https://www.scmp.com/rss/519633/feed All things contemporary culture: art, music, performance and Hong Kong subcultures en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Mark Footer Mark Footer Built in the 1930s by Tiger Balm tycoon Aw Boon Haw to promote Chinese culture as well as his brand of pain-relieving ointment, Hong Kong’s Tiger Balm Garden, in Tai Hang, was a sprawling park with a white pagoda and colourful statues surrounding an eye-catching mansion. The garden was demolished for a housing development in 2004 but Haw Par Mansion was preserved, and opened in 2019 as a music academy. It closed again three years later, but is now being transformed into Hong Kong’s first... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3356112/pictures-haw-par-mansion-and-long-lost-tiger-balm-garden?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3356112/pictures-haw-par-mansion-and-long-lost-tiger-balm-garden?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jun 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Charlotte Shore Charlotte Shore Roberta Di Fazio Camilleri knows the importance of having single-gendered teams in sport – especially for women. The founder and captain of the successful all-female dragon-boat team the Renegades did not find her tribe by mistake, but by recognising what was missing in the sport. “My friends and I wanted to race competitively at Stanley. We’d met in a team that was more concerned with the social side of things than podium finishes and, over time, we’d become more ambitious,” she says. “We... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3355999/how-hong-kongs-all-female-renegades-dragon-boating-team-making-waves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3355999/how-hong-kongs-all-female-renegades-dragon-boating-team-making-waves?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Alexander Mak Alexander Mak For generations, life in Hong Kong was shaped by the sea. From the 1950s, traditional wooden boats with sails were gradually replaced by engine-driven trawlers as the industry modernised and expanded its reach across the South China Sea. As Hong Kong grew, land-reclamation projects, overfishing and a rise in seafood imports from overseas reshaped the local industry, bringing new challenges to fishing communities. Despite these shifts, residents in places such as Aberdeen, Cheung Chau, Lamma... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3354934/pictures-hong-kongs-post-war-fishing-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3354934/pictures-hong-kongs-post-war-fishing-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Jun 2026 00:00:12 +0000 Annemarie Evans Annemarie Evans I WAS BORN in a prefabricated asbestos hut left over from World War II at the site that had been the (American) Eighth Air Force’s base hospital in Norfolk, in east England. After the war, it was turned into Wymondham College, which was a boarding school, and the County Grammar School, which was a day school, where my father was deputy headmaster. I was born in 1959. In 1966, we moved into a bungalow in a village called Morley Saint Botolph. I had two older sisters, one of whom has died. IN... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3354926/how-wartime-hong-kong-became-passion-historian-and-author-tony-banham?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3354926/how-wartime-hong-kong-became-passion-historian-and-author-tony-banham?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Thomas Bird Thomas Bird There was once a province called Jiangnan. Although no longer marked on maps, it exists in everyday parlance as a cultural region – somewhere rich, fertile and evocative of the fabled Song dynasty (AD960-1279). Sometimes referred to as the Yangtze River Basin, Jiangnan is associated by many with Shanghai and the industrial cities of the lower valley of that waterway. Yet, while Jiangnan does boast an unequal share of China’s top-tier cities, swathes of the region – from the lower half of Jiangsu... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3354787/jiangnans-rural-retreats-offer-escape-city-hustle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3354787/jiangnans-rural-retreats-offer-escape-city-hustle?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 May 2026 00:00:06 +0000 Charlotte Shore Charlotte Shore When a cha chaan teng in Busan, South Korea, made it into this year’s Michelin Guide, it was a sign of how far the Hong Kong tea restaurants have come since the 1950s and 60s. Both at home and abroad, cha chaan teng are hotter than boiling-hot Ceylon tea poured through a milk-tea cotton “stocking”. In Hong Kong, long queues form outside Milk Cafe branches, while social-media buzz surrounds the ramshackle Lan Fong Yuen on Gage Street, Central. Overseas, these cafes have spread to cities such as... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3354775/hong-kong-style-cha-chaan-teng-cafes-thrive-globally-gen-z-embraces-nostalgic-dining?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3354775/hong-kong-style-cha-chaan-teng-cafes-thrive-globally-gen-z-embraces-nostalgic-dining?