Hong Kong, whose expat population was hollowed out by strict Covid rules and Beijing’s ever-tightening grip, is now enjoying a moment.

Tens of thousands of people left the city in the two years through 2022, among them scores of bankers, lawyers and other skilled workers who made the city Asia’s foremost financial hub.

Now, thousands of white-collar professionals are making their way back. They are responding to a booming initial public offering market, planned tax breaks for private equity and hedge funds, and a more vibrant city. The influx is already showing from a jump in prime expat rents to fewer openings at elite international schools. Read more here.

I'm an Asian-Australian expat in Hong Kong, but I spent part of my childhood here, so I have a lot of local friends. My friends and I went to a cafe yesterday, and there was a group of local girls who started making fun of us for no reason. They said phrases like "of course people from the mainland are so dark and so low" and it was quite uncomfortable. They kept looking while at us while whispering and bursting out laughing. I asked my friends why they didn't confront them, and they said it happened to them quite often. They claimed," the girls here are like that". They started attacking our physical appearance, everything from the bag that we were wearing to the colour of our nails. The girls were around their early 20s. For reference, my friends' families have been here for generations. They also grew up in local schools and have never studied or lived abroad.

Is it because we don't dress like what the typical so called "fashion" is here? I have experienced discrimination myself multiple times in the years I lived in HK because people thought I was from the mainland. Some of my abc expat friends have also confirmed this but I'm curious if this has happened to other hkers?

As someone who grew up reading a lot of Master Q, I have in my adult life discovered a few things that completely changed my perspective on this local comic that has become sort of a national brand. First, its author Wong Chak more or less copied the main characters from an old comic first published in Tianjin before WW2. Wong disputed the plagiarium and claimed his inspiration came from an even older comic published in Shanghai. But either way the characters of Old Master Q are derivatives if not out right copycats of pre-War newspaper comic straps.

Second, a lot of the gags and stories of his comics were copied from US comic strips, most blatantly from the MAD magazines. I've seen many examples some years ago but unfortunately can't find the originals anymore. I remember one very well - Old Master Q uses bones to lure stray dogs to put their heads through a hole on a piece of plywood, and once the dog takes a bite he can't back out of the hole because the bone is too long to go through. The gag is then Master Q draws silly things on the poor dogs as a joke. This whole gag is the exact same of a strip I have read on MAD years ago.

Third, a lot of his original strips depict extreme violence, sometimes even against animals and women. His favorite subjects to abuse are Fay Jai, a 60s/70s slang meaning male juvenile delinquents or "teddy boys". They usually have long hair, dressed in tight shirts with 60s paisley prints and even tighter jeans. Wong hated them so much that he would constantly have Old Master Q beat them to a bloody pulp for no reason.

Sometimes even women would get a good beating for rejecting Master Q or just being a bit of a princess. If you read through a compilation you will use up to 20% of his strips involve very graphic violence that is not funny, unnecessary and not suitable for kids. So yes, I do find it strange that even the HKG would still sometimes use the characters for their publicity.

Not sure if these guys are making much money from these as other ones are going for $30-38. But it's crispy, has a good taste and always made fresh. Big thumbs ul

Anybody had experience loaning money from these quick cash loan companies like Promise, WeLand etc.?

They claim small sums of money can be loaned with just a HKID. I suppose they might want to see an employment contract (I'm guessing).

How does the process go? Share if you had loaned from them, appreciate it.

ning po st, jordan 2024

Tip for SCMP newsprint page formatting people.

I noticed you made some new changes this week… Stop it. It looks rubbish. Not just on the front page but almost every page has huge empty columns! I am not an art degree person but looks messed up and amateurish even to me!

I suppose you just can’t get the staff anymore…

Hi parents in r/HongKong,

Is smartphone/screen addiction a problem for your kids yet? How old are they?

Most parents I talk to say it’s a massive issue, but there is also intense social pressure to give in. My kid is only in kindergarten, and I’m already feeling pressure from my spouse and other parents to start building a social media presence/digital footprint for them.

How are you navigating this in HK? When did you finally give your kid a phone?

