K-pop Song For The Covid-19 Pandemic

Our lives may have been turned upside down this year because of the global Covid-19 pandemic, but K-pop stars have kept releasing new material, including songs that touch on living in the coronavirus era.

Tomorrow X Together: We Lost the Summer

In this sprightly tune from TXT's latest EP, "Minisode1: Blue Hour", out this week, the members sing about the lost summer of 2020, bemoaning the state of the world that kept them from enjoying the season and the missed opportunities for summer love.

"The cafe that I went to has now closed (and how) / I hide my sigh behind this stuffy mask (remaining here) / I hate my face without expression (you know)," members Taehyun and Soobin sing on the track.

Source: SCMP

McRefugee Movie by Aaron Kwok

The plight of Hong Kong's McRefugees receives unabashedly melodramatic treatment in this humane yet relentlessly bleak movie. Ironically, in a year that has seen the film's theatrical release repeatedly postponed by the coronavirus pandemic, the lives of those homeless people who are used to sleeping at night in 24-hour McDonald's joints have become even more of a nightmare.

Produced by Soi Cheang Pou-soi, I'm Livin' It premiered at the Tokyo International Film Festival in October 2019, before going on to win a Hong Kong Film Award in May for the veteran comedian Cheung Tat-ming, in the best supporting actor category.

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The feature-film debut of long-time assistant director Wong Hing-fan is clearly pitched as another showcase for the acting of Aaron Kwok Fu-shing, the Canto-pop star playing a former investment expert who has fallen on hard times. But it is the ensemble cast who are memorable and who will win audiences' hearts.

Kwok plays Bowen, the de facto spiritual leader of a small group who spend their nights in a fast-food restaurant. Too ashamed to reunite with his mother (Nina Paw Hee-ching) and sister (Kathy Wu Jiaxing) since the prison spell that preceded his homelessness, Bowen appears content with life as a vagabond.

It must feel a little like redemption, then, that he also gets to use his street smarts to help out his fellow McRefugees: from a runaway teenager (Zeno Koo Ting-hin) to a talkative caricature artist (Cheung Tat-ming), a single mother in heavy debt (Cya Liu Yase), and an elderly widower who keeps denying his wife's passing (Alex Man Chi-leung).

A story of broken dreams and unfulfilled promises, the screenplay by Ja Poon ( A Beautiful Moment ) rarely misses an opportunity to pile on the misery. A would-be romance between Bowen and Jane (Miriam Yeung Chin-wah), a lounge singer who has carried a torch for him for years, never materialises, reflecting the film's austerity.

While Cheung took the limelight with his win at the Hong Kong Film Awards, I'm Livin' It is a true team effort; under Wong's measured direction, almost every actors leaves an impression. Sentimental, yet realistic for the most part, this film casts a rare spotlight on the Hong Kong underclass, one that hopefully will inspire positive action in their favour.

Source: MSN

Andy Lau Concert After Covid-19 Pandemic

Fans of Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau can rejoice as he has announced a concert and a new record.

The good news was announced during Lau’s 59th birthday celebration that was broadcast live 27th September.

Apart from treating his fans to several songs from his previous albums during the one hour telecast, Lau also sang his upcoming release of Jixu Meili (Continue to be Beautiful), reported Hong Kong portal Ming Pao.

“This is my first time singing this song, I think I sang a bit too fast! I am very excited, sweating!” he said.

Lau said for his birthday wish, he hoped that the pandemic would be over soon and for everyone to be happy and healthy.

“After the pandemic, we can meet more often.”

Responding to queries from fans, Lau assured that he would not cancel any physical performances.

“We just temporarily postponed it. Once the pandemic is over, we will arrange (new dates),” he said, adding that he missed taking photos with all his fans.

Lau usually celebrates his birthday with his fans, including those from his official fan club, Andy World Club but due to the coronavirus pandemic, the physical celebration this year was replaced with an online gathering.

He has cancelled several scheduled concerts in Hong Kong and China this year due to the pandemic.