Interview with Ranee Chung of the Open Bar App

Finding a place to drink in a city like Hong Kong seems like a no-brainer. But when we’re given too many options to choose from, we tend to crumble under the pressure and end up at the usual haunts. Mercury Media Limited has fixed the bar-hopping-local’s problem by creating the Open Bar HK app for iPhones. Using your location to let you know about the closet bars and happy hours, the free app with over 700 bars listed also gives you a rundown of events at bars and clubs. Charmaine Mirandilla chats with the founder and CEO of Mercury Media, Ranee Chung about apps and social media.

Ray Tang, Ranee Chung and Julien Hauss

HK Magazine: Can you please tell us more about Mercury Media? Is the Open Bar app the company’s first project?
Ranee Chung:
Mercury Media Limited is a new media company. The company focuses on producing the latest trends in mobile apps and website platforms, plus bringing the best of the west and collaborating with the best of the east in new media. We are based in Hong Kong, with local and New York partners. Open Bar HK is currently the company’s focus. We previously developed a food photo sharing app called Eatformation, which is in beta version, for the Asia market.

HK: How did you come up with the idea and name for Open Bar?
RC:
After Eatformation, we thought about an app that involved drinks. [We researched the market and found] there was nothing useful that was related to drinks, bars and nightlife in Hong Kong. There it was, an opportunity to create an awesome app for Hong Kong locals and tourists visiting from all over the world.

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