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:07 +0000 Mavis Teo Mavis Teo Yuguang Island in Tainan is said to be one of the best places in Taiwan to watch the sunset. Situated just off its southwest coast, the stretch of land faces an open run of the Taiwan Strait, where the sun drops into the sea, a molten egg yolk sinking into the horizon. At this golden hour, Yudao, a restaurant discreetly nestled in Mao House – a five-key bed-and-breakfast tucked into Crescent Bay, a small curve of beach sheltered by whistling pines – catches the last of the light. Rays filter... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3354766/discover-tainans-culinary-renaissance-yudao-chef-nick-yang?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3354766/discover-tainans-culinary-renaissance-yudao-chef-nick-yang?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 May 2026 00:00:06 +0000 David Ho David Ho Exchanging stories around a fire is a tradition as old as time, a practice that has been passed down through generations and civilisations. These days, the light of the fire may have been replaced by the glow of a small screen, and our attention spans might have shortened considerably, but we are still as drawn to stories as we have always been. Angela Herliani Tanoesoedibjo and Clarissa Herliani Tanoesoedibjo are aware of the power of storytelling, as well as the fragmented focus of today’s... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3354756/micro-drama-platform-vshort-founding-sisters-talk-content-trends-and-production-powerhouses?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3354756/micro-drama-platform-vshort-founding-sisters-talk-content-trends-and-production-powerhouses?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 May 2026 00:00:07 +0000 David Ho David Ho It may not seem like fans of Stranger Things, Bridgerton, Harry Potter and Star Wars would overlap much on a Venn diagram, but Comic Con has always been where such fandoms converge. The first-ever Hong Kong Comic Con (HKCC) is no exception, with stars including Jamie Campbell Bower (Stranger Things), Katie Leung (Harry Potter, Bridgerton) and Daniel Logan (Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones) expected at the event. But that’s not all. We are also hyped for the appearance of actors such... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3354745/inaugural-hong-kong-comic-con-unites-global-fandoms-star-studded-line?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3354745/inaugural-hong-kong-comic-con-unites-global-fandoms-star-studded-line?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 May 2026 00:00:10 +0000 David Ho David Ho “Am I the only one who has their video on?” We were told our conversation with Patti LuPone, 77, would be an audio-only interview, so we’re pleasantly surprised to find the American actor, singer and Broadway performer has logged on for a face-to-face chat. While some celebrities might hide behind publicists and demands, LuPone is known to face whatever life throws at her head on; no one could accuse her of being a shrinking violet. Ahead of her A Life in Notes concert on June 3, a headline... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3354650/patti-lupone-hong-kong-her-musical-memoir-and-living-life-note?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3354650/patti-lupone-hong-kong-her-musical-memoir-and-living-life-note?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 May 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Jen Paolini Jen Paolini American painter Bob Ross was fond of quipping, “We don’t make mistakes; we have happy accidents.” Our “happy accident” this week is that food and nostalgia, serendipitously, became recurring themes, threading this issue’s stories into a layered journey that traverses not only land and sea, but also time, to arrive at the table. Shakespeare’s Hamlet laboured under the weight of “to be, or not to be”, but when it comes to food, the most important philosophical question is: do you live to eat, or... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3354497/week-postmag-nostalgic-celebration-food-glorious-food?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3354497/week-postmag-nostalgic-celebration-food-glorious-food?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 May 2026 00:00:06 +0000 David Ho David Ho EAT THIS Gaylord Indian Restaurant Alphonso mango season is here, and Gaylord Indian Restaurant’s new limited-time menu is built upon an indulgent celebration of India’s most coveted fruit. The prized cultivar is featured in various flavour combinations, forms and textures, such as the crunchy Alphonso mango bhel, the Alphonso mango malai kofta comprising cheese-filled mango rolls in a creamy korma gravy, the Alphonso mango chicken curry, the sweet Alphonso mango kulfi ice cream and the fresh... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3354487/best-things-do-hong-kong-may-24-30?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3354487/best-things-do-hong-kong-may-24-30?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 May 2026 00:00:07 +0000 Hei Kiu Au Hei Kiu Au At 5am, the Aberdeen Wholesale Fish Market – the oldest and largest in town – is not for the public. It’s a maze of fluorescent lights, flooded floors and shouted Cantonese, where deals are made in half-sentences and the morning’s best catch disappears before the city wakes. At this hour, Hong Kong’s finest kitchens are still dark, their chefs still fast asleep. Instead, there is Peter Kam, 38, a self-taught fish aficionado with a near-mystical read on gills and gloss. His company, Peter... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3354389/hong-kongs-seafood-whisperer-peter-kam-takes-us-pre-dawn-tour-citys-premier-fish-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/food-drink/article/3354389/hong-kongs-seafood-whisperer-peter-kam-takes-us-pre-dawn-tour-citys-premier-fish-market?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:07 +0000 Alexander Mak Alexander Mak Weekend trips across the border with mainland China now feel almost effortless. Hongkongers glide across for cheaper meals out, guilt-free shopping and a range of leisure activities, drawn in part by the ease and value-for-money of a foray into Guangdong province. A generation ago, the journey represented a different story. Those bound for the mainland often relied on the slow (by today’s standards) Kowloon-Canton Railway, enduring long hours in queues before they could cross the border. Trips... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3353967/pictures-crossing-hong-kong-mainland-china-border-through-decades?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3353967/pictures-crossing-hong-kong-mainland-china-border-through-decades?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 00:00:07 +0000 Ron Emmons Ron Emmons I WAS BORN in Bangkok in 1971, and grew up in a family where roles were clearly defined but influence was not always where it appeared to be. My father, who ran a real-estate development business, was seen as the strategist while my mother quietly ran the engine of the family: managing finances, raising us and ensuring everything functioned seamlessly. That dynamic shaped my understanding of leadership early on; that true control often sits behind the scenes and that execution is as powerful as... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3353391/meet-anchalika-kijkanakorn-thai-hotelier-redefining-luxury-resorts-through-wellness-and-meaningful?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3353391/meet-anchalika-kijkanakorn-thai-hotelier-redefining-luxury-resorts-through-wellness-and-meaningful?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 00:00:08 +0000 David Ho David Ho For Charles Yang, the 1964 hit “A Change is Gonna Come”, by Sam Cooke, is a life-altering song. A clip of Yang singing the civil rights movement anthem and accompanying himself on the violin went viral on social media, introducing his work to a wider audience. The soulful performance was an impromptu choice as an encore for a concert with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. But dig beyond that viral clip, and you will find Yang to be a musician who consistently mixes youthful exuberance with an... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3353125/viral-violinist-charles-yang-brings-genre-blending-virtuosity-hong-kong-debut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3353125/viral-violinist-charles-yang-brings-genre-blending-virtuosity-hong-kong-debut?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:05 +0000 David Ho David Ho Hong Kong’s whirlwind art month may have wrapped in March, but after a welcome pause in April, the city’s cultural calendar is already gearing up again. For anyone who previously left empty-handed, the Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong (AAF) offers a second chance. This year’s theme, “See Art. Love Art. Own Art.”, says it all – an invitation to move beyond admiration and into acquisition. Prices start at just HK$1,000 (US$128) and with 106 local and international exhibitors – up from 98 last year –... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3353120/affordable-art-fair-hong-kong-2026-106-exhibitors-cantopop-stars-and-london-vibes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3353120/affordable-art-fair-hong-kong-2026-106-exhibitors-cantopop-stars-and-london-vibes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:06 +0000 Jen Paolini Jen Paolini As we inch ever closer to summer – the stifling heat and high humidity already threatening – our thoughts stray to distant lands and paradisal climes, while our eyes stray (hesitantly, in fear of the outrageous prices that will fill us with dread) to travel booking platforms, warily tracking the ups and ups of fare hikes. But even as jet fuel costs continue to soar and flight routes globally get axed, the urge to explore remains irresistible. Buckle up – our dedicated summer travel issue is... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3352839/week-postmag-summer-travel-edition-offers-holiday-tips-all-tastes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3352839/week-postmag-summer-travel-edition-offers-holiday-tips-all-tastes?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 May 2026 00:00:06 +0000 David Ho David Ho EAT THIS Tiffin Saicho has teamed up with Grand Hyatt Hong Kong for an afternoon tea set featuring its alcohol-free sparkling brews, available until June 28. Guests can enjoy a selection of sweet and savoury treats, delivered on a tiered cake stand, and for every two sets ordered, they’ll receive a 200ml bottle of Saicho darjeeling, hojicha, jasmine or osmanthus tea, to be enjoyed with the set or later at home. M/F, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, 1 Harbour Road, Wan Chai DRINK THIS Friday After... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3352793/best-things-do-hong-kong-may-2-8?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3352793/best-things-do-hong-kong-may-2-8?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 May 2026 00:00:07 +0000 Annemarie Evans Annemarie Evans I WAS BORN in Worcester (in England’s West Midlands) in 1961. Dad was a priest there. On the morning I was born, the postman brought a letter containing a job offer for dad as the principal of a mission school in India. So, when I was six months old, the family headed off to India. India was a big part of my parents’ lives. My mother was born there; dad went out as a missionary. They’d met in India. I HAVE TWO older sisters and a younger brother, so my brother was born in India. We were... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3351866/meet-reverend-will-newman-chaplain-hong-kongs-st-johns-cathedral-and-stanley-prison?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3351866/meet-reverend-will-newman-chaplain-hong-kongs-st-johns-cathedral-and-stanley-prison?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:10 +0000 David Ho David Ho Opera Hong Kong’s Carmen, running from May 7 to 10, promises to be a seductive strut down memory lane. Under the direction of Jia Ding, the classic tale has been reimagined. The opera, by French composer Georges Bizet, is a story of burning love and brutal passion traditionally set in Seville, Spain. But what would the story look like if that drama took place in 1978 Hong Kong instead? Jia is a tour de force in the performing arts, being an acclaimed lyricist, playwright and director. For... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3351385/director-jia-ding-reimagining-georges-bizets-carmen-hong-kong-story?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3351385/director-jia-ding-reimagining-georges-bizets-carmen-hong-kong-story?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 00:00:10 +0000 Jen Paolini Jen Paolini Readers tend to be curious creatures – it’s in our nature to want to know, learn and absorb more, all for that deeply satisfying brain scratch. For me, the thirst for knowledge takes me into the depths of bookshops, the corners of libraries and countless other places – if not other worlds. When faced with printed material we’re interested in – much like this issue of PostMag, I hope – most people wouldn’t think twice about picking it up, leafing through it and perusing it from beginning to end.... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3351188/week-postmag-toxic-tomes-trip-fifa-world-cup-host-mexico-city-and-carmen-kowloon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3351188/week-postmag-toxic-tomes-trip-fifa-world-cup-host-mexico-city-and-carmen-kowloon?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 00:00:08 +0000 Gavin Yeung Gavin Yeung EAT THIS Racines Racines enters a fresh era under new executive chef and co-owner Chun Wah-leung. Born in Strasbourg, France, to Hong Kong parents, Leung is trading his tenure with Anne-Sophie Pic to blend Cantonese heritage with rigorous French technique. Expect a terroir-driven menu that delicately treads between two culinary worlds in creations such as the abalone prepared meunière style and a refined take on prawn toast using Kuruma prawn tartare. 22 Upper Station Street, Sheung Wan DRINK... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3351173/best-things-do-hong-kong-april-26-may-2?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3351173/best-things-do-hong-kong-april-26-may-2?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Kamala Thiagarajan Kamala Thiagarajan In early September 2025, Lesley Liu, head of preservation and conservation at the University of Hong Kong Libraries, carefully surveyed the institution’s collection of rare Western books from the Victorian era (1837–1900). Recent research had made her acutely aware that within these cloth bindings, a century-old danger could be hidden within fingertip’s reach. She was on the lookout for titles that matched a growing online database of “poison books”: book bindings known to contain substances... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3351161/poison-books-hong-kong-joins-search-victorian-era-arsenic-laced-tomes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3351161/poison-books-hong-kong-joins-search-victorian-era-arsenic-laced-tomes?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Alexander Mak Alexander Mak Nestled against the green slopes of Pok Fu Lam and overlooking the Lamma Channel, the Wah Fu Estate opened in 1968 as a landmark in Hong Kong’s public housing programme. Designed by architect Donald Liao Poon-huai, the estate was groundbreaking, featuring private balconies and a layout that maximised natural light and sea breezes for every unit. Its location earned it the nickname “the luxury residence for the masses”. Wah Fu pioneered the “city within a city” model, with schools, markets and... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3350782/pictures-hong-kongs-groundbreaking-wah-fu-public-housing-estate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3350782/pictures-hong-kongs-groundbreaking-wah-fu-public-housing-estate?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 00:00:19 +0000 Alexander Mak Alexander Mak From the 1960s to the 90s, Hong Kong’s watch industry thrived on the skill and hard work of watchmakers, factory workers and traders. Using imported movements and efficient assembly lines, the city’s watch exports increased eightfold during the 70s. By the early 90s, Hong Kong was the world’s leading exporter by quantity, the city having pivoted quickly to producing inexpensive quartz movements and supplying nearly 70 per cent of the world’s watches. As production migrated to mainland China due... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3349668/pictures-hong-kongs-watchmaking-industry-through-decades?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3349668/pictures-hong-kongs-watchmaking-industry-through-decades?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:10 +0000 Alexander Mak Alexander Mak Since the whistle was first blown on March 28, 1976, the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens tournament has grown from a regional invitational into a global spectacle, expanding from 12 teams in its inaugural edition to 30, competing in three distinct competitions, in 2026. In those 50 years – from the early days at the Hong Kong Football Club, in Happy Valley, through the Hong Kong Stadium era to games at its current home, the Kai Tak Sports Park – the contest has transformed dramatically, a pair of... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3349385/pictures-50-years-mud-sweat-and-beers-hong-kong-rugby-sevens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3349385/pictures-50-years-mud-sweat-and-beers-hong-kong-rugby-sevens?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:00:10 +0000 David Frazier David Frazier Doi Chiang Dao is one of Thailand’s most stunning mountains, a 2,175-metre limestone peak that rises like a behemoth from flat farmland. Every February, it becomes the backdrop to a 10-day festival called Shambhala in Your Heart. Organised by a group of silver-haired, 1960s purist Japanese hippies, the event is set in an Edenic campsite in northern Thailand, where shade trees flank a cool running stream and open-air hot springs are just a 10-minute walk away. In recent years, Shambhala has... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3349356/chinese-youths-find-freedom-thailands-shambhala-festival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3349356/chinese-youths-find-freedom-thailands-shambhala-festival?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 07:15:40 +0000 David Ho David Ho Step into the Landmark Atrium before April 17 and you’ll be greeted by a gigantic patchwork island, on top of which stands a series of cute figures. This spectacle is The Island – Onigashima, an interactive installation by Japanese multimedia artist Ayako Rokkaku. Wander under the island and you’ll find a plush passageway with windows, dangling objects and walls covered in a variety of textures. Here, unlike with most artworks, visitors are encouraged to touch and feel all that intrigues... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/article/3348821/multimedia-artist-ayako-rokkaku-finger-painting-and-creating-interactive-art?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/article/3348821/multimedia-artist-ayako-rokkaku-finger-painting-and-creating-interactive-art?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 06:00:10 +0000 Jen Paolini Jen Paolini Springtime heralds new beginnings, renewal and a world emerging from slumber. In that vein, PostMag enters into the next chapter of its long life as we bid a heartfelt farewell and express our thanks to Cat Nelson. Since autumn 2024, she has adroitly steered PostMag with her keen vision and relentless pursuit of inspiring stories, enriching our Sundays with razor-sharp wit, delightful reads and impactful reporting. I’m grateful for the path she has set PostMag on, and excited to continue the... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3348852/week-postmag-hsbc-main-building-turns-40-hong-kong-sevens-and-new-beginnings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3348852/week-postmag-hsbc-main-building-turns-40-hong-kong-sevens-and-new-beginnings?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 04:45:07 +0000 Gavin Yeung Gavin Yeung EAT THIS Zozzona Tsim Sha Tsui’s Zozzona welcomes Okinawa’s Pastaione for a cross-cultural kitchen takeover on April 15 and 16. Chef Teppei Zama applies his Japanese lens to Italian classics, using seasonal ingredients in highlights such as mezzi paccheri with Japanese seafood and a pappardelle featuring rich Agu pork ragù. To finish, a tiramisu infused with Okinawa’s famed chinsuko cookies offers a playful twist on tradition. G/F, 29-31 Hillwood Road, Tsim Sha Tsui DRINK THIS Bourke’s Peel... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3348815/best-things-do-hong-kong-april-5-18?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3348815/best-things-do-hong-kong-april-5-18?