FancyWall: Mixed Music, Pure Passion

March 11, 2025

FancyWall has carved out its own niche, sharing its journey from classroom to centre stage.

By Ivonne Deng

FancyWall, a Chinese indie band, pledges to keep concert ticket prices low so that more people, especially students, can watch its live performances even though it is famous now and has been recognised by one of the most prestigious music awards.

Formed in August 2015, the band was nominated for Best New Artist at the 2023 MIDI Music Awards, an annual award presented by the Beijing Midi School of Music to honour outstanding musicians in the country since 2009.

“We still hope to bring down the prices of our band performances. We will not raise the price unless we cannot keep us alive,” says Xu Yuhan, the founding member of FancyWall.

A student only needs to pay RMB￥150 (US $20.50), whilst others can watch a live show of the band by paying RMB￥200 (US $27.60). Bands of a similar stature to FancyWall usually have their ticket prices doubled.

Xu, keyboardist of FancyWall, recalls the band was formed when he was a secondary school student with his schoolmates. He is the only remaining founding member, the other current members are guitarist Yang Yutong, lead singer Min Haoyang, bassist Lyu Shang, and drummer Liu Yangming.

The band’s most famous song is the Pink Lightning, which has over 260,000 likes and five thousand comments on NetEase Cloud Music, a leading interactive music streaming service provider in China. Regarded as the most commercially successful song by its fans, the song is about a couple falling in love at first sight and hoping to treasure every moment.

This song is always the highlight of FancyWall’s live performances and the audience would sing along loudly and interact with the band.

*FancyWall’s live show in Beijing, 2024 (Photo courtesy of FancyWall)*

The band believes live performance and a wide variety of music styles are its biggest charms.

“Live shows and recorded music are just like sketching and comics. We have instinctive expressions based on the occasion and audience during live performance, ” Min, the band’s lead singer, says.

Underground bands in the mainland, including FancyWall, have only become popular in China due to the popularity of a famous entertainment show – the Big Band in 2019. Aired between 2019 and 2023, it was one of China’s biggest music competition television shows. Not only making rock music better known in China, the show also brought many less-known rock and indie bands to the fore.

While FancyWall did not get a chance to participate in the show, FancyWall still says thanks to it as many Chinese people become interested in indie music that they would go to small-scale live music clubs to watch live performances of these alternative rock bands.

FancyWall’s keyboardist remembers vividly the live performance marking the release of the band’s first album Millennium Eden in a small venue five years ago.

“On that day, the livehouse was packed with 250 people. I checked everyone’s ticket behind the table, ” Xu recalls.

More people enjoy watching its live performance nowadays. In their latest tour in 2024, FancyWall performed in 22 cities across China in 2024 and each of the 22 performances attracted more than 500 people.

The band’s drummer adds that FancyWall’s audience base has grown and not only students but middle-aged people would also watch its performances.

“Many of them jumped happily during our show,” Liu says.

Apart from live performances, the band’s unique music style also attracts many audiences.

*ROTOR HEART (Photo courtesy of FancyWall)*

In its third album ROTOR HEART published in 2024, the band members liken themselves to a rotary engine that never stops spinning.

“Diversity is one of the core features of this band. Bands are like movies: comedies, literary films, documentaries, and even commercial romance films. FancyWall is a personal Vlog covering all the elements above,” Min, the lead singer says.

While each band member has his own music preference and style, Min stresses the band has never wanted to simply come up with only one single style but hopes the audience would appreciate a wide range of music.

The band says it is hard to attract a larger audience because the music tastes of many people are relatively restricted.

Vowing to walk its own way, the band stresses it would not just produce music purely for the commercial market.

“If we just ‘cater to’ the market, we can only reproduce the existing music,” Xu adds.

The band is now preparing for their next album after performing in Tokyo and Seoul.

Joining FancyWall when he was a secondary school student, the lead singer urges youngsters to chase their dreams.

“I still highly recommend students to form a band now. It is romantic and touching to do music together with people sharing the same interests,” Min says.

Edited by Daniel Koong

Sub-edited by Cindy Lee

*Theme picture (photo courtesy of FancyWall)

The Sweet Lie of Fruit Juice

March 11, 2025

Drinking bottled fruit juice is unhealthy.

