https://www.scmp.com/rss/510380/feed Erika Na joined the Post in 2021. Originally from South Korea, she studied international affairs with a focus on Asia in the US, followed by studying law and journalism in Hong Kong. Before joining SCMP, she worked as a Hong Kong foreign correspondent for Arirang Radio where she regularly updated news from the city and also as an intern at NBC News covering stories from Asia. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Erika Na Erika Na The Welcome Daehakro Festival, a five-week-long arts and culture jamboree in Seoul’s Daehakro neighbourhood, has returned for its ninth edition, showcasing performances that prove, once again, that Korean culture is more than just K-pop. Hosted by the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and organised by the Korea Tourism Organisation, this year’s festival – which runs until November 2 – will feature close to 50 stage productions including musicals, non-verbal performances, plays... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3328197/welcome-daehakro-festival-2025-seoul-celebrates-k-culture-and-arts-five-week-event?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3328197/welcome-daehakro-festival-2025-seoul-celebrates-k-culture-and-arts-five-week-event?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Oct 2025 07:15:08 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na Seoul is a vast city with an area of about 605 square kilometres (234 square miles). So it is understandable that visitors may find getting around the South Korean capital daunting. While the subway system is extensive and efficient, sometimes the best way to get around the city – and to fully immerse oneself in its hustle and bustle – is by bus. What better way to get to know a place intimately than to be in the thick of all the action? As well as taking riders to specific destinations, buses... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3327470/seoul-bus-routes-offer-great-views-korean-capital-you-cant-get-subway?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3327470/seoul-bus-routes-offer-great-views-korean-capital-you-cant-get-subway?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Oct 2025 10:15:09 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na A decade ago, Hong Kong psychiatrist Dr Ivan Mak visited Cuba. There, he took numerous photos of the locals, from children mischievously grinning at the camera to ordinary people sitting outside their homes, whiling away their time. These photos became the backbone of his first travel photo book, Souvenirs for the Soul – A Hong Kong Doctor Travels in Cuba, some of which now line a wall in the waiting room of his clinic in Central. This summer, Mak published another photo book, also in Chinese,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3327329/health-benefits-travel-beyond-your-comfort-zone-and-seeing-world-differently?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3327329/health-benefits-travel-beyond-your-comfort-zone-and-seeing-world-differently?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Oct 2025 09:15:08 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na The start of September saw hundreds of galleries flock to Seoul and major exhibitions open at many of the city’s museums as two contemporary art fairs – Frieze Seoul and Kiaf – opened to mark the South Korean capital’s annual Art Week. Now in their fourth year of partnership, the twin fairs continue to attract a huge number of international visitors even amid the slowdown in the global art market. Frieze Seoul, run by the UK-based Frieze, a rival to Art Basel, hosted 121 exhibitors from 28... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3325530/seoul-art-week-draws-big-crowds-and-headline-sales-despite-market-downturn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3325530/seoul-art-week-draws-big-crowds-and-headline-sales-despite-market-downturn?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Sep 2025 04:15:11 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na It is all about music in the Greater Bay Area this October, with concerts from some of the biggest names in Cantopop, as well as a performance by American rapper Travis Scott, plus a major music festival. Read on for more details on what is going on in cities near Hong Kong. 1. Strawberry Music Festival Guangzhou The 2025 Guangzhou Super Strawberry Festival will take place at the city’s Nansha Music Showcase from October 2-4. The three-day extravaganza, among China’s biggest outdoor music... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3324334/travis-scott-leon-lai-xg-5-china-greater-bay-area-music-events-october-2025?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3324334/travis-scott-leon-lai-xg-5-china-greater-bay-area-music-events-october-2025?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Sep 2025 23:15:14 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na Hong Kong runner Dennis Lui insists he is ordinary and even calls himself a “lazy person”. “My favourite hobby is sleeping and I get up at the last minute to go to work,” the 42-year-old, who works in marketing, says with a laugh. But his collection of running medals suggests he is anything but lazy – or ordinary. Lui is an exceptional runner. He is the first person from Hong Kong to have run all seven Abbott World Marathon Majors – the world’s most prestigious marathons, in Tokyo, Boston,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3323928/how-hong-kongs-lazy-marathon-star-made-history-and-what-hes-aiming-next?