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 05:00:09 +0000 Gavin Yeung Gavin Yeung Today, the image is iconic. Enveloped by the blackness of night, a young Chow Yun-Fat holds a burning banknote, eyes aglow and arms clutched towards his chest in a state of ecstasy as he gazes into the growing flame. Behind him, co-star Cherie Chung Chor-hung gives a wide, revelatory grin as neon billboards in the distance are reflected in the harbour. More than a showcase of Chow and Chung’s thespian prowess, the photograph, snapped by Canadian photographer Greg Girard in 1987 on the set of... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3348803/greg-girards-photo-exhibition-shows-five-decades-hong-kong-and-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3348803/greg-girards-photo-exhibition-shows-five-decades-hong-kong-and-tokyo?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 00:00:11 +0000 Cat Nelson Cat Nelson One warm February evening in Shenzhen, Bryn Terfel stands centre stage and launches into “Son lo Spirito Che Nega” from Arrigo Boito’s 1868 opera Mefistofele, his voice filling the hall with theatrical force. Then, just as quickly, he undercuts the drama. “My three border collies go crazy when I sing this in Wales,” he tells the audience at Shenzhen Longgang International Art Centre, laughing. With a career spanning more than three decades at the world’s leading houses – from the Royal Opera... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3348515/bryn-terfel-bringing-drama-opera-stage-and-importance-listening?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3348515/bryn-terfel-bringing-drama-opera-stage-and-importance-listening?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 10:00:21 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa On the first night of the Rolex China Sea Race – Asia’s premier offshore yacht race in March – Tiger Mok’s autopilot gave out 60 nautical miles off Hong Kong’s coast. The 565-nautical-mile journey from Victoria Harbour to the Philippines’ Subic Bay is the kind of challenge usually shared by a team of eight experienced sailors. For Mok, who had chosen to take it on solo, the autopilot was indispensable for rest, navigation and sanity. Without it, he’d have to steer by hand, meaning little to no... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3348350/hong-kong-sailor-tiger-mok-made-history-sea-after-his-autopilot-failed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3348350/hong-kong-sailor-tiger-mok-made-history-sea-after-his-autopilot-failed?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 07:15:10 +0000 Vanessa Lee Vanessa Lee “Have you ever had fried bananas in Chinese food before?” Lap-see Lam asks with a twinkle in her eye over our video call between Stockholm and Hong Kong. I admit I haven’t, at least not of the Chinese persuasion. The artist explains that fried bananas with syrup and ice cream is a typical Swedish-Chinese dish. Another is Swedish meatballs in tomato sauce served with rice. But the most remarkable is a dish called “four small dishes”. “It’s basically different dishes on the same plate, and... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3347328/multimedia-artist-lap-see-lams-hong-kong-show-explores-cultural-identity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3347328/multimedia-artist-lap-see-lams-hong-kong-show-explores-cultural-identity?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 04:15:07 +0000 Lavender Au Lavender Au To make his galvanised-iron installations, which have been exhibited in Milan and London, Hong Kong-born artist Gamzar heads to his metal master’s studio on the fourth floor of an industrial building in To Kwa Wan. The studio, managed by Melty Chan Ching-yee and Michael Yu Kwok-keung, aka Master Yu, is filled with tools: hammers, drills, pliers, clamps, a machine for folding metal made in Germany in the 1980s and even a chainsaw. From the window, the building looks out onto another industrial... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3347294/hong-kong-artist-gamzar-galvanised-working-iron-and-bamboo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3347294/hong-kong-artist-gamzar-galvanised-working-iron-and-bamboo?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:10 +0000 Alexander Mak Alexander Mak Hong Kong’s public art scene took off in the 1970s, with large installations on display that reflected the city’s changing culture. Works such as Henry Moore’s Double Oval (1977), André Heller’s The Bamboo Man (1992) and Cao Chong-en’s Bruce Lee Statue (2005) highlight Hong Kong’s unique blend of East and West, tradition and modernity. These works made art more accessible to everyone, allowing people to engage with and experience art in their everyday surroundings. Some of these artworks are... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3347146/pictures-hong-kongs-public-art-sculptures-1970s-today?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3347146/pictures-hong-kongs-public-art-sculptures-1970s-today?