By Belle Yip

Office worker Jane Lee used to suffer from constipation. The problem has improved after she started eating more vegetables and fruits instead of drinking bottled berry juice after dinner three to four times a week.

“I suffered from constipation when I drank bottled fruit juice. Sometimes, I stayed in the lavatory for an hour. I could only poop every four days. But now I can do it every day after I have started to eat more fresh vegetables and fruits,” Lee recalls

Lee used to believe she could easily get nutrients like vitamin C and dietary fiber by drinking bottled fruit juice.

*Fruit juice selling in chained supermarket*

“I also found it refreshing to drink bottled fruit juice after dinner. I thought bottled juice was nutritious enough, so I didn’t eat other fruits or vegetables,” she says.

The office worker changed her habit half a year later after learning that it is healthier to eat more whole foods. “I now eat more fresh fruits such as tangerines and cherries,” she says.

Like Lee, university student Sally Chan finds her skin problem has improved after drinking water or tea instead of her favorite bottled apple or mango juice.

“I drank bottled fruit juice for two years. I often got acne on my face when I had it for breakfast,” she recalls.

Chan also had stomach pain a few times a week when she was a frequent bottled fruit juice drinker.

“I started to drink more water and tea and have a proper breakfast such as noodles and rice balls after finishing the HKDSE (Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education). My skin problem has greatly improved, and I do not have stomach pain anymore,” she says.

Varsity reporter surveys food labels on bottles of fruit juice in supermarkets in Hong Kong. Findings show that dietary fiber content in bottled fruit juice is mostly absent.

*Comparison of nutritional value between bottled fruit juice and Coca-Cola*

The sugar level in bottled fruit juice is comparable to that in soft drinks like Coca-Cola. For example, Welch’s bottled grape juice contains 15.2g of sugar, even more than normal Coca-Cola with 10.6g of sugar per 100ml.

Dietitian Chloe Lee Wai Hang states that excessive sugar consumption can lead to skin problems.

“Bottled fruit juice is a high-sugar beverage. Higher sugar intake increases chances of inflammation response such as redness and swelling of skin,” Lee says.

She also points out that the consumption of dietary fiber and gut health are closely related.

“Insufficient fiber intake is the main cause of constipation. Packaged fruit juice is very thin and smooth which means insoluble fiber is not retained when fruits are compressed to make juice. Cold-pressed juice is thoroughly filtered, and that makes dietary fiber content even lower,” she says.

The dietitian from Gleneagles Hospital suggests that busy city dwellers can purchase packaged fresh fruit cups from chain stores as afternoon snacks.

*Fruit boxes selling in chained supermarket*

She suggests putting grapes or blueberries in a freezer so that the fruits can be consumed for a few days.

Lecturer Peggy Yip Pui-Sze from the School of Life Sciences at the Chinese University of Hong Kong says sugar content in bottled fruit juice is higher than eating the fruit itself.

Yip warns excessive sugar absorption can lead to obesity, which causes other health problems such as hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.

She adds that vitamin C is very sensitive, and it oxidizes when fruits are being compressed, leading to loss of vitamins in bottled fruit juice.

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) under the Department of Health suggests that adults and teenagers aged 12-17 eat at least two portions of fruits and three portions of vegetables per day.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a population intake goal of 25g per day for dietary fiber to reduce the risks of many chronic diseases.

Edited by Zora Yan

Sub-edited by Bliss Zhu

Gay Erotica Writers Facing Jail Time

March 11, 2025

The detention of more than 50 writers of gay erotica in mainland China has led to heated debate.

By Della Qing

Out of anger and fear, gay erotica fiction writer who publishes under the pen name Ni Xiaoyu has deleted all her work after learning more than 50 other writers who used to post their stories on Haitang, a fiction website, have been arrested.

“I’m very furious about the arrest. I don’t think writing gay erotica fiction should be outlawed. Our work does not do any harm to anybody,” Ni says.

“I won’t stop writing because I’m a freelancer, and I’m happy to continue writing stories. Those who make a living by writing have to think carefully about what to write, how to write, and where to write. Fear will limit their freedom to create,” the writer adds.

Founded in 2015, Haitang Culture is an online fiction website affiliated with Longma Culture Limited Company in Taiwan. It features gay erotica and other fiction which are only accessible for internet users who are 18 or above.

