Reporter: Yap Ying Ye
Many Hong Kong students studying overseas are keen to come back to spend their summer holidays with their families. They face many struggles due to the anti-pandemic restrictions and regulations in Hong Kong.
Migrant Workers Falling Victims to Scams
Reporters: Amelie Yeung, Iris Jiang
Many migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong have been scammed out of money. Police figures show about 600 migrant workers fell victims to frauds in 2021. One of the victims, Enah, shares her story.
Travellers in Pandemic
Reporters: Esme Lam, Karmen Yip, Christine Tang
Affected by the COVID-19, lots of Hong Kong people have not travelled abroad for two years. But the pandemic cannot stop some travel lovers from travelling and more preparations are done before starting the trips.
The Night Queen
Brad Wharakura kindles his love of doing drag in Hong Kong.
Tessa Yau
Brad Wharakura is a fitness instructor by day, a glamorous drag queen – Madame Mincemeat by night.
“Drag is just a creative outlet for me and it allows me to do things that I would not feel very comfortable with myself. I really like the feminine energy from drag queens and I can let go of masculinity and stereotypes to have fun when doing drag,” Wharakura says.
“I can also use a lot of humour and make a fuss about serious things when I am doing drag. People’s perception of me in and outside drag is still the same,” he adds.
Wharakura usually performed at clubs in Lan Kwai Fong and various restaurants for drag brunches before the pandemic.
The drag queen moved to Hong Kong to take up a job in a fitness company in 2004. He learnt about drag culture after meeting his friend Greg Derham, who was also a drag performer in the city.
“I came from a small town – Ngaruawahia in New Zealand and I had never met any man dressing up femininely in there. I just started off by learning the techniques from YouTube, from make-up, hairstyle to costumes,” he says.
Wharakura buys clothes from second-hand shops and fashion outlets like Zara and Topshop. Then he modifies the clothes with accessories all by himself.
His looks are inspired by 90s supermodels and classic campy queens. He describes his looks as “a combination of the feminine and absurd but ultimately uncomplicated”.
Wharakura had his first drag performance at the Clockenflap Festival in 2015. His audience sat under a small tent on a grassland in Central. “I did not have high expectations. It was quite intimate and I actually liked it,” he says.
He performed three songs and tore off his dress revealing a leotard underneath in a costume review. “I was just going all out,” he recalls.
“The audience and I personally enjoyed my first performance a lot. And I was quite surprised that four people came up to me and asked when and where they could see me again. That was really encouraging,” he says.
Wharakura never feels nervous about his performance, as he is used to dealing with large crowds as a fitness instructor.
“I do drag for myself. I am not worried about how people perceive my performances. I only wanted to have fun and freely express myself in a different way. But the audience’s support is definitely a motivation for me to keep going,” he says.
“I am not worried about how people perceive my performance. I only wanted to have fun and freely express myself in a different way.”
In 2017, Wharakura introduced drag brunches to Hong Kong restaurants with his working partner. Guests can enjoy lip-sync performances by drag queens and interact with them by playing games and dancing while having food and drinks.
“Being part of the original group to start the culture of drag brunches is a highlight of my life,” Wharakura says.
The drag brunches started off very well until COVID-19 hit the world. Restaurants, bars and clubs where drag queens perform are all badly affected.
“Surely the pandemic has affected my life as a drag queen. I have the luxury to have drag as my hobby only, as I still have my main job in a fitness company. Yet there are also a lot of drag performers who rely on it as a source of income and it has been a tough time for them,” he adds.
Other than the impact of the pandemic, there were also moments that the 40-year-old man felt lost and unsure whether to continue in pursuing drag as a hobby.
“Sometimes when I am not in the mood, I have tons of questions in my mind when I am doing the make-up for drag. Is this a good use of my time? Should I pursue drag full-time instead? Am I too old for this? There is a time I just felt myself being a glamorous clown with no one taking it seriously,” he says.
Despite everything, his “so what” mindset keeps him going. “As long as it is fun and interesting to do drag, I will continue to be a drag queen,” he says.
“I do not see myself worrying about getting people’s approval for this 40-year-old drag queen. I think drag has different colours and scales, and it is not something black or white. There are so many ways people can interpret and present drag and there is no right or wrong,” he says.
Wharakura returned to New Zealand in early 2022 to spend some time with his family. But he will come back to Hong Kong after the pandemic and continue to pursue drag in the city.
