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Asian cinema

Vivian Chow backstage before a concert in Shanghai in 1993. Photo: SCMP

Profile | How Hong Kong’s ‘good girl’ Vivian Chow became beloved Cantopop star

Vivian Chow Wai-man was one of the most popular Cantopop singers of the 1990s and also a noteworthy actress, famous for her good-girl persona – and her up-and-down relationship with husband Joe Nieh.

How Andy Lau and Chow Yun-fat led Hong Kong’s gambling movie craze

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How The Eye movies led Hong Kong horror in the early 2000s

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How Derek Yee used genre crime films to tell truths about Hong Kong

Derek Yee Tung-sing’s crime films One Nite in Mongkok, Protégé and Triple Tap were gritty and realistic, and refused to glamorise the underworld and crime. We unpack these three classics.

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Daniel Wu (left) and Andy Lau in a still from Derek Yee’s Protégé.

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.

Profile | Meet Park Ju-hyun, feisty star of new K-drama Perfect Family

The South Korean star was close to becoming a K-pop trainee before pursuing an acting career. She’s been on the ascendant since 2020’s Extracurricular, and had a star turn in drama series Mouse.

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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

Profile | Meet Go Min-si, rising K-drama star back for Netflix’s Sweet Home 3

Korean actress Go Min-si, seen in Sweet Home on Netflix, is a rising K-drama star. We recall her roles, consider her versatility and look at what’s next.

Why 1984’s Shanghai Blues remains one of Tsui Hark’s best films

Lively, with slapstick humour and full of romcom tropes, Shanghai Blues remains one of Tsui Hark’s favourite films; 40 years after its release, it was screened at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.

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Profile | Meet Park Eun-bin, star of Castaway Diva and Extraordinary Attorney Woo

K-drama actress Park Eun-bin hit the big time with her title role in Extraordinary Attorney Woo, but her stardom didn’t happen overnight. She began acting when she was five years old.

Park Eun-bin in a still from “Castaway Diva”.

Review | My Boo: gamer falls for beautiful ghost in Thai romcom on Netflix

Starring Sutthirak ‘Gee’ Subvijitra and Maylada Susri (Bow), My Boo is best as an unabashed romance as much of the humour misses the mark.

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Sutthirak Subvijitra (left) and Maylada Susri in a still from My Boo.

Was remaking classics like Police Story, A Better Tomorrow a good idea?

We look at four remakes of classic Hong Kong films, from a Jackie Chan-led Police Story from the 2000s to a riff on Bruce Lee’s Fist of Fury.

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Profile | From songwriter in wife’s shadow to serious actor, Louis Cheung’s rise

Hong Kong tabloids painted Louis Cheung as dependent on singer wife Kay Tse, but as an acclaimed actor he’s standing on his own two feet now.

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

Comic actors excel in purely dramatic roles, but Michelle Wai steals the show in an engrossing film that champions female empowerment.

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Dayo Wong (left) and Michael Hui in a still from The Last Dance (category IIB; Cantonese), directed by Anselm Chan. Michelle Wai co-stars. Photo: Emperor Motion Pictures

Review | Weekend in Taipei: Luke Evans, Gwei Lun-mei in dull action quickie

Sung Kang is tame as a tycoon fighting Evans’ drug cop to get at his estranged wife and her son, in a film that has action but lacks panache.

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Luke Evans in a still from Weekend in Taipei.

Opinion | Why Hong Kong should roll out the red carpet for international filmmakers

With political unrest and Covid-19 behind us, Hong Kong must focus on the economic and soft power opportunities in a global film industry in flux.

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Why Circle of Iron, based on a Bruce Lee idea, turned out badly

Based on a script Lee abandoned, the 1978 film ended up a bizarre mix of poor martial arts and mysticism. An expert dissects what went wrong.

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Why Jackie Chan hated making Hong Kong-US movie The Protector

Chan was so unhappy with his role as a cold-blooded killer in the James Glickenhaus-directed film he asked for a new version for Hong Kong.

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Jackie Chan in a still from The Protector, one of the Hong Kong martial arts actor’s many attempts to crack the US market before finally having success with Rumble in the Bronx (1995).

Review | Cesium Fallout: Andy Lau leads Hong Kong radiation disaster drama

Implausible? Yes. A flimsy set-up? Also true – but this mega-budget film starring Andy Lau, Bai Yu and Karen Mok is immersive and engaging.

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Nvidia chief Jensen Huang to visit Hong Kong to receive honorary doctorate

Nobel laureate Michael Levitt and American mathematician David Mumford to also be honoured at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Review | In Possession Street, zombies terrorise old Hong Kong shopping mall

Starring Philip Keung, Yeung Wai-lun and Candy Wong of girl group Collar, Possession Street is a grim and claustrophobic experience.

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Philip Keung in a still from Possession Street. Photo: Mei Ah Entertainment.

‘Gormless’ to ‘adequate’ to ‘terrific’, Aaron Kwok’s early film career

Aaron Kwok’s early films garnered mixed reviews, from a terrible outing in Legend of the Liquid Sword to a great one in After This Our Exile.