*The hot list of top 15 articles highly recommended by readers on fiction website Haitang. All of them are gay erotica fictions.*

“I’m worried about other fiction websites such as Weibo and Lofter that are subject to the authorities’ censorship,” the writer, with ten years of experience writing gay fiction, says.

“Since the censorship in Mainland China is getting stricter and stricter in recent years, Chinese gay erotica writers tend to choose Haitang Culture as an enclave to avoid content censorship, for this website is based in Taiwan where regulations on gay erotica fictions are relatively lenient,” she adds.

Under Chinese law, writers who make more than RMB ¥250,000 (US $34,500) from selling erotic materials can face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, although in practice they can get shorter prison terms if they settle the penalty.

One of the arrested is a top writer who publishes under the pen name Yuan Shang Bai Yun Jian. She was sentenced to four years and six months’ imprisonment with confiscation of her personal property of RMB ¥1,850,000 (US $254,400) and a fine of RMB ¥1,850,000 (US $254,400).

“I think the penalties are certainly overwhelming and the laws should be reviewed. It is ridiculous to discuss laws and penalties when there is no rating system about literary work in mainland China,” Ni adds.

In October 2024, a woman who was believed to be Yuan’s sister posted a message on Weibo, said her sister who has been posting stories for almost a decade under the pen name Yunjian, has gone missing since mid-June 2024 and appealed to readers for donations to settle the penalty.

In early January 2025, a man claiming to be Yunjian’s husband posted on social media that his wife was sentenced to four and a half years in prison and thanked readers for their support.

*The Weibo Homepage of Yunjian’s husband. So far this account has gotten 2.1 millions followers.*

The post also highlights a message which is believed to be from the writer: “I will work hard in prison and try to get out earlier. By then, I’ll thank my readers in person.”

Another freelance gay erotica writer Shi Xiaoxuan, who also posted her works on Haitang, shares Ni’s frustration and worries.

“I don’t think writing gay erotica fictions is a crime. The only criminal element in these cases may be tax evasion. But I can understand why writers do not declare information from their written work. Writing gay erotica is like working in the grey area in China. If they pay tax, the police will investigate them,” Shi says.

“I think the police in Jixi arrested the gay erotica fiction writers because the government faces financial problems,” she adds.

*The document of the arrest of Yun Jian. The crime element written here is publishing and selling erotic materials.*

“I am not surprised with the sentencing of Yunjian. I don’t want to say that things are going backward, but the censorship is indeed getting tighter and tighter. Of course, I hope this kind of thing will not happen to anyone,” Shi says.

Apart from feeling worried about censorship, the two writers also find the fiction website, Haitang Culture, irresponsible for failing to protect writers who contributed work to the site.

“Haitang Culture takes commission from writers, but it does not bear any responsibility for offering legal protection to writers,” Ni says.

“The online fiction site even lied to the writers after the arrests were made, claiming it was safe for them to write on the platform,” Shi sighs.

After the arrest of around 50 gay erotica writers in June 2024, the fiction website only locked all the writers’ columns without any financial or legal assistance to their contributors.

Varsity reporter has emailed questions to Haitang Culture, but no reply has been received before publication.

“I’m not worried about breaking the law because I live and write abroad. But I have a lot of sympathy for authors who write in the same language as me in mainland China,” Shi says.

Professor Fang Kecheng from the School of Journalism and Communication of the Chinese University of Hong Kong points out that the arrests of writers show that censorship is getting stronger in China.

“Usually, politically sensitive issues are more likely to be censored. But in the past decade, censorship of content related to morality has grown stronger too,” Fang says.

“These issues might not be related to politics, but the government thinks they are dangerous, toxic, and influenced by western values, which might challenge the country’s future development and solidarity of the nation,” he adds.

Fang believes writing should be absolutely free, and regulations should be applied to the publication and distribution of written work. “Every country has its publication regulatory system, like a rating system,” Fang says.

“The key is that the regulations should be passed with public consent. The standards and processes of how regulations are applied should be transparent and open to the public. All matters should be discussed and solved in a legal framework,” he adds.

Edited by Bliss Zhu

Sub-edited by Cathleena Zhu

Start from Scrap: Touch it, Feel it

March 11, 2025

Scrapbook enthusiasts embrace handmade journals to preserve memories.