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3323928/how-hong-kongs-lazy-marathon-star-made-history-and-what-hes-aiming-next?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Sep 2025 03:00:09 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na In early August, acclaimed Indonesian film director Garin Nugroho visited Hong Kong’s M+ museum for a screening of his latest work, Samsara, a black-and-white silent film accompanied by live gamelan music and vocalists. Although the original film score calls for a large ensemble – 20 gamelan players and multiple vocalists – the Hong Kong performance featured four live musicians: Wayan Sudirana and Kasimyn, who created the music, and vocalists Dinar Rizkianti and Gusti Putu Sudriana. Following... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3323059/silent-indonesian-movie-samsara-modern-sounds-meet-traditional-balinese-music?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3323059/silent-indonesian-movie-samsara-modern-sounds-meet-traditional-balinese-music?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Aug 2025 11:15:07 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na Girl group Huntrix, the main characters of Netflix’s animated film KPop Demon Hunters, are not your typical K-pop act. On the surface, they are wildly popular Korean idols who charm their fans with catchy tunes and electrifying dance choreography. Beneath the glitz and glam, however, are three strong warriors who use their song, dance and magical weapons to slay demons and to reinforce the honmoon – a barrier between the human world and the demon one. The inspiration for the heroines comes from... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3321931/how-kpop-demon-hunters-took-inspiration-koreas-female-shamans-who-scare-away-spirits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3321931/how-kpop-demon-hunters-took-inspiration-koreas-female-shamans-who-scare-away-spirits?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Aug 2025 09:15:09 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na The Greater Bay Area (GBA) is hosting a range of ambitious cultural events in September that Hong Kong residents can enjoy. Here are a few highlights to look out. 1. Real Banksy: Banksy is NoWhere A wide selection of works by street artist Banksy is being showcased in Shenzhen’s Sea World Culture and Arts Centre. The anonymous artist’s provocative artworks – spanning graffiti, installations and prints – tackle global political and social issues with dark humour and satire. There are signature... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3320890/5-greater-bay-area-shows-and-concerts-september-2025-catch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3320890/5-greater-bay-area-shows-and-concerts-september-2025-catch?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Aug 2025 05:00:16 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na With 17 million followers and over 500 million monthly views across his social media platforms, Simon Squibb has built an audience most influencers can only dream of. He has become one of the world’s most influential voices in the realm of entrepreneurship, largely down to his approach – which is far from boring or didactic. His viral short videos – one has an accumulated watch time of 23 years – follow a similar formula. Squibb walks up to strangers, asks about their dreams and then offers... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3320765/how-entrepreneur-and-social-media-star-simon-squibb-helping-people-achieve-their-dreams?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3320765/how-entrepreneur-and-social-media-star-simon-squibb-helping-people-achieve-their-dreams?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Aug 2025 23:15:07 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na Cai Guo-qiang is one of China’s most famous living artists. But for those familiar with the gunpowder paintings and outdoor pyrotechnic spectacles that made his name, his latest exhibition in Macau may be a bit of a head-scratcher. “cAI Lab 2.0 – Is It Your Gaze That Meets Mine, or Mine That Seeks Yours?” is taking place at the MGM Macau as part of the wider Art Macao festival 2025. The exhibition’s title, while not clarifying much, does hint at having something to do with AI. All of the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3319787/chinese-artist-cai-guo-qiang-uses-ai-create-his-gunpowder-art-macau-exhibition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3319787/chinese-artist-cai-guo-qiang-uses-ai-create-his-gunpowder-art-macau-exhibition?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Jul 2025 07:15:08 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na Macau is going to be jam-packed with art exhibitions for the next three months as the third edition of “Art Macao” takes over the city. The main event is the Macao International Art Biennale, held at the Macao Museum of Art and playfully titled “Hey, What Brings You Here?” Curated by Beijing-based art critic Feng Boyi, the main exhibition poses a seemingly simple yet profound question that is often the first to be asked of any visitor to a new country as they pass through immigration, and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3319799/art-macao-2025-picasso-porcelain-ai-and-more-citywide-events-third-edition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3319799/art-macao-2025-picasso-porcelain-ai-and-more-citywide-events-third-edition?