressed up in whimsical costumes, including giant spaghetti strands and colorful pasta shapes. The charity Mind HK said they held the Pici Pasta Run with the local Italian restaurant Pici aimed to raise awareness and funds for mental health initiatives while promoting community spirit through a fun and engaging run. The charity run also aimed to uplift community well-being during the unprecedented global pandemic. Last year, it successfully raised over HK$100,000. Chan Wing-man, 25, a first-time participant said he enjoyed the event where community, charity, and celebration came together. "I’ve heard so much about the atmosphere at the Pici Pasta Run, I am excited to be part of such a fun event that combines running and enjoying delicious pasta,” Chan said. "The energy was just incredible and it was not a typical race – it was more about enjoying the experience and the community spirit.” Kevin Tsia, 43, brought him closer to his 11-year-old son. "We’ve seen people in different costumes. That makes the event more enjoyable for our kids and brings …
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: Hong Kong to fund HK$1.5 billion for helping local start-ups and boosting technology development
- 2024-10-16
- Business
- By: BO Chuxuan、WANG Ruoshui、Yichun FangEdited by: Runqing LI
- 2024-10-16
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced on Wednesday to raise HK$1.5 billion for Hong Kong start-ups and build Hong Kong as an international innovation and technology centre. The government will redeploy $1.5 billion to set up funds jointly with the market in start-ups of strategic industries to facilitate the local enterprise environment, according to John Lee’s latest policy address. Meanwhile, the city’s top leader expanded Cyberport's Digital Transformation Support Pilot Programme to cover the retail, food and beverage, tourism, and personal services sectors, subsidising SMEs for digital transformation on a one-to-one matching basis. “It is good for SMEs to have more financing channels, but the impact of these funds on SMEs is not significant,“ said Adrian Ho, a legislative council member concerned about the SMEs topic. “For matching funds, it's difficult for some people to access private sector investments.” Similarly, Ting Pak-sun, the Chief Executive Officer of an IT start-up which received about HK$ 600,000 from the Cyberport Incubation Programme and different government programs, also agreed that it is an effective policy. “Sponsored by government funds, SMEs like us can provide investors with some use cases to refer to,” Ting said. The Innovation and Technology Fund (ITF), which aims to support local companies in upgrading their technology and developing innovative ideas, has helped around 75,881 projects by the end of August. However, Mars Zhou, the Chief Executive Officer of another intelligence company, also expressed his worries about the deployment method. “Since it is not tough for start-ups to obtain incubation funds in Hong Kong, the government may spend a lot of money but to invest in some low-quality companies, ” Zhou said. Adrain Ho cautioned that the policy may not help the company grow its turnover, although digital transformation can reduce costs and increase efficiency. “Digitization is the future, but …
Gen Z preserves Hong Kong's Nostalgic charm
- 2024-10-16
- By: WONG Hong Ni、LAI Uen LingEdited by: Ka Man Wong、Ngai Fung NG
- 2024-10-16
In a rapidly changing world, many Gen Zers are dedicated to showcasing the fading beauty of Hong Kong. Some collect cherished nostalgia, while others pick up their cameras to document the city's vanishing landscapes.