Scavenging to Survive

December 29, 2022

Scavengers strive to make a living while escaping from the eyes of the hygiene officers.

By Amelie Yeung

Almost every evening, elderly woman Susan Tang* does her best to flee when uniformed officers from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) approach.

Scavenging is a risky business as FEHD officers could confiscate her collection on the charges of street obstruction. Tang scavenges on the streets of To Kwa Wan and typically flees from the officers once a day when they patrol the area. If she fails, she will be fined HK$1500.

Officers from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department frequently patrol the streets for public health.

“I just wish they would leave me alone. I’m only trying to get a few extra bills,” Tang says.

The monthly income of a scavenger is HK$9000 a month, which is lower than that of the minimum wage, according to a 2021 report by Waste Picker Platform, a subsidiary body under the Mission to New Arrivals Limited’s School of Poverty Caring (SPC).

“I mostly collect cardboard and Styrofoam boxes. On a good night, I earn HK$20,” the 77-year-old says. For every kilogram of cardboard she collects, she gets only HK$0.8.

Tang splits her time between scavenging and raising her grandson, so she does not spend as much time scavenging as other full-time scavengers.

Every night at 6 p.m., Tang gets her first round of cardboard from stores such as fruit and vegetable stalls. The second round comes at 10 p.m. when restaurants close.

Tang piles the scavenged material on her trolley after cutting the boxes and laying them flat. She then wheels her trolley to the alleys, where they remain for the night.

The next day, Tang sells them to recycling businesses after spraying them with water to make them heavier. She finds them hard to transit with added weight, but the water is necessary.

“More weight, more money, even if it hurts my back,” Tang explains.

Being a widow, she takes care of her only grandchild who is in primary one. Her son died a few years ago, leaving behind his wife.

“My daughter-in-law doesn’t care about my grandson or me. She parties all day and never come home,” says Tang.

Unable to qualify for the Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) as her assets slightly exceed the limit, Tang and her grandson rely on her savings and her old age allowance, which is HK$1,290 a month.

“I don’t think the savings are enough, not for raising my grandson. So what else can I do but scavenge?” she says.

Citywide Cleanup

This August, the Hong Kong government launched a three-month programme named “Tackling Hygiene Black Spots”. The initiative will clean 600 hygiene black spots in the community to stop waste accumulation and rodent problems.

According to FEHD, its primary concern is the maintenance of environmental hygiene, especially issues aroused by scavenging activities. Enforcement priority is given to cases that obstruct cleansing operations, an offense under section 22(1)(a) of the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap. 132).

FEHD will issue a notice to the owner of the article obstructing the operation to remove it within four hours.

“Enforcing cleanliness on the streets strictly appears to reduce environmental hygiene issues, but in reality, the core problems remain. When enforcements are relaxed, the hygiene issues will return,” says Peter Chiu Yat-fai, Ministry Coordinator of SPC.

“Even if you improve the elderly welfare program or elderly employment, scavengers will still exist because some of them enjoy the flexibilities of the job,” he says.

Ministry Coordinator Peter Chiu Yat-fai teaches workshops to educate people on the issue of scavengers. (Photo Courtesy of Waste Picker Platform)

“Scavengers are accused of causing hygiene issues. For that, they have been driven away, complained about, given a ticket, or even insulted,” he continues.

Waste Picker Platform hopes more people can learn the importance of scavengers to the city.

“We host workshops with human libraries so that participants, most of them students, will understand more about scavengers and their contribution towards society,” Chiu says. A human library refers to a person who shares their stories with listeners.

“What scavengers really need is a friendly space for them in the community,” he says.

Waste Picker representatives visit scavengers to understand what they need. (Photo Courtesy of Waste Picker Platform)

While Hong Kong is having its citywide cleaning activity, New York City also initiated the “Get Stuff Clean” campaign in November this year. Under the USD14.5 million plan, the government hopes cleaner streets and rodent eradication will improve the quality of life for its citizens.

A Precarious Balance

Waste management is completely necessary, according to Professor Hung Chi-tim at the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care (SPHPC).

The Professor of Practice in Health Services Management asserts that it is important to keep back alleys clean and free from obstruction by removing rubbish that accumulates as soon as possible, even if this clashes with scavengers who often cause hygiene issues.

According to Hung, rubbish can become shelters for pests, as well as posing access issues so these areas must be cleaned up for the sake of cityscape and public health.

“It is very noble that some of the elderly people insist on earning their living all by themselves instead of applying for CSSA. Social enterprises should make use of the productivity of elderly scavengers safely so that they can keep their self-esteem and be able to earn some money of their own,” he says.

His sentiments are echoed by Professor Daisy Zhang Dexing, also from SPDPC.

“The government should have clear regulations on whether the items are disposable and where to place and collect the discarded items. Only in this way can scavengers cooperate with the government’s operation as well as help promote community hygiene,” says Zhang.

“Crucially, the welfare of the scavengers should be taken care of by forming a labour union for the unprotected scavengers to get a regular salary. They should not lose their dignity or be discriminated against,” she says.

*Name changed at the interviewee’s request

Sub-edited by Gloria Chan

Farmers Fighting Climate Change in China

December 20, 2022

WechatIMG67 — The bed of Poyang Lake (Photo courtesy of Yu Wentian)

By Fiona Dongye

Yu Wentian, who has been farming all his life, has never seen such a devastating drought, as the water level in Poyang Lake has continued to drop since July.

“My parents are in their seventies. They have never encountered such a serious disaster,” says the 54-year-old farmer, who grows rice on 25 acres of land in Duchang county, Jiangxi province in southern China.