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Jul 2025 23:15:07 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na When Wilson Ng left Hong Kong in 2006 to study music in Europe, he was a 16-year-old flautist who was not particularly interested in music written by Asian composers, nor did he feel any special connection to their work. “I played a lot of contemporary music,” Ng says. “But whether the pieces were by Asian composers or not never mattered to me.” Today, 35-year-old Ng, one of the most successful Asian conductors of his generation, cannot feel more different. “I feel like a lot of people in Asia... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3319537/how-do-you-champion-asian-classical-music-musicians-how-create-more-opportunities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3319537/how-do-you-champion-asian-classical-music-musicians-how-create-more-opportunities?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Jul 2025 04:15:08 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na Hoisin sauce is a thick, fragrant condiment that originated in southern China’s Guangdong province. Its name hints at its origin – hoisin means “seafood” in Cantonese – yet the sauce contains no seafood. It is entirely vegan, made from fermented soybeans, sugar, vinegar, garlic and spices. The resulting umami flavour is savoury, slightly sweet and spicy. Hoisin sauce resembles oyster sauce in colour and texture, but their flavours differ. Oyster sauce lacks the prominent sweetness of hoisin, and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3319242/what-hoisin-sauce-how-chinese-condiment-spread-asia-trader-joes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3319242/what-hoisin-sauce-how-chinese-condiment-spread-asia-trader-joes?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Jul 2025 09:15:07 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na The story of chef Cho Kwang-hyo is a testament to life’s unpredictable twists. A decade ago, he was a bicycle designer in South Korea with no culinary training or particular interest in food. Today, he is widely known as the Comic Book Chef from Netflix’s cooking survival show Culinary Class Wars – in which he stood out as a self-taught chef against Korea’s most acclaimed culinary legends. In early July, the chef, who runs two Sichuan restaurants in Seoul, was in Hong Kong for a four-hands... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3318447/meet-culinary-class-wars-comic-book-chef-self-taught-cook-and-netflix-star?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3318447/meet-culinary-class-wars-comic-book-chef-self-taught-cook-and-netflix-star?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Jul 2025 04:11:50 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na As the Star Voyager cruise ship departs Hong Kong and I look out at a sweeping vista of Victoria Harbour, I reflect on how the voyage I am about to embark on marks a special comeback for the ship’s operator, Star Cruises. Over the next four days, we sail eastward to Kaohsiung, Taiwan’s largest port city, and then to Magong, the capital of the Taiwan Strait’s Penghu archipelago – a city renowned for its rich history and worship of the Chinese sea goddess Mazu. In 2022, Star Cruises’ parent... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3318111/star-cruises-trip-hong-kong-taiwan-marks-special-comeback-its-operator?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3318111/star-cruises-trip-hong-kong-taiwan-marks-special-comeback-its-operator?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jul 2025 23:15:07 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na This August, the Greater Bay Area (GBA) becomes a global stage for an eclectic line-up of cultural events. From an intriguing flamenco adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera to classical 19th-century Russian ballets to contemporary art exhibitions, there is something for everyone. Here are five highlights. 1. Flamenco adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera The longest-running show in Broadway history is taking a fresh turn via a unique fusion with flamenco, a Spanish folk dance known for its... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3318246/5-greater-bay-area-shows-and-concerts-august-2025-catch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3318246/5-greater-bay-area-shows-and-concerts-august-2025-catch?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Jul 2025 07:15:10 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na For Han-mi Walsh-Riddle, a victory in a Hong Kong kettlebell competition in November 2024 was the culmination of her blood, sweat and tears. Walsh-Riddle had entered the competition after having only taken up the sport six months prior. The challenge was a gruelling 10-minute snatch test – swinging a 12kg (26.5lb) kettlebell from under her body up into an overhead position with one arm, repeatedly, in the allotted time. After completing 115 reps, she won. “Tears were streaming down my face. My... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3316455/how-breast-cancer-and-ptsd-survivor-reinvented-herself-strength-and-mobility-coach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3316455/how-breast-cancer-and-ptsd-survivor-reinvented-herself-strength-and-mobility-coach?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Jul 2025 23:15:08 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na We are halfway through 2025 and despite a few letdowns, like Season 2 of The Last of Us – and who knows what the final season of Squid Game has in store for us on June 27 – there have been a number of great shows that have generated a lot of buzz. From heartfelt family dramas and tales of growing up to a dystopian workplace sci-fi thriller, here are five top shows that have gained global popularity and received critical acclaim across different platforms this year. 1. When Life Gives You... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3315937/5-most-popular-streaming-series-2025-severance-reacher-and-white-lotus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3315937/5-most-popular-streaming-series-2025-severance-reacher-and-white-lotus?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Jun 2025 10:15:07 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na Interactions between China and the Islamic world began more than 1,400 years ago during the Tang dynasty (618-907), facilitated by maritime trade routes that linked the Persian Gulf to Chinese ports such as Quanzhou and Guangzhou. Evidence of these ancient cultural exchanges survives in artefacts that blend different artistic traditions. Some of these items, including imperial carpets, ceramics, metalwork, manuscripts and jade carvings, are on show in a new exhibition at the Hong Kong Palace... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3315440/chinese-and-islamic-carpets-hong-kong-palace-museum-exhibition-reveal-interwoven-past?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3315440/chinese-and-islamic-carpets-hong-kong-palace-museum-exhibition-reveal-interwoven-past?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Jun 2025 08:15:07 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na For Alfred Yu, retirement was the beginning of an active, purposeful life. Growing older had sparked new passions in him and retirement allowed the Hong Kong-based 67-year-old to explore new possibilities, develop different skills and share them freely with others. After a career running his own training centre focused on computer-aided design and graphic design, Yu’s retirement in 2014 marked a turning point. With more free time and no financial pressures, and his only child becoming more... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3314571/how-age-well-and-stay-happy-retirement-67-year-old-chooses-active-exciting-life?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3314571/how-age-well-and-stay-happy-retirement-67-year-old-chooses-active-exciting-life?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Jun 2025 23:15:09 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na A decade ago, Lisa Chiba, an American living in Hong Kong, received a gift from her husband that would change her perspective on art forever: a Chinese ink painting by Lui Shou-kwan. “I was just mesmerised by this piece,” she recalls. “At that point, I was trying to learn – visiting galleries, shows, museums – just figuring out what I liked. But when we brought that painting into our home, I was taken aback by how much more alive it felt inside the space.” That moment sparked a journey into the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3314252/how-modern-chinese-ink-painting-artists-are-pushing-boundaries-attracting-new-collectors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3314252/how-modern-chinese-ink-painting-artists-are-pushing-boundaries-attracting-new-collectors?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Jun 2025 23:15:10 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na Hong Kong-style egg waffles are one of the city’s most beloved street snacks. Called gai daan zai – “little chicken eggs” – in Cantonese and also simply “egg puffs” in English, these golden treats have been around in Hong Kong since the 1950s. Unlike Western waffles, which have a grid-like pattern, Hong Kong’s egg waffles are covered in small oval-shaped bubbles, which may have inspired the name “little eggs”. The batter is typically made with eggs, flour, sugar and evaporated milk. When cooked... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3313979/why-people-love-hong-kong-style-egg-waffles-and-best-places-eat-them?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3313979/why-people-love-hong-kong-style-egg-waffles-and-best-places-eat-them?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Jun 2025 04:45:07 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na Of the more than 3,700 restaurants Michelin has awarded stars, only six are listed on its website as exclusively vegan – and only one of those is in Asia. The success of Légume, which got its first star in the Michelin Guide Seoul and Busan 2025, is remarkable given how uncommon and often misunderstood veganism is in South Korea. Sung Si-woo opened his restaurant in Seoul in 2023 after deciding to bet on his unconventional idea of a vegan fine-dining establishment. Few believed it would work –... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3314017/korean-chef-asias-only-michelin-star-vegan-restaurant-cooks-all-including-his-mum?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3314017/korean-chef-asias-only-michelin-star-vegan-restaurant-cooks-all-including-his-mum?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Jun 2025 10:15:06 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na From electrifying performances by international pop stars to a Mongolian singing sensation, there is plenty of world-class entertainment on offer this July in the Greater Bay Area. Below is our pick of upcoming performances in Macau and cities just across the border with mainland China, all easily accessible from Hong Kong. 1. Charlie Puth – Something New II tour View this post on Instagram A post shared by Charlie Puth (@charlieputh) American pop sensation... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3313297/who-see-greater-bay-area-july-2025-charlie-puth-richard-clayderman-and-kenny-g?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3313297/who-see-greater-bay-area-july-2025-charlie-puth-richard-clayderman-and-kenny-g?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Jun 2025 04:45:07 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na Fancy catching the many big acts that are taking to the stage in Shenzhen, Guangzhou and other Greater Bay Area cities? Launching this month is the Post’s curated list of coming performances, all within easy reach of Hong Kong, with a focus on those likely to appeal most to an international audience. 1. Yang Liping’s The Peacock Dongguan Magnolia Theatre will stage Yang Liping’s 2022 dance drama The Peacock. Yang, a celebrated contemporary dancer from China’s Bai ethnic minority group, rose to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3312370/5-greater-bay-area-shows-and-concerts-june-2025-see-broadway-musical-dance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3312370/5-greater-bay-area-shows-and-concerts-june-2025-see-broadway-musical-dance?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 May 2025 01:45:07 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na As the Chinese diaspora spread across the globe, Chinese communities formed in their adopted homes, and adapted their cuisines to suit the locals in their new locations. A prime example is American-Chinese cuisine, which gave us those iconic takeaway boxes, dishes like General Tso’s chicken and chop suey, and fortune cookies. Such hybrid cuisines not only enriched culinary landscapes, but also left a mark on popular culture. One such cuisine is that which evolved among Chinese residents of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3311538/why-korean-chinese-restaurants-are-so-popular-and-how-hybrid-cuisine-came-about?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3311538/why-korean-chinese-restaurants-are-so-popular-and-how-hybrid-cuisine-came-about?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 May 2025 23:45:07 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na It is a drizzly and overcast Saturday morning in Hong Kong where, despite the gusting winds, many runners are training along the Central Harbourfront. At the AIA Vitality Hub – a venue on the harbourfront that offers free daily health and fitness classes – a dozen runners have gathered for an hour-long class led by ultrarunner Wong Chun-kiu. At 40, Wong is fit, experienced and ready to share the skills he has learned. He opens the session with stretching and running drills. “When you run, try to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3310419/hong-kong-ultrarunner-who-holds-free-classes-central-his-epic-endurance-feats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3310419/hong-kong-ultrarunner-who-holds-free-classes-central-his-epic-endurance-feats?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 May 2025 23:45:08 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na Ties between China and South Korea are on the mend. Though a much-publicised concert by boy band Epex – the first K-pop show in mainland China in nine years, scheduled for the end of May – has been delayed, the long-running K-pop event Dream Concert is set to be held in mainland China for the first time later this year. The annual concert, which has been organised by the Korea Entertainment Producers Association since 1995, is scheduled to take place in September at the 40,000-seat Sanya Sports... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3310318/soft-power-centre-china-south-korea-thaw-benefits-k-pop-fans-and-tourism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3310318/soft-power-centre-china-south-korea-thaw-benefits-k-pop-fans-and-tourism?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 May 2025 10:02:07 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na One way to get around and familiarise yourself with a new city when travelling is to explore it on foot. If you are a runner, you get to cover more ground. Fitting a long-distance run into a tight travel itinerary, however, can be a challenge – as is finding a place to shower and wash your clothes afterwards if your excursion takes you far from your hotel. “I love to go for runs when I travel, but it’s difficult to always pack my running gear in my luggage,” says Tom Feng, a 34-year-old... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3310101/sento-running-japan-blends-bathhouse-culture-and-exercise-4-places-tokyo-try-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3310101/sento-running-japan-blends-bathhouse-culture-and-exercise-4-places-tokyo-try-it?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 May 2025 04:54:07 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na Fifty years after the Chinese ink painter Lui Shou-kwan died in Hong Kong at the relatively young age of 56, he is still regarded as one of the most influential artists the city has produced – one whose groundbreaking approach to art and pedagogy have influenced many artists who came after him. After he retired from his job as an inspector for the Hong Kong and Yaumati Ferry Company in 1966, he taught Chinese ink painting at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the University of Hong Kong. As... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3308823/chinese-ink-painter-lui-shou-kwan-and-4-artists-he-taught-who-developed-their-own-styles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3308823/chinese-ink-painter-lui-shou-kwan-and-4-artists-he-taught-who-developed-their-own-styles?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 May 2025 09:15:08 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na In late March, passengers aboard an HK Express flight to Narita, Tokyo, were in for a unique plane ride. Shortly after take-off, a middle-aged Chinese woman with a bob and a red T-shirt – rather than a flight attendant – appeared at the front of the cabin. When she started making an in-flight announcement in thick, heavily accented Cantonese, there was a buzz as passengers excitedly pulled out their smartphones to start recording her spiel. This was not a regular safety briefing. In fact, this... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3308861/hong-kong-noodle-chain-tam-jai-flying-high-hk-express-tie-and-beauty-products?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3308861/hong-kong-noodle-chain-tam-jai-flying-high-hk-express-tie-and-beauty-products?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 May 2025 23:15:10 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na Leading contemporary Chinese ink artist Liu Dan is holding his largest solo show to date, at British auction house Phillips’ space in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District. The selling exhibition, “Liu Dan: Morphogenesis”, is a rare showcase of 26 Chinese ink and watercolour works created by the artist over four decades. They highlight his fascination with rocks, in particular Taihu stone – a kind of perforated limestone from Dongting Mountain in the Chinese city of Suzhou that has inspired... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3308636/giant-chinese-contemporary-ink-art-liu-dan-shows-works-4-decades-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3308636/giant-chinese-contemporary-ink-art-liu-dan-shows-works-4-decades-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 May 2025 09:15:07 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na It is no easy feat for a fitness studio to have survived years of Hong Kong’s high rents, the 2019 anti-government protests and a pandemic, but that is exactly what Heather Thomas’ Flex Studio has done. Flex Studio opened in 2005 in Stanley, in the south of Hong Kong Island. Today the Pilates studio has two Hong Kong branches, in Wong Chuk Hang and Central, and one in Singapore. Around 900 clients visit one of the three studios two to three times a week. When Flex Studio first launched, Pilates... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3308510/how-pioneering-pilates-studio-hong-kong-lasted-course-and-stretched-expand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3308510/how-pioneering-pilates-studio-hong-kong-lasted-course-and-stretched-expand?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 May 2025 10:15:08 +0000 Enid Tsui,Erika Na,Mabel Lui Enid Tsui,Erika Na,Mabel Lui In March, around 4,000 music lovers from Hong Kong attended a one-night-only concert by Andrea Bocelli, a legendary tenor once dubbed the “Voice of God” by singer Celine Dion. That the concert on March 29 was in Macau was an inconvenience they were willing to overlook. According to the organiser and resort Galaxy Macau, Hong Kong visitors made up around 40 per cent of the audience at the sell-out show at the Galaxy Arena. Many of them, like music critic Edison Hung Sze-hang, were happy to make... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3307076/why-are-classical-music-stars-skipping-hong-kong-other-chinese-cities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3307076/why-are-classical-music-stars-skipping-hong-kong-other-chinese-cities?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 Apr 2025 23:15:12 +0000 Hong Kong couple Ivy Ip, 45, and Kenneth Kwan, 52, had been married just four years in 2021 when they received life-changing news: Ip was diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer. She quickly underwent multiple rounds of chemotherapy and a 10-hour surgery – her first ever – to remove her uterus, ovaries, gallbladder, spleen and more. To the couple’s dismay, the cancer returned in a few months. Friends of Ip, a jewellery designer, knew how much she appreciated art. They recommended that she join... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3306095/how-cancer-patient-finds-strength-art-therapy-and-her-husband-draws-optimism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3306095/how-cancer-patient-finds-strength-art-therapy-and-her-husband-draws-optimism?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Apr 2025 23:45:07 +0000 The largely forgotten Cold Food Festival, known in Mandarin as hanshi jie, is a traditional Chinese holiday celebrated on the 105th day after the winter solstice. In 2025, this falls on April 4. The festival began around the 7th century BC and was widely observed through the eating of cold food and avoidance of the use of fire. The tradition had faded by the Tang dynasty (AD618-907), when it was consolidated into the more well-known Ching Ming Festival. As a result, not many in China observe the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3305032/what-cold-food-festival-celebrated-ching-ming-memory-loyal-subject?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3305032/what-cold-food-festival-celebrated-ching-ming-memory-loyal-subject?