Designed to be addictive- stop scrolling!

April 5, 2024

“Addictive” online platform interfaces are designed to keep users hooked for hours and hours

By Suan Yeon

University student Chan Myae Kyaw spends five hours a day on average watching YouTube shorts.

“I pick up my phone at 9.30 p.m. and even before I realise, it is already 1.30 a.m. I don’t even feel like it has been four hours. I just sit in the chair and watch YouTube shorts and I am often late for classes,” the 22-year-old student says.

“I just can’t stop. I keep scrolling and scrolling on YouTube Shorts endlessly. Screen time addiction has made me unable to focus. Now I can no longer watch YouTube videos that last for more than three minutes, only shorts,” the Year Three student adds.

*YouTube Shorts are rapid-fire videos that last up to 60 seconds*. *The feature was launched by YouTube in September 2020.*

“You can see the red bar moving, so you know the next video is coming – so you don’t skip it,” he says. The Biomedical Engineering student recalls having good grades before he got addicted.

“I scored straight As in Year One. Now B is my average grade,” he adds.

According to a research on the association of screen time with brain connectivity conducted by the University of California in 2023, adolescents who spent more than four hours per day on screens had reduced brain connectivity.

These reductions in connectivity were associated with poorer performance on cognitive tasks that measure attention, memory, and decision-making.

After his GPA dropped, Chan Myae Kyaw started to go to the gym in 2024 to cut down screen time.

“I feel sluggish after spending too much time on my phone. But now I realise when I am actively doing something like working in my lab or working out, my screen time decreases,” the Year Three Student says.

A report from Statista in 2023, an online platform specialising in data gathering and visualisation, points out South Koreans spent an average of 44.89 hours a month on YouTube’s mobile app.

Assistant Professor Yang Tian, from the School of Journalism and Communication at the Chinese University of Hong Kong points out that YouTube’s personalisation algorithm makes use of users’ previous experiences and data to predict what they might like.

“Personalisation algorithms facilitate users’ flow status so that people are fully immersed in the environment and cannot feel time fly by. The companies want users to spend more time because time is traffic, and this traffic can be turned into advertising revenue – that’s their income,” Yang says.

*The popularity of YouTube Shorts raises concerns about addiction for young adults.*

The social scientist adds that the companies exploit users’ intuitive nature to capture information.

“Users are very reactive to social endorsement. That is why when they see ‘Likes’ or ‘Views’ coming in, they want to look at those numbers, crave for those interactions, and try to look at those clips that go viral online,” he says.

“By conducting thousands of user tests, interface designers can find the so-called “optimal interface” that best serves their interests. Like an interface that keeps people on that page for the longest period,” he adds.

The computational social science professional highlights that technology is not the only thing to blame.

“When we think about addiction, we also have to think about the flip-side of the coin. People may want to use technology to avoid certain things by immersing themselves in a place where they cannot feel the reality. It is always the people who are addicted. It is an interplay between the technology and the user,” Yang says.

In a Netflix documentary, The Social Dilemma, launched in 2020, former Google design ethicist Tristan Harris, explains persuasive design technology.

“Persuasive technology is a sort of design intentionally applied to the extreme, where we really want to modify someone’s behavior. We want them to take this action. We want them to keep doing this with their fingers,” he says.

“We can demand that these products be designed humanely and users not be treated as an extractable resource,” the Centre for Humane Technology founder adds.

Edited by: Ryan Teh

Sub-edited by: Sunnie Wu

I Came, I Saw, I Spent – Editor’s Note

April 3, 2024

Hong Kong residents are being lured to nearby Shenzhen to spend. On the last Saturday of January 2024, departures of Hong Kong residents to Shenzhen via the Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau Spur Line crossings were over three times more than that of January 2020, according to the Immigration Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Stories fly around about weekend adventures there, where the food is tastier and everything is cheaper yet of the same quality. Getting ready to spend is no problem, since control points have currency exchange kiosks. Hongkongers spent HK$66.5 billion (US $8.5 billion) in Shenzhen and its neighbouring cities in 2023, according to an estimate by investment bank Natixis.

Meanwhile, the city received almost 40% less tourists in 2023 than before the pandemic, in 2019. Mainland visitors have returned, but are opting for day-long budget group tours and photo-taking instead of spending big. All this is happening despite efforts to stimulate the nighttime economy. All this spells trouble for Hong Kong’s retail sector.

Varsity talks to those going across the border to learn how big these cost differences are, and to economics professors with predictions of the future of Hong Kong’s retail scene. We also take a trip to Temple Street – a site of the city’s Night Vibes Campaign – to see what Hong Kong’s typical souvenir stores are lacking.

In our 170th issue, we dive into stories of the youth all around the world, from cadets getting involved in this year’s Taiwan election, Vietnamese students paying agencies exorbitant costs to study abroad, and children celebrating their birthdays thanks to a Hong Kong charity. In our People’s section we interview ultra marathoner Steve Lo Chun-yin, London-based performer Jarita Wan Cheuk-yin using acting to teach Cantonese to immigrants, and a mysterious artist who leaves pipe cleaner figures around university campus.