The water level of Poyang Lake, the largest freshwater lake in China, retreated to 6.67 meters in November – the lowest water level on record for the same period since the recording practice was introduced in 1951, according to data from the Jiangxi Provincial Hydrological Monitoring Centre.

“I cannot water more than four acres of my land, and the crops have died. I have lost about RMB ¥110,000 (US $15000) this year,” Yu says.

“As a farmer, the land they own is geographically fixed. Even if they know that there is climate change going on, they cannot move to another place.”

Another farmer Wang Zhixin, who lives in Rongbing Town, Jiangsu Province in the northeast, also suffers from extreme weather in China.

“It has been an extremely hot and dry summer. There was only very little rain and it was sunny most of the time. I usually use water from the well for irrigation. But this year the water has dried up, which has not happened for more than ten years,” says Wang, who has been farming for 21 years.

“Since Jiangsu has always been rich in water resources, I have never thought of buying any irrigation equipment. The extreme weather has caught me off guard. I can only water my field manually this year. The cost of tap water is too high, so I have to fetch water from a river a kilometre away for watering. It has made my farming work a lot harder. But I have no choice,” the farmer who grows various kinds of vegetables such as spinach and honeysuckle adds.

Statistics from the Jiangsu Provincial Climate Centre show that the intensity of high temperatures in Jiangsu this summer is the strongest in 61 years. From June 1 to August 23, the highest temperature in the province was 42.2 ℃, and the number of high-temperature days was 34 in a year, the highest record since 1961.

Data from the Jiangxi Provincial Hydrological Monitoring Centre (Screenshot of the website)

Wang says she lost about RMB ¥2,000 (US $280), nearly half of her monthly income as a farmer, in August, yet has not received any help or subsidies from the government.

“I think the government will only help farmers in areas where disasters are even more serious. Farmers who do not grow staple food such as grains or rice and operate a small scale of planting usually don’t get any help,” she says.

Li Zhao, a researcher at Greenpeace Beijing, has been doing research on climate change since 2018.

“Temperature in mainland China has been increasing in recent years, and extreme climate, including drought and flood, is occurring more frequently. Also, the increase in temperature has led to the increase of pests and pathogens, which affects the output of crops and farmers’ income,” Li says.

Li thinks that farmers are under a lot of pressure when combating climate change.

“As a farmer, the land they own is geographically fixed. Even if they know that there is climate change going on, they cannot move to another place,” she says.

“According to our survey, what farmers need most are insurance subsidies after experiencing natural disasters and other kinds of financial support. Support is also needed in maintaining farmland water conservancy infrastructure,” she further adds.

Professor Zhang Chuanhong of China Agriculture University, says climate change has a significant impact on farmers in China.

“Farmers are forced to adjust their farming plan. For example, some farmers who used to grow rice are now growing sweet potatoes, which need less water, instead,” Zhang says.

She thinks that there is nothing that the farmers can do while the government can step in and improve the infrastructure for agricultural usage.

“Since the climate is unpredictable, it is impossible for farmers to know whether there will be droughts or floods next year. So the most important thing is to improve the conditions of agriculture infrastructure such as construction of wells, the use of groundwater and so on. But all these plans require government effort,” she says.

Zhang says when the farmers are being hit by large-scale climate disasters such as flooding in Henan in 2021 and severe drought in Jiangxi, little can be done.

“Farmers can only rely on subsidies from the government for help,” she says.

Sub-edited by Ryan Li

Dancing on Thin Ice – Editor’s Note

December 6, 2022

Four months after a giant LED screen fell down to the stage at MIRROR’s concert, ripples have not calmed. The incident has put an innocent dancer into paralysis, triggered months-long investigations, and traumatized a great number of fans at the scene.

Our Periscope section probes into individual stories linked with the tragedy. How are fans at the concert recovering? Witnessing a giant object falling onto someone was a big deal, experiencing that at their favorite band’s concert made it even worse. Then how can freelance dancers’ rights be better protected in Hong Kong? For them, getting injured on stage is common. And for a long period of time, the dancers are the only ones facing the risks without proper legal protections yet being underpaid.

A sense of negativity spreads. With the lingering pandemic and waves of emigration, both secondary school students and the elderly in the city seem troubled by depression.

But don’t worry, solutions are available as there are people standing up – Tsang Mei Sze designs industrial workwear catering to workers’ needs and Contrinx voices out for migrant domestic workers’ rights.

Other interesting trends are also covered in this issue of Varsity. In the tech field, Webtoon sweeps South Korea, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) brings controversies over art creation. On social media, “sexual fantasies providers” emerge as a seeming occupation, “glamping” is a lifestyle sold on Chinese social media platform RED, YouTuber Roger Wu shares his Thailand story, Chinese students pay for assignments on WeChat, and a new app called BeReal is gaining popularity.

So please never lose hope. Focus on the good sides and try our best to look for solutions. The world is as colorful as it always was. Enjoy your read!

Ryan Li

Chief Editor

Life after the Mirror Concert

December 5, 2022

Dancers at Mirror concert still reeling from trauma caused by the falling LED screen accident.

By Yika Ng

Passionate dancer David Wong* earns a living by performing in concerts and holding dancing and choreography classes. He is trying hard to overcome the trauma from the horrific accident that happened at the Mirror concert in July 2022.

When the giant LED screen fell down during the performance in the Hong Kong Coliseum and hit fellow dancer Moses Li Kai-yin, the 23-year-old was also on the stage.