By Flavia Zhou

University student Evelyn Chan-yun has been making scrapbooks for nine years to record her daily life and memorable moments.

Chan likes using hand-drawn stickers and tapes in scrapbooks.

“Hand-drawn stickers and tapes are exquisite handwork. I don’t like e-journals. I like to write with pen and paper. The feeling of touch helps me relax after studying,” the 20-year-old student says.

Owning two smartphones and one tablet, she only uses them in class and checks PowerPoint slides for revision.

The scrapbook enthusiast journals daily events and makes to-do lists two to three times a week.

“Sometimes, I draw some pictures like emojis and food to make my scrapbook beautiful and memorable. My journal is more than just a record of my life. It is an artwork,” the Economics major student says.

Some of the materials Chan bought.
(Photo courtesy of Evelyn Chan-yun)

Office worker Esther Lee shares Chan’s passion for making scrapbooks. She confines her use of electronic devices to work. For personal life, she makes five to six scrapbooks a year to preserve memories.

“I express my feelings with words and paintings. I also enjoy junk journaling by sticking supermarket receipts and packaging from noodles in my scrapbook, it’s a personal and creative touch,” the 24-year-old office worker, who lives in Canada, says.

“I make records of special days like birthdays and outings with friends with photos and my writing. I decorate pages with stickers featuring the same theme,” she says.

Lee sees scrapbooks as a tool for understanding herself and appreciating the small moments in life.

“I started this habit during a tough time, seeking a way to vent. Scrapbook was the solution. Writing served as an emotional outlet and regulator. It helps me grow more introspective and reflective, allowing me to better understand myself and comprehend my experiences,” she adds.

Alexia Schriver is another scrapbook maker who appreciates the essence of preserving memory in tangible form. The student who lives in the UK started scrapbooking in July 2024.

“I make records of my daily life and special occasions. I want to preserve my memories in a physical format because it’s easier to look back on. Digital memories can disappear at any time,” she says.

She has been collecting restaurant receipts, clothing label tags, food packaging bags, scenic spot tickets, and movie tickets for one year. She puts them in her scrapbook to keep track of her life. She turns all her collection that others might consider as rubbish into materials for making her scrapbooks.

*Alexia working on her scrapbook.*
*(Photo courtesy of Alexia Schriver)*

“I started doing scrapbooks because I had so much junk sitting in a box in my room. I decided to start using it in a journal and haven’t stopped since I think everything in life triggers my memory. I keep collecting all sorts of paper tickets, receipts, and bags,” Schriver says.

“I am willing to spend time on decorating my scrapbook because I want it to be a representation of my current aesthetics—colors, patterns, styles, and stickers that I like. I don’t have a specific style preference. I enjoy more chaotic spreads with lots of junk because it reflects how much I did that day or week, and it’s nice to look back on,” she adds.

Schriver runs an Instagram page with 27,000 followers and a Xiaohongshu page with 2,700 followers, sharing her scrapbook inspirations and videos on how she does her own journal.

“I hope to encourage others to give journaling a try, as well as to help those who are already journaling with layout ideas or motivation to maintain the habit. The Internet can transcend spatial distances, people with the same hobbies can be found,” the scrapbook enthusiast says.

“I think it is a great way to disconnect from the internet and create analog memories. It helps me ground myself and gives me room to reflect on my days,” she adds.

Part-time lecturer Jenny Leung Kit-wah from the School of Journalism and Communication of the Chinese University of Hong Kong points out that scrapbooking fosters a stronger personal and emotional connection and satisfaction.

“Most handmade goods have a strong story from the producer. It represents or creates a sense of distinctiveness, uniqueness, design idea, and story. It is also the only creation in the world,” Leung says.

“Scrapbooks carry priceless memory, emotional value, and personal connection. It also has effort, ideas, time, and love behind it. Not the piece itself, but the moment, the joy, and the making process are all translated into eternal memory,” she adds.She also points out that reading with a digital device can never be compared with holding a physical item with.

“It demonstrates personalized creativity and innovation. It transcends the 2D limitations with the ability to build 3D models for painting. The smells from paper go beyond visual but project a five-sensory feeling that e-records can never compare. All in all, it creates a sensory moment each time you see it, touch it, and FEEL it,” she adds.

