The Launch Event is Finally Here

Come and enjoy the launch event tomorrow!

Hong Kong Film Screenings Begin May 1

The first of the events associated with Hong Kong Comes to Chicago has been announced! This month-long celebration kicks off on May 1 with the opening night of “Hong Kong Cinema: The Next Generation.” These films reflect the creativity and vitality of Hong Kong. Their directors are ambitious entrepreneurs, bringing both the heritage and culture of Hong Kong to Chicago through powerful storytelling in film.

Two films will be featured during the first two weeks.
A Decade of Love – Friday, May 1, 2009, 6 p.m.
Featuring nine short segments, all by a group of Hong Kong’s up-and-coming young directors and screenwriters, the film cumulatively provides an entertaining look at Hong Kong’s new range of themes, stories, and emerging talents. Director Chan Wing Chiu and Producer Angel Hon will attend the event for a discussion after the screening, followed by a cocktail reception.

The Drummer – Saturday, May 9, 2009, 8 p.m. 
A tale of the transformation of a gangster’s rebellious son through a rigorous but mystical sojourn with a band of Zen drummers. The movie stars Jaycee Chan, son of martial arts film star Jackie Chan. Director Kenneth Bi and Producer Rosa Li will be available for discussion after the screening.

Purchase tickets and find out more about these two film screenings and other events associated with Hong Kong Comes to Chicago here.

Melissa

Ahhhh, look at All the LOVELY People

Of all the memorable things we did during our one week in Hong Kong, I think being lost in a sea of people on the streets is what I miss most. As strange as that seems, there is something very warm about being in a foreign place that is alive and booming with activity- your afternoon strolls are never really strolls but people-watching sessions- food stands, loud taxi horns, Cantonese words from all directions. In this way, Hong Kong is no different from any other big city in the U.S. but compared to cities such as New York and Chicago, where you are part of the activity, in a foreign city, you are an outsider looking in. So your walks become more than just a way to get to your next appointment-every time you step outside, you’re in for a cultural lesson.  

– Kate

Hong Kong Going Green

In a region of seven million people living and working on only 423 square miles of land, a growing consciousness of environmentalism is becoming more and more important.

The challenge is daunting. Hong Kong has poor air quality due in part to industrial pollution coming from the mainland. Vehicles, especially diesel, are responsible for street-level pollution. Landfill space is becoming scarce.

The American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong is taking a tough stance against litter and pollution in the region. Richard Vuylsteke, president of the Chamber, talked to us during our visit about the importance of creating environment-friendly citizens at a young age. One of the region’s most successful campaigns to go green involved educating elementary-aged children about the harmful effects of littering. Soon these young advocates started spreading the word on eco-friendly habits to their parents. After a short time, the region was noticeably cleaner. The campaign’s success was evident, and a new generation was turned on to the importance of protecting natural resources.

Right now, Hong Kong is reaching for low-hanging fruit and quick fixes in the fight to conserve, creating campaigns and tactics to spread awareness and taking part in advocacy and debates. It takes time and funding to implement new legislation and educate citizens about developing eco-friendly standards and habits. But Hong Kong is off to a good start.

Melissa

Trammed!

As I was in a CTA bus in Chicago yesterday, fond memories of the Hong Kong super fast transit system came to mind.  The image blurred and gave way to one of colorful trams in front of the HSBC building in HK.  These trams run exclusively on double-deckers and is the only tramway or 香港電車 in the world to do so.  Several tourists hop on to a tram to see Hong Kong island all the way from Shau Kei Wan to Kennedy Town, thus covering the island in less than a day.

We couldn’t stop staring at these vehicles – not just for their historic value but also for their advertising impact. Almost all trams we saw were painted from top to bottom with an advertisement beckoning the viewer to douse herself in perfume or to buy home insurance and be safe. Bright, colorful and painted all over the tram, these ads were yelling Buy me now! to the consumer.   From afar, these trams looked like full-page newspaper color ads with tiny people in passport photos staring out at the reader. If only these trams had colorful lights all over them – they would have made a mobile Times Square!

– Deepa

Confessions Of A Shopaholic

It would be a crime to write about Hong Kong without reference to all the shopping it offers. Here, you can choose to either blow up thousands of dollars or forget the wallet at home and survive with just a few Hong Kong Dollars in your pocket. If you need to sign up at Shopaholics Anonymous like I do, simply do both. Malls in Hong Kong draw thousands of shoppers from Mainland China every year, making the rich Chinese a key demographic to target.

The glitzy malls at Central are home to a range of dazzling high-end European brands. Clothes and footwear occupy largest mindspace here, followed by touristy stuff such as chopsticks and Chinese art displays. Window shopping is a must – I found myself stuck to the glass panes at Prada and Fendi pretty much like a goldfish blowing bubbles at the world outside. If I were a rich girl, I would buy Hong Kong. Or at least the shopping areas. 