“After the accident, I have earned less as some concerts and shows have been cancelled or postponed. I also decided to work less and take a break to mentally recover from witnessing the accident,” he says.

A month after the horrible accident, the dancer performed again at a dance performance. He realised that it had cast a lingering mental impact on him.

“I tend to look up and check if there are any hanging objects above me before performing. I also feel a lot more anxious stepping on the stage after the accident. I cannot explain where exactly my fear comes from, ” Wong says.

A Cut-throat Industry

Apart from trying hard to overcome the trauma brought about by the Mirror concert accident, Wong also struggles to thrive under the keen competition in the dance performing industry.

“Dancers have to fight very hard to earn a spot in (performing in) a concert. There are usually about 80 to 90 dancers fighting for 20 spots in an audition for a concert,” he says.

The Hong Kong dancer says that dancers are paid according to the tiers they belong to.

“There are two tiers of dancers in the dance performing industry: main dancers and minor dancers, and main dancers will earn a higher salary. I consider myself lucky to be recognised as a main dancer and earn more compared to others,” Wong, who started his dancing career only two years ago, explains.

“I tend to look up and check if there are any hanging objects above me before performing. I also feel a lot more anxious stepping on the stage after the accident.”

The dancer thinks that it is unfair to determine a dancer’s salary by categorising dancers into different tiers rather than their talents.

“Some talented dancers may have spent decades in the industry but are only recognised as a minor dancer (and earn less than others). Their hard work cannot be seen by others because they do not have the opportunity to perform in big shows. Even a top-tier dancer may not be able to earn stable income as their income depends a lot on the number of shows he or she are selected to perform in, ” Wong says.

“Dancers and other people in the performing arts industry are often being asked by people around them whether they will change their jobs for a more stable income. I sometimes doubted whether I am making a right choice to stay in the industry,” the dance lover says.

Remiscencing the Good Old Days

Wong has changed his mindset and reconsidered his priorities in life after experiencing the Mirror concert accident. The young dancer realised that his family is the most important thing to him.

“I used to focus more on my work, like whether my dance performance is good or whether I have built a good reputation and can get more job opportunities. After (witnessing) the accident, I understood the importance of cherishing everything I have now,” he says.

He decided to spare more time with his family members, whom he cherishes the most.

“I used to enjoy going out for dinner (with friends) a lot, but I now grab the chance to have dinner at home so that I can spend more time with my family,” Wong says.

After the serious injuries brought by the hit of the LED screen at the Mirror concert, Li has been undergoing medical treatment at the hospital.

“It is hard for us (dancers who performed at the Mirror concert) to accept the fact that our dear friend, (Moses), is seriously injured in the performance. But we have to acknowledge this and started to move on from witnessing the accident,” he says.

The young dancer still struggles a lot on overcoming the mental damages brought by witnessing his friend’s injury in the concert.

“I missed the good old days when dancing is thought to be safe and enjoyable. I now think that the best way for me (to overcome the mental damage) is to live every day to the fullest and let time heals,” he says.

* Name changed at interviewees’ request.

Sub-edited by Ryan Li

Workers Under Record-breaking High Temperature

December 1, 2022

Workers in Hong Kong struggle with constant record-breaking heat waves.

By Iris Jiang

Death Caused by Heat Stroke

May Chan* is convinced that she had lost her husband to an invisible killer – heat, after the 59-year-old construction worker died following an eight-hour shift in a hot basement.

“He worked alone in a poorly ventilated basement. He told me that he felt very hot and stifling there. The accident happened on the fourth day he worked in that basement. I prepared two litres of water for him that day,” Chan recalls.

The accident happened at a construction site in West Kowloon Cultural District in early June 2022. Records from the Hong Kong Observatory show the highest temperature that day was 32 degrees Celsius.

Chan adds that the death of her husband is still surreal for her. Instead of heat stroke, his cause of death was diagnosed as myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart muscle that reduces the heart’s ability to pump blood, resulting in shortness of breath. He had no record of other illnesses before.

Apart from medical expenses, the employer has not made any compensation for the death. With the help from the Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims, Chan has applied for legal aid to go into a lawsuit for compensation. She is now waiting for the reply from the Legal Aid Department.

“The tricky thing is that the employer claimed my husband died off-work and outside the workplace, so they have nothing to do with his death,” Chan says.

“But the truth is, my husband died right after work in their designated changing room. No one discovered him until around half an hour later,” she adds.

Chan says she will not take the case to court due to the financial burden.

“How can I fight a legal battle against a big corporation alone? I just want justice for my husband. The death could have been caused by the high temperature and poor ventilation condition in the basement,” Chan says.

According to the Centre for Health Protection, “when the environment becomes extremely hot and spontaneous responses cannot effectively cool down our body, heat exhaustion or even heat stroke will occur.”

The centre also says headache, shortness of breath and mental confusion are symptoms of heat exhaustion.

When the body temperature reaches 41 degrees Celsius or higher, people become unconscious and heat stroke may occur. Immediate first aid is required to prevent potentially lethal complications.

Heat Exhaustion Under Very Hot Weather

A similar accident had happened to Adrian Wong who worked as an outdoor vendor at one of the theme parks in Hong Kong from June to August.

Adrian Wong once recorded an apparent temperature during work, reaching 44 degree Celcius, saying he could not bear the hotness, posted on his Instagram account in August 2022. (Photo courtesy of Adrian Wong)

Adrian Wong recorded the temperature during work, saying “34 degree Celsius, risking my life to be a slave”, posted on his Instagram account in August 2022. (Photo courtesy of Adrian Wong)

Despite the Very Hot Weather Warning Signal, Wong wore a long-sleeved uniform and a hat, sweating under the sun, selling cold drinks to visitors. He once suffered from heat exhaustion during work.