Edited by Angel Yu & Emma Wei

Sub-edited by James Cheang

Micro Drama Craze in China

March 11, 2025

Micro drama, a new form of entertainment is becoming increasingly popular in China.

By Isa He

University student, Zhuang Yan, is an avid fan of micro dramas and spends at least five hours watching them weekly.

“I like watching dramatic micro dramas, where mother-in-law and daughter-in-law can become romantic rivals,” the Year Four student majoring in Integrated BBA says.

Micro dramas, or short dramas, typically featuring 50 to 100 episodes in a series with each episode lasting between two to five minutes, captivate her with cliffhangers and constant unexpected turn of events.

“Compared to conventional dramas, micro dramas are funnier, and the pace is faster so that they waste less of my time,” the 22-year-old girl adds.

Another notable characteristic is their vertical screen format, which closely resembles short videos, enhancing phone user’s viewing experience.

“It’s more convenient for me because they can be watched in portrait mode on my smartphone, so I don’t need to rotate the screen orientation,” Zhuang adds.

Zhuang’s interest in micro dramas started last summer when she came across micro drama advertisements while browsing Douyin, a mainland Chinese short video platform.

“There are lots of twists and suspense, leading me to wonder what the plots are. That’s how I first got hooked,” she says.

*Zhuang Yan is watching a micro drama at school.*

Another short drama fan, Cai Hanjun, also learnt about micro dramas through advertisements on Douyin.

“I love drama about a protagonist who is betrayed in her past life and has a second chance to take revenge on enemies, and finally win a perfect man’s heart,” the 20-year-old university student says.

“I know it’s trashy. But then that’s why I love it. They are so addictive just like novels,” she adds.

Compared to TV dramas, micro dramas are sold by episode. On average, the cost of each episode ranges from a few cents to RMB ¥2 (US $0.28) or RMB ¥3 (US $0.41).

As of June 2024, the number of users for Chinese micro dramas reached 576 million, accounting for 52.7 percent of the total internet users in the country, even surpassing the user base for online food delivery services, according to the China Netcasting Services Association (CNSA).

The market size of Chinese micro drama in 2024 has reached RMB ¥50.40 billion (US $6.93 billion), exceeding the box office of Chinese movies for the first time, according to White Paper on Micro-Short Drama Industry 2024 published by DataEye, a Chinese mobile advertising big data intelligence analytics company.

*Various micro dramas are displayed with their popularity metrics in a Chinese micro drama app.*

Lin Jian, an assistant professor from the Journalism and Communication School of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, explains micro dramas are popular now because they are very similar to short videos that many people watch in TikTok.

“On the other hand, compared to most of those short videos, they are more professional and refined with more completed and coherent stories like fiction or movies,” he says.

Professor Lin adds micro dramas are full of dramatic twists and turns in a short period of time in order to boost viewing.

“These fast-paced dramas filled with thrilling plots, which might lead viewers to favour quick, highly entertaining content more and more,” he adds.

Lin is concerned by such a trend. “When users prefer to consume a cultural product which continuously stimulates people’s senses and emotions, might the more reflective aspects of culture that provoke deeper thought gradually diminish?” he says.

He believes the industry will develop in two extreme directions in the future.

“Some top companies may start to focus on producing high-quality and premium micro dramas, while others may continue making controversial or borderline practices, or so-called ‘gray area’ dramas,” he adds.

Edited by Celina Lu

Sub-edited by Lunaretta Linaura

A Lifetime of Pushing the Bar

March 11, 2025

Roneo Tsu, 76, shares his persistent journey of fitness and bodybuilding.

By Justin Tai

Gym goers might have met Roneo Tsu. Being in his late 70s, he has devoted his life to lifting weights and leading a healthy lifestyle for over 50 years.

Tsu is known for being one of the most senior members in a gym he goes to, having a body that is as fit as a young athlete and a physique that is comparable to the finest bodybuilders in the field.

“As long as I can still move and walk, I will still be working out in a gym,” Tsu says.

The 76-year-old trains at the gym four days a week, three to three-and-a-half hours per session, which far exceeds the World Health Organisation’s recommended minimum duration.

While it is recommended for adults aged 65 or above to do a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity throughout the week, Tsu does it in a day.

