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Asian cinema

Asian cinema
Views, news, and reviews of films from the continent's biggest movie production centres.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM
The summit of Norman Foster’s HSBC Main Building in relief against The Peak, 1986. Photo: Ian Lambot

The building that rewrote architecture – 40 years ago

The architect whose creation defied convention and the photographer who shot it share their thoughts on an inside-out marvel.

Reading Time:7 minutes
The Chung Hom Kok, Hong Kong, home designed by Studio Quinn. Photo: courtesy Studio Quinn and Common Studio

How art transformed a Hong Kong home

Reading Time:4 minutes
Signature dishes from The Blind Pig, in Sai Wan Ho. Photo: Handout

How Hong Kong helped a Finnish chef love his homeland

Reading Time:4 minutes
Multimedia artist Lap-see Lam draws inspiration from her multicultural background. Photo: Mattias Lindbäck

Fried bananas and family lore: a Swedish-Chinese art story

Reading Time:7 minutes
Kai Ching Estate in Kai Tak, Kowloon, Hong Kong. Photo: Alexander Mak

Too shiny, straight, serious, samey: when architecture stops feeling human

Reading Time:9 minutes
Christie’s auctioneer Rahul Kadakia and his billion-dollar gavel. Photo: Jocelyn Tam

‘We didn’t play with toys, we played with jewels’: meet the man born for the rostrum

Reading Time:3 minutes
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Content from SCMP's Specialist Publications
Tang Wei (left) and Tony Leung Chiu-wai in a still from Lust, Caution. Photo: Edko Films
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

How Lust, Caution made waves for its sex scenes but overdid the caution

Although beautifully staged, this Hong Kong-US-China production starring Tony Leung and Tang Wei had a muddled story and misguided messages.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Hong Kong’s Category III adult film industry laid bare in 2 films

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Profile | Adult film legend Amy Yip bares all about her soft porn career

Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

How the Erotic Ghost Story films shocked and seduced Hong Kong

The trio of 1990s adult movies with Hong Kong sex symbols like Amy Yip and Japanese adult-video actresses like Kudo Hitomi were a huge hit.

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(From left) Amy Yip, Man Siu and Kudo Hitomi in a still from Erotic Ghost Story.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

The Hong Kong films released in 2024, ranked from worst to best

From We 12 to Papa, Fly Me to the Moon and The Last Dance, our ranking of the Hong Kong films that hit cinemas in the course of the year.

Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

How Chingmy Yau shocked Hong Kong and became one of its biggest sex symbols

Chingmy Yau’s transition from respectable actress to star of Category III adult films full of sex and violence like ‘Naked Killer’ was quite the revelation in Hong Kong in the 1990s.

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Asian cinema: Korean films

‘I’m second,’ says South Korean star Hyun Bin on life now he’s a dad

Hyun Bin says his son and his wife, Crash Landing on You co-star Son Ye-jin, are his priorities, and reveals the pressures of making Harbin.

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Korean actor Hyun Bin with his wife Son Ye-jin. The couple married in March 2022 and had their son in November the same year. Photo: Instagram/hyunbinactor
The Philippines

‘Bombas’: the Philippine sex films whose stars were household names

Cheaply made and with female characters who were either predators or victims, bombas thrived despite Catholic Church opposition; they also often represented the hardships of everyday life for Filipinos under the Marcos dictatorship.

Asian cinema: Korean films

5 career-defining roles for Hyun Bin – yes, one of them is Secret Garden

From Hyun Bin’s breakthrough in the 2005 drama My Lovely Sam Soon to huge hit Secret Garden to Netflix series Crash Landing on You, five of the Korean actor’s career-defining roles as he turns 41.

Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Is Simon Yam Hong Kong cinema’s hardest working actor?

Adults-only and mainstream crime films, sex films, and serious dramas with Alex Law and Ann Hui – Simon Yam has done them all. Good-looking and with an expressive face, he has a work ethic second to none.