With an apparent temperature of more than 40 degree Celsius, the former seasonal part-timer had to stand in an open space for more than eight hours and carry boxes of drinks from backstage to the outdoor vendor.

“I sweated a lot and I had no time to drink enough water. Then I started feeling dizzy and sick walking back-and-forth. I did not dare to bother my colleagues since they were all upset by the very hot weather,” Wong says.

He then took a 10-minute break in an air-conditioned room and drank water. Nobody was there to offer him help.

Wong also complains about the lack of breaks for outdoor workers under very hot weather, saying the company often combines a 15-minute break with their designated lunch time.

“Why can work be suspended or even called off due to typhoons but not very hot weather? They are both adverse weather conditions which can be fatal,” Wong says.

Heat Stroke Or Personal Illness?

Working under intense heat has become more frequent for workers due to record-breaking temperatures recently.

With 25 hot nights (nighttime temperature 28 degree Celsius or above) and 21 very hot days (highest daily temperature 33 degree Celsius or above), July 2022 was the hottest month in Hong Kong ever since the availability of records in 1884, according to the Hong Kong Observatory. It explains the prolonged high temperature was due to a strong subtropical ridge persisting over southern China.

The highest temperature that month, 39 degree Celsius, was recorded at Sheung Shui Weather Station. The number of very hot days in July 2022, 21, equates to that of the entire year of 2012.

The average temperature in July has also increased by 1.5 degree Celsius, from 28.8 in 2012 to 30.3 in 2022.

In response to the worsening hot weather, the government says it will formulate heat stroke prevention measures.

The Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Chris Sun Yuk-han, said in a reply to the Legislative Council on July 13, 2022 that the number of work injury cases related to heat stroke registered by the Labour Department from 2019 to 2021 are 20, 12 and 22 respectively. No fatalities were recorded.

He also states that more specific guidelines based on the Hong Kong Observatory’s Hong Kong Heat Index are under consideration. Employers are required to take heat stroke prevention measures in extremely hot weather.

Fay Siu Sin-man, chief executive of Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims, says the number in the official record is just the tip of the iceberg.

“If outdoor workers die during work, their personal illness will be firstly considered as the cause of death, even though it is triggered by high temperature at the work environment. It is hard for them to get compensation from the company,” Siu says.

Worker carrying heavy equipment, working outdoors under very hot weather.

She adds that the Association received six fatalities reports related to heat stroke from June 2022 to August 2022. In 2020 and 2021, the Association received four and three reports respectively.

Siu also points out that guidelines based on the Heat Index have no legal power.

“Employers will just take those guidelines for reference. They will not be penalised even if they do not follow,” Siu says.

She adds that the consequences will only come when someone dies during work and the court finds the employer to be guilty of neglecting government guidelines.

Siu suggests that the government should include heat stroke as one of the occupational diseases so workers can be compensated by the government.

“The government should not attribute the death of outdoor workers wholly to their personal disease. If part of it is due to the very hot weather, their family members should get at least 50 or 70 per cent compensation without going through a long and expensive legal procedure,” Siu says.

Apart from compensation, Siu says preventive measures are also important.

“More shifts between workers and regular rests are needed. The government should consider suspending work when the weather is extremely hot,” Siu adds.

*Name changed at interviewee’s request.

Sub-edited by Leung Pak-hei

Dancing with Danger

November 30, 2022

Freelance dancers in Hong Kong risk their lives performing on stage.

By Cynthia Chan

Dancers’ safety on stage has been the talk of the town after a dancer was critically injured when a giant LED screen fell during a July concert by boy band Mirror.

But accidents are not unusual according to Wong Ka-lam*, who was one of the dancers at the concert.

The freelance dancer says he was nearly injured in a stage rehearsal for a commercial dance show when stage fireworks were launched out from a device next to him years ago. But the 23-year-old forced himself to stay calm and kept the show going.

“I also saw many nails scattered around on a performance stage during rehearsals. There was no one to help even if we reported those dangerous stage set-ups!” Wong says.

Dancer Mo Li Kai-yin, 27, was critically injured when a four-by-four-metre screen weighing over 500 kg fell onto the stage during Mirror’s concert at the Hong Kong Coliseum on July 28 this year.

Li has since been hospitalised and is at risk of being paralysed as 95 per cent of his neck spinal nerve may not be able to recover fully. He can speak but cannot move or eat or drink properly at the moment.

The use of a substandard cable, poor installation and misstating the weight of devices were found to be the main causes of the accident, according to an investigation report on the concert accident released by an interdepartmental task force led by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department on November 11.

The report stated the weight of the display screens was understated 2.7 times by the production contractor.

The Hong Kong Coliseum where Mo Li Kai-yin was injured in Mirror’s concert in July 2022.

Wong says it is common that organisers take no corresponding action even when dancers report dangerous stage set-ups to them.

The Labour Department stated on November 11 that Li was hired as an employee, but the employer did not report his work injury nor buy insurance for him. The department is considering prosecuting the employer.

Meanwhile, concert organisers MakerVille and Music Nation Group replied to the media’s enquiries that they have bought insurance for all performers. They promised to “pay for the medical expenditure of injured dancers and provide them with other support”, according to a joint statement released by the two companies on October 7.

Wong points out dancers’ safety and protection have never been the concern of any people.

“I do not know any policy that can protect freelance dancers’ rights. It is a common practice for us to make job arrangements solely by verbal agreement,” Wong says.