“There’s something special about Hong Kong and I will have a long-standing relationship with this place even in tough times,” he says.
“There’s something special about Hong Kong and I will have a long-standing relationship with this place even in tough times.”
Edited by Leung Pak-hei
Sub-edited by Angel Woo
Promoting Philosophy in Hong Kong
Philosophy students and lecturers from university are trying to creatively promote philosophy to Hongkongers.
Cheryl So
Philosophy can be entertaining and practiced in daily life, a philosophy group striving to promote the hugely misunderstood discipline to the general public vows.
Founded by 13 philosophy graduates and postgraduates from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) in 2016, Corrupt the Youth has more than 100,000 subscribers on their YouTube channel with their videos garnering more than 10 million views.
The group name was inspired by a Greek philosopher, Socrates, who was sentenced to death for ‘corrupting the youth’ with his ideas.
One of the co-founders, Yeung Chun-yin, attributes their popularity to their light-hearted way of promoting philosophy via videos on YouTube every Friday. The group started livestreaming in April 2020.
Publishing their first live video named “9up”, which means talking bollocks, the group tries to befriend the audience and hopes more people will be willing to watch their videos about philosophy.
“We did not have a plan in mind when we first started livestreaming, just chatting and relieving our stress. We keep viewers company by going livestreaming regularly and that is the most important part of our channel. We also scroll through comments and talk to them as friends,” Yeung, who is also a part-time lecturer in the Department of Philosophy at CUHK, says.
“We do livestreaming even during Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve because it is important to show our commitment to our members,” he says.
“If we do not do it in an entertaining way, no one will be interested at all. Some even say the philosophy we teach has blood and tears. I will continue to speak out and exercise the freedom of expression we still have,” he adds.
“If we do not do it in an entertaining way, no one will be interested at all. I will continue to speak out and exercise the freedom of expression we still have.”
Breaking Stereotypes
Scenes of swearing and drinking are common in their live videos and are regarded as the most interesting parts by their fans. The most viewed clip is about one of the drunken hosts demonstrating a CUHK tradition, “dem beat” which is chanting slogans with clapping hands and stepping. The video has gained over 90,000 views.
“People who study philosophy are often stereotyped as nerds. Our behaviours often shock our audience. It shows that a person can have different layers. Doing these live videos can capture attention from other people,” the group’s co-founder, Alex Lai Ka-lok says.
Last year, the group started a series called “I Study Drama” with videos featuring philosophical concepts and presented them as drama. But some members in the group felt upset when reading viewers comments which were mostly about their acting rather than the philosophical concepts they wanted to present.
“I know some group members were upset but I personally do not mind,” Lai says, adding that it is entirely up to the audience to interpret the videos. He feels happy that some audience have come up with perspectives that they have not thought of.
“Sometimes I worry whether we are too entertaining. But then I think not everyone really needs philosophy that much. Just knowing it is quite enough,” Lai says.
From Entertainment to Education
Before livestreaming and posting videos on YouTube, the group first appeared in a new Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) TV programme called ‘Philosophy Night’ which was the first talk show featuring philosophical discussion in Hong Kong in 2016.
Dr Lau Po-hei, a part-time philosophy lecturer at the CUHK, was one of the curators and hosts of the RTHK programme.
“The views of each ‘Philosophy Night’ episode were around 10,000 before they did live on YouTube. The views of the programme reached over 100,000 in 2020. It shows that audience who watched their live shows also watch our programme,” Lau says.
“They do entertaining livestreaming and serious talk shows at the same time. This can cater to different audience. Viewers can always find videos they like and absorb knowledge,” he adds.
Future of Promoting Philosophy
RTHK cancelled all talk shows, including Philosophy Night in 2021. Dr Lau still hopes to continue his work despite losing a platform to promote philosophy.
“Not everything can go as planned in life. We are still taking experimental steps,” he says.
The group is doing a series of talk shows which is like the continuation of ‘Philosophy Night’. The first episode was released on January 31, 2022 with 840,000 views.
Lai thinks philosophy can help people think rationally in chaotic times. “We are dealing with a lot of absurd things done or said by people. But philosophy demonstrates how critical thinking works and can help people,” he says.
“We are dealing with a lot of absurd things done or said by people. But philosophy demonstrates how critical thinking works and can help people.”