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Apr 2025 23:45:08 +0000 Chinatowns are often portrayed as gritty underworlds riddled with prostitution, gambling and drug trafficking. Some of this is rooted in truth, but that unfair depiction is largely the result of rampant xenophobia and cultural ignorance, especially in the West. In a series of articles, the Post explores the historical and social significance of major Chinatowns around the world and the communities that shape them. There are two Chinatowns of note in South Korea: one in Incheon, just outside... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3304552/how-seoul-and-incheons-chinatowns-tell-stories-chinese-immigration-korea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3304552/how-seoul-and-incheons-chinatowns-tell-stories-chinese-immigration-korea?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Mar 2025 23:15:09 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na What would you do if your goal was to achieve something no one had ever done and which everyone told you was impossible? German musician Felix Klieser found himself in just such a situation; the 34-year-old has become a French horn virtuoso despite being born without arms. At his fourth concert in Hong Kong, on April 7, Klieser will perform a programme including Mozart’s Horn Concerto No. 4, K. 495 with the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong. Ahead of the performance, Klieser spoke to the Post... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3304277/how-musician-without-arms-felix-klieser-overcame-impossible-play-french-horn?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3304277/how-musician-without-arms-felix-klieser-overcame-impossible-play-french-horn?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Mar 2025 23:15:11 +0000 Hong Kong took centre stage in the first episode of the new season of The Amazing Race, which began airing last week on Now TV. Fourteen teams – the most in one season of the reality show’s history – charged across the city in search of clues that will take them to their next destination, where more clues await. This continues until one team reaches the season’s final destination, where show host Phil Keoghan and a grand prize of US$1 million awaits. The locations they visited in Hong Kong are... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3302190/which-places-hong-kong-did-amazing-race-teams-visit-how-you-can-visit-them-too?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3302190/which-places-hong-kong-did-amazing-race-teams-visit-how-you-can-visit-them-too?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Mar 2025 04:45:08 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na It has been 50 years since the career of one of the major post-war figures in Chinese art was cut short by his death in Hong Kong. Lui Shou-kwan, who worked for the municipal government in Guangzhou in southern China, moved to the then British colony with his family in 1948. There, he found work as an inspector for the Hong Kong and Yaumati Ferry Company, a job he held until 1966. Often finding himself on the piers on either side of Victoria Harbour between which the company’s vessels ferried... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3301492/who-was-lui-shou-kwan-hong-kong-artist-fused-traditional-chinese-ink-and-abstract-art?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3301492/who-was-lui-shou-kwan-hong-kong-artist-fused-traditional-chinese-ink-and-abstract-art?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Mar 2025 23:15:12 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na Travelling from Hong Kong to San Francisco in 2025 is a straightforward journey. It takes about 12 hours, with four direct flights every day. However, 170 years ago, in 1848, the journey was very different. Travelling from Hong Kong, on the southern edge of China, to the city on America’s west coast meant boarding a ship for a gruelling voyage across the Pacific Ocean. The trip could take up to 60 days. Despite the hardship, San Francisco was an attractive destination for Chinese men hoping to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3300527/stories-chinese-who-joined-california-gold-rush-told-hong-kong-exhibition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3300527/stories-chinese-who-joined-california-gold-rush-told-hong-kong-exhibition?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Mar 2025 05:15:07 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na On March 2, conductor Zubin Mehta and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra will perform a concert in Shenzhen, in southern China, this weekend followed by one in nearby Guangzhou the following day. Joining them as a soloist is German-Korean violinist Clara-Jumi Kang. The programme will feature Carl Maria von Weber’s Overture to Oberon, Jean Sibelius’ Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36. The concerts form part of the orchestra’s spring... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3300138/zubin-mehta-and-west-eastern-divan-orchestra-play-shenzhen-guangzhou-not-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3300138/zubin-mehta-and-west-eastern-divan-orchestra-play-shenzhen-guangzhou-not-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Feb 2025 07:15:09 +0000 Located on the southern coast of northeast China’s Shandong Peninsula, Qingdao is a vibrant port city and popular tourist destination known for its stunning bays, unique blend of Chinese and German architecture, and, of course, its most famous export: Tsingtao beer. Steeped in history, the city has a fascinating colonial past – one it shares with Hong Kong, around 1,600km to the south – that shaped its cultural and architectural landscape. In 1897, Germany invaded and occupied Jiaozhou Bay, a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3298062/best-things-do-and-see-qingdao-china-zhongshan-road-stunning-bay?