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Aaron Kwok in a still from Somebody Up There Likes Me (1996).

Profile | From child star to activist, Hong Kong actress Josephine Siao’s career

Josephine Siao began her acting career aged 6 and made over 100 films before becoming deaf. She is an activist against child sexual abuse.

Review | Love in the Big City: Kim Go-eun shines in 5-star romantic comedy

Korea’s rampant misogyny and homophobia are highlighted in this intelligent romcom, boosted by a fine performance from Kim Go-eun.

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Explainer | How 2004 horror movie Saw launched the torture porn subgenre

James Wan’s low-budget horror film Saw spawned a US$1 billion franchise and inspired numerous ultra-violent films.

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Cary Elwes as oncologist Dr Lawrence Gordon in a still from Saw (2004). Photo: Lionsgate Films

Review | Inexternal, martial arts fantasy without a watchable fight scene

Martial arts clichés, clumsy storytelling and terrible fight scenes all add up to a fantasy that is less than fantastic.

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Macy Ma (left) and Angus Yeung in a still from Inexternal. Photo: Emperor Motion Pictures

Review | Uranus 2324, Thai sci-fi girls’ love film with LGBTQ stars FreenBecky

‘GL’ fans will love watching lesbian stars Freen Sarocha Chankimha and Rebecca Patricia Armstrong, but Uranus 2324 offers little to others.

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‘Time has come’ for Indian women directors with 3 set to vie for Oscars

Director of wife-swapping comedy Laapataa Ladies (Lost Ladies), Indian Oscars entry, hails ‘special moment’ for South Asian women filmmakers.

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Asian cinema
Views, news, and reviews of films from the continent's biggest movie production centres.
last updated:
9 September, 2024
HIGHLIGHTS FROM
Philip Ng Wan-lung is a Hong Kong-born American actor, martial artist and action choreographer. Photo: Jocelyn Tam

The Hong Kong stuntman reviving classic kung fu

Philip Ng, star of new movie Stuntman, reflects on Hong Kong’s golden action film era when Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan reigned – and why it’s back.

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Hong Kong born music conductor Elim Chan. Photo: Willeke Machiels

Elim Chan, acclaimed Hong Kong-born conductor, returns home

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The putting course at Tong Chong Street Market in Hong Kong. Photo: Tong Chong Street Market

Your perfect week: what to do in Hong Kong from November 10 to 16

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Hong Kong actor and stuntman Philip Ng fronts this week’s issue of PostMag. Photo: Jocelyn Tam

This week in PostMag: from Stuntman star Philip Ng to Tam Jai

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Macau Grand Prix returns with top racers and thrilling events

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All 10 Once Upon a Time in China movies and rip-offs rated

Tsui Hark’s film series that originally starred Jet Li as martial arts legend Wong Fei-hung spawned several knock-offs, such as Kickboxer.

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Jet Li as Cantonese martial arts legend Wong Fei-hung in a still from Once Upon a Time in China 2 (1992), directed by Tsui Hark. Photo: Golden Harvest
Jet Li as Cantonese martial arts legend Wong Fei-hung in a still from Once Upon a Time in China 2 (1992), directed by Tsui Hark. Photo: Golden Harvest

Profile | Meet Kim Tae-ri, beloved Korean actress of Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born

Kim Tae-ri burst onto the scene in acclaimed 2016 erotic thriller The Handmaiden, and she has only gone from strength to strength since.

5 of the best things to do this weekend in Hong Kong, October 18-20

From the Hong Kong Ballet to the Asian Film Festival and World Shochu and Awamori Festival, our pick of the best things to do this weekend.

Review | Jackie Chan falls flat in CGI family action flop Panda Plan

Jackie Chan stars as himself as he jets off to adopt a panda cub and has to fight off kidnappers in this terrible family film.

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The CGI panda Hu Hu in a still from Panda Plan.

10 of the best movies at the Hong Kong Asian Film Festival 2024

This year’s programme includes a drama ripped from Hong Kong headlines, a social satire in a near-future Japan and a modern romantic drama.

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Kim Go-eun (left) and Steve Noh Sang-hyun in a still from the film Love in the Big City.
Kim Go-eun (left) and Steve Noh Sang-hyun in a still from the film Love in the Big City.

11 films that best show the acting chops of Hong Kong’s Anita Mui

Anita Mui’s remarkable versatility made her characters captivating to watch in films that co-starred names like Jackie Chan and Chow Yun-fat.

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M on the Bund documentary looks back on restaurant’s 23 years in Shanghai

Filmmaker Luo Tong, M on the Bund founder Michelle Garnaut and customers reflect on its 23 years in Shanghai and the splash it made.

The top 5 Korean premieres at the 2024 Busan International Film Festival

Our pick of Korean movies that premiered at the film festival, from crime comedy collection The Killers to period action thriller Uprising.

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A still from The Land of Morning Calm, which premiered at the 2024 Busan International Film Festival.