Enjoy your read!

Liam Hordijk

Chief Editor

Running With the Disabled

April 3, 2024

A Hong Kong runner on his first ultramarathon and how it inspired him.

By Winnie Li

Ultramarathon runner Steve Lo Chun-yin is the first Hong Konger to finish a marathon distance of 42.195-kilometres-plus on each of the seven continents and the North Pole, doing so in 2015.

“The duration and the distance of an ultramarathon is quite long, and most of the competitions are in nature, so participants can enjoy time by themselves and talk to themselves. It is the me-time that I cannot experience in the city,” Lo says.

Lo began running ultramarathons after his boss shared that he ran alongside elderly and disabled people in the Marathon des Sables, a seven-day 250-kilometre ultramarathon in the Sahara Desert.

“I am not looking for a sense of success. I just want to see the blind running in the competition with my eyes to find out how they do that and finish the competition,” Lo says.

*Steve Lo Chun-Yin has run in the North Pole twice – in 2013 and in 2017 – and noted the laps running for the same distance increased due to global warming. (Photo courtesy of Steve Lo Chun-yin)*

Following his passion for running, Lo founded Wheel for Oneness (WFO) in 2017.

“I want to help those with disabilities take part in marathons in groups so that they can experience it and get the chance to communicate with people,” he says.

In 2018, Lo organised a team of around 40 people to bring three disabled children in rickshaws to join a 100 km ultramarathon held in the Gobi Desert.

Lo is also a guide for blind runners. “It’s not only about the path that you are running. It’s also about helping them understand the whole environment,” Lo says.

“The biggest task is to first understand them. After that, you will find out that it (guide running) is just a way to get to know a new friend. It is just that the friend cannot see well,” Lo adds.

Recalling his first run in Sahara in 2012, there were moments that Lo wanted to give up.

During the race, Lo suffered from blisters on his feet that made it difficult for him to walk. He also had diarrhoea after drinking water with sand inside, and began to feel unwell after finishing 10km.

“I thought of giving up,” Lo says, but he continued the race.

“There was a team of French firefighters who brought a disabled runner with them using a rickshaw. When I got lost, I found marks left by them and found the next checkpoint and finally finished the run,” Lo adds.

He was inspired by the firefighters who helped the disabled runner.

“The firefighters took turns to cross the finishing line carrying the disabled participants,” Lo recalls.

Wanting to do the same, he then bought rickshaws of his own and set up WFO.

Lo received a lot of criticism when he first started his NGO since some thought he was only doing it for fame.

“The part that hurt me most is that those who we are helping also think so. But I never thought of giving up, as it is normal for people to have different thoughts of me,” Lo says.

When he resigned from work in 2018, his wife was supportive of his plan. Lo now brings his family to do volunteering with him.

“We can spend time with each other, and I can also educate my daughter to help others,” says Lo.

*Steve Lo Chun-Yin running in the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon in January 2024.*

Lo now does school visits to share stories of his life lessons from running with students.

*Steve Lo Chun-Yin sharing his life thoughts and experiences in competitions with students.*

“School is a critical time to shape one’s personality and values, that’s why I keep going to schools to share my thoughts. I think it’s important for teenagers to understand the importance of contributing to society, and I hope they can make the society healthier in the future,” Lo says.

Edited by Liam Hordijk

Sub-edited by Nicole Li

Young Blood in Taiwanese Politics

April 3, 2024

More Young Taiwanese Join Parties Pushing for Change.

By Pauline Yau

As a member of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Youth, holding dialogue sessions with lawmakers and young people, taking part in election campaigns and making videos for social media posts are on university student Tsai Ping-an’s duty list.

Tsai joined DPP’s youth organization in 2021. He helped solicit votes at the 2022 Taipei mayor election for DPP’s candidate Chen Shih-chung and the four major referendums in 2021 for issues ranging from environment, and energy to food safety.

In January 2024, Tsai helped (DPP) president-elect Willian Lai Ching-te to solicit votes in the 2024 presidential election.

The 21-year-old says the 2019 social movement in Hong Kong is a wake-up call for him.

“The social movement has made us cherish what (democracy) we have now. We realize how easily it can be taken away,” the National Taiwan Normal University student says.

“There is only one president, and 113 legislators in Taiwan. It is not enough to rely on them alone to make Taiwan a better place. People like us, as their team members and supporters, also have to work hard to help Taiwan move forward,” Tsai says.

He has met many others in his peer group who share the same core values as him at campaign rallies and activities held by DPP.

“Taiwanese of all ages know that our road to democracy has always been rocky. We now enjoy freedom of speech after 38 years of martial law. We can protest. We must work hard to protect our system,” he adds.

Tsai Ping-an, a cadre of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Youth, in the DPP’s campaign headquarters.

Among 19.3 million voters, one million are first-time voters, amounting to six per cent of the total population according to Taiwan’s Central Election Commission. Meanwhile, at least a quarter of voters are between 20-40 years old. The figures show that young voters have a significant impact on the outcome of the election.