Without a signed contract, dancers might be classified as self-employed persons by law and are not entitled to any protection for wage, insurance or leaves.

“Companies do not cover our medical expenses, so we pay it ourselves,” Wong adds.

Wong has been performing in commercial shows and teaching dance classes for almost three years. Before being a full-time dancer, he used to attend dancing lessons for more than 15 hours a week as a university student.

Despite all his hard work, he only makes about HK$7,000 (US$892) a month as a dance tutor and a show performer, which is less than half of Hong Kong’s median income at HK$17,500 (US$2,230) due to strong competition for jobs in the industry.

Another freelance dancer, 26-year-old Tang Wai-ki*, says salaries of dancers have not changed over the past 10 years. For each night of performance, a dancer earns around HK$4,000 (US$510). They get no pay for the time they spend on dance learning, extra practicing and stage rehearsal.

She explains that the supply of dancers–from secondary students to middle-aged professionals–is abundant, and the younger ones are willing to accept lower wages.

Apart from dancing techniques, Tang says dancers have to make their own costumes, do make-ups, and design stage lighting and stage formation. They are expected to be a “one-man band”.

But they rarely demand better treatment.

“We do not want others to regard us as ‘troublemakers’, because it affects our career prospects,” Tang says, which also explains why most dancers refuse to reveal their identity in interviews.

Tang Yung-kei* teaching a dance showcase class that performed in August 2022, with Tang handling choreography, stage formation, costume and lighting of the 3-minute dance herself.

Limited Help

Libby Cheung Wai-ting, Secretary of the Hong Kong Theatre Practitioners’ Union, says many dancers in Hong Kong know little about their labour rights.

The union helps dancers to voice out their needs to the government. They have around 200 professional dancers as members and each pays an annual membership fee of HK$250 (US$32).

“There are no corresponding policies to protect freelance dancers’ rights… as no one treats dancing as a proper career,” Cheung says.

Hong Kong dancers are often regarded as stage props serving the stars of the show, she adds.

Cheung says there are no existing safety guidelines on stage set-ups and electricity use in venues to safeguard performers.

The July accident shocked many Hongkongers and safety concerns for dancers has been lifted, but Cheung believes change may not come soon.

“Hong Kong people are good at forgetting… even though (the serious injury of Li) Mirror’s concert has raised public’s awareness, it will eventually fade away, sooner or later,” Cheung says.

A staff member from the Hong Kong Coliseum, who wishes to remain anonymous, tells Varsity that the coliseum cannot inspect every minor detail to ensure the safety of devices though contractors use low-quality materials.

The staff member adds that Hong Kong falls behind other western countries like the United States, which have established comprehensive systems and unions to protect the rights of dancers. He points out those unions negotiate fair contracts in terms of working hours and stage safety for dancers.

Hong Kong Theatre Arts Practitioners Union voiced out for dancers after Mirror’s concert accident in July this year.

Gloomy future

Five people–senior employees of the main contractor Engineering Impact and subcontractor Hip Hing Loong Stage Engineering Company–were arrested on suspicion of fraud and a charge of allowing an object to fall from height in the Mirror concert. They are now released on bail.

The investigation report also suggested measures to improve stage safety, such as an increase in both the inspection of stage installations and performers’ stage rehearsal time. But no concrete actions have been taken yet.

The Labour Department advised dancers to “understand clearly the mode of cooperation and clarify whether he or she is engaged as an employee or a contractor or a self-employed person before entering into a contract”.

“Dancers who have entered into a contract of self-employment involuntarily can approach the department for assistance,” the department added.

* Names changed at the request of interviewees

Edited by Gloria Chan and Leung Pak-hei
Sub-edited by Ella Lang

Be Real in BeReal

November 28, 2022

BeReal users show their real selves and regain authentic interpersonal relationships.

By Lesley Lam

University student Polly Ly Po-yi is using BeReal. She thinks the application captures her friends’ life moments without filters, compared to other social media platforms.

“BeReal gives a sense of realness since photos there are unfiltered. I think people are fed up with all the beautiful photos on social media platforms and just want to connect with friends and regain the authenticity of interpersonal relationship,” Ly says.

Through BeReal, Ly stays connected with her friends over little things in life, such as realising that they “are having lessons in the same place” based on the photos they take at the same time.

Unlike Instagram or Facebook on which users often only post their special moments in life, BeReal encourages users to live in the moment and be their authentic selves.

Launched in January 2020 by ex-GoPro employees Alexis Barreyat and Kévin Perreau, BeReal has become popular since early 2022 with 67.2 million downloads worldwide until October 2022. It topped the free app ranking of the iOS store of Apple in July 2022.

The photo-sharing social media app sends a notification each day at a random time to users in the same time zone. It asks them to take a selfie and a frontal photo within two minutes, without any filters available. When users do not make it on time, the app tells you that they “posted late.”

BeReal sends a notification at a random time of the day to all users in the same time zone. (Photo courtesy of BeReal)

The BeReal team declined the Varsity’s request for an interview. A fact sheet about the social media app was shared, however.

It states one of BeReal’s features: “You can only see friends’ posts if you share a photo. No lurking.”

Ly finds this element of reciprocity attractive. When she posts stories or posts on Instagram, she has no idea how her followers react.

“I feel like exposing myself to my followers without knowing what they think of me and what they are doing when they see my posts or stories on Instagram. But when I use BeReal, I can be like, okay, they are having dinner when they see a picture of me having a lesson. I feel more secured this way knowing their reaction,” she says.

