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Asian cinema

Asian cinema
Views, news, and reviews of films from the continent's biggest movie production centres.
last updated:
9 September, 2024
HIGHLIGHTS FROM
Custom merch at DOP Training Club allows people to resonate with the brand. Photo: Kin Ho Photography

Run clubs have arrived in Hong Kong to combine exercise and community

This booming subculture is attracting runners of all abilities and from all walks of life to join up and enjoy a workout together – and buy the merch.

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Old camera models are displayed at Tokyo’s Extinct Media Museum, a private museum showcasing a collection of defunct gadgets. Photo: Reuters

All technology will eventually ‘die out’, but this Tokyo museum preserves it

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Explore Hong Kong’s wellness revolution in 2025, from pickleball to run clubs and retreats. Photo: Jocelyn Tam

This week in PostMag: Hong Kong’s wellness trends for 2025

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The Beatles with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, in Rishikesh, India, in 1968. Photo: Getty Images

How Transcendental Meditation transformed my life, as it did for The Beatles

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6 wellness retreats to try in Southeast Asia in 2025

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Content from SCMP's Specialist Publications
Michael Hui in a still from The Last Dance.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

The 12 best Asian films of 2024, including The Last Dance

From a Thai tear-jerker to a Korean cross-dressing romcom and a hand-drawn Japanese anime, our pick of the best Asian films of the past year.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

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

Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | The Last Dance: Dayo Wong, Michael Hui in exquisite funeral drama

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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.
Hong Kong celebrities and icons

Profile | Takeshi Kaneshiro, Hong Kong cinema’s ‘most good-looking’ actor

Takeshi Kaneshiro, who debuted as a singer in Taiwan in 1992, has not appeared on the big screen since 2017, has no official social media and no one knows where he lives but he remains as popular as ever.

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Hong Kong celebrities and icons

Profile | How actress Shu Qi went from soft-porn to mainstream cinema, and now filmmaking

‘A hard-working actress’ who ‘can do anything she wants to do’, a director once said of Shu Qi – a remark borne out by her subsequent career.

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Hong Kong celebrities and icons

Profile | How Gillian Chung has risen above the Edison Chen photo scandal to thrive

Gillian Chung, one half of Hong Kong Cantopop duo Twins, is thriving as a singer and actress, but the road to success – marred by a scandal involving intimate photos – has not been an easy one.

Gillian Chung at an interview with the Post in 2009. Photo: SCMP
Hong Kong celebrities and icons

Profile | From Hong Kong movie darling to ‘poison’: how Cecilia Cheung overcame scandals

Actress Cecilia Cheung’s personal life has never been far from the spotlight since her debut in 1999. Following scandal she moved to mainland China, where she promotes fashion brands on social media.

Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

4 very different Hong Kong romance films from the 2000s to watch

From July Rhapsody with Jacky Cheung to Love in a Puff with Miriam Yeung and Andy Lau in Love on a Diet, these movies offered something new.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

How Leslie Cheung shone in Farewell My Concubine and Temptress Moon

Cheung’s turns opposite Gong Li as a gay opera singer and a gigolo in 20th century China were two of his best, but both fell foul of censors.

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Zhang Fengyi (left) and Leslie Cheung in a still from Farewell My Concubine. Photo: Tomson Films
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Twilight of the Warriors named the best Hong Kong film of 2024 by critics

Director Soi Cheang Pou-soi scores third win in four years for martial arts drama set in Kowloon Walled City; Papa wins two major awards.

Louis Koo Tin-lok in a still from Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, winner of best Hong Kong film in the 2024 Hong Kong Film Critics Awards. Photo: Media Asia Distribution
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Sammo Hung plays his and Jackie Chan’s schoolmaster in Painted Faces

1988 Hong Kong film follows Yu Jim-yuen, the master of the Peking opera school in Kowloon whose pupils included Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung.

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Hong Kong cinema

Can Hong Kong films top the successes of 2024 this year?

Academic Kenny Ng believes industry can continue to reinvent itself and build on momentum to produce wave of ‘human-centric’ films.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Why 2024 was a good year for Hong Kong’s film industry

Talented fresh directors and a need to experience ‘cathartic’ moments drove Hong Kong films to success in 2024

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Remember What I Forgot: nostalgic tale of a Hong Kong cinema geek

Philip Keung and Fish Liew star in Keian Chui’s directorial debut that indulges the audience with memories of Hong Kong cinema.

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Philip Keung (left) and Fish Liew in a still from Remember What I Forgot.
Asian cinema: Korean films

Exhuma, Twilight of the Warriors lead Asian Film Awards nominations

Both movies are up for best picture at the 18th Asian Film Awards, as are All We Imagine as Light, Black Dog and Teki Cometh.

Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Burning Blood: stars of Young and Dangerous back for awful police thriller

Jerry Lamb, Jason Chu, Jordan Chan and Michael Tse reunite in Wilson Chin’s posthumous final film that is just as bad as his others.

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Asian cinema: Korean films

Best movie roles of Squid Game season 2’s new players

Do they look familiar? From Park Sung-hoon to Kang Ha-neul, we look at films new Squid Game actors were in before entering the deadly arena.

