Kade Chan Pak-hei: Perfecting The Art of Origami
Fifteen-year-old Kade Chan Pak-hei might look like any other kid, but instead of playing video games, he spends his time perfecting the art of origami, or Japanese paper folding. He shows June Ng his menagerie of paper creatures.
HK Magazine: Have you always liked origami?
Kade Chan: No. Truthfully, when I was younger I found it kind of retarded, you know, using paper to fold little boats and cranes. It just looked dumb.
HK: So what happened?
KC: A coincidence. About two years ago, I was big into video games. One day, I was Googling some tricks for “World of Warcraft” and came across a webpage about origami versions of the game’s characters. They had detailed instructions. I kept getting more and more into it, and pretty soon I was self-taught.
HK: What was the first thing you created?
KC: A dragon from a video game. I downloaded the diagram and tried several times but just couldn’t get it right. I looked for help and joined up with the Hong Kong Origami Society. They taught me a lot, and finally a month later I completed the dragon. Up until last year, I was the youngest member of the society. Now the youngest is 8 years old.
HK: Do you still play video games?
KC: No, now I only do origami. It’s a better use of time, and it costs a lot less.
HK: What are your favorite things to make?
KC: Fantasy creatures like a dragon or a phoenix. I like making aliens, too—I have a thematic scene I created with two big aliens, one dead alien and a dead guy. I also like making roses.
HK: Isn’t there a bit of a contradiction there?
KC: No, I don’t think so. Roses are a source of income for me. I actually sell my origami creations, and the rose is the most popular item, especially around Valentine’s Day. Each rose costs $18 but they sell pretty well. It’s a shame I have exams this year, so I don’t have too much extra time. Plus, everyone always orders late. In fact, I can custom-make anything for my clients as long as they give me enough time.