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In HK Magazine’s 20-year history, we’ve been fortunate to talk to some of the best-known and most influential people in Hong Kong. Whether their background is in media, politics or business, many of them have led fascinating lives, and all have a unique take on their city. Read on for some of our favorite moments.
Hatin’ on Hong Kong
Common complaints about the cıty we live in

“Hong Kong is like a hotel to most people, not a home. Everyone fled with their cash before 1997, came back again when Hong Kong looked fine and fled with their cash again when SARS broke out.” - Jackie Chan, martial arts star.
“The system [in Hong Kong] allows a few property tycoons to control all the wealth. The cutthroat greed is worse than Wall Street, and I find it disgusting.” - Michael Chugani, columnist and talk show presenter.
“I used to love Hong Kong. I had hopes for it, and that’s why I was constantly critical. Now I just hate it. I look at the younger generation, young couples hugging teddy bears in the street—what hope do we have?” - Anthony Wong, actor.
“We live in a big city, but the land area is small. Things get really oversaturated and greasy. Real greasy. It’s almost like a jail, a very competitive jail. And we’re running out of cigarettes.” - Gold Mountain, MC.

Sex and Zen
Love, lust and personal philosophies 

“I thought of giving up at first, but a tiny shrimp bounced up on my board and kept struggling to get back into the sea. If a little shrimp had such willpower, I decided, then I had to.” - Lee Lai-san. 
     Champion windsurfer who won a gold medal in 1996 at the Olympics in Atlanta. Fondly known as “San-San,” the medal is Hong Kong’s first and only gold won at an Olympic event.
“When I was 12, my father told me, ‘The most powerful force in the world is sex.’ Actually, I don’t agree. I think it’s love.” - Decima, dominatrix and former owner of Fetish Fashion. 
    Remember Fetish Fashion? One of Hong Kong’s pioneering purveyors of kink, Fetish Fashion blazed a trail in our conservative city, selling bondage gear, sex toys and lingerie out of its shop on Cochrane Street. Owned and run by the dominatrix Decima from 1998, Fetish Fashion closed in 2005 after being plagued by legal troubles following a police raid on its “play rooms,” where they arrested kinksters participating in a BDSM party. The subsequent trial—in which the owners of Fetish Fashion pleaded not guilty and all charges were dropped—raised many questions about the use of police power and the right to privacy.  
“Monogamy is a barbaric system. It was set up by people who have weaker genes to protect their own interests.” - Chua Lam, food connoisseur and TV host.
“Lung King Heen is ‘home’ to many celebrities and tycoons, but I can’t disclose who our frequent customers are—it’s a privacy issue and, you know, they might come in with their boyfriend or girlfriend, rather than their husband or wife.” - Chan Yan-tak, executive chef at three Michelin-starred restaurant Lung King Heen.
“Always aim for first class. You might not get it, but you might get business.” - Allan Zeman, entrepreneur.
“Weather is like life. There are principles, but there is no absolute certainty.” - Lam Choi-ying, former head of the Hong Kong Observatory.
“Why is it bad if people use their beauty to help further their career? The pretty ones have to work hard to get what they want, too.” - Teresa Fu, singer.
“I believe that all humans are born good. We should never celebrate anyone’s death, not even Osama Bin Laden’s.” - Heiward Mak, filmmaker.
“Ten out of 10 men would like to have an affair—it’s just that not all of them have the courage to cheat.” - Mak Ling-ling, one of Hong Kong’s best-known fortune tellers.

Talking Politics
Mapping our political landscape

“I’d say that in the next 10 years, Macau will have fewer problems than Hong Kong.” - Pansy Ho, daughter of casino tycoon Stanley Ho.
“Donald Tsang… he’s a pseudo English gentleman… He is like Friday in ‘Robinson Crusoe,’ who learned English and all the crafts and skills of seafaring. But Friday is Friday: he is no commander. In the eyes of the natives on the island, who know nothing about the sea, Friday is an ideal leader after Robinson Crusoe goes. But he is still Friday.” - Chip Tsao, author and columnist, speaking in 2005.
“Hong Kong will have the universal suffrage we were promised within 10 years.” - Jimmy Lai, publisher of Apple Daily, speaking in 2007.
“I hope they [government officials] understand that Hong Kong people are no fools! They have underestimated the level of the people’s resentment here; a social toll may come at any time.” - Law Yuk-kai, chairman of the Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor.
“The Chinese government are triads. They’re like gangsters who get whatever they want by intimidation. I am a patriot. I love China. I just don’t like the government.” - Szeto Wah, legendary democracy activist who passed away in January at age 79.
“My philosophy is so long as I’m fighting for democracy, I’ve not lost. I’m sure I’m right and I’m sure I’m going to win. I may not be there when victory comes, but if I don’t give up, I haven’t lost. I will be there in spirit.” - Martin Lee, former head of the Democratic Party.