Kang Ha-neul as Kang Dae-ho, or player #388, in a still from Squid Game season 2. The actor is among those in the new series with impressive portfolios. Photo: Netflix
Hong Kong culture

Editorial | The death of Hong Kong’s film industry has been overplayed

Two Hong Kong productions in particular show there is a role for the local industry despite 2024 having the poorest box office take in 13 years.

Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

4 notable Monkey King adaptations in Hong Kong cinema. One stars Donnie Yen

We recall Journey to the West film adaptations, from Stephen Chow’s turn in the title role to one in which Donnie Yen plays the Monkey King.

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Hong Kong celebrities and icons

Profile | Meet Dayo Wong, stand-up comedy icon and Hong Kong box office king

The star of The Last Dance has had a tumultuous rise to the top, with a string of failed films but a stellar stand-up career under his belt.

Dayo Wong in a still from The Last Dance. Photo: Emperor Motion Pictures
Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong box office receipts fell to HK$1.34 billion in 2024, lowest since 2011

While earnings were down by 6.2 per cent over 2023, one bright spot offered hope: local films sold more tickets than Hollywood productions.

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Louis Koo (left) and Raymond Lam in a screengrab from Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In. Photo: Handout
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

8 classic Hong Kong movies that influenced filmmaking in the city

Hong Kong filmmaking underwent successive evolutions thanks to films like Fist of Fury, Infernal Affairs and John Woo’s A Better Tomorrow.

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Asian cinema: Bollywood

Director’s joy as her art-house movie gains fans in Bollywood-mad India

Golden Globes and Oscar nominee All We Imagine as Light has shown an Indian art-house film can challenge Bollywood’s dominance of cinemas.

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Hong Kong society

For Hong Kong special effects make-up artist, ‘gross’ is a compliment

Wilfred Wan, whose work has appeared in major blockbusters, shares the blood, sweat and slime of his intricate craft.

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Special effects makeup artist Wilfred Wan with one of his monstrous creations. Photo: SCMP
American cinema

How Chinese film fans embraced Cloud Atlas, movie spurned elsewhere

The Wachowkis and Tom Tykwer’s adaptation of David Mitchell’s novel was a box-office flop everywhere except China, despite a starry cast.

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Tom Hanks and Raevan Lee Hanan in a still from Cloud Atlas. The 2012 film by the Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer, based on David Mitchell’s novel, flopped everywhere except China, despite fans there seeing an edited version. Photo: Warner Bros
Asian cinema: Korean films

Song Joong-ki opens up on Bogota struggles and why he supports Hyun Bin

Song, whose new film Bogota: City of the Lost was heavily delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic, says he is driven by a sense of challenge.

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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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Asian cinema: Korean films

Review | Hidden Face, a Korean erotic thriller, serves up scandalous fun

This sexy K-movie follows a conductor who sleeps with the replacement player for his cellist fiancée, who seems to have disappeared.

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Park Ji-hyun as Mi-ju (left) and Song Seung-heon as Sung-jin in a still from Hidden Face.
Park Ji-hyun as Mi-ju (left) and Song Seung-heon as Sung-jin in a still from Hidden Face.
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

3 of John Woo’s lesser known action films, one so violent it was shelved

A triad movie with a young Stephen Chow, a crude war film and a crime caper starring Leslie Cheung. These 3 Woo projects fly under the radar.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | The Prosecutor: Donnie Yen literally fights for justice in court drama

The Prosecutor offers great action from Donnie Yen but with its simplistic representation of justice, don’t expect a hard-hitting drama.

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Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Review | Last Song for You: Natalie Hsu melts hearts in poignant fantasy romance

Natalie Hsu, helped by Ekin Cheng and Mirror’s Ian Chan, shines in this Hong Kong healing drama about memories, regret and lost love.

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Ian Chan (front) and Natalie Hsu in a still from Last Song for You.
Cinema

Saudi Arabia’s shifting attitudes towards cinema, from film ban to festival

For 35 years, film was banned in Saudi Arabia. Now it is investing in the industry, building cinemas and hosting global stars at a festival.

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Thai actor and singer Bright Vachirawit on the red carpet at the Red Sea International Film Festival. Photo: Instagram/bbrightvc
Thai actor and singer Bright Vachirawit on the red carpet at the Red Sea International Film Festival. Photo: Instagram/bbrightvc
Asian cinema: Hong Kong film

Stephen Chow’s ‘heroic’ makeover for Fight Back to School movies

Known for lowbrow comedies and playing the underdog, Chow was successfully recast as a suave hero, playing a cop undercover as a schoolboy.

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K-drama news

Profile | Meet Lim Ji-yeon, star of K-dramas The Glory and The Tale of Lady Ok

Lim found fame in steamy drama Obsessed, stopped being typecast after her role in The Glory, and has not looked back since.

Hong Kong

Q&A | Why Papa’s stand-out actress Jo Koo has never had a manager

The veteran actress on working with Philip Yung and Sean Lau, learning about psychosis, and her debut in a 1998 Fruit Chan film.

Jo Koo Cho-lam has a supporting role in the Hong Kong true crime film Papa. Photo: Jocelyn Tam
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