In sharp contrast, Prada and Fendi are also available as great quality knock-offs on the streets at Kowloon, in Temple bazaar and Ladies market. Hush! Don’t quote me on this one. Bustling with activity and open till around midnight, this market truly models supply and demand microeconomics on a minute-by-minute basis. Look like a tourist, show high interest in a handbag and you’ll probably get the worst rates despite the  vendor’s promise of “Only for you best price, la!“. Look confident, seem slightly interested, wear the bargaining hat and you’ll walk away with a superior air of conquest. 

Most interestingly, small designer stores are ubiquitous in central areas such as Causeway Bay and Lang Kwai Fong. These are owned by budding designers, who unleash their creative spark and offer mid-priced garments to Hong-kies. To give you a sense of how addictive shopping here is – I bought and checked-in an extra bag just for all my shopping.

– Deepa

Ladies Market in Kowloon

再見

After a week in Hong Kong, we’re on our way back to the U.S.A. in just a few minutes. This has been an unforgettable week. In just a few short days, this city went from an exotic, new place to somewhere I think we’d all feel comfortable moving.

People like to say that Hong Kong is a city that typifies the East-meets-West concept, but it’s so much more than that. It’s a place where East and West don’t just meet, but merge to form something new.

Ultimately, I found that what makes this city on the other side of the globe so fascinating is that it makes no attempt to be either exclusively Asian or exclusively Western. It does its own thing–proudly so–and does it well.

-Erik

Luxury in Hong Kong

Yesterday we spent time shopping and eating lunch at the IFC building in downtown Hong Kong. Home to some of the city’s most upscale shopping, IFC is a long way from the hagglers and cheap wares found near Temple Street, Stanley market and other open air markets (where I can afford to shop). We strolled through the malls watching designer brand after designer brand pass us by: Burberry, Chanel, Dior, Gucci, Roberto Cavalli, all lined up one after the other. In the past several years, these brands have established themselves in Hong Kong. They’re targeting the Asian market and especially the growing number of wealthy Mainland Chinese who cross the border into this region looking to buy the status and quality offered by these upscale European designers.

But I couldn’t help but wonder, “Where are the American designer brands?” Where are Anna Sui, Calvin Klein and DKNY? Coach has several stores throughout the region, but it seems like many of the big names are missing.

During an interview with Simon Galpin of Invest Hong Kong, we talked about the exploding market for luxury goods in Hong Kong and how it is all but dominated by European designers. Powerful European brands can negotiate prime real estate for their stores in Hong Kong’s most exclusive areas, and being established in those areas helps them build brand equity in the Asian market and appeal to new audiences.

The largest nation of consumers in the world – Mainland China – is next door, and American luxury retail brands need to jump in!

-Melissa

Big Buddha- 50% Eastern, 50% Western, 100% Bronze

Wednesday morning, we drove to Lantau Island, just across the way Hong Kong Island. Lantau Island is home to beautiful beaches, lots of greenery and the famous “Big Buddha.” The contrast between Lantau Island and Hong Kong Island is immediately noticeable. It’s obvious that Lantau is a quiet getaway from the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong Island. The Big Buddha sits on a peak, sort of as the cherry on top of the lush green cake that is Lantau. I was standing at a nearby shopping center , looking up at the larger-than-life bronze statue, when I suddenly looked to my left and noticed a posh Starbucks store. “I guess we can’t escape Starbucks,” I said jokingly to one of my group members. Later, we were joined by a tour guide who explained that the Big Buddha was created by some engineering company circa 1989. An engineering company? , I thought. Well that certainly demystifies the statue. A Western company producing one of the most mystical symbols of Eastern religion seemed odd. Initially I was a bit disappointed by this information until I realized that the Big Buddha’s peculiar origin was just another example of Hong Kong’s dual identity. Hong Kong not only fuses Western and Eastern values, but does so proudly. For Hong Kongeans (well, at least for the tour guide), the authenticity of the statue was not compromised by its origin or by the strip of Western stores nearby. Instead the statue represents a beautiful blend of Western pragmatism and Eastern idealism.

-Kate

Side tripping to Macau

As someone who enjoys gambling, I couldn’t have lived with myself if I came all the way to Hong Kong and didn’t make the one-hour ferry ride to Macau, the Vegas of Asia.

I was surprised at how different the casino experience was in Asia compared to the States. The best example comes from the blackjack table, and it illustrates the differences in our cultures. In Macau, the other people sitting at the blackjack table with you can actually bet on your hand in addition to their own. There was a period in which I was doing well, so several of my table-mates started betting on my hands (and winning, I might add!).

I was so used to the American system that it took me a while to figure out what was actually happening. I think this ability to bet on others is a simple demonstration of the differences between the rugged individualism of Americans versus the collective nature of Asian cultures. Something tells me this kind of system wouldn’t fly in Vegas.

More important than this fun cultural lesson: I won a few bucks at the table. Viva Macau.

– Erik

A view of the Casino Lisboa from across the street