In Taiwan, citizens aged 20 years old or above are eligible voters.

Taking My Opinions Into the Legislative Yuan

Li Guan-ting, another university student, shares Cai’s view about civic participation, but does not share his choice of political party. Li joined the Taiwan People’s Party’s (TPP) Youth Organisation in 2022.

“Even though I am not an official member of the political party, I can express my opinion to party members. I hope the party considers my opinion when drafting policy proposals which are submitted to the government,” Li says.

In 2023, he met TPP’s vice-president candidate Cynthia Wu Hsin-ying to discuss issues related to sovereign wealth fund, a state-owned investment fund that invests in real and financial assets such as stocks, bonds, and real estate, at the Legislative Yuan.

“I worry about the sustainability of sovereign wealth funds. It might be hollowed out, leading to financial loss for the public. Cynthia Wu agreed that there are policies that can be formulated to prevent such issues by studying experience in other countries,” Li recalls.

Apart from taking part in policy discussions, Li also runs community services with funding from the party.

“We are not paid. The party distributes funds to us so that we can run community services that we are passionate about, such as taking stray cats and dogs to be vaccinated,” Li says.

Li says there are more opportunities for young people to voice their views in TPP, which was established in 2019, compared with the other two major parties with a longer history, namely DPP and Kuomintang (KMT).

“KMT is a party that is 105 years old. It is less likely to make big changes to the system and the political environment. The two parties have political models that they have been following for years. While it is a relatively stable system, it also means that innovation is rare,” he says.

Li Guan-ting, Taiwan People’s Party’s Youth Organisation member after joining TTP’s campaign rally.

“If You don’t Care about Politics, Politics doesn’t Care about You.”

University student Lo Yung-sheng has a different view from Li and prefers joining a political party with a long history.

The 22-year-old student joined KMT as a youth league leader in 2022. He thinks the 105-year-old party is pragmatic when dealing with issues such as relations with mainland China, the economy, and the environment.

“KMT’s pragmatic approach can unite the people in Taiwan and really help Taiwan move forward,” he says.

When having discussion with older party members, Lo says that he does not necessarily always have to agree with them.

Among all matters, Lo feels especially frustrated about the visit to the office of Beijing’s envoy to Hong Kong by KMT’s Han Kuo-yu, now the speaker of the island’s legislature, in 2019.

“Taiwanese people are heartbroken about what happened in Hong Kong. I think it is inappropriate for him to do so,” Lo says.

Han, who was then the mayor of Taiwan’s southern city of Kaohsiung, became the first Taiwanese mayor to visit the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Hong Kong, in 2019.

Han’s actions sparked controversies. The visit was interpreted by political commentators as a “political act that falls under the One Country, Two Systems framework.”

Despite his disagreements with Han’s stance on Hong Kong, Lo admits Han has merit regarding stabilizing support from older citizens and protecting national security in Taiwan.

Regarding his peers’ cold attitudes towards politics, Lo insists on voicing out.

“If you do not care about politics, you do not care about your own life. If you do not care about your own life, what you desire will be taken away by politics,” he says.

KMT’s Youth League’s leader Lo Yung-sheng (right) at the KMT campaign rally.

Young People Lining Up to Join Political Parties

Jeremy Chiang Huai-Che, an associate research fellow of the Foundation for Future Generation points out young people usually are the group that has little interest in politics in most democratic countries.

“But since democracy in Taiwan is still relatively young, youngsters in Taiwan are more passionate about politics,” he says.

The number of young people aged under 40 joining KMT’s young league has been increasing since 2020, from 3676 in 2020 to 6236 in 2022, showing a growth rate of around 69 per cent, according to KMT Organisational Development Committee’s statistics.

Meanwhile, ne arly 85 per cent of TPP’s members are under the age of 45, according to TTP’s official statistics.

“Young people became very active in political participation during the Sunflower Student Movement in 2014,” Chiang says.

In 2014, students protested against the passing of the Cross-Strait Service Trade Agreement by the then ruling KMT at the legislature without a clause-by-clause review. The youngsters perceived the agreement with the People’s Republic of China would harm Taiwan’s economy. They occupied the Legislative Yuan as an act of defiance.

Chiang adds that Ko Wen-je, a presidential candidate for the 2024 election, has helped encourage more young people to participate in politics.

“Ko Wen-je has made use of young people’s dissent regarding the economy to gain support in the presidential election. He has also successfully gained support from the young with social media tactics,” Chiang says.

“Most young people are interested in politics now, even those who are too young to experience the Sunflower Movement,” he says.

Edited by Kamun Lai

Sub-edited by Charlotte Wu

Agencies Aiding Vietnamese Students’ Scholarship Hunt

April 2, 2024

Vietnamese students are turning to agencies to secure scholarships for overseas studies.

By Chloe Nguyen

To realise her dream of studying abroad, Nguyễn Hương Trà* had to rely on an agency to help with her university admission and scholarship.

“My family spent 100 million Vietnamese dong (US $4,028.08) for a one-on-one mentoring service for me to apply to nine U.S. colleges,” she says.