Ly also points out that since BeReal is a relatively new platform with not many of her acquaintances using, she does not feel burdened to maintain a favourable image like when using other apps.

The main goal of BeReal founders is that they “want an alternative to addictive social networks fueling social comparison and portraying life with the goal of amassing influence,” according to the fact sheet.

The app’s absence of filters and synchronicity of notifications supports this goal. It also helps to persuade people to present their “real” lives since there is no sense of social comparison holding them back.

Ly thinks social comparison can still happen among BeReal users, but it does help users focus on the present moment.

“BeReal is really simple. There is very limited space for captions, no filters, location tags, or stickers,” she says.

“The simplicity makes users focus only on what others are doing at the moment when photos are taken.”

Another university student Queenie Yu Kwan-yi agrees that the sense of social comparison still lingers because users can still see what others are doing in their lives through the app.

She also thinks this may undermine the realness that BeReal is trying to achieve.

Yu sometimes does not open the app immediately to post when she receives a notification. Instead, she waits until something special happens to take and post her photos.

“I think to some degree people still want to post something that they think worth posting,” she says.

Yu is an active user who posts on the app every day, and she always clicks on the app when she receives notifications.

She thinks BeReal provides a sense of realness to some extent since only two raw photos can be taken and posted every day, whilst other social media platforms encourage multiple formats of sharing with a lot of room for editing.

“BeReal’s design of sending notifications every day allows us to peep into our friends’ real everyday life and it is quite interesting,” she adds.

The 21-year-old also likes the function Realmojis.

“Realmojis are real photos and that makes the exchange more like real face-to-face interactions,” Yu says.

Users can react with Realmojis, the photos they take as their reaction. (Photo courtesy of BeReal)

Enjoying the platform so far, Yu points out that if BeReal is to adapt in-app advertisements extensively, she would have less incentive to use it.

“Unlike other social media platforms, there is no marketing information on BeReal right now and it makes the app more simple,” she says.

She adds that BeReal cannot replace other major social platforms but acts as an add-on.

Donna Chu Shun-chi, director and associate professor at the School of Journalism and Communication of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, points out that being real on social media platforms can be awkward and undesirable to some.

Others might also find the app demanding. One of her students downloaded BeReal but deleted it on the same day.

“BeReal can become like Snapchat. One of Snapchat’s features is Snapstreak which encourages users to maintain daily interaction with their friends. But it becomes a daily duty and that can be tiring to users when the practice lasts for a long period of time,” Chu explains.

She adds that there is a question of whether users’ participation can sustain. “For Instagram and Facebook, once you have an account, you don’t really have to interact or participate. You don’t have to click “Likes” or post anything. But it is different in BeReal, you need to participate to see what others are posting,” she says.

Chu believes the app is clever in letting users take photos at a random time of the day within limited time. It adds a sense of excitement and fun to the authenticity it tries to create.

She also sees the app as a reflection of what society wants now. “From a broader perspective, the launching of different social media platforms is a series of dialogues. And the conversation we reached today is ‘What about more “real”?’,” she says.

Chu thinks BeReal is answering to a trend.

“We are already in a connected world, but how to create meaningful connections is an open question that is currently concerned,” she says.

“The invention of apps like BeReal and people’s response to it is like handing in answers to this question,” Chu adds.

Sub-edited by Chaelim Kim

Sexual Fantasy Seller

November 24, 2022

Wong Yuet-hei, or Hieey, provides sexual fantasy by selling her photographs.

By Phoebe Chu

Often called “Online Prostitute”, “Lewd” and “Flirtatious” online, Wong Yuet-hei, never shy away from flaunting her curvy body online.

“I love my body, I look good with the sexy costumes and I wanted to share them with others,” the 27-years-old woman says.

Dreaming to be a queen, she named herself Hieey Heika on social media. “Heika” is a Japanese word for “your majesty”.

Nearly 900 photos of her in sexual costumes with most of her body exposed are shown to her 450,000 followers on Instagram. Many of the costumes, including the maidservant uniform and bunny girl bodysuit are designed by her.

Hieey posing while wearing a costume designed by herself.
(Photo Courtesy of Hieey, Wong Yuet-hei)

“I find my ideal self when shooting photos as Hieey Heika, seeing the sexy photos of myself gives me a sense of satisfaction,” Wong says.

In real life, Wong is an introvert but once she puts on her “battle suits”, her confidence is boosted and she becomes a chatterbox.

Limited to providing sexual dreams instead of physical contact to fans, she sees herself as a “sexual fantasies provider”.

“I always knew I was perverted. I have visited lots of pornography websites since my secondary school days,” Wong says.

She is a Japanese animation fan who loves cosplay. Super Sonico, a sexy fictional character with pink hair and a large bust is her favourite.

“I found myself very attractive when cosplaying Super Sonico,” Wong says.

At first, she only took and kept her sexual photos for self-appreciation, and she started posting them to her Facebook account and gradually sharing them in 2013.

“I like my photos and there are people who appreciate them on the internet,” she adds.

Wong started selling her photos in 2018 on Patreon, a crowdfunded subscription platform with various membership levels ranging from HK $10 (US $1.27) to HK $1,180 (US $151) per month.

Members paying a fee of HK $10 (US $1.27) can get a limited number of her selfies every week. They can pay more for access to more videos and photos. Naked photos are only available for those who pay HK $1180 (US $151).

Patreon page of Wong Yuet-hei with various membership levels.

“A lot of people see my photos but it is hard to get them to pay for the photos, no matter how hard I try. It is difficult to prevent my photos from being copied and posted on social media platforms,” she says.