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 07:00:09 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa As art month lands in Hong Kong, look beyond Art Basel Hong Kong and Art Central. Citywide installations, from blue-chip galleries such as Gagosian to newly minted art salons like Gold, spotlight multidisciplinary artists from across the globe, many debuting new bodies of work in Asia. Here are the exhibitions to have on your radar this Art March. Lily Stockman: A Grass Roof Known for her abstract approach to landscapes, Los Angeles painter Lily Stockman’s latest show “A Grass Roof” lands at... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3347154/showtime-4-unmissable-art-exhibitions-keep-you-cultured-week?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3347154/showtime-4-unmissable-art-exhibitions-keep-you-cultured-week?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 08:00:09 +0000 Cat Nelson Cat Nelson This issue means a lot to me (you’ll understand by the end). Choosing what goes in our annual Art Issue is no small feat. While we’re never short of story opportunities in Hong Kong, we’re practically drowning in them come March every year as the global art world descends on the city. But when we heard Spanish photographer and artist Coco Capitán was coming to town for “Imagination Investments”, a three-part exhibition that marks her first major presentation in the city, we knew we had to speak... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3347292/week-postmag-artists-spain-hong-kong-stockholm-and-farewell?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3347292/week-postmag-artists-spain-hong-kong-stockholm-and-farewell?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 04:45:19 +0000 Gavin Yeung Gavin Yeung Eat this Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Hong Kong takes centre stage as it hosts the awards ceremony for Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants for the first time on March 25. To mark the occasion, a series of official Signature Sessions will see global culinary heavyweights take over local kitchens for one-night-only collaborations. Highlights include a powerhouse dinner at Ando featuring chefs from Taipei’s Logy and Florilège in Tokyo, a multi-hand feast at Caprice with the teams from Masque (Mumbai) and... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3347135/best-things-do-hong-kong-march-22-28?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3347135/best-things-do-hong-kong-march-22-28?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 05:00:08 +0000 Sarah Keenlyside Sarah Keenlyside “I think all artists are incredibly selfish,” says Coco Capitán from her home in Stoke Newington on a typically dreary Friday morning in London. “Art is a very self-involved activity. You’re constantly thinking about what you’re going to create next and what you have to say for yourself. It’s tiring. Sometimes my biggest dream is not to be an artist any more. But I don’t think I chose to be one, I just think I couldn’t be anything else.” She may sound like she’s on a bit of a downer – Capitán... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3347124/artist-coco-capitan-selfish-art-bad-bunny-and-her-hong-kong-debut-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3347124/artist-coco-capitan-selfish-art-bad-bunny-and-her-hong-kong-debut-show?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 08:00:11 +0000 Gavin Yeung Gavin Yeung After the dust settles following the March madness of Art Basel, Art Central and the Hong Kong Arts Festival, the Hong Kong International Film Festival (HKIFF) is due to celebrate its semi-centennial this April – a milestone that serves as a retrospective of the city’s storied cinematic output. Despite arriving at a difficult time for the local film industry, amid a slew of cinema closures, the 50th edition, which runs from April 1 to 12, strikes a hopeful note with a strong showing of the... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3347107/see-chen-kaige-and-juliette-binoche-hong-kong-international-film-festival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3347107/see-chen-kaige-and-juliette-binoche-hong-kong-international-film-festival?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 00:00:13 +0000 Cat Nelson Cat Nelson Strong women run throughout this issue. It is International Women’s Day today, after all. In our cover story, Salomé Grouard meets filmmaker Elizabeth Lo, whose documentary Mistress Dispeller was shortlisted in December for the Best Documentary Feature Oscar – a first in the category for a Hong Kong director. The film explores China’s strange and little-known industry of “mistress dispellers”, professionals hired to end extramarital affairs. What I found extraordinary was the sensitivity with... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3345750/week-postmag-celebration-women-film-sport-science-and-life?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3345750/week-postmag-celebration-women-film-sport-science-and-life?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 04:45:11 +0000 Gavin Yeung Gavin Yeung Eat this Chef’s Room at Salisterra Trading starched linens for kitchen-side stools, Chef’s Room is a newly minted, 10-seat studio tucked inside Salisterra led by culinary adviser Ricardo Chaneton that prioritises conversation over ceremony. The spring line-up kicks off with Max Levy’s “slow food” pizza residency (available every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from March 11 to May 1), followed by a weekend featuring Josh Boutwood of two-Michelin-starred Manila restaurant Helm in April. Level 49,... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3345642/best-things-do-hong-kong-and-macau-march-8-14?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3345642/best-things-do-hong-kong-and-macau-march-8-14?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 05:00:10 +0000 Salomé Grouard Salomé Grouard When filmmaker Elizabeth Lo is asked which questions she wishes she got more often, she laughs before answering. “I wish people asked more about my other projects, especially Stray,” she tells me, sipping a coffee in Hong Kong, hours before flying back to Los Angeles for a final round of awards season events. Point taken. The acclaimed documentary director doesn’t want to be defined solely by her latest work, Mistress Dispeller, which follows a Chinese couple through a turbulent time in their... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3345504/elizabeth-lo-her-oscar-shortlisted-film-about-chinas-mistress-dispellers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3345504/elizabeth-lo-her-oscar-shortlisted-film-about-chinas-mistress-dispellers?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 04:00:09 +0000 Mark Footer Mark Footer The Hong Kong International Literary Festival is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year (March 1 to 8), marking a quarter of a century of bringing some of the most famous – and in some cases, most quirky – authors to the city. Among those with more than one story to tell have been: Bonnie Tsui: most recent book: On Muscle: The Stuff That Moves Us and Why It Matters (2025) It was perhaps inevitable that Tsui would publish her 2020 book Why We Swim, which explores the global history and... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3344849/hkilfs-literary-legend-visits-through-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3344849/hkilfs-literary-legend-visits-through-years?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Feb 2026 07:16:56 +0000 Alexander Mak Alexander Mak Lunar New Year begins with an almost instinctive search for auspicious signs. Here is a look back at traditional festive customs meant to secure a lucky start for the year ahead – many of which continue to shape the city’s celebrations. Temple visits Worshippers head to Wong Tai Sin Temple in Kowloon, Che Kung Temple in Sha Tin and other temples to seek guidance, protection and prosperity for the year ahead. Wish-making at Lam Tsuen At Lam Tsuen in Tai Po, wishes are written on paper... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3343674/pictures-hong-kongs-chinese-new-year-obsession-good-fortune?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3343674/pictures-hong-kongs-chinese-new-year-obsession-good-fortune?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 03:00:10 +0000 Alexander Mak Alexander Mak Visiting the flower markets This is a long-standing Lunar New Year custom in Hong Kong, with the largest crowds gathering at Victoria Park. Flowers carry symbolic meaning – orchids for abundance, oranges for wealth and luck – and each year, residents shop with hopes of an auspicious start. Shopping for the Lunar New Year Before the Lunar New Year, shoppers flock to department stores and grocers to stock up on gifts and festive foods for friends and family. Not everything would fly off the... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3342595/pictures-hong-kong-readies-lunar-new-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3342595/pictures-hong-kong-readies-lunar-new-year?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 04:00:11 +0000 Cat Nelson Cat Nelson It’s comforting – in an admittedly dystopian way – how well my algorithm gets me. Over the past few weeks, I’ve gone down a rabbit hole of horoscope content (both Eastern and Western) on Instagram. Wondering what the Year of the Fire Horse might hold for an Aquarius rabbit? My second-hand knowledge, absorbed from online pseudo gurus with questionable levels of expertise, can tell you (it’s looking bright, if you can believe them). I learned that the Fire Horse has something of a reputation. In... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3342591/week-postmag-lunar-new-year-and-meaning-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3342591/week-postmag-lunar-new-year-and-meaning-home?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 04:45:13 +0000 Gavin Yeung Gavin Yeung Eat this Hansik Goo Marking its sixth year, one-Michelin-starred Hansik Goo has unveiled two dinner menus by head chef Park Seung-hun to take diners on a deeper dive into the culinary heritage of the Korean peninsula. The expanded repertoire includes a restorative sea cucumber samgyetang with chicken-skin dumplings, abalone porridge and a duo of Hanwoo beef. 1/F, The Wellington, 198 Wellington Street, Central Drink this Alibi – Wine Dine Be Social In a new collaboration with local collective... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3342583/best-things-do-hong-kong-february-8-14?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3342583/best-things-do-hong-kong-february-8-14?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 05:00:07 +0000