Update | Playwright pens tale of Hong Kong and its expat 'filth'
Jingan Young didn't fail in London, but she's trying Hong Kong anyhow with a play named after the acronym for transplanted Britons
First there were the "filth". Now there's the "fishtail".
For those who lived in Hong Kong during the 1980s and early 1990s, the acronym "Filth" - or "Failed in London, Try Hong Kong" - could be heard in many expatriate circles as the city saw an influx of British bankers, lawyers and other professionals.
While not hugely offensive, the term had a derogatory tone, even though some self-aware Britons would jokingly describe themselves as "filth".
In recent years, such acronyms have been reincarnated to match the changing times. There's "Fishtail" for Failed in Shanghai, Try Again in London; or for those who venture from London to the Lion City there is "Filts" for Failed in London, Try Singapore.
But it's "Filth" that's set for a revival in Hong Kong in spring. Posters brandishing the word will be plastered all over the walls of City Hall to promote a new play of the same name as part of the Hong Kong Arts Festival in March.
In a twist, a Hong Kong-born playwright who adores London has penned the script, and that quirk of fate is not lost on Jingan Young. "It's totally ironic," the 23-year-old joked.