During a weekly routine, Tsu has four sets of chest press, shoulder press, bicep curls and pull ups to train his upper body. He then performs leg extensions, leg curls, hyperextension for his lower-body training.

“Quitting the gym is like going bankrupt, you would lose your years of hard-earned gains once you stopped,” he says.

Apart from his regular training, he also adopts a clean diet. He only consumes a teaspoon of olive oil daily for frying and blanching vegetables, when it comes to cooking meats like chicken and beef, an oven and a microwave oven are all he needs.

“When I cook chicken breast, I just brush a tiny bit of oil on top of it and bake it in the oven. Cooking this way tastes as delicious as searing them, and it is healthier too,” he adds.

Tsu’s baked chicken meal (Photo courtesy of Roneo Tsu)

Family and friend gatherings are inevitable, and the food is often cooked with a great amount of fat and sodium. But that does not stop Tsu from practicing his diet rules.

“I remove skin from chicken before I eat it, and I spit out pork belly fat during gatherings. Sometimes I just simply don’t eat. I often get scolded by my friends for that,” Tsu says with a laugh.

Tsu started working out when he was 21 years old. Like many amateur lifters, he initially worked out just to kill time and have fun, without much thought about his health and diet.

Turning to his 30s, Tsu witnessed his parents, relatives and even friends suffering from various chronic diseases. They had diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes and heart problems.

“My family has a history of diabetes, and I told myself I would never walk on the same path as them,” he says.

“I have never suffered from any chronic diseases, body pain and even posture problems. Even my doctor expressed shock and said I’m healthier than him,” he says. .

“I am not aiming to be strong, I just want to be healthy,” he adds.

Tsu has started following a strict workout and diet routine since then, lifting weights consistently and being wary of what he consumes every single day.

Unlike most people in his age, Tsu does not suffer from any illnesses and body pains, proving that aging does not come with diseases.

“Many say that aging surely comes with diseases, I find that thinking ridiculous and I have proved them wrong,” he says.

“When you’re still young, you must pave your path for a better health when you have the chance, otherwise it’ll be too late,” he adds.

Many consider eating, drinking, vacationing or any hedonistic activity to be enjoying life, but for Tsu, having good health is the ultimate luxury for a pleasurable life.

“I wouldn’t say I love working out, it simply is just a part of my life,” he says.

Tsu determines to continue living this way which may be seen as unbearable in the eyes of others. “Health is a give and take,” he says.

“I’m planning to lift weights and maintain this diet for the rest of my life. As long as I can still move, I will just stick to this lifestyle,” he shares.

Edited by James Cheang

Subedited by Daniel Koong

Beach Cleaners on Mission

February 5, 2025

Reporters: Suzana Shin Ru Li, Bliss Zhu Fu, Zora Yan Zhuo, Celina Lu Yu Jie, Emma Wei Jia Yu, Cathleena Zhu Li Yang

Volunteers take part in beach clean-up campaign organized by A Plastic Ocean Foundation to arouse public awareness about the importance of community participation to fight marine pollution.

Survival Game of the Hong Kong Democrats

January 14, 2025

Hong Kong democrats are struggling to survive in current social environment.

By Mike Chu

The last two opposition political parties in Hong Kong vow to fight on despite facing heavy pressure and increasingly tightening political space.

The League of Social Democrats (LSD) has been a frequent target of law enforcement agencies, despite massively downscaling its activities since national security law was imposed in the city in 2020.

Known for its relatively radical direct actions, whether in the street or within Hong Kong’s Legislative Council, the centre-left party has been repeatedly accused and fined for raising funds and displaying banners without a permit.

“We were fined more than 30 times for various charges, such as illegal fundraising and displaying banners without permission. Ten volunteers also received penalties for setting up street booths,” party chairperson Chan Po-ying says.

“We were not charged for similar actions before 2020,” Chan adds.

In a recent court case, six members and volunteers from the party were charged for raising funds and displaying posters last year on April 2 and 30 and May 28 at the intersection of Great George Street and East Point Road in Causeway Bay and outside Wan Chai MTR station.

The poster in question was a plain black banner.

They also find it hard to stage protests. In May 2024 they gathered outside the West Kowloon Law Courts Building to show support to the 47 pan-democrats who joined the primary election and were arrested for conspiracy to commit subversion. The case is sometimes referred to as Hong Kong 47.