This fee is 12 times the average monthly salary in Vietnam in 2023, which is 7.9 million Vietnamese dong (US $318.22), according to figures from the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.

But the return was good, since she followed the advice given to her and was admitted to Gettysburg College in December 2022 with a HK$1,033,051.80 (US $132,000) scholarship in total.

“Studying abroad has always been my childhood dream because I want to go to school in a developed country and experience different cultures,” the business-major student says.

The first-year student says the agency worked with her for one and a half years, starting when she was in grade 10 until she received admission and scholarship results in December 2022.

Gettysburg College, where Vietnamese students accounted for over a quarter of international undergraduates in Fall 2023, according to the university. (Photo courtesy of Nguyễn Hương Trà)

Consultants from the agency looked through her profile and advised her on how to polish it such as by taking the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) and the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test, joining extracurricular activities focusing on leadership, and joining competitions about solving business problems.

“They guaranteed that I can get into the top 50 U.S. liberal arts colleges by following their plan,” Nguyễn says.

“Without the scholarship, my family cannot afford my study in the U.S. because tuition fees for international students and living expenses are very expensive. It costs about HK$626,092 (US $80,000) a year at Gettysburg,” the 18-year-old student says.

She adds that her family’s monthly household income is 40 million Vietnamese dong (US $1,611.23).

Nguyễn admits she was clueless about what to do to secure a scholarship and could not handle all the complicated application documents without outside help.

“The agency’s service fee is high but it is worth it when compared with the amount of scholarship I got”, she says.

In 2023, there were more than one million high school graduates in Vietnam. 494,488 of them continued their studies in Vietnam and about 40,000 of them studied abroad, according to the Ministry of Education and Training of Vietnam.

The number of Vietnamese students studying in the U.S. jumped from 18,722 in the academic year 2014/2015, to 24,392 students in 2018/2019, figures from the Institute of International Education show.

Hồ Trung Thành, a student at the University of Wollongong in Australia, also resorted to an agency’s service when applying to three universities in the country.

“I spent 25 million Vietnamese dong (US $1,007.02) on the agency’s service. I wrote an application, they reviewed it and filed it to universities on my behalf,” he says.

“My family is willing to spend that amount for me to study because they want me to work in Australia after graduation and earn permanent residency (P.R.). Having P.R. helps me find jobs easier because the company does not need to sponsor my work visa which costs a lot of money and requires paperwork,” Hồ adds.

Hồ Trung Thành’s revision materials for cramming, having been told by an agency to get at least a GPA of 9.0 out of 10 to get a scholarship in Australia. (Photo courtesy of Hồ Trung Thành)

Hồ wants to work in Australia because he dislikes the working environment in Vietnam.

“Most companies there have a culture of working overtime and on weekends. Salary is much lower compared to Australia, where work-life balance is much better,” he says.

The student majoring in communication and media points out that his major is on Australia’s priority migration skilled occupation list so it is easier for him to earn P.R.

He admits that applying through an agency is faster than applying on his own because the agency has a partnership with the universities he applied to.

“I received admission and scholarship results only two weeks after application submission, while applicants without help from agencies waited for three months,” the 18-year-old student adds.

Đinh Thị Thanh Hoa, who has been running a study consultancy agency for seven years, observes that there is an increasing number of students seeking scholarships to go abroad.

Đinh reveals from 2017 to 2019, she only had 287 students, but the number rocketed to 3,000 in 2023.

“Many Vietnamese students want to study overseas, but most of them do not have enough financial capacity, so they need to apply for scholarships,” Đinh explains.

“One-on-one mentorship has the highest success rate of students getting a scholarship. That costs 16 million Vietnamese dong (US $644.49) per application,” Đinh says.

She stresses mentors do not write applications for students, they only give students guidance.

Letter awarding Nguyễn Hương Trà the David Wills scholarship, an academic merit scholarship. (Photo courtesy of Nguyễn Hương Trà)

Lê Đình Hiếu, a PhD candidate in education at Johns Hopkins University, observes there are 700,000 Vietnamese secondary school final-year students researching or applying to study abroad every year.

“But only about half of these students make it,” he says.

Lê says students want to study abroad for many reasons such as to find better jobs, experience multicultural environments, and immigrate.

The former director of admissions at Vin University in Vietnam conducted surveys on over 5,000 Vietnamese families and found that they wanted to seek high-quality education that was not easily found in Vietnam.

“About 60 per cent of the families polled who send their children abroad want them to settle down in that country,” the educator says.

“Around 10 to 15 per cent of students I talked to want to study abroad because of peer pressure. Friends around them study abroad so they also want to do it or else they feel they are not doing better than others. But half of them cannot afford to do so,” Lê adds.

He points out average income in Vietnam is low compared to developed countries and the cost of studying overseas is expensive.

Lê says one way to reduce the cost is to apply for a scholarship.

“There is no shortcut, no predefined path, and no universal formula for students in applying for scholarships,” he adds.

*Name changed at interviewee’s request.

Edited by Nutcha Hunsanimitkul

What to Buy in Hong Kong?