As a protest to these moochers, she posted fully naked photos of herself on Twitter a year after creating her Patreon account in 2019.

“Just send my photos around if you want, you can look at my full body naked for free on Twitter. It is not just about the money. I decided to make them because I appreciate my body,” Wong says.

“The moment I decided to make my sexual photos public, I knew there is no turning back. Things posted online will be kept forever,” Wong says.

Earning around HK $20,000 (US $2,548) a month through Patreon and by selling photo books, polaroids and 4R-size photos of herself in different events such as Ani-com, Wong says it is hard-earned money.

“People may think selling photos online is easy money, but it is not”, Wong adds.

From finding places for shootings, doing studio set-up, preparing her costumes, and doing photoshops and layouts, she has to do everything herself.

“The costumes and accessories are expensive. My income could not cover them until I make more money after three months of starting the page,” Wong says.

“Hong Kong people are not familiar with what I am doing, and they often criticize girls like me as an online prostitute on a discussion forum called LIHKG,” she says.

“Now, I am lucky enough to do something I am passionate about and I can make a living out of it,” Wong says.

Wong believes some people might not accept and hire people posting sexy photos like her so she is now studying hypnotherapy and learning to be a massage therapist and florist since these jobs can allow her to work on her own.

“At the age of 30, I will look at my body shape and consider if I should be continuing the occupation as a provider of sexual dreams,” Wong says.

Sub-edited by Jack Deng

Elderly Depressed

November 24, 2022

Depressing thoughts come up to elderlies’ minds when they are separated from family and friends

By Amelie Yeung

Mary Ma* was left behind in Hong Kong when her only child emigrated to the United Kingdom with her family in January 2022.

The 78-year-old widow used to leave her home in Sha Tin to babysit her grandchildren in Tai Wai every week. She also enjoyed cooking dinner for her grandchildren every weekend. But now she seldom leaves her home.

“I have no family in Hong Kong now and no one to spend time with,” Ma says.

Feeling betrayed and worthless after they left, Ma laid in bed all day and cried multiple times almost every day after her daughter left with her family.

During the depressive episodes she suffered from February to May 2022, Mary Ma* spent most of her time in bed doing nothing.

Ma even thought of committing suicide at one point. She lost more than seven kilograms from February to May 2022.

“Even my very own daughter does not care about me. What matters if I am gone?” she says.

When Ma went to Shatin Hospital for a medical check-up, she confided her thoughts to an occupational therapist whom she was seeing for medical reasons in May 2022. She was then referred to a clinical psychologist and was diagnosed with depression. She then started having counselling sessions and was put on medication.

Since then, Ma has stopped feeling as sad about her family’s emigration and learned to use her phone to talk to them remotely.

“I still think about committing suicide occasionally, but my thoughts will move on instead of lingering,” she says.

“Even my very own daughter does not care about me. What matters if I am gone?”

Rising Elderly Suicide Rates in Hong Kong

The suicide rates of the elderly in Hong Kong have reached new heights in 2021. According to the Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong (SBHK), 1,010 people committed suicide last year, with the majority aged over 60, making up 40 per cent of the total number. In 2019, 993 people committed suicide, with around 38 per cent of people aged above 60.

In the first half of 2022, there were on average 11,000 calls per month to the suicide prevention hotline of Suicide Prevention Services. Three years ago, there were 1,114 calls.

The Suicide Prevention Services provides a 24-hour hotline service for suicidal people to call in times of distress.

“The elderly feel lonely when their children emigrate, especially if their spouses had passed away,” says Clarence Tsang Chin-kwok, SBHK’s Executive Director.

“Once their children leave, they will rarely have the opportunity to see their family again. They relied on their children to take care of them but now that they are gone, the future is gloomy,” he says.

Tsang advises people to mentally prepare their elderly relatives before emigrating. “Arrange for someone to take care of them so that they will not feel as lonely. Teach them how to use online meeting applications so that they can keep in touch while abroad,” he says.

“The elderly feel lonely when their children emigrate, especially if their spouses had passed away.”

COVID-19 Making Elderlies Feel Worse

Apart from the emigration wave, the COVID-19 pandemic has also made many seniors feel depressed. Leung Kam-lan, 76, is one of the elderly who was clinically diagnosed with depression as the pandemic continues.

“My children told me to stay home as they learned from the news that many elderly have died from the virus. It was dangerous to go out in 2021,” Leung, a mother of three, says.

Before the pandemic, Leung met her friends at Chinese restaurants every day. She loves playing mahjong with them, but she cannot do so during the pandemic.

Leung adapted badly to social isolation and spiralled into depression for months before finally seeking for psychiatric help in the latter half of 2021. The intense solitude had made it difficult for her to stay positive.

“Every day I wake up and find myself surrounded by four blank walls,” the senior says. She lives with her youngest son, but he only comes home late at night.

“I could not even go out to the wet market and I missed my friends so much. It was hard because of the boredom. I remember thinking, ‘what is the point of living?’” she says.

“I could not even go out to the wet market and I missed my friends so much. It was hard because of the boredom. I remember thinking, ‘what is the point of living?’”

In early 2021, she began to visit Shatin Hospital regularly for a variety of illnesses, including gout and extreme fatigue, a symptom of depression. She has suffered from other illnesses such as arthritis and the after-effects of a stroke for years.

“I was tired and could not walk. I only managed to leave home for medical appointments. They were the highlights of my days because I got to talk to nurses and other patients,” she says.