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Simon Yam at the 2017 Hong Kong Film Awards presentation ceremony. Photo: Edward Wong
Asian cinema: Chinese films

How Gingle Wang went from clueless novice to one of Taiwan’s top young actresses

Wang’s first-ever scene took 33 takes, but now she is a ‘box office guarantee’ in Taiwan and an increasingly familiar face internationally.

Taiwanese actress Gingle Wang at an interview with the SCMP in Tsim Sha Tsui on April 2, 2026. Photo: SCMP / Karma Lo
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

What happened when Ann Hui adapted Eileen Chang’s classic stories?

Director Ann Hui has adapted three of Eileen Chang’s stories for the big screen. We look at two: Love in a Fallen City and Eighteen Springs.

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Hong Kong society

Hong Kong documentary pulled from cinemas 3 years ago to be screened in Italy

To My Nineteen-year-old Self will be shown at Far East Film Festival after withdrawal in 2023 over lack of consent from interviewees.

Asian cinema: Chinese films

Why fierce mothers and violent monsters star in Joe Hsieh’s animations

Taiwanese director Hsieh reflects on the strength of women, preferring hand-drawn animation over AI, and using violence in film.

A still from Night Bus (2019).
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | We’re Nothing at All: Herman Yau’s grim social critique lacks all subtlety

A gripping drama, We’re Nothing at All explores societal apathy through a tragic bus blast – but its heavy-handed approach may deter viewers.

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Anson Kong in a still from We’re Nothing at All (category III, Cantonese), directed by Herman Yau. Patrick Tam and Anson Chan co-star.
Asian cinema: Korean films

Review | Humint: dynamic Korean spy thriller from Ryoo Seung-wan on Netflix

Starring Zo In-sung, Park Jeong-min and Park Hae-joon, Humint rewards patient viewers with some of the best heroic bloodshed in recent times.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

3 Anthony Wong films from the early 90s that show his wide acting range

Before becoming stereotyped for extreme roles, Wong gave nuanced turns as a whiny gangster opposite Chow Yun-fat and as Veronica Yip’s tormentor.

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Hong Kong celebrities and icons

Profile | How Leslie Cheung broke all the rules to become a Hong Kong superstar

The music and cinema legend’s artistry, vulnerability and defiance in a conservative Asian society forever reshaped Hong Kong pop culture.

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Hong Kong pop icon Leslie Cheung on the set of director Wong Kar-wai’s Days of Being Wild in 1990. Cheung was a trailblazing Cantopop icon who reshaped Hong Kong’s entertainment scene. Photo: SCMP
Asian cinema: Korean films

The 10 most-watched Korean films of all time, including The King’s Warden

Can The King’s Warden overtake The Admiral: Roaring Currents and Extreme Job to become the most-viewed South Korean film of all time?

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

How director Benny Chan bridged old-school stunts and modern action

2003’s Heroic Duo and 2007’s Invisible Target were full of the director’s flair for action, reckless stunts and literal explosive scenes.

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United States

Action movie star Chuck Norris dies at 86

His epic fight with kung fu superstar Bruce Lee in ‘The Way of The Dragon’ helped turn Norris into an icon.

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Chuck Norris’ epic fight with the kung fu superstar Bruce Lee in “The Way of The Dragon” helped turn him into an icon on big and small screens alike. Photo: AFP
American cinema

How the eye-catchingly sexist DOA: Dead or Alive survived chaotic China shoot

Filmed at Hengdian World Studios, DOA: Dead or Alive helped pioneer East-West cinema collaboration – even if it bombed at the box office.

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Holly Valance (right) in a still from DOA: Dead or Alive (2006). Filmed in Hong Kong, mainland China and Thailand, it made just US$7.7 million on a US$30 million budget, and barely secured a release in America.
On Our Radar

Hong Kong International Film Festival brings out the big guns for its 50th year

The city’s flagship cinema event marks its Golden Jubilee with a global slate, major auteurs and a spotlight on Asian storytelling.