April 2, 2024

Tourists do not find old fashioned Hong Kong souvenirs in Temple Street appealing.

By Alexia Leung

Taking advantage of his own textile business, Keith Mok is making Hong Kong souvenirs such as coin bags, backpacks and shopping bags patterned with minibus signs, MTR station names and neon sign boards which are displayed at his shop in Sham Shui Po Fabric Market.

“We are still developing new products that highlight unique features of Hong Kong. We are going to produce crossbody bags and drawstring bags using fabrics with mahjong and minibus signs patterns to make it look more stylish,” the 26-year-old shop owner says.

“Both Hongkongers and tourists (buy these products)… Half of the tourists are from Europe, US and Australia. The other half are from Malaysia, Taiwan and Singapore,” he adds.

Coin bags are sold for HK $50 (US $6.39) each and the shopping bags are sold for HK $180 (US $23.02) each.

*The Hong Kong patterned pouches that are sold for $50 each*

“Our products are a bit more expensive than others because the products are made in Hong Kong by Hong Kong tailors, the sewing process is complicated and the fabrics are imported from Japan,” Mok says.

In an attempt to expand his business to reach out to more tourists, Mok is putting up pop-up stores in D2 Place and the Mills. “We will have a spot in the Central Market soon,” he adds.

While Mok is developing new Hong Kong souvenirs, vendors at Temple Street, a popular tourist spot, are still selling products designed decades ago.

Souvenirs such as stuffed pandas, dim sum magnets and Victoria Harbour keychains can be found in Temple Street. Most of them are imported from mainland China. The price ranges from HK $20 (US $2.56) to HK $90 (US $11.51).

Jonathan Schāfer*, a German tourist who came to Hong Kong for the first time, finds the souvenirs in Temple Street are more of a Chinese style than a Hong Kong style.

“The souvenirs here cannot really represent Hong Kong. I think it’s like basic tourism stuff you get all over the world… Some are special compared to other countries like the chopsticks, but it is so basic. It is the typical Asian, Chinese style in the eyes of a Westerner,” the 18-year-old tourist says.

Another German visitor, Manuel Schmidt*, traveled to other Asian countries with his wife before coming to Hong Kong.

“The quality of the souvenirs here is the same as the other countries we were in before, like in Vietnam and Thailand. I think it’s because everything is from China so it is the same quality,”

Thomas Parker, a tourist from England, came to Temple Street only for sightseeing.

“I don’t want to spend a lot on souvenirs here. I’m just looking around… exploring… I like the atmosphere here. Everything looks the same, so I can’t tell much about the quality,” he says.

*Mainland imported souvenirs that are sold at Temple Street*

Tourists are not the only ones struggling to find special souvenirs. Hongkonger Matthew Chung* is having a hard time finding souvenirs for his Taiwanese friend.

“The souvenirs… the stuffed toys… you wouldn’t know that it is from Hong Kong. There’s not many Hong Kong features. You wouldn’t buy souvenirs here for friends, especially for foreign friends, there is nothing special,” the 60-year-old man says.

Chan Kam-wing, Chairman of the Yau Ma Tei Temple Street Association of Hawkers and Shop Operators, says they hope to collaborate with hawkers who sell dry goods to sell some packaged food such as fish maws, dry scallop, salted fish, walnut cookies and century egg puffs as Hong Kong souvenirs.

“The dry goods at Temple Street can also be souvenirs. For example, ‘I Love HK’ T-shirts, Hong Kong landmark keychains, cartoon keychains and Hong Kong luggage tags. These are things that have Hong Kong features and can be sold as souvenirs,” he adds.

Chan aims to turn Temple Street into a souvenir street by first persuading the hawkers to introduce new souvenirs, and local brands such as Kee Wah Bakery and Bee Cheng Hiang can also set up stores at Temple Street.

In response to Varsity’s enquiry, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) says that they will continue to develop more special tourism products and introduce new experiences for tourists.

“Promoting tourism through mega events and reinforcing Hong Kong’s position as the Events Capital of Asia…Developing more special tourism products and experiences in collaboration with the travel trade focusing on potential markets and visitor segments, to attract visitors from different source markets to come to Hong Kong,” the board says in an email.

*Names changed at interviewees’ request

Sub-edited by Liam Hordijk

A Journey of Becoming a Chinese Musical Performer

April 2, 2024

Performer Angelina Zhu Zirong shares the story of her musical journey.

By Bliss Zhu

Starring in Hamlet, an adapted Chinese musical production based on Shakespeare’s classic, Zhu Zirong toured 12 cities and 21 shows around China, acting as Queen Gertrude in 2023.

“Every time I’m on the stage I go through a different life journey through music. It is amazing to perform in musicals,” the 39-year-old performer says.

She has performed in 19 different musicals including Broadway musicals. She acted as Mother and Eros in Once On An Island, and Marta in Company. She also produced the Chinese version of the Off-Broadway musical in 2021, Tick Tick Boom, which is a musical that premiered in 2001 in New York.

