K-pop no more? How Mirror led a Canto-pop comeback: as Korean and Mando-pop dominate, the 12-piece Hong Kong boy band became an icon of local pride
- Following Covid-19 struggles and political upheaval, the 12-piece united Hongkongers with upbeat lyrics from hit songs like Ignited, Warrior, and One and All
- Mirror’s rise is reminiscent of 1990s stars like Andy Lau – while local pride grows following the city’s record-breaking medal haul at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics
In the middle of a Hong Kong shopping centre, hundreds of people are excitedly screaming and chanting. But this is not a recent democracy protest.
Instead the crowd has gathered for the latest boy band frenzy sweeping the troubled city, where many are desperate for both a happy escape and a source of local pride.
The occasion is an appearance by Edan Lui, one of the 12 members of local band Mirror who have taken Hong Kong by storm, who has arrived to promote an animated kids’ movie screening in local theatres.
A glass-shattering scream erupts as he takes the stage and the placard-waving crowd goes wild.
She has spent months devouring what she can find about the troupe, often bombarding family chat groups with selfies when she spots a billboard featuring the band’s uniformly good-looking members.
“This upsurge is a miracle,” she beams, contrasting the excitement of Mirror-mania with the months of depressing political and coronavirus news. “They are my source of positive energy and happiness.”