Locals' Guide

Insider’s guide to Johor Bahru, Malaysia

Derelict houses reborn as hip cafes and a showcase for local fashion talent are some of the draws in Johor’s capital, actress Debbie Goh reveals.

Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Ciao UFO: Charlene Choi leads nostalgic trip through Hong Kong history

Chui Tien-you and Wong You-nam join Charlene Choi in Patrick Leung’s poignant character drama that finally arrives at cinemas after debuting in 2019.

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Charlene Choi in a still from Ciao UFO (Category: IIA, Cantonese), directed by Patrick Leung and co-starring Chui Tien-you and Wong You-nam.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Best movies to watch at the Hong Kong International Film Festival 2026

Silent Friend, Sirat, Good Boy and Pillion are among our top picks at this year’s festival, which is celebrating its 50th edition.

Tony Leung Chiu-wai in a still from Silent Friend.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

How Herman Yau transitioned from gory cult films to action blockbusters

Once known for Category III shockers such as Ebola Syndrome, Herman Yau has become the go-to director for action blockbusters.

K-drama news

Profile | Who is Seo In-guk, star of Netflix K-drama Boyfriend on Demand?

From his musical beginnings to his breakout role in Reply 1997 to his turn in Boyfriend on Demand, Seo In-guk stands out for his versatility.

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Hong Kong celebrities and icons

Profile | From TVB queen to YouTube star, how Carol ‘Dodo’ Cheng does it all

Hong Kong icon Carol “Dodo” Cheng has worn many hats – actor, television host, content creator – continually reinventing herself across five decades.

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Carol “Dodo” Cheng at an interview with the SCMP in 2004. We examine the Hong Kong star’s journey from actor to content creator on YouTube. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Carol “Dodo” Cheng at an interview with the SCMP in 2004. We examine the Hong Kong star’s journey from actor to content creator on YouTube. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Gamer Girls: Angela Yuen leads beguiling Hong Kong esports drama

This engaging tale of an all-female esports team delivers an underdog story with a light touch and punches well above its modest budget.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

This Hong Kong martial arts movie pioneered the superhero team in Chinese cinema

The Five Venoms launched the iconic run of the Venom Mob, a group of actors brought together by Chang Cheh that appeared in various films.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Girlfriends: Fish Liew and Jennifer Yu reunite for tender lesbian romance

Tracy Choi’s semi-autobiographical, episodic drama gives an intimate portrait of a woman searching for her place at different stages of life.

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Fish Liew (left) and Jennifer Yu in a still from Girlfriends (category: IIB, Cantonese, Mandarin). Directed by Tracy Choi and co-starring Elizabeth Tang.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Ultimate Revenge: Hong Kong crime thriller is all brawn and no brains

Loud, action-packed and completely chaotic, Terry Ng’s Ultimate Revenge is packed with thrills but fails to deliver on plot.

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Alex Fong in a still from Ultimate Revenge.
Alex Fong in a still from Ultimate Revenge.
Asian cinema: Japanese films

Who is Hikari, the Japanese director behind Beef and Rental Family?

The filmmaker talks about her journey from Osaka to Hollywood and how her new film with Fraser as a fake dad was inspired by her childhood.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Love ‘A Better Tomorrow’? The Hong Kong director and film that inspired it

Patrick Lung Kong was known for films that imparted moral lessons. We look at ‘The Story of a Discharged Prisoner’ and ‘Teddy Girls’.

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Hong Kong celebrities and icons

Profile | Why Michael Tse, Hong Kong actor behind Laughing Gor, is a lesson in resilience

Michael Tse’s journey from backup dancer to Young and Dangerous henchman to leading film and TV actor showcases his endurance and tenacity.

Michael Tse at an interview with the SCMP in 2009. Tse’s remarkable entertainment journey has led him from backup dancer to the iconic Laughing Gor, viral memes and mainland China stardom. Photo: SCMP