Non Sequiter
Random ramblings

“One day when I was skateboarding, a fat man in short pants asked me if I wanted to be an actor. I refused. It was a time when a lot of ‘model scouts’ were trying to rip off wannabes. This guy looked worst than most. It was Fruit Chan.” - Sam Lee, actor.
    Made in Hong Kong. Following the 1997 encounter described above, Lee went on to star in “Made in Hong Kong,” a multi-award-winning indie film written and directed by Fruit Chan. Depicting the life of a low-rent gangster, the film was so low-budget that Chan had to shoot it on film reels left over from other productions. Lee’s tough childhood and his coming of age in the city’s underclass made for an utterly convincing performance—one that won him “Best Newcomer” at the Hong Kong Film Awards in 1998. Internationally, the film won 14 awards, including “Best Screenplay” and “Best Director.”
”Chinese comedy is more physical, while American style relies largely on sarcasm. ‘There are so many 7-Elevens in Hong Kong. Do you see in Central there’s a 7-Eleven inside a 7-Eleven?’ See, this is where a westerner would laugh, but a local person might go, ‘Really? Where?’” - Jami Gong, founder of Takeout Comedy.
“You don’t understand our culture yet if you hit Mong Kok without wearing a bra.” - Ruby Li, fashion designer.
“I can generate a small mob around me in Western China. I can’t generate a small mob in Western District.” - Gigi Leung, singer.
“I’ve seen the movie ‘Rock Star.’ Everywhere I went, people were telling me to see it. They were like, ‘You have to see this movie. It’s your life.’ And it is.” - Arnel Piñeda, lead singer of Journey and former singer at The Cavern.
    Journey to Fame - Arnel Piñeda’s extraordinary trip from singing at The Cavern (now the Hard Rock Café) six nights a week to taking the stage as Journey’s frontman began at a young age, when he participated in singing contests in Manila. After the death of his mother, 13-year-old Piñeda spent two years sleeping on the streets until he became the lead singer of the band Ijos. From there, he won several competitions until he ended up in Hong Kong in 1991. He performed in bars in the city on and off until 2005. In 2007, after seeing YouTube videos of Piñeda acing live renditions of Journey songs, Neal Schon of Journey contacted him and asked him to fly to San Francisco to try out for the role of lead singer. He scored the job and has been with the band ever since.
"My hairstyle was said to affect the Hang Seng Index" - Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, co-founder of the New People's Party.
    Broomhead - As former Secretary for Security, Ip was charged in 2003 with enacting Article 23, the greatly unpopular anti-subversion law that was shelved after 500,000 Hongkongers took to the streets in protest. Her hard-line attitude made her an unpopular figure, and her hairstyle earned her the moniker “broomhead.” Following an ideological and sartorial turnaround, Ip is now back on the political scene with the New People’s Party and a pro-democratic stance. It remains to be seen whether she will run for Chief Executive in the upcoming elections.
“I’m scared of women with great influence or great biceps.” - David Tang Wing-cheung, entrepreneur and founder of Shanghai Tang.
“When I traveled to New York as part of the Beijing Wushu Team American tour, we were warned that the hotel rooms might be bugged with hidden microphones. Out of curiosity I decided to put this theory to the test and asked out loud for chocolate, ice cream and bananas. Later that night, when we returned to the hotel, I nearly died of fright: there on the desk was chocolate, ice cream and bananas.” - Jet Li, martial arts actor.
“I met my ex-wife through a fart. We were sitting together and she farted. She apologized and then we started chatting, got married and had a daughter.” - Roger Chan, “Bus Uncle”.
    The Bus Uncle Incident - Spawning one of the most famous viral videos of all time, the “Bus Uncle” affair began in April 2006. A man using a camera phone captured a six-minute video showing an altercation between a young man, Elvis Ho, and Chan, in which Ho asked Chan to lower his voice when talking on his mobile phone. Chan then launched into a series of profanities, shouting at the younger man for provoking him while he was stressed. The resulting video was uploaded onto various web forums including YouTube, where it received 1.6 million hits within its first three weeks. It spawned numerous catchphrases (including “You have pressure!? I have pressure!!!”) and parodies, but also called to attention the problem of excessive stress suffered by many in Hong Kong, and how bottled-up rage can have public consequences.



Best of the Best: Quotes from the Most Prominent People in Hong Kong

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HK Mag Staff Pick Their Favorite Eats for the Last Time

HK Magazine Archive

Hong Kong, First Hand

Jet Li

Allan Zeman

Heiward Mak

Szeto Wah

Anthony Wong

Chan Yan-tak

Pansy Ho

Law Yuk-kai

Jimmy Lai

Sam Lee

Gigi Leung

Magazines

We take a look back at the most memorable quotes from our “First Person” interviews.


Hong Kong, First Hand

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}We take a look back at the most memorable quotes from our “First Person” interviews.

Hatin’ on Hong Kong

We take a look back at the most memorable quotes from our “First Person” interviews.