Edited by Leung Pak-hei
Sub-edited by Winkie Ng
Education in War
Reporter: Cynthia Chan
Editor: Winkie Ng
Ukrainian university students continue their learning despite the war. While some students rush to air raid shelters during online lessons in Ukraine, some flee to other countries for safety to continue their studies.
Variety Show Mastermind
Director Casper Leung Cheuk-lam shares his passion in variety shows and films.
Jenny Lam
When most think that having a degree is a must for a successful career, Casper Leung Cheuk-lam proves otherwise. He is now a director of popular variety shows and an editor of an award-winning film.
The 31-year-old director has so far produced five variety shows for a YouTube channel Trial and Error (試當真) which has 431,000 subscribers with a total hit rate of 75 million views.
The most viewed production was an episode inspired by the popular South Korean TV series Squid Game. It was launched in 2021 and gained 1.6 million views in four months.
Leung also edited a Hong Kong film Weeds on Fire (點五步) which won the Film of Merit in the 23rd Hong Kong Film Critics Society Award in 2016.
Leung started working as a video editor in an advertising company when he was 19 after earning from his higher diploma in multimedia and digital entertainment at the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education in 2008.
After working at the advertising company for three years, he resigned and worked as a freelance video editor for about eight years.
“My income was unstable when I was a freelancer. I thought of quitting the industry and finding a job with a stable income. But I knew I was only good at editing. This made me feel frustrated and lost,” Leung says.
Leung did not give up and his life took a turn when he met the founder of Trial and Error, Neo Yau Hawk-sau in 2016. Yau invited him to join the team to produce variety shows when he started the channel in October 2020.
(Photo courtesy: Trial and Error）
“I consider myself as the lucky one. There are many people who are more talented than me but are not given an opportunity to be a director,” Leung says.
“Neo told me that Hong Kong needs a variety show right now. The audience can meet more new faces in the industry and it allows local productions to grow. Unlike films or dramas, variety shows can let people understand the true personality of the actors,” he adds.
Leung felt frustrated and worried when he produced his very first variety show for the channel in March 2021.
“When I know that I am in charge of variety shows, I know that it has to be interactive and ingenious. I don’t want to do a show that it is set in a studio where artists just sit around and play games like the Super Trio series (獎門人系列) in the past,” Leung says.
The witty director has always enjoyed designing games since he was young.
“My brother and I used to redesign rules for some board game cards or chess pieces. I have always loved to design games since I was young,” Leung says.
“I think variety show to me is not just a game show. It is more like a film with a story structure. I have to develop a plot with a climax and some twists in my productions,” he adds.
“I think variety show to me is not just a game show. It is more like a film with a story structure.”
But the director confesses that variety shows are not his main interest. His ultimate goal is to direct a film.
“To be honest, I barely watch variety shows. But producing variety shows gives me the opportunity to do social experiments and a chance to learn more about humanity.” Leung says.
His experience as a variety show director has taught and shaped him to become a better director.
“Variety shows are complicated productions in which I have to allocate duties to different departments and communicate with them. This work nature and experiences have helped me to learn more about a director’s duties,” he says.
Leung remains hopeful about the future of Hong Kong entertainment industry, despite a sharp fall in the city’s film production.
“In this unprecedented age of the internet, no one can predict which video will go viral. All we can do is to create quality productions and nature will take its course,” Leung says.
“A serious working attitude is what I value most. If everyone in the industry works hard and does the best he can. I believe the industry will thrive again,” he adds.
Edited by Leung Pak-hei
Sub-edited by Angel Woo
Ukrainians in Hong Kong
Reporters: Phoebe Chu, Carrie Lock, Charlie Chun
Editor: Angel Woo
The War in Ukraine has been going on since February 24, 2022. While many Ukrainians are defending their country on the ground, Iana Zinovieva and Roman Ivanenko, members of the Ukrainian Society of Hong Kong, are fighting for their country in their way in the city.
Too Sexy To Tell?
Reporter: Eve Qiao & Lily Wang
Editor: Alina Chen
Regulation for online erotic fiction in China has become stricter in recent years. Online fiction writers feel upset about the current policy published by online novel publication websites under the “Clean Up the Internet” campaign. They are finding other ways to publish their works.
To Stay or Not to Stay?
Families are torn apart by different thoughts on leaving Hong Kong.