However, Chan and other party members were arrested and kept by the police for more than 30 hours before they started their protest, and were later granted bail for HK$2,000. They are yet to be prosecuted.

The party has zero presence in the institution for years now. Chan’s husband, Leung Kwok-hung “Long Hair” was disqualified from the Legco in 2016 for making an invalid oath and two LSD members resigned from the district council in 2021.

Leung, a founding member of the party established in 2006, was among 47 activists charged with conspiracy to commit subversion for joining an unofficial primary in 2020 to pick candidates who can run for the Legco. He is now behind bars after being found guilty of subversion.

“The absence of a widely recognised political figure means we could not grab the public’s attention and obtain votes and funding, and we could not unite the people to speak out,” Chan says.

*Members of LSD were arrested for staging a protest during the district council election in 2023. (Photo courtesy of The League of Social Democrats Facebook)*

Another opposition party, the Democratic Party, also struggles to find their way into the councils.

Known for its moderate proposition and long history of success in elections, the Democratic party won a landslide victory in the 2019 district council election. They got 91 seats out of the total 452 seats, and gained a majority in eight out of 18 districts, The party came out as the largest party in the council.

However, the party failed to secure enough nominations to run in last year’s district council election under a revamped electoral rule. It was the first time for pan-democrats to be absent from the city’s district-level elections since joining in 1985.

In order to join the race, a candidate had to secure at least three nominations from each of the three committees, the Area Committees, the District Fight Crime Committees, and the District Fire Safety Committees. Members from the three local-level committees were all appointed by the government.

“We tried to get nominations from the three committees. But we could not find the contact of the members,” says Lo Kin-hei, chairperson of the Democratic Party.

*Chairperson of the Democratic Party Lo Kin-hei.*

And the turnout rate in the 2023 district council election dropped to a historic low of 27.59 percent from the historic high of 71.23 percent in 2019 despite the government more than doubling its spending in promoting the election from the 2015 and 2019 elections.

Without votes and apparent public support, Lo admits he sometimes loses interest in continuing doing his job. But he stays regardless.

“I love this place! I believe I can still make it better, even though what I do right now is not so useful,” Lo says.

“We believe we are still responsible to speak to the government on behalf of the Hong Kong people, even if we do not have a place in both councils,” Lo says.

Noting that people in Hong Kong no longer believe their voices will be heard and can influence the government’s decision, LSD chairperson Chan says, “We hope we will be the one to speak out when no one dares to speak.”

Edited by Enya So

Sub-edited by Carrie Lock

Worthwhile Style

January 6, 2025

By Pauline Yau & Lunaretta Linaura

Youngsters turn to second-hand fashion to reflect a choice of self-expression and environmental consciousness.

Buying second-hand clothes allows Yekaterina Kim to develop a personal style, access to a wider range of clothing options at lower price points, and practise sustainable shopping habits.

“When I shopped in chain stores, my wardrobe did not have its own style. I bought whatever was on sale at the time. But when I thrift, I have more choices which are unique and of different styles at different times. I can develop my own style instead of following trends,” the 21-year-old says.

The Humanities and Digital Technologies major student at the University of Hong Kong used to buy new clothes from fast-fashion brands, and only started buying from thrift shops three or four years ago.

“I shop secondhand because it’s cheaper and more sustainable. Clothes from second-hand stores are also not governed by trends. It’s a fun way to experiment with my style,” Kim says.

Noting that the quality of a lot of secondhand clothes are better compared to new clothes bought from fast-fashion brands like H&M, Kim finds that thrifting not only offers an affordable alternative to shopping fast-fashion but is also a more sustainable choice.

“Fast fashion clothing manufacturing now makes use of more synthetic fiber. That means the clothes are not meant to last for long. Once the clothes are disposed of, the environment becomes more polluted with textile waste. Having higher quality second-hand clothes allows me to wear my clothes more often without discarding them quickly,” Kim states.

Kim also upcycles clothes by sewing new patterns, bleaching or other ways to add more personality to them. The student also resells and donates unused clothing.

A 2024 report by Global Data, a data analytics and consulting firm in London, identifies Gen Z as the driver for secondhand shopping across the world with growing interest in sustainability, resale purchases, and a desire for unique and affordable clothing.