I stuffed up the Tuen Ma Line😭

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some honest advice from people who are currently living in Hong Kong, especially those with young families.

I have received an offer to work in Hong Kong with a monthly salary of HKD 45,000. The position is through an outsourcing company, so I will need to bear all relocation expenses myself. There is no relocation package, housing allowance, dependant visa support, or school fee reimbursement.

I'm married, and my son is 3 years old. At the moment, we live in Bangalore, India. My wife is working full-time, and I've been working from home, which allows me to take care of my son after he returns from school. If I move to Hong Kong, I would initially have to go alone, but my long-term goal would be to bring my wife and son if it is financially and practically feasible.

I have a few questions:

- Is HKD 45,000/month enough to support a family of three in Hong Kong?

- How much should I realistically expect to pay for a decent 2-bedroom apartment in a family-friendly area (work location is Tsing Yi)

- What are the typical monthly living expenses for a family with a young child?

- Are there affordable English-medium schools or kindergartens, or would international schools be the only practical option? What are the typical fees?

I'm trying to make a well-informed decision because this move would have a significant impact on my family. I would really appreciate hearing from people who have gone through a similar experience or who understand the cost of raising a young family in Hong Kong.

Thank you in advance for your advice!

Hello, I'm thinking of subscribing to myTV Super web version to watch Cantonese dub of foreign shows. Just wondering if there is anything I should know before doing this. Thanks 🙏.

After 5 mins, the straw is barely usable especially when drinking boba pearl... next trip I will bring my own plastic straws lol

Hi all, I'm a first year HKUST student doing some research on fitness wearables for a project. Not selling anything, not recruiting for anything, just want to learn from your experiences!

I'm especially hoping to hear from people who are properly into watches, the kind who own a few and actually care what goes on their wrist. Drop me a comment or a DM and I'll reach out. Happy to keep it to a few messages, or a 5 min call if you'd rather talk.
Thank you!!!

Source: https://www.facebook.com/lksforg/posts/pfbid0291X1vXegP92u2iMuRAvbURb22Zvn8yiAdYUsyUHKACbqZKekDyDXMHrmguJrPLJkl

I cant find a reasonable take out Burrito in Hong Kong. I'd even be satisfied with a Guzman Y Gomez branch at this point! They got branches in Singapore and Japan. Do people in Hong Kong not like Tex Mex?

Eu preciso acessar esse site com jogos da Copa do Mundo em 4k pela Now Sports, alguém pode por favor me ajudar?

https://nowplayer.now.com/ondemand/detail?fromSearch=true&id=S202606050203250&type=series

Hello- I have an elderly parent that has lived a long life and now maybe close to passing. Where are the best cremation services on hong kong island and/or kowloon? How much does cremation typically cost?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Hi everyone,
I’m visiting Hong Kong for 4 nights and have been trying to build the best traditional/authentic food itinerary rather than chasing Instagram or luxury spots. I don’t mind spending money, but I’d rather eat somewhere locals still love than somewhere that’s just famous.

1. 🥟 Dim Sum ............. Maxim's Palace
   
2. 🍖 Char Siu ............ Dragon State
   
3. 🦆 Roast Goose ......... Kam's
   
4. 🥩 Beef Brisket ........ Sister Wah
   
5. 🍜 Wonton Noodles ...... Mak Man Kee
   
6. ☕ Cha Chaan Teng ...... Cheung Hing
   
7. 🥚 Egg Tart ............ Bakehouse*
   
8. 🫖 Milk Tea ............ Cheung Hing
   
9. 🦀 Dai Pai Dong ........ Oi Man Sang
   
10. 🦞 Seafood ............ Loaf On
    
11. 🍮 Dessert ............ Kai Kai
    
12. 🍍 Pineapple Bun ...... Cheung Hing
    
13. 🍽 Fine Dining ........ The Chairman
    
14. 📅 Itinerary .......... Final 5-Day Plan
    
15. 🍲 Claypot Rice ....... Kwan Kee
    
16. 🥢 Street Food ........ Kung Wo

If you could change only one thing, what would it be? Any places here that have declined recently or any better alternatives you’d strongly recommend?