Hong Kong - Pearl of the Past

It's hard to imagine how in the decades past, Hong Kong, a territory of only 5-6 million people, had such an outsized cultural influence in Asia.

Throughout the region, in China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, people watched Hong Kong films and TV shows, and sang Cantopop songs. There was even the export of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan to Hollywood.

Hong Kong built a reputation for itself as a fast-paced and cosmopolitan city. A land of opportunity. A place where things happen. In that era, as Hong Kong became a hub for finance, business, and lifestyle, fortunes were made. And the movies and tv shows, as an expression of the city's cultural life and identity, added a shine. For me, Stephen Chow's movies of the shrewd young man looking to climb the societal ladder capture the societal mood.

People felt like part of something bigger than themselves. People were proud of their way of life. People were proud to be Hong Kongers.

How was this accomplished? I am no expert on this. Some factors I can think of are a young and motivated immigrant population from China, Hong Kong's position as the financial gateway to China, existence of the rule of law, and sufficient capital from all over the world. Combined with low taxes, and the relative freedom of speech.

Now, there is also no going back. Politically, the freedom of speech is no more. The rule of law is probably still there, though eroding. Capital is fleeing with the outward migration. With that, the whole attitude of "you can build your dreams here" goes down the drain. And possibly, with that, goes Hong Kong exceptionalism. The dimsum will still be delicious. The songs are still catchy. The movies are still of decent quality. But they are vestiges of a past sophistication, rather than something actively being developed.

The world has moved on too. Before the Internet, in the era of TV and films, local companies controlled it all. Movie theatres, TV and film studios, local newspapers. Now, they have been replaced to a large extent by Youtube, Netflix, and mega social media platforms. Hong Kong media and media influencers are active there, but they are more like participants, rather than the entire exceptional ecosystem that was there before.