*Curtain call photo of the cast of the original musical Hamlet at the end of its tour in Jinan. (Photo courtesy of Angelina Zhu Zirong)*

In recent years, Zhu participated in many original Chinese musicals such as The Orphan of Zhao(趙氏孤兒).

“Artists have little room for interpretations when performing adapted versions of foreign musicals, as they want to respect the mature original scripts. I prefer to do original Chinese musicals which give me all the space I want to perform the role with my understanding and interpretations,” she says.

Her passion for musicals can be traced back to 2003 in a singing performance at her high school. She sang so well that she won the admiration of a teacher from a musical college.

“She asked me:’ Do you want to learn musical performance?’ But actually, I did not know what it was,” she recalls.

The teacher introduced two classical musicals Les Misérables and Jesus Christ Superstar to her and she instantly fell in love with this type of art.

“I share the feelings and inner thoughts of those characters and even know the development of a whole thing from a single song,” she says.

Pursuing her love for musicals, Zhu studied at the Shanghai Conservatory Of Music between 2003 and 2008.

During that period, the musical industry in China was mainly dominated by foreign works such as Les Miserables and The Lion King, according to the China Economic Network, the largest economic information portal website in mainland China. In 2010, many companies began to produce Chinese versions of Broadway musicals.

“At that time, it was difficult to find teaching materials about musicals. When I studied musical theatre in Shanghai, I bought pirated discs of British, American, and French productions,” Zhu recalls.

Apart from listening to others’ work, Zhu also joined a band as a vocal singer. She ran for roles in many Chinese versions of Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals.

In 2017, Zhu acted in the Chinese version of Murder Ballad, an American rock musical launched in New York in 2012.

“I learnt a lot because I played two characters with completely different backgrounds and personalities. I enjoy challenging myself to perform for two roles at the same time,” she says.

To get ready for the two roles, Zhu learned from the stories and songs to know more about the characters and how to interpret the roles.

*A group photo of the four main stars of the Chinese version of the Off-Broadway rock musical Murder Ballad, with Angelina Zhu Zirong in it. (Photo courtesy of Angelina Zhu Zirong)*

To cater to the Chinese audiences, she also studies how to change some lines in the original script and adapt them to the Chinese context.

“I discussed adaptations with the director… like how to express English slang in Chinese that resonates better with audiences,” she adds.

Zhu Zirong shares that there are so many scripts and roles she wants to play in Chinese traditional stories.

Zhu observes that more Chinese classics have been turned into musicals such as No Longer Human, The late Emperor of the Southern Tang Dynasty(南唐後主), and The Orphan of Zhao in which she had a role.

“More classical foreign musicals are introduced into the Chinese musical market after the border was reopened in post-covid, which allows Chinese artists to learn from the mature production of classics and apply them to local productions,” Zhu says.

She thinks that the commercial incentive is important for developing the Chinese musical industry.

“If production companies want more audiences to pay for their work, they need to focus on the work and script which must be well-developed with creativity,” she says.

“We can import foreign works… and I hope we can export our own creative work too. I think the Chinese musical industry will have more original productions in the coming decade for audiences around the world,” she adds.

Sub-edited by Kamun Lai

*Theme picture (Photo courtesy of Angelina Zhu Zirong)

Shenzhen: Student Hotspot for Cheap Thrills

April 2, 2024

Students in Hong Kong spend money in Shenzhen for cheaper prices and more diverse choices

By Celina Lu

University student Shay Xie Chengxi, who lives in Fanling, goes to Shenzhen with his friends every weekend.

“I go to Shenzhen for a day of fun. It costs me about RMB ¥300 (US $41.47) to watch a movie, dine out and sing karaoke. If I do the same things in Hong Kong, it probably costs me RMB ¥500 (US $69.11),” the 23-year-old student says.

Shay shares that a hotpot meal with five people in Shenzhen costs about RMB ¥100 (US $13.82) per head, which is half the price of a meal in Hong Kong.

“In Hong Kong a hotpot meal costs at least RMB ¥200 (US $27.65). Pricing is a strong reason for me to go to Shenzhen. Also, I eat cuisine that I cannot find in Hong Kong, such as Xinjiang food like charcoal grilled beef and lamb,” he says.

*Having Xinjiang grilled meat in Shenzhen.*

Another university student, Felix Shangguan Yuqian, also goes to Shenzhen every weekend.

“Dining out is the highlight of my week. I choose to go to Shenzhen to spend money because of cheaper cost and better quality of service,” the 23-year-old student says.

“You can get a delicious meal with two to three dishes in Shenzhen for RMB ¥40-50 (US $5.53-6.91) if you order takeout, and it usually only costs RMB ¥100 (US $13.82) if you go to a restaurant. But in Hong Kong, it costs you RMB ¥150-200 (US $20.73-27.65) for dining in,” he says.

“About the quality of service, there’s usually no time limit for dining in Shenzhen, and the waiters are more polite,” he adds.

Other than eating out, Shangguan also has his hair cut once a month in Shenzhen.

“A simple haircut in Hong Kong costs RMB ¥60-70 (US $8.29-9.68), compared with RMB ¥20 (US $2.77) across the border,” Shangguan says.