The report further states that the global secondhand apparel market is expected to grow three times faster than the overall market between 2023 and 2028, at a compound annual growth rate of 12 per cent – meaning the size of the market is set to increase by around 12 per cent each year, reaching a gross merchandise value of US$350 billion by 2028.

About 90 million tonnes of textile waste end up in landfills each year, as consumers discard clothes after seven to 10 wears, and fast fashion brands produce twice the amount of clothes than they did in 2000, reports Earth.Org, a digital environmental news outlet.

The news outlet also reports that in garment manufacturing, only 12 per cent of textiles used for clothing are recycled, while 15 per cent of fabric is wasted in the garment manufacturing industry.

With second-hand and vintage clothing gaining popularity among Hongkongers, vintage stores which used to run online platforms are setting up shops in high-end malls.

“We want to introduce our unique style to more people with the opening of our physical store in New Town Plaza. While everyone has their own fashion preferences, vintage clothing offers a diverse range of styles that are worth exploring,” says Wong Tung-hai, supervisor of Midwest Vintage’s flagship store, a second-hand clothes store in Tin Hau.

*Wong Tung-hai, supervisor of Midwest’s flagship store in Tin Hau.*

“Second-hand shopping is an unstoppable trend. Whether it’s luxury brands or upcycled clothing, people are increasingly turning to second-hand stores. Hongkongers are more eco-conscious now, so the second-hand market is set to grow even more,” Wong adds.

Vintage store, The Palm Tree Office, also sees a rise in the trend.

“With Gen-Z having more purchasing power, their desire for unique pieces fuels the vintage industry. Dressing up is a way of self-expression. This concept is more prevalent now than ever. This can also be seen in the phenomenon of the demise of fast fashion chain stores,” says Chak Sum-li, who sets up his physical store in 2020.

H&M has recently closed its stores in Shatin and Diamond Hill as part of its downsizing efforts, reducing its presence in Hong Kong to just four locations, down from 16 previously.

Chan and his business partner Soyu Fok first started selling second hand and vintage clothes via Instagram in 2018, due to wastage they witnessed in clothing industry.

“I worked in a textile factory. The recycled textiles are not able to be sold at all. Many companies do not want to bear the extra cost involved in recycling. I hope that by selling secondhand clothes, people appreciate the value of sustainable fashion,” Fok says.

“We source our clothing everywhere from anyone who produces secondhand clothing. Sometimes we find used clothes on the streets of Sham Shui Po, or source some clothes when travelling to the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan and Europe,” she says.

*Founders of The Palm Tree Office: Chan Sum-li and Soyu Fok.*

Circular Fashion Programme Director, Aurianne Ricquer at Redress, an non-governmental organisation (NGO) which promotes sustainable fashion economy, warns that, regardless of shopping firsthand or secondhand, buyers should always be cautious of overconsumption.

“[Making shopping choices] comes back to the questions: why are you buying the piece? How is this piece important to you?” Ricquer says.

“Whether it’s shopping secondhand or not, if consumers are creating waste with the clothes they buy, then it’s not sustainable from the start. Do you know that you’re going to actually wear it for a long time? And of course, if the answer is no, it’s still not worth getting, even if it’s a good deal,” she adds.

*Redress organises a semiannual fundraising campaign, the Secondhand Pop-up Shop, where a curation of clothes collected by the NGO are sold (Photo courtesy of Redress)*

Redress places “takeback” boxes in retail stores around Hong Kong, where consumers can drop off any of their unwanted clothes.

Some clothes collected are resold at pop-up events or the NGO’s physical store at Sham Shui Po. Clothes in good condition are donated to charities, and lower quality clothes are downcycled to be other items.

“We have people who come and shop for a special occasion. Even if you buy it second hand, and you may know that you’re only going to wear it once, as long as you then give it to a friend, give it back to Redress or make sure it’s resold. I don’t see the problem with that, because at least it’s second-hand and you’ve not created new production for that,” Ricquer adds.

Edited by Carrie Lock

Sub-edited by Molisa Meng

Where to have fun in Fukuoka

January 2, 2025

Reporter: Erica Hwang Seowoo, Charley Ho Cheuk Ying, Roy Ng Po Shing, Daniel Paek Kieon

Kyushu University students spill the tea on where they have the most fun — discover Fukuoka’s hottest entertainment spots in this lively guide!