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5050
The latest news, analysis and opinion on 5050. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
last updated:
9 September, 2024
Kang Ae-sim and Yang Dong-geun in a still from Squid Game season 2. The actress says her role in the Netflix Korean drama series show pushed her to new limits. Photo: Netflix
TV shows and streaming video

Squid Game 2’s Kang Ae-sim on how she became the show’s defining ‘K-mom’

The Korean actress, who drew on her real experience to play Yang Dong-geun’s mother in the Netflix show, talks about her ‘incredible journey’.

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Hong Kong society

Opinion | If Hong Kong’s youth don’t want to be dragons, so be it

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Food and Drinks

Explainer | What is turnip cake and why is it a Lunar New Year favourite?

Wellness

She can deadlift 102kg at 64. How building muscle helps women as they age

Building muscle through resistance or strength training helps protect from sarcopenia, an age-related condition women suffer more than men.

Dylis Li, 64, works out at Pherform in Hong Kong with the women-only gym’s owner, Stephanie Poelman. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Hong Kong culture

Her 1,000-piece collection of Hong Kong memorabilia tells the city’s story

From dolls, ceramics and vintage textiles to posters, books and souvenirs, Tarlan Amigh is on a mission to tell the real story of Hong Kong.

Wellness

Traditional Chinese medicine remedies for colds, coughs, hair and more

Young TCM practitioners share tips on herbs and foods to help with everything from digestive, kidney and eye health to better hair and acne.

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Art

Hong Kong museums take tours for disabled people to the next level

A museum’s free accessible tours for the hearing-impaired use Hong Kong Sign Language, while M+ and the Palace Museum offer new options.

Tactile artefacts are some of the key features of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority’s new “WestK Inclusive Sharing Month” in January 2025. Photo: WKCDA
Hong Kong property

Tourism, student accommodation to give hotel assets a bump, experts say

A promising year awaits hoteliers as tourism rebounds and owners looking to sell their assets for better prices, industry experts say.

China food security

Opinion | Could GM crops plant seeds of change for China’s food security push?

Fears over the safety of genetically modified crops are complicating the central government’s plans for their role in China’s food security.

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Wellness

What’s having dementia like? This experience reveals the pain, frustration

A psychologist’s ‘virtual dementia tours’ are designed to build sensitivity and awareness in those caring for others with the condition.

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An employee of Second Wind Dreams in the US struggles with a simple folding task while wearing gloves, which interfere with dexterity - as arthritis might - on a virtual dementia tour that simulates the challenges of the condition. Photo: Second Wind Dreams
Food and Drinks

‘Little ninja’ ingredients give Western dishes a Japanese twist

A Japanese-American cooking instructor routinely adds items like sake, soy sauce and ginger to Western dishes to cater to Japanese tastes.

This image released by Knopf shows a recipe for Japanese Italian wedding soup, from the cookbook “Wafu Cooking: Everyday Recipes with Japanese Style” by Sonoko Sakai. (Rick Poon/Knopf via AP)
Hong Kong housing

Opinion | Hong Kong should not be rewarding people who snitch on neighbours

While updating laws to punish abuse of public housing is welcome, encouraging snitching will have ripple effects elsewhere.

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Music

With LA’s counter-culture suburb in ruins, creatives’ pain ramps up

Already hurting in the post-Covid economy, many millennial creatives who lost their Altadena homes in wildfires are now feeling priced out.

US-China tech war

Opinion | US-China quantum contest winner will shape the world’s future

On top of technological supremacy, the quantum race could reshape the very nature of international relations and global power dynamics.

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Google Quantum AI’s Hartmut Neven (left) and Anthony Megrant examine a cryostat refrigerator for cooling quantum computing chips at Google’s Quantum AI lab in Santa Barbara, California, on November 25, 2024. Photo: Reuters
Hong Kong property

Distressed property deals to rise in Hong Kong this year as sellers cut prices

High interest rates and uncertainties in the global economy are cited as reasons why distressed deals will rise in 2025.

A man walked through Kai Tak with construction in the background. Photo: Nora Tam
Architecture and design

Glamorous and luxurious, art deco style is back – with modern twists

Art deco is enjoying a comeback in decor and fashion 100 years after its introduction, embraced by celebrities such as Zendaya and Beyoncé.

Wellness

New health tech wearables at CES measure blood sugar, capture heart murmurs

MindMics’ earbuds and DexCom’s Stelo patches stand out at CES 2025, while an expert calls the approval process for such devices ‘pathetic’.

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Wellness

Explainer | What are functional foods and should you be having them?

Functional foods claiming to provide all kinds of health benefits are blowing up on social media, but few examples have scientific backing.

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Some functional foods and beverages can be good for you, a doctor says, including products that have been fortified or enriched with a specific ingredient, like drinks fortified with vitamin B, or foods for specific dietary needs, like gluten-free or lactose-free products. But many others do not live up to their marketing. Photo: Shutterstock
Wellness

Coffee drinkers less at risk of head and neck cancers, new study finds

People who drink more than four cups of coffee a day are less at risk and even decaf coffee is found to have benefits, the analysis says.

Italy

Pope Francis names Italian sister as first woman to lead major Vatican office

The appointment signals significant advancement in women’s leadership within the Catholic Church.

Hong Kong society

Opinion | Hongkongers deserve credit for getting through a tough 2024

If John Lee had hoped to rally people to rise to the challenge of 2025 in his New Year’s address, he should have learned from Xi Jinping’s focus on people.

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A Star Ferry is seen from another ferry as it sails across Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong on December 22. Hong Kong’s economic indicators clearly show that the city has yet to recover from the pandemic. Photo: AFP
China economy

Opinion | Why Trump’s return opens door for China to reform capital markets

If Beijing seizes this chance, it could transform a familiar cycle of confrontation into a foundation for long-term security and leadership.

An electronic screen displays the Shanghai Composite Index on October 8, 2024 in Shanghai, China. Photo: VCG via Getty Images
Hong Kong housing

Opinion | How government plans to improve lot of Hongkongers in poor housing playing

The government is determined to address the needs of Hongkongers living in substandard housing and help them improve their lives.

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TV shows and streaming video

As women hit milestone in Japan’s legal system, drama tells 1 pioneer’s story

Tora ni Tsubasa is based on the true story of Yoshiko Mibuchi, one of Japan’s first women lawyers, who became a judge after World War II.

Hong Kong property

No immediate relief in sight for Hong Kong’s distressed office landlords

The prices of prime office space in the city’s main business zones declined by more than 46 per cent since October 2018.

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Overall rents across the city’s premium office space segment are estimated to have fallen 8.6 per cent this year. Photo: May Tse
Pets

Do dogs need coats in winter? Experts on different breeds’ needs

Dogs like Border collies and Labradors have woolly undercoats but short-haired pets originally from warmer climes may need extra warmth.

For canine breeds that originally came from warmer climes, such as the Rhodesian ridgeback with its short hair, a coat can make sense when the winter cold sets in, animal welfare experts say. Photo: Shutterstock
Wellness

The celebrities driving traditional Chinese medicine’s boom in the West

Stars from Ariana Grande to Tom Brady are helping traditional Chinese medicine treatments like cupping and acupuncture soar in popularity.

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What to do in Hong Kong

AIA Carnival super fans, including one who moved house to fit all her prizes

Running from December 20, 2024 to February 16, 2025, the much-loved event featuring rides, games, even a circus attracts dedicated visitors.

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