“If you want a fine haircut at a high-end salon, it costs RMB ¥300-400 (US $41.47-55.29) in Hong Kong. But it only costs about RMB ¥100 (US $13.82) in mainland China. Colouring and perming are also more expensive in Hong Kong. And the skills of hair stylists in Shenzhen are much better,” he adds.

Apart from cheaper spending on food and services, university students also flock to Shenzhen for leisure activities.

University student Ivy Shi Yuhan visits Shenzhen at least once a week and sometimes stays overnight there.

“I usually go to Shenzhen to join role-play games, sing karaoke, play board games, have a massage or a drink with friends,” she says.

*Enjoying the facilities of party rooms in Shenzhen.*

According to the data provided by the Dianping app, the per capita consumption of entertainment activities such as Live Action Role Playing (LARP) games, escape room games, KTVs, board game parlours, and massage shops in Hong Kong cost RMB ¥50-200 (US $6.91-27.65), while the price is RMB ¥30-150 (US $4.15-20.73) in Shenzhen.

“The entertainment venues in Hong Kong are relatively small and old, and prices are expensive. Unlike in Shenzhen, where pricing is cheap and the venue is more spacious and well-maintained,” the Year Two student explains.

Shenzhen’s KTV facilities feature large screens.

Professor Haiyan Song from the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University points out cost is the major factor for people going to Shenzhen to spend.

“The living costs in Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Zhuhai are much cheaper. The demand for consumption is determined by price, so that’s why a lot of people go to these cities instead of staying in Hong Kong,” Song says.

But Song believes the spending pattern will not last long. “When the economic situation in China improves, more tourists will come to Hong Kong. We forecast that Hong Kong will recover to the 2018 level by the end of 2025,” he says.

The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) says they will step up promotion through different strategies to attract visitors to visit Hong Kong.

“Promoting tourism through mega events and reinforcing Hong Kong’s position as the Events Capital of Asia; attracting high value-added visitors and stepping up the development of Meetings, Incentive travels, Conventions, and Exhibitions by tapping into Hong Kong’s advantage as the ‘World’s Meeting Place’,” the board says in a reply.

Edited by Cynthia Hu

Sub-edited by Liam Hordijk

From Pikachu to Poetry: Su Embroidery

April 2, 2024

Su Embroidery blends tradition with modern artistry

By Zora Yan

Embroidery master Zhang Xue combines traditional Su embroidery techniques with the image of Pikachu, a popular Japanese anime character, to create a folding fan.

Invited by the production team of the Japanese movie POKÉMON Detective Pikachu, Zhang then spent six months creating this handmade artwork featuring the cartoon character.

Zhang sent the folding fan as a gift to Ryan Rodney Reynolds, who did the voice of Pikachu in the film at a press conference when launching the movie in 2019.

“No one could have imagined that Su embroidery could be applied in this way,” the 36-year-old craftsman says.

*Pikachu Embroidery Artwork made by Zhang Xue. (Photo courtesy of Zhang Xue)*

Su embroidery refers to the sewing style in the Suzhou region, originating in the Chunqiu Dynasty. There are a total of four embroidery styles in China and the other three are Xiang from Hunan, Shu from Sichuan, and Yue from Guangzhou.

Zhang’s family has been engaged in Su embroidery for several generations. His journey as a craftsman began when he was four.

“My ideas differ from others as I don’t follow the traditional way of sewing paintings and patterns. I aspire to create modern Su embroideries such as the minimalist style featuring simplicity and a monochromatic palette of black and white that young people like,” he says.

In 2015, Zhang started his embroidery studio in Zhenghu, Suzhou. Unlike traditional embroidery artwork, which mostly features flowers and landscapes or follows specific patterns, he wants to do new inventions with Su embroidery.

“I am a big fan of ancient Chinese poetry and paintings, and I find inspiration from them. I also develop ideas from daily life elements like cloud shapes and TV programmes,” Zhang says.

Inspired by a TV programme about astronomy, Zhang created an artwork titled “Starry Sky” in 2016. He applied over 20 traditional needlework techniques that were on the verge of being lost to this modern artwork. The work is now being exhibited at the WorldSkills Museum in Shanghai, the first museum showcasing professional skills worldwide.

Zhang, who used to be a teacher at Suzhou Art & Design Technology Institute, has also become an inspiration for others.

“I have a male student in my class, and he told his parents about my embroidery. I was truly shocked when he successfully convinced his parents to let him choose Su embroidery,” he says.

He also observes an increasing interest in embroidery among young people.

“I think it’s good because more young people are keeping this cultural heritage alive, so it won’t disappear,” the master says.

With over 40 years of experience in Su embroidery, Xu Wenying, an arts and crafts master from Suzhou, also finds more young people learning embroidery at her studio.

“I used to think that young women nowadays are unwilling to learn Su embroidery and prefer working. I am surprised that many young people still want to create their own textile product,” Xu says.

*Xu Wenying in ‘Xu Wenying Embroidery Studio. (Photo courtesy of Xu Wenyin*

Xu is now running Su embroidery courses for people to experience and learn the skill. Most are university students in their 20s and 30s.