Kossy Chen
Cherry Wong’s parents have decided to leave Hong Kong for Britain, but she and her elder brother have decided to stay for better job opportunities.
“I want to be a journalist in Hong Kong because I love to report stories about Hong Kong and Hongkongers. If I go to the UK, I cannot do that,” the journalism major student from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) says.
“I am not familiar with English culture. Also, I enjoy reporting in my native language,” the 21-year-old student adds.
Her parents, a 60-year-old retired lecturer and a 53-year-old housewife, are angry about China’s tightening grip on Hong Kong and the introduction of the national security law in June 2020.
“I am also upset about the recent development in Hong Kong, but I want to stay in Hong Kong. I want to work in Hong Kong and hang out with my friends. This is what I want for my future,” she says.
Employment Difficulties in the UK
The British National (Overseas) visa program was launched in January 2021 to grant Hongkongers the right to live, work and study in the UK. About 103,900 Hongkongers applied last year, according to the UK’s Home Office figures.
Nearly 50 per cent of Hongkongers who moved to the UK were jobless, according to a survey conducted by Hongkongers in Britain (HKB), a Hong Kong immigrant support group that interviewed 609 respondents in a survey in August 2021.
Language barrier, a lack of relevant skills or qualifications, and issues with proving their right to work were obstacles faced by Hongkongers when searching for jobs in the UK, according to the results of the survey.
Stay for better job opportunities
Bridget Cheung Laam, a Year Four student studying Information Engineering, also shares Wong’s worries in finding jobs abroad.
“My sisters aged 17 and 22, and I want to stay in Hong Kong for a few more years before moving to the UK. But our mother is urging us to make a move this year. She is worried that the British government might change the policy later,” Cheung sighs.
“But it is easier for me to find jobs in Hong Kong compared to the UK. The UK tech industry is still emerging so manpower demand is lower. As a new immigrant, it will be harder for me to find a job,” she says.
Cheung also thinks the lifestyle in Hong Kong is more appealing.
“Hong Kong is a lively city. I lost my cell phone about ten times a year but I could get it back every time. Hongkongers are really helpful and well-mannered. Though Hong Kong has undergone many changes recently, I still have hope in Hong Kong,” she says.
She does not want to leave Hong Kong because her father and grandparents have decided to stay in the city.
“My dad wants to stay in Hong Kong. My parents had a divorce 10 years ago because of their personalities and political stands. My grandparents also choose to stay in Hong Kong,” she says.
Stay for Hong Kong Lifestyle
Like Wong and Leung, architecture major graduate Grace Lee also wants to work in Hong Kong where she has more job opportunities, but her parents are determined to leave Hong Kong for the UK.
“When my parents told me about their decision, I was totally unprepared and lost the direction of my life,” Lee says.
Lee’s parents sold their property to fund their move to Britain in June 2021, leaving Lee and her elder sister in Hong Kong. The sisters now stay in a rented flat in Yuen Long.
“My sister and I want to gain some working experiences in Hong Kong first. If we go to the UK now, it will be difficult for us to search for a job. We are fresh graduates with no working experience,” the 22-year-old teaching assistant says.
“My professor can be my referee when I look for jobs in the architecture field in Hong Kong. I want to be financially independent in Hong Kong first. Then I will think about moving to another country,” she says.
She also loves the weather, environment, and lifestyle of Hong Kong.
“I do not like the weather in England. It rains all the time. Hiking and surfing are my favourite sports. There are so many hills and islands to explore in the city. I also can go to country parks and return to the city centre in just one day in Hong Kong,” she says.
“In fact, I do not mind emigrating because I love challenges. But I want to live in a city that I like. I do not want to follow my parents blindly,” Lee says.
Separation as a solution
A professional consultant from the Social Work Department at CUHK, Lau Yuk-king, observes Hong Kong young people are not keen about leaving the city.
“Most of the young adults worry about their competitiveness as newcomers in the job market in the host countries. If they cannot secure jobs, they cannot have a bright future after emigration,” Lau says.
“There is no need to insist that the whole family should emigrate as people can stay in touch online easily. Each family member should have the right to determine how they live,” she says.
She reminds those who are planning to emigrate to learn about the host country’s working culture.
“The class differentials among different occupations are less serious in some countries compared with Hong Kong. For example, cleaners and train drivers are highly paid and well-respected in some countries,” she says.
Edited by Angel Woo
Sub-edited by Winkie Ng