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3298062/best-things-do-and-see-qingdao-china-zhongshan-road-stunning-bay?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Feb 2025 04:45:08 +0000 Erika Na Erika Na It is hard to pull away from Korean artist Lee Jinju’s “Black Paintings”. Faces, body parts and other objects, painted realistically with the finest of brushstrokes, loom out from what appears to be total and utter darkness. Rooted in centuries-old “East Asian painting” techniques that she trained in as an adolescent, Lee’s paintings are both traditional and contemporary. Take the portrayal of hands, a recurring motif in her pieces. They are rendered with extraordinary detail, such as faint... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3296101/korean-artist-lee-jinjus-debut-hong-kong-exhibition-features-23-new-pieces?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3296101/korean-artist-lee-jinjus-debut-hong-kong-exhibition-features-23-new-pieces?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Jan 2025 03:15:07 +0000 From snake-themed events to whether your luck is in: discover all you need to know about the coming Lunar New Year in our Year of the Snake 2025 series. In the Chinese zodiac, each animal sign is believed to have certain affinities and rivalries with other signs. For people born under the sign of the Snake, there are three signs that are considered their “enemies”: the Tiger, Monkey and Pig. These rivalries can play out in various aspects of life, from romantic relationships to business... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-zodiac/article/3295775/what-are-enemy-signs-chinese-zodiac-snakes-have-3-how-find-success-them?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/chinese-zodiac/article/3295775/what-are-enemy-signs-chinese-zodiac-snakes-have-3-how-find-success-them?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Jan 2025 23:45:08 +0000 At 90, Paul Dubrule, the co-founder of French multinational brand Accor, was looking sprightly at his school of hospitality in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Swaying merrily to the uplifting tune of the 1969 song Les Champs-Élysées, the nonagenarian appeared to be conducting the 10 Cambodian students with his hands at a ceremony in November 2024 that celebrated the opening of a new amphitheatre. Also present at the performance was Maud Bailly, chief executive of Sofitel, a luxury hotel brand under the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3295433/french-quality-cambodian-kindness-accor-hotels-group-co-founders-hospitality-school?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3295433/french-quality-cambodian-kindness-accor-hotels-group-co-founders-hospitality-school?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Jan 2025 23:15:24 +0000 Budget travel not only saves Kez Williams money, but helps her get an authentic experience out of a place. The 47-year-old Hong Kong-based Australian has visited 143 United Nations-recognised countries and plans to share some of her creative ideas on travelling frugally in her forthcoming book, Wandering the World on a Shoestring: How to Travel the Globe on $20 a Day (or Less). In the coming year, she plans to visit the remaining 50 – without a break. “I intend to not [return] to Hong Kong until... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3294655/want-see-world-budget-globe-trotting-hong-kong-teacher-how-she-does-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3294655/want-see-world-budget-globe-trotting-hong-kong-teacher-how-she-does-it?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Jan 2025 23:15:07 +0000 Travel within south China’s Greater Bay Area took off in a big way in 2024 and a new visa-free arrangement is only likely to increase visitor numbers. While Shenzhen has dominated the headlines – particularly regarding how food and leisure there were cheaper than in Hong Kong – other cities are expecting interest from tourists in 2025. Guangzhou is one of them. Its new “Line 11” – a 31-station underground line that loops around the city – will make it even easier to visit attractions including... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3292735/3-fascinating-places-visit-guangzhou-and-how-get-there-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3292735/3-fascinating-places-visit-guangzhou-and-how-get-there-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Dec 2024 23:15:06 +0000 From snake-themed events to whether your luck is in: discover all you need to know about the coming Lunar New Year in our Year of the Snake 2025 series. A whole snake submerged in a bottle of liquor is, for many, not the most appealing or appetising sight. In certain parts of Asia, however, this promises something that everyone could do with having more of: better health. This unusual drink, known as snake wine, has been consumed for centuries, and many believe it offers a range of medicinal... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3292293/snake-wines-origins-reputed-health-benefits-use-tcm-and-how-it-can-bite-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3292293/snake-wines-origins-reputed-health-benefits-use-tcm-and-how-it-can-bite-back?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:15:07 +0000