The youngest student is a 12-year-old girl, Dai Ruiwen, who takes a four-hour high speed train ride from Tianjin to learn embroidery.

“I have always loved making my own handicrafts. I came across social media posts about Su embroidery when surfing online. I want to learn it,” Dai says.

She had a great sense of achievement after spending eight hours making the basic patterns of Su embroidery with the help of her master.

“I will continue learning Su embroidery in the future because I think it is a meaningful thing to do, and I hope I can help promote this culture in the future,” she says.

Xu’s son, Pu Hongtao, is running a social media account to promote his mother’s embroidery business.

“I am surprised that even primary school pupils are willing to travel from other cities to Suzhou to learn Su embroidery,” Pu says

Many young people born in the 1990s and 2000s from various parts of China have contacted Pu through his Chinese social media account on Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) to come to Suzhou and learn Su embroidery from his mother.

“It is a wonderful thing to see so many young people becoming more interested in embroidery. Their dedication is impressive because not many young people nowadays are willing or able to engage in such time-consuming handicrafts patiently,” Pu adds.

Edited by Sean Pan

Sub-edited by Sunnie Wu

Birthday Party as Blessing

April 2, 2024

NGO spreads love and blessings by holding birthday parties for underprivileged children.

By Hanne Chan

Having a birthday party is not a given for every child, and Edward Fernandes has seen many struggle to have a meal on their special days.

“I’ve seen a little boy finishing a whole plate of spaghetti within two to three seconds,” Fernandes, who founded Birthday Happiness Asia, recalls of a party hosted one and a half years ago.

“The little boy told me he did not have good food very often when he was gulping the pasta. I told him to slow down. There were lots at the party. He could take the food away with a lunchbox if he wanted to,” Fernandes adds.

Missing out on an important part of childhood, Fernandes set up the organisation with his wife Marilou Edora in 1994 to host birthday parties for the needy.

“I came from a poor single-parent family in the Philippines. My sister and I never celebrated our birthdays, neither my wife, as our parents couldn’t afford one,” he says.

The NGO nearly collapsed when Fernandes’ wife was battling cancer. The service stopped for a year until 2021, when he resurrected the service in memory of his late wife.

“My wife saw it not only as a birthday party. She tried to give them more hope and something to hang on to in the future. You just never know, maybe a joyous memory can save one’s life,” Fernandes says.

Edward Fernandes with a picture of his late wife Marilou Edora.

About 1.65 million people in Hong Kong – nearly one-quarter of the citizens – are living below the official poverty line, according to the latest Hong Kong Poverty Situation Report published by the government in 2020. Calculated at half of the city’s median monthly income, the poverty line stands at HK$4,400 (US $562.22) for one person and HK$20,400 (US $2606.67) for a four-person household.

Among one million children in Hong Kong, 274,900 of them live under the poverty line.

Fernandes vows he will continue his service to spread joy to needy children.

“Even in a wealthy place like Hong Kong, there are 30,000 children living in cage homes. It’s laughable – it’s not laughable, it’s very sad – I can’t do anything about it, what we can do is just spread a little birthday happiness to the children,” the founder says.

He adds: “But it doesn’t mean we give up, we carry on.”

The organisation now has about 200 volunteers organising birthday parties for grassroots children, orphans, ethnic minorities and children with Down syndrome and autism.

Volunteers host birthday parties three to four times monthly. They decorate a venue, design games, prepare gifts and food, and even bake cakes for birthday boys and girls.

Homemade cakes and nourishing food are the must-haves. “They are made with love and affection, that is the difference between bought cakes (and homemade cakes),” Fernandes says.

“Most of these children don’t eat nourishing food, and they may never taste a well-made cake again. But at least they have something to remember,” he adds.

“For the gifts, no toy promoting violence, sex or racism is allowed. This is the only guideline. Apart from that, I always let them (the team leader) take over the parties,” the founder says.

Celebrants cutting a birthday cake together.
(Photo courtesy of Bianca Bernardino)

One of the team leaders, Eve Lo, is responsible for contacting social workers, gathering volunteers, and leading parties.

“Many of those kids live under tension, struggling in poverty and family problems. What I wish is that they walk away knowing that there are good spirits in society, and there are strangers who care for them,” the 67-year-old woman says.

Lo was deeply touched by the spirit of the organisation and joined one and a half years ago.

“I got to know the organisation from a news article in the South China Morning Post, and then immediately decided to apply for volunteer work. I’m not promising to change the world, but I’m happy that I gave a little happiness to someone,’ she says.

The group is working with other partnering organisations like Caritas, Sau Mau Ping Catholic Primary School, Love21, and the Society for Community Organization (SoCO) for venues and referrals of children.

Tim Tse, a social worker of the SoCO, believes such services can benefit disadvantaged children.

“The activity empowers the underprivileged group by acknowledging to them the power and rights they have. More promotion (for the NGO) is needed. The group is still unknown to many, especially those who need their service,” Tse says.

Edited by Sunnie Wu