Starting from August 2021, Leung met a clinical psychologist to treat her depression at the hospital regularly. Healthcare professionals advised her to call friends in times of loneliness, as well as to take up baking as a hobby.

Things began to turn around for Leung after she took the Sinovac vaccine in December 2021. After months of isolation, she can finally meet her friends physically.

“I can go out safely now as long as I wear a mask and bring my alcohol sanitizer,” Leung says.

How Can Elderlies Cope With Depressive Thoughts?

The pandemic has been particularly detrimental to the elderly’s mental health, according to Professor Lin Shen from City University’s Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences.

“Under the pandemic, social circles become smaller. The elderly may not necessarily have smartphones or possess digital literacy to contact friends. Because of this, they are especially at risk of suffering from loneliness,” Lin says.

“They may also suffer from chronic illness like heart disease and asthma, which makes them physically vulnerable. To them, the COVID-19 virus is life-threatening and the high infection rates make them feel hopeless. Some mentally unwell elderly will not reach out for help because mental illness is heavily stigmatized in the Chinese society,” he adds.

Lin advises the elderly to build social circles with at least three people so that they have trusted friends to confide with.

“As social distancing measures are easing, the elderly should also make use of community centres and social events to meet people and develop hobbies. Social participation encourages human connection,” he says.

He recommends doing outdoor activities, such as dancing and exercising together in public parks.

The SBHK provides a consultation hotline for relatives and friends of suicidal people to enhance their understanding of suicide symptoms.

If you know an elderly who is feeling unhappy or suicidal, please reach out to social workers or call SBHK for consultation services at 2319 1177.

*Name changed at the request of the interviewee.

Edited by Leung Pak-hei
Sub-edited by Felicia Lam

Traumatised Mirror Fans

November 21, 2022

Months after the concert incident, Mirror fans are still experiencing mental hardships.

By Esme Lam

On July 28, 2022, Jimmy Chan, a fan of Anson Lo Hon-ting, witnessed a tragic accident in which a 600 kg video screen landed on a dancer during the Mirror concert at Hong Kong Coliseum.

The screen fell from the ceiling and struck dancer Mo Li Kai-yin when the 12-member boy band was performing the song “Elevator”. He was critically injured, but his condition is now stable in Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Anson Lo Hon-ting and Edan Lui Cheuk-on, members of Mirror, were performing the song “Elevator” when the screen fell.

“I am now afraid of walking in places where there are construction sites or highways. I am worried that I might be hit by falling objects. I stopped listening to songs by Mirror after the concert. Their music triggers my memory about the accident,” Chan says.

“I am now afraid of walking in places where there are construction sites or highways. I am worried that I might be hit by falling objects. I stopped listening to songs by Mirror after the concert. Their music triggers my memory about the accident.”

He is now listening to Korean pop music such as new songs from Blackpink, a South Korean girl group.

“I hope the truth can be found in the investigation. I will feel very angry if anyone or any party still tells lies to cover up anything about the accident,” Chan says.

Another Mirror fan Wincy Seto Wing-kee is also mentally disturbed by the accident.

“Even now I cannot bear to watch any videos that I took that night. I did not want to listen to any songs by Mirror which may trigger my memory,” Seto says.

The 18-years-old student has been a fan of Frankie Chan Sui-fai and Anson Kong Ip-sang, members of the boy band for a year.

“I just wanted to relax and enjoy a concert featuring my favourite singers. I never thought such a terrible accident would happen,” she recalls.

“When I saw people sharing photos of watching Terrence Lam’s concert, I was a bit upset since it reminded me of the accident that happened at the same site,” she says.

Terrence Lam’s concert is the first event that was held at Hong Kong Coliseum after the accident in July.

“I still want to watch a concert featuring other singers or Mirror in the future, but I hesitate to watch concerts that are held at the Hong Kong Coliseum,” Seto adds.

The university student stopped following news about Mirror after the accident. Instead, she devotes her time to university life.

Lee Uen-kwan is a fan of Ian Chan Check-yin, a member of Mirror.

Another university student Lee Uen-kwan has second thoughts about her life after witnessing the accident.

“Life is full of uncertainty. No one would expect that having a concert may take someone’s life,” she says.

Lee is a fan of Ian Chan Check-yin, a member of Mirror. To support her favourite singer, she even bought concert tickets from a scalper–someone who resells tickets at a larger price.

Lee deleted videos she took during the concert to avoid recalling horrible memories.

“Treasure those who are with you right now. I spend more time with my loved ones. I also work harder in my study. I want to make my life more fulfilling,” Lee adds.

Psychological Impacts

Psychiatrist May Lam points out that the psychological impact is devastating as fans at the concert expected to have fun, but it turned out to be a tragedy.

“The Mirror concert is one of the things that people look forward to. Mirror has united people in Hong Kong from different ages during difficult times amid the pandemic. Anything that has happened to the group will cause great impacts on the fans and the public,” Lam says.

Lam points out that some people having these acute stress reactions may develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

“It will develop within a few weeks and the symptoms are having an inability to recall what happened in that time, difficulty in falling asleep and getting a startled response for minor things. The symptoms might last for around six months after the exposure of the stressful event,” she says.

Dr. May Lam Mei-ling says that any clues about the concert can trigger the memory of the terrible accident.

“When you sense some signs of stress, listen to your heart. Do something that makes you feel comfortable, such as doing exercises, chatting with friends and listening to your favourite songs,” Lam adds.

“But if the symptoms of PTSD do not subside, it is about time to seek help from professions, including counsellors or psychiatrists,” she says.

Sub-edited by Gabriella Lynn